Celcom (Malaysia) Bhd aims to more than double its current base of 350,000 enterprise users by year-end with the introduction of its new comprehensive plan, Celcom PowerTools, its chief executive officer Datuk Shazalli Ramly said.
The plan is the result of the company’s recent partnership with UK-based mobile telecommunications company Vodafone, and is designed specifically for corporate users as well as small- and medium-enterprise customers. Among the products and services offered are e-mail connectivity and extensive data roaming.
Shazalli told a media briefing in Kuala Lumpur on April 27 that the official launch of Celcom PowerTools would be on May 1.
“This is the first of many launches to come in May, June and July. With these types of activities, and with this range of products being introduced, we assume that it (the enterprise base) shouldn’t be any lower than last year,” he said.
According to Shazalli, Celcom’s enterprise base contributed 9% of the company’s total revenue last year.
He also said that a total of 21 products under Celcom PowerTools would be launched from the beginning of May until the end of this year. Fifteen of these products would be rolled out by July.
Power Tools’ 8pax Pro and Office Pax combine the use of 3G, GPRS and closed user group technology. The 8pax Pro allows customers to make video and voice calls for free for up to eight “favourite” persons, whereas Office Pax offers cheaper calls to colleagues with rates of as low as five sen per minute.
The 3G/GPRS card is priced at RM888 each and is combined with Celcom’s PowerConnect plan, offered at RM90 a month, which enables users to enjoy unlimited 3G, GPRS and WiFi at over 1,000 TMNet hot spots.-theedgedaily
FrogPad has announced a Limited Edition of 500 USB Black on black FrogPads - 250 left handed, 250 right handed models. This is a test program for colour acceptance.
The products will be sold at US$ 129.99 on the web site in 30-45 days. If you are interested in being one of the first to get this limited edition product, the company is accepting pre-orders now. Each of these 500 units will be personally autographed on the back by our CEO. -By Jonathan Cheah
“Results for the second quarter demonstrate that our Fit4More program is making a significant difference after just one year,” said Siemens CEO Klaus Kleinfeld. “Our evolving portfolio is positioning Siemens strongly in its growth markets, resulting in double-digit increases in sales and orders in the second quarter. We also earned higher profits at the majority of our operating Groups, and despite significantly higher charges at our I&C Groups we achieved an increase in net income as well.”
“Looking ahead, we anticipate that volume growth will even out somewhat compared to the rapid pace of the first half, and that severance programs already in place in the I&C Groups will result in further charges in the second half. Overall, we continue to focus all our efforts on achieving our 2007 targets.”
For the second quarter of fiscal 2006, ended March 31, 2006, Siemens reported net income of Euro 887 million, up 14% compared to Euro 781 million in the same period a year earlier. Basic and diluted earnings per share rose to Euro 1.00 and Euro 0.95, respectively, from Euro 0.88 and Euro 0.84 in the same quarter a year earlier. Discontinued operations lost Euro 14 million in the quarter, compared to a loss of Euro 79 million in the prior-year period. Income from continuing operations in the second quarter was Euro 901 million, and corresponding basic and diluted earnings per share were Euro 1.01 and Euro 0.97, respectively. A year earlier, income from continuing operations in the second quarter was Euro 860 million, and corresponding basic and diluted earnings per share were Euro 0.96 and Euro 0.92, respectively.
Group profit from Operations in the second quarter was Euro 1.325 billion, up 8% from Euro 1.225 billion in the same period a year earlier. Most Groups within Operations increased their earnings year-over-year, with major earnings contributions from Automation and Drives (A&D), Medical Solutions (Med), Siemens VDO Automotive (SV) and Osram. Severance charges at Communications (Com) and Siemens Business Services (SBS) totalled Euro 178 million, approximately double the level in the prior-year period.
Net income in the second quarter benefited from a gain on the sale of an investment and a positive effect related to the settlement of an arbitration proceeding, both within corporate items. In contrast, earnings from Financing and Real Estate activities in the second quarter declined to Euro 77 million from Euro 123 million in the prior-year period, which included a special dividend related to an investment.
Second-quarter orders of Euro 24.413 billion, including large orders at Power Generation (PG) and Transportation Systems (TS), were up 22% compared to the second quarter a year earlier. Sales increased 21% year-over-year, to Euro 21.510 billion. While sales and orders rose modestly in Germany, all other regions reported double-digit growth in both sales and orders for the quarter. Excluding currency translation and portfolio effects, second-quarter orders rose 9% and sales were up 8% year-over-year.
On a continuing basis, net cash from operating and investing activities within Operations in the second quarter was Euro 173 million compared to a negative Euro 153 million in the prior-year period. While the current period included significantly higher payouts from severance programs compared to the prior-year period, it also included higher proceeds from sales of investments. In both periods under review, Operations used significant cash for net working capital and capital expenditures associated with business growth. Within Financing and Real Estate and Corporate Treasury activities, net cash from operating and investing activities in the second quarter was Euro 228 million compared to Euro 295 million a year earlier. For Siemens on a continuing basis, operating and investing activities in the second quarter provided net cash of Euro 401 million compared to net cash provided of Euro 142 million a year earlier.-By Jonathan Cheah
Casio has announced the release of the EX-Z1000, the latest exciting addition to CASIO’s stylish series of EXILIM ZOOM digital cameras. The EX-Z1000 captures images of remarkable quality for its very compact size, and its new wide-format Super Bright LCD display gives users the power to enjoy instant, high-impact images of their shots.
The new EXILIM ZOOM EX-Z1000 packs a powerful punch in a sleek, compact package. Small enough to be held in the palm of the hand, its 10.1 megapixel digital camera still captures super high-resolution images that reproduce crystal-clear even in very large sizes - perfect for printing or on-screen viewing of those priceless, once-in-a-lifetime shots.
This new model is the first in the series to incorporate a large 2.8-inch, Wide and Bright LCD display. CASIO makes the most of this extra screen space to offer great new functions like simultaneous viewing of a wide angle and a telephoto shot, and a convenient right-side set of icon controls.
The EX-Z1000 has an effective 10.1 million pixels, powered by a large 1/1.8-inch format, high resolution CCD. Add the EXILIM Engine high-performance image processor and the camera delivers highly expressive images and reproduces a wide tonal range.
The EX-Z1000’s LCD display is a large, crystal-clear 2.8-inch monitor in an attractive wide format. This high-resolution, 230,400 pixel LCD displays images and data with outstanding clarity and fine detail. With a maximum brightness of 1200cd/m2, the EX-Z1000’s Wide and Bright display makes viewing in bright outdoor light easier than ever before.
Since the moment of its debut in 2002, the EXILIM series has been transforming the digital camera market. EXILIM cameras are slim and stylish, packed with superior functionality, and astonishingly easy to use. Users appreciate EXILIM’s unique combination of compact size, intuitive controls, large displays, and long battery life. And the series continues to break new ground, with the recent introduction of functions like Anti Shake DSP, which reduces blurring due to unsteady hands or moving subjects, and the Super Bright display.
“We are very excited to announce the addition of our EX-Z1000 to the EXILIM ZOOM series of compact, stylish and easy-to-use digital cameras”, said Bill Heuer, Senior Vice President of Casio’s Digital Imaging Division. “The high resolution and large, bright 2.8” LCD in the new EX-Z1000 offers consumers even more possibilities in capturing and sharing their memories, and Casio is proud to be able to offer such cutting edge technology”, he continued.
The EX-Z1000 will have a suggested retail price of US$ 399.99 and will be available in June.
Some 10,000 people took the opportunity to view the latest models of Motorola cellphones during a roadshow in Pahang recently.
The Hellomoto Tour will make its way throughout the country covering suburban and rural towns in a fleet of motor vehicles.
Pahang was chosen as the first stop due the state being the gateway to the east coast.
The two-week promotion blitz started in Karak before moving to Bentong, Raub, Kuala Lipis, Jerantut, Mentakab, Temerloh and Maran.
The last destination was the state’s capital Kuantan where the staff camped overnight at four places – Jalan Bersinar, Berjaya Megamall, Kuantan Parade and Teluk Cempedak.
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Two promoters showing the latest model during the Motorola roadshow in Pahang recently. |
The entourage will make its way to Kelantan and Terengganu before returning to Kuala Lumpur by early May.
The crowd of onlookers were treated to sideshows such as skateboarding and bicycle stunts, dance and music as well as games.
Motorola country manager (Malaysia and Brunei) for mobile devices Eric Chong said the tour was part of its campaign to go “mobile” and take technology to people especially in rural areas.
“Our target audience is those aged between 15 and 40 who own cellphones.
“We have allocated a substantial amount of time for the tour and are happy with the response,” he said when met in Kuantan recently.
Chong said their “motobus” comprising vivid colours and smashing visuals would act as their brand ambassador in their promotional blitz.
Mobile Signal has launched a revolutionary text-based business and social networking service that it estimates will boost mobile operator revenues by at least Euro 30 million inside two years.
The new mobile social networking solution uses a world’s first combination of SMS messaging and location-based services to give subscribers the opportunity to communicate with people who share their personal or business interests in their vicinity via their mobile phone or PC.
