Keralamonitor.com
First Middle East Linux Event to Open Sunday
Middle East Linux experts and top international vendors unite for landmark
open source event in Bahrain on June 2ndDubai, UAE, 29th May, 2002 – The ‘Ready for Real Business” Linux roadshow,
hosted by IBM and featuring speakers and demonstrations of Linux technology
from around the Middle East, will open in Bahrain on Sunday. The event, held
under the patronage of His Excellency Ali Saleh Al Saleh, Bahrain Minister
of Commerce and Industry, will bring to the Middle East some of the world’s
pre-eminent Linux experts for a one-day exclusive event taking place in
Manama on June 2nd, 2002 at the Holiday Inn Hotel.
Present will be global Linux software vendors, regional business partners
and a number of guest speakers from open source and computer societies from
around the Middle East region, including: Bahrain IT Society, ACCPAC, AME
Info, Intel, Red Hat (including “Red on Blue”), Sage and Schlumberger, as
well as IBM with its Linux Education offerings and software middleware
solutions for this platform. IBM is hosting this event in conjunction with
its general marketing and services representatives, Gulf Business Machines
(GBM) and Saudi Business Machines (SBM), with the participation of UBM.com
from Jordan and QuanTech from Lebanon.The event agenda will include live demonstrations of integrated Linux
solutions, as well as a special focus topic of Linux in the oil sector and
the Arabisation of Linux. Delegates to the show will also be able to meet
with Linux systems integrators and independent software vendors in the
exhibition space to discuss the issues and benefits in implementing Linux
solutions.
Keralamonitor.com
14,000km optical submarine network linking Europe-Afroca Inaugurated
Paris, May 28, 2002 - Alcatel (Paris: CGEP.PA and NYSE: ALA), the world
leader in optical networking, has announced the inauguration of
SAT-3/WASC DWDM submarine cable system. Entirely managed from end-to-end by
Alcatel, who offered a turnkey wet & dry solution and delivered the system
on due time, the SAT-3/WASC project links Portugal to South Africa. It
ensures a high-rate connection between Europe and several countries along
the Western coast of Africa."We are delighted to inaugurate SAT-3/WASC network as the symbol of the
success of this project, involving several countries and allowing Africa to
benefit from a high-capacity link well adapted to new telecommunications
applications, such as the Internet," said Kobus Stoeder, Chairman of
SAT-3/WASC consortium. "Furthermore, thanks to its interconnections with
the world-wide web and as its on-going upgrade proves it, this network
shows that it is increasingly important to construct optical networks
connecting the South to the North.""We are proud to have contributed to the success of SAT-3/WASC", said Jean
Godeluck, President of Alcatel’s submarine network activity. "From the
early design of the system to its installation via its manufacturing,
Alcatel demonstrates its unique capability to manage and deliver on-time
ultra-long haul solutions, combining submarine and terrestrial parts.
Moreover, we are the sole vendor able to implement a seamless system
management platform with such great flexibility."This network consists of a core backbone with various diversions radiating
out to other countries. The system is designed to support four wavelengths
at 2.5Gbit/s, connecting all the concerned countries in the Western coast
of Africa (refer to map) and five wavelengths at 10Gbit/s between Portugal
and South Africa. The first connection responds to regional telecom needs
for both voice and data while the second one implements a high speed link
between Europe and Africa. It highlights the advantages of submarine
networks regarding flexibility, the rapid turnaround time of the
implementation of the project and the ability to provide a large,
upgradable bandwidth. Furthermore, it can play the role of restoration for
other submarine systems around Africa, thanks to the various
interconnections between them.Alcatel entirely managed this project end-to-end, offering a full turnkey
solution to its customers, from network design to installation. This
includes the manufacturing of all the equipment such as cable, repeaters,
branching units and terminal equipment for the terrestrial stations.In addition, Alcatel supplied a full integrated, user-friendly network
management platform, providing end-to-end supervision and provisioning. Not
only does this platform manage the whole SAT-3/WASC network, but also
another system linking South Africa and India for which Alcatel delivered
the SDH infrastructure. Alcatel is also currently ensuring the first
upgrade of the system with the necessary terrestrial equipment including
SDH optical multi-service nodes systems (OMSN).
The various submarine networks can all be interconnected together, as a
real world-wide web. This ensures a quick restoration of the traffic if any
damage occurs to the cable. In the case of SAT-3/WASC, as the network
circle Africa on the Western coast, it can be envisaged to act as a
restoration for Sea-Me-We 3 a 40,000km link from Western Europe to Far East
Asia via Indian Ocean, the Red Sea and the Mediterranean thanks to
connections between the latter and other India to Africa systems.
SAT-3/WASC links up Portugal, Spain, Canary Islands, Senegal, Ivory Coast,
Ghana, Benin, Nigeria, Cameroon, Gabon, Angola and the Republic of South
Africa (see map above), allowing all of them to be connected to Europe and
to benefit from a high capacity link well adapted to new telecommunications
applications, such as the Internet. It will also be linked with a network
spanning from South Africa to South-East Asia via India.
This network consists of a core backbone with various diversions radiating
out to other countries. This is made possible due to the integration of
special equipment - branching units. They allow either a fiber pair or the
required number of wavelengths to be diverted, depending on the capacity
requested by the end destination.Alcatel is entirely managing this project end-to-end, offering a full
turnkey solution to its customers, from network design to installation.