The Mobile Signal platform – which is available via simple plug–in patented technology compatible with any web or mobile application – enables network operators to provide high revenue features to its customers within four weeks. “With no significant cost of implementation, no installation onto the operator’s network needed and the potential target market being worldwide, our technology provides the operator with an immediate way to convert day-to-day social interactions into revenues,” said Dan Ake, CEO of Mobile Signal Corporation. “We project that an operator with a 10-million subscriber base will be able to generate an additional revenue stream of at least Euro 30 million within two years of implementation.”
Mobile Signal’s new networking service also has the potential to evolve with mobile internet service delivery. The technology can be accessed via a java menu that can be either be preinstalled on the handset or downloaded from the Mobile Signal website free of charge. The application can also sit directly on the SIM card in a mobile handset to enable extended features and one-click usages.
Once activated, standard SMS will alert other people in the same location who share a whole host of similar interests such as sport, music, films, politics or even romance.
Whether it is a young backpacker arriving at an airport in a new country, or a businessman attending a congress alone, by activating Mobile Signal on their phone they will be made instantly aware of those nearby who also like to meet others sharing something in common.
Dan Ake added: “Mobile phone users now have the freedom to reach out and communicate with people they’ve never met, according to personal and business interests. This is digital communications with a face, revolutionising the way people get to know each other.”-By Jonathan Cheah
The Bluetooth SIG announced that it is now able to reduce the product listing price for Associate and Adopter members who take advantage of the organization’s Profile Tuning Suite (PTS), because of the efficiencies it achieves in the qualification process. This one-of-a-kind tool, created by the Bluetooth SIG for its members, automates profile testing to reduce the cost and time associated with qualification and better ensures Bluetooth device interoperability at the application level.
The Bluetooth SIG works to maintain Bluetooth technology’s leadership in the personal area networking (PAN) market by evolving and developing programs and tools for its members. As more devices are developed by more companies and with increased functionality, the need for a standardized, efficient qualification tool is greater than ever. Bluetooth product qualification is at an all time high, setting records for number of products qualified in both January and February of 2006. Stuart Carlaw of ABI Research concludes in his March 16, 2006, global report that the market for Bluetooth radios will grow by 71 percent to a level just over 500 million radio shipments in 2006.
“In anticipation of continued rapid growth for Bluetooth technology, we have developed tools like the PTS that can automate the qualification process to decrease cost and increase quality,” said Michael Foley, Ph. D., executive director of the Bluetooth SIG. “Members that use the PTS during qualification will not only receive a discount, but will catch bugs in their products earlier, reducing cost and time-to-market and increasing customer satisfaction.”
“Microsoft has benefited greatly by using the PTS and by collaborating with the Bluetooth SIG to develop the PTS tests for the Human Interface Device (HID) profile,” said Peter Hauser, hardware test engineer for Microsoft. “The Bluetooth HID profile is a critical component of Microsoft’s Bluetooth enabled peripherals and PTS has helped ensure that end-users receive an excellent Bluetooth experience. By using PTS, we have also greatly reduced Bluetooth HID qualification testing time which results in reduced costs and a faster time-to-market for our end-products.”-By Jonathan Cheah
The company involved in the London bombing telephone forensics work is offering its expertise to the Royal Malaysian Police.
Forensic Telecommunications Services Ltd (FTS), which is currently helping the British police in ongoing investigations of the London bombing, is known for its specialised techniques in extracting evidence from mobile and fixed line telephones.
Its operations manager Shaun Hipgrave said the Malaysian authorities have expressed an interest in acquiring the technology but nothing official has taken place yet.
"We can assist not only in terms of technology but also in the setting up of laboratories and forensic training," he told Bernama when interviewed at the Defence Service Asia 2006 exhibition here Wednesday.
Using a technology called Hex extraction, the FTS forensics team is able to recover the phone book, calls dialled, received and missed, as well as received and sent SMS (short messaging service) messages from a smashed, submerged or burnt mobile phone while preserving the integrity of crime scene evidence.
Its capability to extract even deleted data from mobile phones was what made FTS the current world leading experts in telephone forensics.
Citing a recent case in Britain where a teenager was killed in a racist attack, Hipgrave said FTS helped to extract incriminating evidence from the murderers' mobile phones.
"We were able to identify where the phones were when calls were made as they had made a phone call from the scene of the crime and that helped to disprove their alibi," he explained.
Hipgrave said the Hex extraction technology and FTS' analytical software have been used in many major criminal investigation cases, including those concerning organised crime, drugs transportation and revenue evasion.
The evidence gathered could be used to demonstrate association or conspiracy and to confirm a victim's movement and geographically place suspects at the crime scene, he said.
Evidence presented in courts in the United Kingdom by FTS staff are accepted as that from expert witnesses, he added.
Hipgrave said the company, which has five laboratories in the UK and one in Canada, examined about 20,000 mobile phones a year for Scotland Yard and other police forces in the UK.
It was learnt that several Asian countries have expressed interest in the technology, including Singapore which has its own set-up starting this month.
FTS, founded in 2000, also provides a comprehensive computer forensic investigative service as well as telecoms investigator training courses.-Bernama
Visa International has taken its Visa Wave contactless card payment technology to the next level with the launch of the world’s first Mobile Visa Wave Payment pilot programme in Malaysia.
Visa, Malayan Banking Bhd, Maxis Communications Bhd and Nokia have collaborated to provide the mobile payment system facility to Maybankard Visa cardholders and Maxis mobile phone subscribers.
Two hundred participants, who are both Maybankard Visa cardholders and Maxis subscribers, were picked for the four-month trial.
Visa country manager for Malaysia Jeffrey Perera said it was a natural progression to incorporate the Visa Wave technology into mobile phones for payment convenience.
Speaking at the launch in Petaling Jaya on April 27, he said the Mobile Visa Wave Payment system combined “near field communications” (NFC) with Visa Wave contactless card technologies, built on the success of the existing contactless card platform.
Maxis head of products and new businesses Dr Nikolai Dobberstein said it had not finalised the charges for the service since the rate is different from short messaging service.
Nokia’s head of NFC consumer solutions Risto Sipila said other mobile phone manufacturers could introduce similar technology so that consumers would have a wider choice of handsets and pricing would be competitive.
Perera said more than 160,000 Visa Wave cards were issued in Malaysia by five banks.
“We target 600,000 cards by end-2006. We also aim to increase the number of contactless card readers from 2,500 now to 7,500 by year-end,” he said.
Payments by Mobile Visa Wave are done via NFC, using radio frequency much like those used in mass transit environments. Cardholders hold the mobile phones at about 4cm from the specially installed payment reader for the transaction to be processed.
In Malaysia, the pilot Maybankard Visa Wave-enabled phone operates as a standard mobile phone connected to the Maxis network and can be used to wave and pay wherever a Visa Wave sign is displayed. -theedgedaily
Maxis Communications Bhd's subsidiary PT Natrindo Telepon Seluler (NTS) is allowed to pay for its 3G licence in Indonesia under a structured deferred payment.
In a statement on April 26, Maxis said it would pay the first annual fee of RM13 million for one block of 2x5 MHz Moda Frequency Duplex Division (FDD) and RM6.5 million for one block of 1x5MHz Moda Time Division Duplex (TDD) by May 10.
It said NTS would be entitled to a second contiguous block of 2x5 MHz FDD after Jan 1, 2008 subject to the condition that it settles all 3G fees and fulfils its commitment to build the telecomunications network based on the plan approved by the Indonesian government.
The Indonesian government had confirmed on Tuesday that the payment of upfront fee for one block of 2x5MHz FDD is RM131 million and for 1x5MHz is RM65 million, and they would be deferred to Jan 31, 2008, it said.
It added that the annual fees for one block of 2x5 MHz FDD and 1x5MHz TDD are RM65 million and RM32.5 million respectively.-theedgedaily
The Goldman Sachs Group Inc has increased its stake in DiGi.Com Bhd after acquiring 2.05 million shares representing a 0.27% shareholding, in the open market recently.
Filings with Bursa Malaysia showed that the shares were acquired on April 19, 21 and 25. After the acquisitions, The Goldman Sachs Group owns 42.13 million shares or a 5.62% stake in the telecommunications company.
DiGi closed 15 sen higher to RM9.90 on April 19, 80 sen up to RM10.30 on April 21 and unchanged at RM10.90 on April 25.
Comment:
Note: Based on previous reports and news, Telenor MUST reduces its stakes in DiGi before end of this year. Ruling by the Commision, the stakes MUST bee reduced to below 50%..
Thirty-seven years ago, 36 employees began assembling electric fans in a small workshop in this city just south of Seoul.
That company was Samsung Electronics, and it is now the world's largest and most profitable consumer electronics company. Its 123,000 employees make a range of products as diverse as cellphones and flat-panel televisions, washing machines and vacuum cleaners.
So why is Kim Byung Cheol, a senior executive at Samsung, so anxious about his company's future? Because, Kim and others fret, Samsung has still not mastered one crucial factor: originality.
With deep pockets, Samsung has won over consumers with clever designs and multifunction gadgets, like camcorders that download songs and refrigerators that also surf the Internet. It has swept up awards for cellphone designs that look like dashboards, tuxedos or pebbles in a stream. Last year, the company had US$59.2 billion (RM216 billion) in sales and reported profit of US$7.9 billion (RM29 billion), 13 times as much as the 2005 earnings forecast by its rival Sony.
Analysts and Samsung executives agree that the company has excelled at refining other people's inventions, a strategy that worked fine while the company was climbing to the top. But now that it is the leader, Samsung has to set itself apart by creating novel products of its own, especially if it wants to stay ahead of fast-rising Chinese rivals.
They say this means coming up not just with minor hits but with breakthrough inventions like the Apple iPod or the Sony Walkman. Otherwise, they warn, Samsung risks the same fate as many of the once formidable Japanese electronics giants whom Samsung overtook on its way to the top.
"We are at a pivotal moment for the company," said Kim, a vice-president in charge of long-term research and development (R & D). "If we don't become an innovator, we could end up like one of those Japanese companies, mired in difficulties."
Kim is helping lead Samsung's push to reach this goal, which the company is pursuing with the same ferocity and determination that it has used to conquer global markets. The company plans to invest some US$40 billion (RM146 billion) on R & D during the next five years, double what it spent in the preceding five years. It more than doubled its number of researchers, to 32,000, from 13,900 six years ago.
Nowhere is Samsung's effort to reinvent itself more apparent than here in Suwon, where the company has built what it calls the largest R & D centre in Asia, with space for 15,000 engineers. The centre stands on the site of the company's original 1969 electric fan factory.
Suwon's newest facility is the Digital Research Centre, completed in September with the floor space of 30 football fields and special picture and sound labs big enough for 9,000 researchers, though it has so far hired only 5,200. Of those, 150 are from foreign countries like China, India and the US.
Kim said the new labs reflected Samsung's shift away from simply developing products, towards basic research to find the next big idea.
"If you look at Samsung's R & D 10 years ago, we had a lot more D than R," Kim said from his office here. "Today, R is getting much more attention."
If any company can transform itself, ana- lysts say, Samsung can.
With a market value exceeding US$100 billion (RM364 billion), Samsung has done well, they say, because it is the rare corporate giant that remains nimble on its feet. It excels at identifying new technologies and business opportunities early, and then seizing control of the market with overwhelming production volume.
It did this with rear-projection TVs, a popular product in the US that was long dominated by Sony. Samsung saw its chance to break into the American market when Texas Instruments approached it during a 2001 trade show in Tokyo, Samsung executives said.
Texas Instruments, based in Dallas, gave Samsung information about a new computer chip it had developed that used millions of microscopic mirrors to project images onto screens. The American company had already shopped the chip to the Japanese makers Hitachi, Matsushita and Mitsubishi Electric, which were each developing a single TV model using the chip, the executives said.
Samsung jumped on the new technology, producing its first prototype within 12 months, in January 2002. Over the next months, Samsung introduced three models using the technology, called digital light processing, or DLP, with prices for TVs ranging from US$3,500 to US$5,000 (RM12,740 to RM18,200), less than half the Japanese makers' prices. By December 2003, Samsung had produced one million DLP TVs, becoming the market leader.
"This new technology was the chance we needed," said David Steel, a vice-president in Samsung's digital media division in Suwon. "Then we ruthlessly executed by moving faster than the competition, not only to catch up but to pass."
Steel says one secret to Samsung's speed is the fact that the company makes almost every major electronics component, from computer chips to plasma screens. Often, building new products just requires assembling these components in new combinations, like technological building blocks.
He said this also allowed Samsung to go in new directions, building multifunctionality into household electronics and other consumer goods.
"We think big trends like convergence, and the move to wireless and networking, will play to our strengths," Steel said. Steel, a Briton with a doctorate in physics, also exemplifies a recent push by Samsung to attract foreign talent. Hired in 1999, he was the first non-Korean to reach a top management position.
Samsung's rivals see it as a formidable competitor but not yet a trailblazer. But that could change soon, they say.
"Our TVs are better," Nobuyuki Oneda, Sony's chief financial officer, said during an interview earlier this year. "But Samsung's cash flow is amazing. It is hard to invest in and develop products at the same pace as Samsung."
Another new Samsung strength, analysts say, is design. The company has opened design centres in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Tokyo, Shanghai and Milan. Recent designs for flat-panel TVs are based on trends noticed at furniture shows in Italy.
At headquarters in Seoul, designers are told to find inspiration outside the office, and are given Wednesday afternoons off to do so, said Christian Collins, a senior manager in Samsung's cellphone division. Collins, an American, was hired away from Verizon Wireless.
Executives also note that Samsung has reinvented itself before.
When the company was founded as part of the Samsung industrial group, it was so little known that the only market where it could sell its first black-and-white television sets was Panama. By the early 1990s, Samsung had become a successful producer of low-cost commodity electronics, many of them sold under different brand names.
Then Lee Kun Hee, Samsung group chairman, started a sweeping makeover, pushing the company to focus on quality instead of quantity.
Samsung pushed its way up the technological ladder, elbowing aside previous incumbents, most of them Japanese. In 1992, it became the world's largest producer of memory chips. In 1995, it made its first liquid crystal display (LCD) screen, a technology it eventually mastered to the po int that the former front-runner, Sony, joined it in a joint venture to build LCD screens.
Samsung has also tried hard to improve its international image. It h as spent more than US$6 billion (RM22 billion) since 1998 on marketing, sponsoring the past five Olympics and erecting a large video sign in Times Square in New York in 2002. - NYT
Share prices of DiGi.com (RM10.90) continued to confound expectations. Barely two months after failing in its bid to win a block of 3G spectrum, the stock charted new heights.
Prices touched an all-time high of RM10.90 this week, lifting its gains for the year-to-date to nearly 40%. Support for the stock appears very strong, still — although some profit-taking is probably inevitable.
DiGi recently went on the marketing offensive again, including the launch of aggressively priced plans for corporate customers and capped by the introduction of its new and simpler logo.
The company remains focussed on delivering innovation and convenience to its customers, for example offering advance talktime credit to prepaid users.
No 3G for now
However, 3G will not feature in its future plans, at least at this point. DiGi appears adamant that it’ll not be leasing capacity from or taking up equity stakes in either of the two companies that were awarded 3G bandwidths in February.
Instead, the company will explore other alternatives to deliver high-speed wireless multimedia services. (There are various existing technologies being touted as viable options and likely many more to come in the rapidly changing communications landscape.)
The company has time to re-strategise given that take-up for 3G services is slow and not expected to turn a profit for years to come. (Maxis estimates 3G will account for just about 5% of sales by end-2008.)
Without the ‘distraction’, DiGi can focus on improving its existing systems and expanding coverage — to 90% for voice and 60% for broadband (on its EDGE platform, which is sometimes referred to as 2.5G) from the current 82% and 50%, respectively.
Payout galore for shareholders
Relieved of the planned capital expenditure for 3G, DiGi has opted to return excess cash to shareholders. (The company estimates lower capex of between RM750-RM850 million from the original RM800-RM900 million this year.)
The company proposed a second capital repayment of 60 sen per share, on top of the initial 75 sen payout. (The entitlement date for the latter has been set for May 9.) If all goes to plan, the second payout should materialise before the end of the year.
The company has also crystallised a generous dividend policy, to distribute at least half of its annual net profits.
Based on our current earnings estimate, dividends could total over 50 sen per share this year. This means that shareholders could be receiving some RM1.85 apiece in total cash payout within the next 12 months.
Fair valuation on higher yields
The company grew its share of the mobile market to 24.6% in 2005 (from 22.2% in the previous year) while earnings expanded by 48%. We expect this momentum should carry into the current year.
Although growth will taper off from last year’s scorching pace, we still expect double-digit earnings expansion. The stock is currently priced at roughly 14.7 times our estimated earnings of 74.2 sen apiece (and around 12.9 times P/E after adjusting for the two capital repayments).
We expect the company will remain in a net cash position even after accounting for all the proposed payout. (Net cash stood at RM883 million at end-2005.)
Note: This report is brought to you by Asia Analytica Sdn Bhd, a licensed investment adviser. Please exercise your own judgment or seek professional advice for your specific investment needs. We are not responsible for your investment decisions. Our shareholders, directors and employees may have positions in any of the stocks mentioned.
MALAYSIA Airlines'(MAS) cost-cutting measures under its business turnaround plan will not affect the services for customers.
"With the business turnaround plan, people think that we would want to skimp, but this is not the case as we are doing the best we can to ensure that the quality of our products will not go lower than what we actually offer," MAS assistant general manager of in-flight services Azman Ahmad told reporters in Sepang yesterday.
"There will of course be some streamlining, but I think what we are going to do, and moving ahead, is actually to ensure all changes will not in any way affect our customers," he said.
MAS recently bagged the "Economy Class Onboard Service Excellence 2006" award in an international airline survey done by UK-based Skytrax Research.
Skytrax is an independent body with 13 years experience in airline service research.
MAS economy class service came out tops when it was assessed through a product and service agenda covering up to 800 different rating items.
"(Winning this award) serves as an endorsement that in spite of all the airline's problems we do not cut back on products, we do not cut back on the service," MAS general manager of flight operations Hayati Ali said.
It is good to know that we are cost-conscious, without affecting the quality of product," he said.