This includes the manufacturing of all the equipment such as cable,
repeaters, branching units and terminal equipment for the terrestrial
stations. SAT-3/WASC Submarine Cable System will be able to consist in the
backbone of a future city-to-city network. It highlights the advantages of
submarine networks, in a given context, over both terrestrial and satellite
networks regarding flexibility, the rapid turnaround time of the
implementation of the works and the ability to provide a large, upgradable
bandwidth. (keralamonitor.com)Samsung l aunches flat panel televisions
New offerings to consolidate company's 20 % share of regional colour TV marketDubai, May 27, 2002: In its most significant regional product release till date, Samsung Electronics, the world leader in consumer electronics, today announced the launch of a comprehensive range of seven cutting-edge TFT-LCD & Plasma Display Panel (PDP) television models. Ranging in size from 15 inches to 63 inches, the new offerings are expected to both consolidate and grow the company's current 20 per cent share of the regional colour TV market.
(From left to right) Mr. B.W.Lee, Vice President, Samsung Electronics Middle East & Africa; Mr. Y.Y. Kim, Vice President - Visual Display Products, Samsung Electronics Korea and Mr. D.K. Byeon, Managing Director, Samsung Gulf Electronics, today unveiled the world's largest 63-inch Plasma Display Panel (PDP) television as a part of the family of Flat Panel televisions launch
Among the products unveiled today were the world's largest TFT-LCD (40-inch) and PDP (63-inch) televisions. The other models launched were 15-inch, 17-inch and 29-inch TFT-LCD televisions and 42-inch and 50-inch PDP televisions.
Speaking at a press conference in Dubai today, Mr. B.W. Lee, Vice President, Samsung Electronics, Middle East & Africa Headquarters (MEAHQ), said that the launch of Samsung's latest range of flat panel televisions would serve to redefine display technology in the region.
"While the limit for TFT-LCD televisions was till very recently considered to be 30 inches, we have succeeded in taking this technology to the next level with the launch of the 40-inch model, which is targeted at the more demanding consumer segment. With the 63-inch Plasma Display Panel (PDP) we are addressing the needs of the professional vertical market segments," he added.
Mr. Lee further said that the enhanced portfolio of flat panel devices would play a key role in consolidating the company's 20 per cent share of the regional colour television market.
In 2002, the estimated market size for colour TV's in Middle East & Africa is an estimated 8 million units, up from 7 million units the previous year. While in 2001 Samsung's share of the regional market stood at 19 per cent, the company is targeting a 20 per cent market share in 2002.
"We expect the market size for LCD and PDP televisions to double next year to reach 150,000 units. With our enhanced product offerings in these segments, we are well positioned to take advantage of this demand and become the leading supplier of flat panel televisions in the region," added Mr. Lee.
According to Mr. Y.Y. Kim, the South Korea based Senior Vice President of the Visual Display Division of Samsung Electronics, the company had maintained the top share of the world market for TFT-LCD products of 10 inches and larger for the past three years.
"The Samsung range of wide-screen LCD televisions distinguish themselves on account of superior clarity and vastly enhanced viewing angle, brightness and response time. Similarly our range of PDP televisions are characterised by their realistic image display, digital sensors and space saving slim technology that even enables them to be mounted on the wall like a picture frame."
The 40-inch TFT-LCD TV for instance is well well-suited for digital broadcasting with its full-colour display function that reproduces 16.7 million colour tones, a black-and-white contrast ratio of 600:1, and a brightness of 500 candelas.
Mr. D.K. Byeon, Managing Director, Samsung Gulf Electronics (SGE) said: "Given the global television industry's move from Cathode Ray Tube (CRT) to flat panel display technology, the launch of Samsung's comprehensive range of flat panel devices in the region will set a new technology benchmark, while providing our customers with an enhanced user experience."
Samsung rocks cyber surfers with Internet gaming competition
Dubai, May 27, 2002: Samsung Electronics, the world leader in digital technology, has sponsored the 'Citi Challenge Internet gaming competition', currently underway at the Atrium Internet Café in Dubai, opposite Four Point Sheraton Hotel. The five weeks long competition, which was kicked of on May 16, brings-in the best of Dubai's cyber minds to compete against each other in a game of 'Counter-Strike', a virtual fight between the terrorists and the counter-terrorists groups.
Mr. K.S. Vasudevan, Regional Manager, Digital Information Technology Division, Samsung Gulf Electronics (SGE) said, "Internet Gaming, though represents a big opportunity for marketers worldwide, its success largely hinges on the near-to-real world experienced by the cyber surfer. Our Syncmaster range of IT monitors will give cyber surfers a true chance to step into the virtual world of excitement, and thereby fuel the growth of Internet gaming in the UAE and the Middle East region."
The 'Citi Challenge Internet gaming competition' will take place every Thursday from 4 pm - 9 pm in the evening, for the next three weeks till the second week of June. It is played between two teams with 5 players on each side. The Internet gaming competition is open for all gamers in teams of five, with a registration fee of Dhs 125/- per team.
Mr. Javed Zaveri, Organiser of the Citi Challenge Internet gaming competition and the Director of Citidotcom Cyber Café said, "The response for the Internet gaming competition is overwhelming. In fact the youngest participant in this competition is just nine years old and over the next few weeks we will see over 50 teams battling to win grand prizes sponsored by Samsung Electronics."
As key sponsor of the Internet gaming competition, Samsung has announced exciting prizes for winners. The prizes will be distributed across different categories such as the winners team gets a Samsung mobile phone each, the runners get Samsung MP3 players each and the best player of the tournament gets a cash prize of Dhs 1000/-. This is in addition to the other consolation prizes offered such as T-shirts, bandannas and 10 hours free counter-strike time.