Asked about reports that MAS incurs high costs for the supply of its in-flight meals, he said, "Of course you cannot go to a five- or six-star hotel and ask for a RM1 nasi lemak as the processes involved in preparation of the meal itself needs to be looked at, then (only) can you give a comparison with regard to pricing."
MAS has more than 55 chefs all over the world that cater for the airline on a contract basis.
Azman said the airline has a benchmark against other airlines to ensure that costs are competitive and catering jobs go through a tender process.
MAS is one of the four airlines in the world to be given a five-star rating by Skytrax.-NSTP
Berlin, Germany and Hong Kong, China - Nokia today introduced the Nokia N93, the ultimate mobile device for spontaneous video recording. Offering uncompromised digital camcorder, telephony and rich Internet communication functionalities, the Nokia N93 features a 3.2 megapixel camera with Carl Zeiss optics, DVD-like video capture and 3x optical zoom. You can connect the Nokia N93 directly to your TV for a widescreen movie experience or upload your images and video to online albums or blogs. Moreover, you can create high-quality home movies and burn them to DVD with the included Adobe Premiere Elements 2.0 software.
"The Nokia N93 marks a new era in the digital camcorder market," said Anssi Vanjoki, executive vice president and general manager of Multimedia, Nokia. "Incorporating all the features you need for great quality movie-making, the Nokia N93 is a fantastic example of a multimedia computer with true digital camcorder performance at its core. Thanks to its connectivity, it allows you to immediately share the memories you've captured, taking the entire camcorder experience to the Internet age."
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Intuitive and Spontaneous Capture Offering the best mobile video and photography experience, the Nokia N93 is packed with exceptional camera features that enable high-quality photos and DVD-like quality video. Unfold and twist the main display, and the Nokia N93 is ready to shoot video and photos using the color landscape display as a full screen viewfinder. Whether special events or just fun, impromptu everyday life, you can capture moments conveniently and impulsively and share them with others as they happen. Featuring MPEG-4 VGA video capture at 30 frames per second, the Nokia N93 delivers an unparalleled video experience with stereo audio recording and digital stabilization, enabling smooth and shake-free movies. The Nokia N93 incorporates a 3.2 megapixel (2048 x 1536 pixels) camera with a Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar lens, 3x optical zoom and up to 20x digital zoom, as well as autofocus and close-up mode for amazing clarity and accuracy. Furthermore, the Nokia N93 has an active camera toolbar which displays all available capture features, from exposure value to color tones and white balance. There are dedicated keys for shutter, zoom and flash and also a camera mode key that enables you to switch quickly and easily between image and video capture.
The Nokia N93 features large internal memory of up to 50 MB, which can be further expanded with a hot swap miniSD card of up to 2 GB, allowing users to capture up to 90 minutes of DVD-like quality video or close to 2500 high-quality photos. Furthermore, you can easily transfer your photos and video from the memory card to a compatible PC for storage, and yet always carry a collection of your favorite resized images on the Nokia N93.
Joy of Sharing
Sharing your photos and video clips captured with the Nokia N93 is a snap. Show off your content on the up to 262,144 color 2.4" QVGA display (240 x 320 pixels) featuring a super-wide 160 degree viewing angle. Share your uncompressed photos and video clips instantly via email, Bluetooth technology or by uploading them directly from the Gallery to compatible blogs. You can even share your captured memories with family and friends on a large compatible TV screen, using either the included TV cable or wirelessly over integrated WLAN and UPnP (Universal Plug and Play) technology. Furthermore, from browsing the web to reading your emails and office documents, you can even play games on the Nokia N93 using the screen of your compatible TV.
Creativity Made Easy
While editing your photos and video clips directly on the Nokia N93 is simple, you can also easily transfer them to your compatible PC, allowing for more creative control over your video output. The standard Nokia N93 sales pack comes bundled with Adobe Premiere Elements 2.0, which makes it easy to import video clips, photos and music and to start experimenting with hundreds of transitions and effects, as well as create professional looking home videos with customizable templates. And to top it off, you can effortlessly burn those great home movies to DVD and export formats for Web streaming and email. Multifunctional Mobile Computing and Connectivity
Part of the Nokia Nseries multimedia computer range, the Nokia N93 offers great functionality in one beautifully shaped connected device. Designed to work on WLAN, 3G (WCDMA 2100 MHz), EDGE and GSM (900/1800/1900 MHz) networks, the Nokia N93 provides broadband Internet access for browsing, uploading content, and sending and receiving emails, allowing you to stay connected on the move. You can also set the device on a surface, flip the display horizontally and use the landscape screen to browse the Web, watch TV* over 3G networks, or make hands-free video calls*.
All Round Entertainment
The Nokia N93 includes a stereo FM radio and a digital music player that offer a fantastic music experience. You can create playlists and enjoy your music hands-free via the speaker or use the stereo headset provided. With the Nokia Music Manager, you can also easily rip your CDs and transfer your music collection to your phone. In addition, you can store up to 1500 songs on your Nokia N93 with a separately available 2 GB miniSD card. You can also enjoy high-quality 3D games with the pre-installed N-Gage franchise System Rush: Evolution. The Nokia N93, which is based on S60 3rd Edition software on Symbian OS, is expected to become commercially available in July 2006 with an estimated, unsubsidized sales price of approximately 550 euros.
PIRATED software users be warned. Microsoft Corp is going to start “nagging” Windows users who do not have a legitimate copy of its operating system (OS).
Starting tomorrow, the software giant will permanently flag personal computers that are not running a genuine copy of Windows.
This move affects the six million Windows users in this country, as well as those in the United States, Britain, New Zealand and Australia.
Industry sources informed In.Tech that the software giant is giving Windows the ability to tell if a user's PC is running a genuine or pirated version of the OS, via an update patch that becomes available from tomorrow.
The patch takes effect if a PC user has opted to automatically update Windows the moment he goes online. It will also take effect should a PC user manually download the latest Windows updates.
If the OS is an unauthorised copy, a pop-up dialogue box will appear on the Windows login screen, informing the user that his copy of the OS is counterfeit and that he should get a genuine copy.
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DIALOGUE BOX: The notification that will appear on the login screen. It can be temporarily suppressed by clicking "Resolve Later". |
A notification stating “This copy of Windows is not genuine. You may be a victim of software counterfeiting.” is also permanently “tattooed” to the bottom righthand corner of the same screen.
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PIRATE MARK: The "tattoo" that will be permanently affixed to the login screen. |
Another pop-up message which states that “You may be a victim of software counterfeiting. This copy of Windows is not genuine. Click this balloon to resolve now.” will appear at random times whenever the computer is in use.
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WINDOWS DESKTOP: A 'nagulator' notification will pop-up as a system tray bubble every now and then, reminding its user to 'get genuine'. |
The only way to stop the messages from appearing is to replace the OS with a genuine copy, available from any of Microsoft's authorised dealers in the country.
All together now
When contacted by In.Tech, Microsoft Malaysia said the Windows update is being released simultaneously in all five countries.
K.T. Ng, group manager for Windows Client solutions at Microsoft Malaysia, said the update is part of the second wave of the software giant's Windows Genuine Advantage (WGA) initiative.
The initiative is aimed at protecting its customers and partners from counterfeit software, he said.
It is not to punish anyone using pirated copies of Windows, but to better serve Microsoft's genuine users.
“Genuine Windows users are rewarded with Internet Explorer 7.0 (IE7) and Windows Defender,” said Ng.
IE7 is an even more secure version of Microsoft's web browser while Windows Defender is an antispyware tool (see In.Tech, April 18 and 20 for more details).
PC users with systems that have been tattooed will not be able to download IE7 or Windows Defender, but will still receive security patches for Windows.
Beware the 'nagulator'
Ng has nicknamed the automatic antipiracy pop-up message system as the “nagulator.”
He said it would nag users of counterfeit copies of Windows into going legitimate.
“But if you are a businessman or a corporate executive, it would also be embarrassing to have the nagulator pop-up during a PC-based presentation or during an office visit by clients or potential customers,” he said.
According to Ng, the nagulator would also alert consumers to counterfeit copies of Windows.
He said counterfeiters have been able to reproduce Microsoft product packaging to the point where consumers are unable to tell genuine from imitation.
“Those customers will now have peace of mind,” he said. “Also, users who buy a PC or laptop preloaded with Windows, will be able to check if they are victims of software piracy.”
Microsoft officially launched its WGA initiative in July last year.
It estimates that about 200,000 Windows users in Malaysia will have their systems validated tomorrow because they have opted for automatic updates. -thestar
Berlin, Germany and Hong Kong, China - Nokia today unveiled the latest addition to the Nokia Nseries family, the Nokia N73, a stunning multimedia computer in a compact and savvy exterior with exquisite photography features and integrated stereo speakers with 3D sound for optimized audio pleasure. In addition to a large 2.4 inch display, the Nokia N73 includes a 3.2 megapixel camera with Carl Zeiss optics, autofocus and support for Internet communities like Flickr - a package ready to challenge any digital camera.
"The ideal companion for the digital camera lover, the Nokia N73 is as easy to use as it is compact to carry. Imagine, stunning print quality photos and multimedia are just a slide and a click away, ready to be shared immediately, said Juha Putkiranta, senior vice president, Multimedia Computers, Nokia. "Being able to intuitively capture, edit and share your digital memories is at the core of the Nokia N73, which also offers the enriched multimedia experiences of the Nokia Nseries range. The joy of using the Nokia N73 extends beyond the actual device, by fusing people to their passions and with others who share them. The Nokia N73 is truly a camera for the Internet age, enabling people to share their photos on the Web in an instant, on Flickr or other photo sharing communities."
Smile for the Camera
No need to plan for the perfect shot - spontaneous photography is inevitable when using the Nokia N73. A high-quality 3.2 megapixel (2048 x 1536 pixels) camera with Carl Zeiss optics, the Nokia N73 provides 'real' photo quality up to 10" x 8" (25 x 20 cm). Thanks to the mechanical shutter and advanced autofocus, photos are sharper, boasting crisp detail with reduced movement distortion, even in low light conditions. Once you've snapped your photos or videos, viewing them is a simple pleasure on the large, high resolution 2.4 inch full
screen landscape viewfinder.
Share the Moment
Scrolling through your images and video clips is like flipping through a photoalbum - and this one is in your pocket. Display photos instantly on the beautiful screen, edge to edge, by simply pressing the dedicated review key. The powerful and intuitive active toolbar interface provides a one-touch selection to effortlessly send photos via email, Bluetooth connectivity or MMS, print or upload them onto an Internet community.
Impress your friends by creating a slideshow, complete with your own soundtrack - simply select your favorite images and digital tunes, and enjoy the 3D sound effects reverberating from the integrated stereo speakers.
Intuitive and Intelligent
Less than 90cc, the high-performing Nokia N73 not only travels with you, but also has intuitive functionality for additional ease-of-use. In fact, every aspect of the Nokia N73 has been designed to make photography easy. The dedicated controls for capture, zoom and review, together with the active toolbar interface provide intuitive and fast control of key camera functions.
With Nokia XpressTransfer, organizing and moving your images and videos onto a compatible PC is simple. Choose your favorites for immediate printing with Nokia XpressPrint, or select them for convenient printing at a later time from the active toolbar.
Need It
The Nokia N73 meets a multitude of the everyday user's needs - in one pocketable device. Available in 3G or quadband EDGE/GSM networks, the Nokia N73 has all the diversity of a powerful multimedia computer enabled with the S60 3rd Edition Software on Symbian OS. Music fans can tap into the Nokia N73's integrated digital music player with playlists and equalizer or tune into the FM radio, or simply enjoy productivity features like email, office applications, organizer, synchronization with a compatible PC and browse the Internet with the Nokia Web Browser with Mini Map. See who you are calling and who calls you with the front VGA camera, enabled for video calling*.
The Nokia N73 is expected be available from July 2006, in three beautifully designed color combinations: silver grey/deep plum, frost white/metallic red and frost white/mocha brown.
SAN FRANCISCO (AP): Scott McNealy, the often outspoken co-founder of Sun Microsystems Inc. and one of Microsoft Corp.'s most vocal critics, stepped down as chief executive officer after 22 years, as the pioneering maker of computer servers reported a wider quarterly loss.
Jonathan Schwartz, Sun's president, will retain his current position and take over as chief executive, while McNealy will remain chairman and a full-time employee of Santa Clara-based company.
"This isn't about me. It's about a big moment in Sun's history and I'm proud to share that with you,'' McNealy said on a conference call Monday, adding that the idea to resign as chief executive was his. "There's lots more work to do and I'm certainly going to stay around and support that.''
Sun's shares surged nearly 9 percent after the announcement of McNealy's exit and the $217 million (euro175.5 million) loss that met Wall Street expectations. McNealy was under increasing criticism from analysts and former executives, who said he was not doing enough to restore the company to its more profitable days.
McNealy's mantra "The network is the computer'' helped Sun grow into one of the dominant providers of large computer servers that sell for tens of millions of dollars (euros) apiece. Following the collapse of the Internet bubble in 2000, he saw revenue decline and frequently came under pressure for not cutting costs enough.
He also frequently picked fights with competitors, calling Microsoft's Windows operating system a "hairball'' and its Outlook e-mail program "Look out'' after a spate of costly viruses targeted it as a means of spreading.
Microsoft and Sun also sparred in court.
In 1997, Sun sued Microsoft in federal court over a licensing agreement for Sun's Java universal programming language. Sun claimed Microsoft tried to prevent Java's adoption on competing operating systems by adding enhancements for Windows-based computers.
Sun lawyers also played a part in the Justice Department's antitrust suit against Microsoft. After a federal judge in Washington ruled the Redmond, Washington-based software maker illegally used its monopoly power illegally, Sun filed its own antitrust complaint.
The two companies settled the case in 2004 for $1.6 billion (euro1.29 billion).
McNealy co-founded Sun Microsystems in 1982, developing it into a scrappy Silicon Valley startup whose high-powered computers, called workstations, became a major staple with engineers and businesses.
In 1996, after Microsoft products began encroaching on Sun's territory, McNealy reinvented the company as a maker of servers, which performed the same tasks as mainframe computers for a fraction of the cost.
The move put a major crimp in key revenue generator for IBM Corp. Sun's servers, which came about just as the Internet was morphing from an academic hobby to a mass communication platform, also helped speed the transformation.
"He was an instrumental part of making the Internet happen,'' said Rob Enderle, principal analyst with the Enderle group. "When your on the Web and doing shopping, say a little prayer for Scott because he's part of what got you there.''
McNealy, 51, and Sun harken back to an earlier era of Silicon Valley, when companies were run by their swashbuckling founders. With Apple Computer Inc. and Oracle Corp. as exceptions, company founders these days typically make room for more experienced leaders, as was the case with Google Inc. and Yahoo Inc.
Sun's revenue surged in the late 1990s as Internet startups such as Webvan, eBay Inc. and Amazon.com went public and more established companies boosted computer spending amid fears that older systems would fail as the calendar reached the year 2000.
Sun's revenue peaked in 2001 at $18.3 billion (euro14.8 billion).
Since 2001, Sun's sales have declined every year, sinking to $11.1 billion (euro8.98 billion) in the year that ended in June. Consensus estimates call for Sun to have sales of $12.8 billion (euro10.35 billion) for fiscal 2006.
Over the past five years, McNealy's relationship with some Wall Street analysts grew strained as they criticized him for failing to adapt to a changing market place.
Schwartz, 40, joined Sun in 1996 with its acquisition of Lighthouse Design Ltd., a 35-employee outfit he founded to make software for Steve Jobs's NeXT computer. Named president and chief operating officer in 2004, he graduated with a bachelor's degree in mathematics and economics from Wesleyan University in 1987.
He said he will spend the next 90 days performing a comprehensive review of the company with the help of Mike Lehman, who rejoined Sun as chief financial officer in February after holding that position between 1998 and 2002.
Schwartz said he had no immediate plans to change Sun's strategy, although he declined to say if he planned further job cuts or other restructuring. Sun has about 38,000 employees.
On Monday, Sun posted a wider fiscal third-quarter loss, as costs for acquisitions, stock-based compensation and restructuring chipped away at higher revenue.
The net loss for the three months ending March 26 was $217 million (euro175.5 million), or 6 cents a share, compared with $28 million, or 1 cent, in the same period last year. Revenue grew 21 percent to $3.18 billion (euro2.57 billion) from $2.63 billion, as recent acquisitions boosted sales.
The loss met Wall Street expectations. Analysts were expecting the company to post a loss of 6 cents per share on sales of $3.2 billion (euro2.59 billion), according to a survey by Thomson Financial.
News of McNealy's departure and the company's results were announced after financial markets closed. Earlier, Sun shares closed 5 cents higher to $4.98 on the Nasdaq Stock Market. In extended-session trading, they gained 44 cents, or 8.8 percent.
REDtone International Bhd (REDtone) expects its TravelFON, a roaming-only phone which will be available for rent to travelers by May, to boost its revenue in 2007 and be a key revenue contributor in the coming years.
Group managing director Wei Chuan Beng expects the contribution to gradually increase as more TravelFON units are made available to travellers.
“TravelFON is a result of intensive R&D efforts and in-depth analysis of market needs. It shows great promise and has the potential to be a global brand,” he said in a statement on April 25.
He was optimistic it would strengthen group revenue and help grow earnings well beyond Malaysia where the discounted call market is facing stiff competition.
“Assuming we can achieve just 0.1% of the global roaming market in a few years, we are already looking at US$50 million (RM182.50 million),” he said.
TravelFON, which is available for rent to travelers leaving Malaysia and those coming into the country, allows users to retain their mobile phone number.
By next month, nine countries - US, Australia, Indonesia, Thailand, Hong Kong, China, Pakistan, Singapore and Malaysia - will be within the TravelFON coverage, and REDtone aims to increase this number to 15 countries by year end.
Travellers can pick up and return their TravelFON at the booths at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) in Sepang, making it the first airport in the world to offer the product.
Wei also expects China to be an important revenue contributor for REDtone moving forward.
Its China unit - a collaboration with China TieTong Telecommunications Corporation Shanghai Branch Company - launched its China TieTong e-secretary discounted call packages for consumers in February this year.
According to Wei, acceptance level for the service is high and the company plans to introduce corporate call packages within the next three months.
REDtone’s China operations is 75% owned by REDtone with the Kuok Group holding the remaining 25%.
REDtone also has operations in Pakistan and most recently, ventured into Singapore. It is aiming for its overseas business to contribute 50% to group profit by FY’08.
As part of its growth strategy, REDtone also hopes to be a mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) where it will work with telco providers and use their infrastructure to offer a full suite of mobile services from voice to data and content.-theedgedaily
Berlin, Germany and Hong Kong, China - Nokia today revealed the Nokia N72, a sleek and stylish new addition to the Nokia Nseries range. In pearl pink or gloss black, this compact package has high-perfomance multimedia at its core, wrapped in a beautiful design. The Nokia N72 offers the benefits of versatile photography, entertainment and personal productivity to people who value style as much as high performance. A powerful yet stylish multimedia device, the Nokia N72 is equipped with a 2-megapixel camera and integrated digital music player, with dedicated capture and music player keys, an integrated browser, FM radio and support for Visual Radio.
"The Nokia N72 perfectly illustrates our commitment to offer the powerful performance of the Nokia Nseries to people based in regions dominated by EDGE/GSM network coverage," said Pekka Pohjakallio, vice president, Multimedia Computers, Nokia. "The Nokia N72 allows you to tailor your multimedia device to match your interests, whether music, imaging or entertainment content, all in a stylish design you will be proud to own."
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"The Nokia Nseries promise of high performance technology is at the core of the Nokia N72 design DNA; with this device people will feel like they can express their extrovert nature," said Bill Sermon, vice president of Multimedia Design, Nokia. "The design concept was inspired by what the Nokia N72 means to someone, rather than what it can merely do for that person. We drew on the relationship people have with things that inspire great performances, like the world's finest grand piano or the perfect handcrafted writing pen. We wanted to play with contrast and detail to create drama within the product - and the end result is a beautiful device that creates its own signature at the same time that it draws you in."
The pearl pink and gloss black versions of the Nokia N72 have digital textures on the back, which personalize the device. "The overall design makes a strong statement for the Nokia N72 as a multimedia computer, but the digital textures, or graphics, on the back add a subtlety of personal ownership, that it is my device," Sermon adds.
Walk, Talk and Rock
Personalize your Nokia N72 with a choice of digital music tracks, and enjoy music on the go with the integrated digital music player. Press the music key for direct access to your music tracks. Record music from your CDs, create playlists and transfer your music onto your Nokia N72 with the Nokia Music Manager, a part of Nokia PC Suite.
Slide and Shoot
Morph your Nokia N72 into a digital camera by sliding open the active lens cover and compose your shot using the high definition 2.1 inch colour display. The 2 megapixel (1600 x 1200 pixels) camera includes an integrated flash, which will make it easy to capture images even in low light conditions. Capture photos or video clips with just one click, and later personalize your gallery image collection with the integrated photo and video editor. Choose your favorites to print or transfer them onto a compatible PC, with the option of online sharing on Internet communities.
Matching themed headset and wrist strap are included in sales packs of the Nokia N72. The Nokia N72 is expected to be available from June 2006 in key markets worldwide, including the Middle East and Africa, Russia, Eastern Europe, mainland China, India, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia and the Philippines.
MULTIMEDIA Prospect Sdn Bhd recently announced the availability of the Sierra Wireless AirCard 850, a PC Card for accessing 3G HSDPA services.
The AirCard 850 works on HSDPA (High Speed Downlink Packet Access) UMTS (Universal Mobile Telecommunications System) networks, and it utilises the 2100MHz frequency band for Asian users.
Multimedia Prospect said the product has been tested with the 3G services offered by local telcos Maxis and Celcom.
The AirCard 850 is also backward compatible with EDGE, GPRS and GSM networks, on all four frequency bands – 850, 900, 1800, and 1900MHz.
The AirCard works with Windows 98SE/Me/2000/ NT/XP. Minimum system requirements are a notebook with a Type II PC Card slot, Pentium 150Mhz processor, 32MB RAM, and 14MB of free hard disk space.
The AirCard 850 costs RM1,599. For more information, call Multimedia Prospect at (03) 8023-1880.
Internet service provider, TM Net Sdn Bhd, plans to assist local content providers to export their products overseas, said its chief executive officer, Michael Lai, Monday.
The company, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the TM Group is currently in the midst of negotiations with several content partners for the purpose, he told reporters after announcing the nationwide Broadband Fiesta 2006 here.
Lai said the effort was in line with TM Net's focus this year to be the leading content aggregator in support of the government's initiative to promote the export of Malaysian content regionally.
"We are just starting on the export of the local content but we are already working with some content partners," he said.
If it is good content, TM Net will help to bring it over to where it has established itself, he said adding that TM Net has made its mark in Indonesia's mobile market.
Lai said TM Net has also set up in Sri Lanka, and with this it expected to help the local partners with good and relevant content in specific markets.
"Hopefully, with this small initiative, we can create more Malaysian content partners or players to come on board in markets where TM has its footprint," he said.
He said studies would be also made to gauge the kind of contents needed in Indonesia or Sri Lanka.
"So the content providers or partners in Malaysia may need to modify or customise some of the contents to make it relevant to those markets," Lai said.
Asked when TM Net would be ready to start the export of local contents, he said: "This the first time for us, so we really don't know how it is going to be shipped out.
"But definitely we hope to be able to do something. This year is a foundation year to go out. At least, we will know what the regional requirements are for Malaysian contents."- BERNAMA
To accompany the publication of its figures for the first quarter of 2006, the Taiwanese BenQ Group is announcing a strategic model initiative. Following the launch of 12 new mobile phones under the BenQ-Siemens brand since January, the company is planning to bring further new models onto the market during the course of the year. The objective remains to achieve a turnaround by the end of 2006.
BenQ Mobile is currently receiving optimistic signals from the retail trade. The large network operators, in particular, have responded positively to the new models, and this is reflected in the quantities they have ordered. The market is rewarding the innovative stimuli from BenQ Mobile, such as the new HSDPA (High Speed Downlink Packet Access) technology, which enables the rapid transfer of large data quantities.
In addition, the company wishes to bring new models into the shops considerably faster than in the past and thus meet the high consumer expectations. The improved product mix combined with higher sales is intended to continually raise the average sales price. Overall the focus is on continued improvement of profitability ahead of gaining additional market shares. BenQ Mobile stands for the combination of technological expertise with lifestyle and design. Accordingly, the latest product announcements represent a continuation in this new direction focusing on innovations in the fields of 3G technology, multimedia/music and premium materials.
Clemens Joos, CEO of BenQ Mobile, sees the measures taken to date as important steps on the way to the restructuring of BenQ Mobile: “On the cost side, we have already managed to achieve significant improvement of 150 million Euros and are working on further potential savings. If our new models now meet with the response we expect from the consumer, we shall have reached the position we wish to be in at the end of the year: namely, in the black.”
The focus on high-end devices introduced by the new product initiative enables BenQ Mobile to participate on the strong growth markets in countries such as Russia and China and also to strengthen its position in the developed markets. Wide acceptance of the new models leads BenQ Mobile to anticipate a distinctly positive trend in sales volume and retail prices in Germany for the year 2006.-By Jonathan Cheah
Motorola has announced StudioMOTO, a first of its kind, free online music studio that lets users create their own multimedia for their mobile. Starting today, users can log on to www.hellomoto.com/studio and take mobile communication beyond the ordinary.
StudioMOTO lets mobile users communicate beyond the static text message, with multimedia messages that resemble mobile postcards containing a combination of text, music, video and animation.This innovative new web site provides consumers with pre-selected music, rhythms, video animation and text to design a whole library of personalized multimedia messages that can be sent to a GSM phone or email address.
“Tech-savvy consumers want to move beyond everyday communication on their mobiles,” said Kathleen Finato, senior director, North America Marketing, Motorola. “With StudioMOTO, users can bring their own individuality to their mobile communications- illustrating their thoughts and emotions without feeling flat.”
In addition to true multimedia messages, the site simulates a real music studio experience, letting users build unique music tracks that can be used as ringtones. Taking their imagination as far as they want, users can choose from a robust list of club-style drum loops and grooves to create something original.
For those users looking to test their skills in music video creation, users can take music and exclusive “behind the scenes” video footage from select artists to produce their very own mobile music videos. Artists include Bang Sugar Bang, Dave the Hustler, Paco and The 88. Once created, these videos can be shared with friends via email or saved on the users’ GSM handset.-By Jonathan Cheah
The MODA Unity 2006 Fashion Show held recently was full of glam and glitz befitting an international act. Supported by Motorola, 25 of Malaysia’s top designers took part in what is dubbed as the largest ever fashion show in Malaysia.
Over one thousand guests enjoyed the best of local fashion both by new and matured big names such as Nazleen Noor, Nor Aini Shariff, Ridzuan Bohari, Andriy Uvaroff, Venie Tee, Cherman Woon, Amir Luqman, Kenneth Vernon, Andrew Gan, Amanda Brown, Beatrice Looi, Bill Keith, Bernard Chandran, Carven Ong, Eric Choong, Faisol Abdullah, Kem Salleh & Ashley Wong, Key Ng, Michael Ong, Melinda Looi, Richard Tsen, Salikin Sidek, Tom Abang Saufi and Zang Toi, to name a few.
“It’s a get together for MODA after so many years. It’s a party and it’s to celebrate our 16th anniversary,” said Gillian Hung, president of MODA. It’s also an occasion to encourage unity among Malaysia’s fashion industry, she said. Zulkifli Mat Jusoh, Marketing Manager, Mobile Devices, Motorola said, “A Mobile phone is not just simply about technology. At Motorola, we believe a mobile phone is also a form of fashion – an extension of our lifestyle.”
“A mobile phone is also a fashion statement. It is more than just a communication tool, it is an icon and reflects one’s personality – just like the clothes that one wears or makeup and hairdo that one puts on.
For this reason, Motorola sponsored a prize for the best design which went to Jayden Gan Boon Leong from Carven Fashion Academy. The judges were captivated by the young designer’s creation and he walked away with a SLVR L7 from Motorola.
Motorola also enlivened the evening when guests were told that there is one Motorola V3 Pink sticker under one of the seats. The docile atmosphere immediately turned chaotic when guests started looking for the lucky draw prize.
The show started at 8.30pm, and the first showcase was by apprentice designers who also paraded their prototype designs. The highlight of the evening was after the break when 25 renowned local designers took to the stage to showcase their latest creations and fashion art.
All the designs and creations definitely got the audience’s approval judging from the relentless applause and ‘ohhs and ahhs’. There were also ‘cheeky’ creations that raised eyebrows. While some were avant-garde, modern and futuristic others designers opted for more subtle, practical designs. Some designers also infused their clothes with traditional motifs. Above all, it was a night to remember where Malaysian designers showed that they too are capable of international zest.
There were also clothes by young designers inspired by Motorola mobile phones and accessories exhibited at the entrance of the ballroom.
Celebrities such as drama-prince cum actor-model and TV host Zizan Nin, NTV7 personality William Quah, 8TV host Adam Carruther, Bernie Chan, Malay-soap queen Catriona Bahrin Ross, Chef Wan, Shamser Sidhu and rock princess Ella could be seen mingling amongst Kuala Lumpur’s fashionistas and fashionable crowd.-By Jonathan Cheah
In Singapore, O2 announced the launch of the Xda Atom Pure, a white limited edition version of the popular Xda Atom.
Sporting the same sleek profile, the Xda Atom Pure is just as smart, just as sexy, and just as mighty. It contains all of the powerful features you’ve come to know and love from the original. Like its predecessor, the Xda Atom Pure measures only 58(W)* 102(L)* 18.5(T) mm, and weighs just 140g.
Housed within the seductive, pearly-white exterior is a galore of multimedia functions. Like O2 MediaPlus, the first – and still the only – media centre designed for PDA-phones that gives you easy-to-use, single screen access to music, video and photo files and functionality; a built-in 2.0 mega pixel camera with strobe flash that ensures clarity day and night on the large 2.7” 262K-colour TFT-LCD QVGA touchscreen; and an FM radio with built-in speakers that let you tune in to the latest chart hits and news.
Thanks to A2DP and AVRCP technology, you can even enjoy and control all these multimedia experience wirelessly via Bluetooth headsets. The Xda Atom Pure is powered by an Intel 416MHz processor, and comes with 128MB Flash ROM and 64MB RAM of on-board memory.
With the Windows Mobile 5.0 operating system and the latest editions of Microsoft Office programs for Windows Mobile (including Pocket Outlook, Word Mobile, Excel Mobile and the new PowerPoint Viewer) and ActiveSync, this new style icon also delivers the goods when it comes to productivity and messaging.
Connectivity options including built-in Wireless LAN, Bluetooth SIG v 1.2 and triband EDGE capability further ensure that you are always connected to family, friends and colleagues. Combining brawn with brains and beauty in a way that is purely O2, this PDA-phone continues to impress.
The Xda Atom Pure will retail at S$1,348 (RM 3091), inclusive of GST and a one-year local warranty, in end-April at all SingTel, M1 and StarHub outlets, and O2-authorised distributor and retail channels. It will be bundled with a white calfskin leather case and an exclusive Atom platinum mobile sling.-By Jonathan Cheah
ZZZ Software, the world's leading developer of wireless connectivity software for mobile phones and RIM Blackberry devices, today announces the unveiling of their new product - Terminal Service Client for Mobiles, also called TSMobiles.
Using this software, you can operate a desktop computer or a laptop remotely using a Java-enabled mobile phone or a Blackberry device. To establish access, TSMobiles uses Windows Terminal Service or Windows Remote Desktop depending on your platform. The company is aiming the software at corporate users.
TSMobiles recreates the desktop of a remote computer on the phone's display and lets you interact with it in real life in much the same way as you would, sitting behind the actual machine. This includes an ability to execute mouse and keyboard commands.
With the TSMobiles software in place, you can edit electronic documents that reside on the remote computer, read and send emails in Outlook Express, surf the web using a browser, manage files and folders, perform administrative tasks and much more. And, of course, you have access to all remote devices such as printers, webcams, and serial ports.
With TSMobiles on your phone, you can reach your remote computer from anywhere and open trading applications, quotations charts, time and sales windows to keep track of changes so as to respond to them immediately.
TSMobiles 1.2.1 requires Microsoft Windows 98/ME/NT4.0/2000/XP and enabled Windows Terminal Service or Remote Desktop Connection. The software is compatible with all popular GSM and CDMA mobile phones, which support GPRS, EDGE or 3G technologies and can execute Java (j2me) applications.
A special version of TSMobiles is designed for RIM Blackberry devices, including such series as 6700, 7100, 7200, 7500, 7700, 8700 with OS 4.0 and greater. A single registration key costs US$ 35 (USD). -
By Jonathan Cheah
Pirelli Broadband Solutions has announced the world debut of its first dual-mode handset, targeting the growing FMC trend.
The Pirelli Discusa DualPhone DP-L10, based on 3GPP standards, combines GSM tri-band capabilities with SIP-based VoIP via an integrated WLAN 802.11g interface, integrating cell phone technology with the added advantage of transporting phone calls over the Internet.
Designed to switch between GSM and WLAN VoIP networks, automatically or by the individual user, the DualPhone allows users to enjoy the convenience of one handset that acts as both a mobile and a broadband cordless phone. Consumers will be able to make regular cell phone calls using any GSM SIM card or VoIP calls through a WiFi-enabled xDSL subscription.
The DualPhone enables mobile phone features, such as Internet browsing, e-mail, SMS, and MMS, which can also be used through a fixed-broadband connection, providing the same mobile services with the added benefits of greater bandwidth and cost savings.
For telecommunications operators, the DualPhone can bring balance to fixed vs. mobile competition by reducing fixed-to-mobile substitution and provide new revenue opportunities through converged-service offerings based on IMS network architectures. The DualPhone is currently undergoing interoperability tests with several leading European telecom operators. “The Pirelli Discusä DualPhone DP-L10 builds on our innovative broadband access technologies and strong experience as a solutions partner in WiFi VoIP services,” said Corrado Rocca, senior vice president, Broadband Access Products, for Pirelli Broadband Solutions. “While built on industry-standard protocols that guarantee interoperability, the Pirelli DualPhone is distinguished by enhanced software that enables carrier-class services, delivering features such as seamless roaming, zero-touch registration and remote manageability. For the consumer, this means no noticeable difference in user experience when transitioning between GSM and WiFi VoIP networks.”
Rocca added, “Pirelli’s DualPhone provides an incredible market opportunity for telecom operators. For the past several years, fixed-line operators have been losing revenue and subscribers to mobile operators. The DualPhone enables operators to recapture their market share and truly add value to the traditional telephony offering.”
Pirelli Broadband Solutions offers a service-oriented home and business networking solution. Complementary products to the DualPhone include a WLAN extender, a self-configuring WiFi repeater that supports indoor coverage and WLAN roaming, access gateways, devices designed to support QoS and configuration needs of dual-mode telephony, and a TR-069 remote management platform, which enables service provisioning, diagnostics and software upgrades for all installed customer premises equipment including the DualPhone.
Pirelli Broadband Solutions specialises in broadband access technology and photonics. The Access division provides a range of broadband CPE, including access gateways, set-top boxes, multiple handsets, and a remote management system. The Photonics division leverages nanotechnology and its use of tunable and pluggable solutions to deliver multi-wavelength components, modules and subsystems, including tunable lasers, GPON triplexers, an integrable tunable laser assembly, radio over fiber and a CWDM metro access system.
Samsung Malaysia Electronics today showcases a comprehensive range of revolutionary products to cement its leadership position in digital technology and convergence. Displaying innovations from its high-definition television leadership, audio-visual, and home and mobile entertainment range, consumers are promised a truly digital experience for a lifestyle of the future.
Speaking at the press conference with the theme “Imagine real action anytime, anywhere“, Samsung Malaysia Electronics (SME) Sdn Bhd Managing Director Mr Min Yong Ho said, “The digital entertainment landscape is undergoing an unstoppable transformation and we are excited to lead the revolution in digital convergence. We pledge to bring about a richer and more dynamic way of life with our breakthrough research and insight into the future of digital convergence.”
Leveraging on its technological leadership in semiconductors and LCD panels, Samsung earlier announced record global earnings of US$57 billion. The company has led the industry in South-east Asia and Oceania with over 22 per cent increase in sales from US$7.3 billion in 2004 to a record US$8.9 billion in 2005. In Malaysia, Samsung achieved sales of over US$300 million last year, an outstanding 29 per cent year on year increase.
Leading the pack of cutting-edge technologies at the event is Samsung’s R7 Series LCD TVs. Boosting innovative and functional design, the sleek panel is built with the world’s first hidden bar type speakers. With the control buttons situated at the sides, the R7 posses a clean and sophisticated front surface, making it an ideal choice for modern living. Its ingenious swivel stand offers the ultimate flexibility in positioning, while the high gloss coating on the front, back and stand further enhances it as a true work of art.
Mr Min added, “We have seen explosive growth in the demand for LCD TVs in the region lately and the market potential in South-east Asia, including Malaysia is expected to hit US$2.4 billion by 2008. In fact, in January this year, our R5 Series has hit the million mark in unit sales a year after its introduction in February 2005. With the upcoming World Cup and the timely launch of the R7 Series, we are confident of capturing the surge in the sales of LCD TVs generated by the World Cup craze.”
Joining the R7 at the show are Samsung’s SlimFit Z40 TVs. One third slimmer than regular flat CRT TVs and enhanced with a premium flat panel design, Samsung SlimFitTM Z40’s sleek design integrates perfectly into the modern home. Incorporating Samsung’s proprietary Nano Pigment Technology, the SlimFitTM TV Z40 also offers more natural colour expressions, realising the highest level of image quality that customers truly enjoy.
Samsung is also showcasing the following strategic products:
Samsung’s PDP Q7
Samsung’s plasma display PDP Q7 offers sports and gaming enthusiasts the ultimate viewing experience with enhanced clarity and vividness of moving images. Equipped with Samsung’s proprietary FilterBrightTM technology, the PDP Q7 minimizes reflections in bright surroundings, improving an inherent problem of plasma display. The PDP TV’s High Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) terminal also achieves 100 per cent reproduction of video and audio signals when connected with personal digital devices.
Samsung YP-Z5 MP3 Player
Equipped with a 1.82” TFT-LCD screen and a whooping 35-hour battery life, the scratch resistant Samsung YP-Z5 is an entirely new musical experience on the move. Utilizing Samsung’s proprietary DSNe technology, the winner of the iF Design Award offers music enthusiasts the most natural effects and true-to-life surround sound experience.
Samsung HT-XQ100 Home Theatre System
Matching superb sound and gorgeous aesthetics with a variety of industry leading features, the Samsung HT-XQ100 transforms any living room into the ultimate home cinema. The wireless ready HT-XQ100 also allows you to listen to various multimedia files in the comfort of your living room with the USB Host Plug & Play support.
Samsung’s VP-X210L Sports Camcorder
Samsung VP-X210L is the next generation sports camcorder that pushes the boundaries of hands-free video recording, boosting a 25 per cent improvement in recording time, 30 per cent increase in battery life, expanded storage capacity and enhanced 10x optical zoom. The VP-X210L’s electronic image stabilizer also ensures all your athletic feats are captured in superb clarity.-
By Jonathan Cheah
Maxis has awarded Nortel a contract in connection with its migration to a VoIP next generation network (NGN) for their fixed network operation. This network will help Maxis to reduce operating costs and create new sources of revenue by providing its enterprise customers with advanced voice, data and SIP-based multimedia services like video conferencing, multimedia collaboration and personalized call management. Maxis customers will be able to benefit from the cost and productivity advantages of VoIP, hosted Centrex IP business voice services, and hosted SIP-based capabilities. “Nortel is focused on harnessing technology to make business simple for our service provider customers as well as the enterprises they serve,” said Yuri Zaharin Wahab, managing director, Malaysia and Brunei, Nortel. “As one of Maxis’ key core switching suppliers, Nortel understands its business and network challenges and will use this knowledge to help Maxis evolve to a next generation, IP-centric infrastructure.” The agreement calls for Nortel to manage Maxis’ transition to VoIP – from planning and design to installation, integration and seamless customer migration from the existing circuit-switched network to the new packet-based network – as well as to provide three years of system support and maintenance. The core technology being deployed is Nortel’s Communication Server (CS) 2000 and Nortel’s Centrex IP solution. Nortel CS 2000 is a carrier-grade VoIP softswitch that enables delivery of voice and data services over the same communication lines. Nortel’s Centrex IP solution offers more than 200 hosted business voice services from a multimedia-ready platform that will position Maxis to host next generation, SIP-based enterprise multimedia communications services like real-time collaboration, presence, video conferencing, messaging, and personalized call control. These services can increase productivity for geographically dispersed teams by providing ubiquitous access to telephony and multimedia applications regardless of communications device or physical location. Nortel’s Global Services include a full range of integrated services for design, deployment, management and maintenance of end-to-end multi-vendor network solutions, including seamless migration to next generation technologies. Nortel was ranked #1 globally in enterprise and carrier IP telephony for the entire year and fourth quarter of 2005, according to recent reports from Dell’Oro Group, Infonetics Research and Synergy Research Group. For its line of VoIP equipment for the carrier and enterprise markets, Nortel was awarded the Frost and Sullivan 2005 award for Product Line Strategy Leadership.-
By Jonathan Cheah
Nokia has announced their financial figures for the first quarter of this year.
Among the highlights are:
Industry quarterly device volumes of 215 million units, down 12% sequentially and up 27% year on year, based on our preliminary market estimate. Nokia quarterly device volumes of 75.1 million units, down 10% sequentially and up 40% year on year. Nokia first quarter device market share of 35%, up 1 percentage point sequentially and up 3 percentage points year on year, based on our preliminary market estimate. Nokia’s net sales in the United States almost doubled year on year. Device ASPs of EUR 103, up sequentially from EUR 99 in the fourth quarter 2005. In the first quarter 2006, the total mobile device volume achieved by our Mobile Phones, Multimedia and Enterprise Solutions business groups was 75.1 million units, representing 40% year-on-year growth and a 10% sequential decline. Overall industry volume for the same period was 215 million units, representing 27% year-on-year growth and a 12% sequential decline, based on our preliminary market estimate.
The following chart sets out Nokia’s mobile device volumes for the periods indicated as well as the year-on-year and sequential growth rates by geographic area.
Based on preliminary market estimates, Nokia’s market share for the first quarter 2006 grew to 35%, compared with 32% in the first quarter 2005. Sequential market share was also up compared with 34% in the fourth quarter 2005. Nokia’s year-on-year market share increase was driven primarily by strong gains in China, North America, Latin America and Asia-Pacific, which more than offset market share declines in Middle East & Africa and in Europe. Sequential market share gains were driven by gains in Latin America, Middle East & Africa and China, partially offset by a market share decline in Europe.
Nokia’s average selling price in the first quarter 2006 was EUR 103, down from EUR 110 in the first quarter 2005, but increased from EUR 99 in the fourth quarter 2005. Nokia’s first quarter 2006 average selling price reflected a lower than expected proportion of lower priced entry-level products, together with an increased proportion of higher-end products in Nokia’s device sales compared with the fourth quarter 2005. Th
e Nokia N70 multimedia computer was the highest revenue generating device in the first quarter 2006. Mobile Phones
First quarter 2006 net sales grew 30% to EUR 5.9 billion, compared with EUR 4.5 billion in the first quarter 2005, driven by strong industry volumes and our competitive product portfolio. Net sales increased in all regions year on year. Growth was strongest in North America, where our net sales more than doubled.
Mobile Phones operating profit grew 25% to EUR 1 085 million, compared with EUR 869 million in the first quarter 2005, with an operating margin of 18.5% (19.2%). Operating profit growth in the first quarter 2006 was supported by strong net sales. First quarter 2006 operating profit included a EUR 14 million initial restructuring charge related to the planned formation of a new global company comprising the respective CDMA mobile device businesses of Nokia and SANYO Electric Co. Ltd.
Multimedia
First quarter 2006 net sales increased 55% to EUR 1.8 billion, compared with EUR 1.1 billion in the first quarter 2005. Net sales increased year on year in all regions except North America. Growth was strongest in China, where our net sales more than doubled, followed by Asia-Pacific, Europe, and Middle East & Africa, particularly driven by sales of the recently launched Nokia N70 multimedia computer. Net sales in North America and Latin America continued to be at a low level.
Multimedia first quarter operating profit grew 108% to EUR 323 million, compared with EUR 155 million in the first quarter 2005, with an operating margin of 18.4% (13.7%). First quarter 2005 operating profit included a EUR 15 million restructuring charge. Profitability in the first quarter 2006 was driven by strong sales in high-end multimedia computers and effective cost management.
Enterprise Solutions
First quarter 2006 net sales decreased 39% to EUR 186 million, compared with EUR 307 million in the first quarter 2005. Net sales were down in all regions except China and North America, and were adversely affected by the relative age of the device portfolio.
In the first quarter 2006, Enterprise Solutions had an operating loss of EUR 66 million, compared with an operating loss of EUR 9 million in the first quarter 2005. This was a result of lower net sales and a EUR 8 million restructuring charge primarily related to headcount reductions.
