18 October 2004
Harris Corporation has signed a contract with e-learning service provider Edgenics, Inc. that will enable the delivery of e-learning services utilizing rich media content, including interactive and file-based video. An infrastructure will be built to include content creation, media asset management, rich media networking and distribution systems, all integrated for a simple and seamless end-user experience.
According to the agreement, Harris and Edgenics will collaborate on system design and construction, joint sales and marketing, and joint development of new intellectual property. Harris was chosen because of its breadth of technologies in broadcast communications, including NetVX(TM) video networking technology for high-speed connectivity; Invenio(TM) enterprise-wide collaborative content management; and DataPlus(TM) WAN-based media management for real-time capture, search, retrieval, and scheduling of digital assets.
In an early phase, Edgenics will focus on the delivery of live interactive and file-based video programming to rural K-12 educators in the Southern Delta region of the United States. The creation of Edgenics’ next-generation communication and collaboration solution is part of an $11 million program funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to extend continuing education to geographically isolated regions. The USDA-sponsored program serves 55 counties in Louisiana, Mississippi and Arkansas and is designed to help teachers and teachers’ assistants in rural areas achieve certification in math, science, foreign languages and other disciplines that would otherwise require intense in-class study. By enabling teachers to gain certification through media-rich distance learning, rural school districts can better retain their teaching staffs and help ensure students in the Delta receive the same quality instruction as those in metropolitan communities. In addition to serving academia, Edgenics’ services are also available to students and give them the opportunity to take university-level courses and begin earning college credit while still in high school.
Harris’ media asset management and content distribution technologies will provide Edgenics and its customers with instant access to the educational content they need when and where they need it. The completed infrastructure will use collaborative content management, and WAN-based media management to enable the real-time capture, search, retrieval and scheduling of digital media assets, including video and other rich media.
18 October 2004
RadioScape has launched two new modules for low cost, high performance, entry level products to further drive the growth of the DAB market. These are variants of the RadioScape RS200″ module that has just been shortlisted for the upcoming European Electronics Industry Product of the Year Award, which will be announced at Electronica on 9 November 2004. The RadioScape RS201L” is designed for high volume, low power DAB receivers for the home while the RadioScape RS200A” provides an ideal entry point for manufacturers designing for the DAB automotive market.
“We continue to innovate by providing manufacturers with a complete range of modules with which to make a comprehensive family of DAB receivers,” says Andrew Moloney, RadioScape’s Marketing Manager for its Receivers business. “Our unique Software Defined Digital Radio approach means that we create features and functions in software so that manufacturers can further differentiate their models to create products targeted at different market segments, lowering overall power requirements and without necessarily increasing costs.”
Les Mable, Digital Radio Business Development Manager at Texas Instruments, adds, “RadioScape’s module designs have been instrumental in growing the DAB market as they make it extremely easy for manufacturers to make DAB radios by simplifying the product development cycle. As a result, manufacturers can bring models to market in weeks, rather than months, giving customers a wide choice of DAB receivers to choose from. These modules drive sales and have played a significant role in TI’s recent announcement of shipping one million digital radio baseband chips. We expect these new modules will help continue our growth.”
RadioScape RS201L
This low power module is pin compatible with and a drop-in replacement for the RadioScape RS200L module, which has been the company’s most popular tri-band design to date. It offers a high level of integrated functionality through software to provide significantly lower system costs for multi-function devices. Features such as CD transport control, MP3/WMA playback, and infra-red remote control are provided as standard options with the module, leveraging the performance of TI’s DRE200 digital baseband. In addition, its low power design that can be as low as 750mW, can increase battery life for portable products by as much as three times compared to its predecessor the RS200L.
Measuring 44mm by 110mm by 15mm, the RS201L module can receive Band III and L-Band DAB, FM and RDS. Samples are available now and volume shipments start in November 2004. The design of the module can be licensed if manufacturers wish to build it themselves. Prices for the RS201L module are around $35 depending on the volume ordered and configuration.
RadioScape RS200A
This is the second module from RadioScape for the automotive market and is also based on TI’s DRE200. The RadioScape 350A, which was launched in July 2004, is designed for high end, feature-rich products while the RS200A provides an entry-level module for Band III and L-Band DAB functionality. Pin and form factor compatibility between the two modules simplifies manufacturers’ designs so that they can cost effectively create a range of products with different feature sets using the same basic design.
Its compact size of only 62mm by 37mm by 10mm enables it to fit within a standard car radio format and it has been designed to meet the performance specifications required for use in automotive applications. Prices for the RS200A module are around $35 depending on the volume ordered and configuration. The design of the module can be licensed if manufacturers wish to build it themselves. Samples are available now and modules will begin to ship in volume in December 2004.
13 October 2004
Al-Jazeera.net is one of the top 10 most innovative and influential websites in online politics, according to PoliticsOnline (www.politicsonline.com), a specialist in using the internet for political and public affairs. Announcing the world’s top 10 political sites at the 5th World Forum on eDemocracy in Paris at the end of September, judges described Al-Jazeera as ‘the symbol of free expression in the Middle East’.
“Certainly when it comes to censorship we have suffered a great deal,” said Al-Jazeera spokesperson Jihad Ballout. “We’ve had more than our fair share of attention from the powers that be, but we’ve maintained as independent a line as possible.”
In September, Iraq’s interim government extended an indefinite ban on Al-Jazeera TV, claiming that the station may encourage kidnappings by showing pictures of hostages. In 2002, Bahrain banned Al-Jazeera, accusing it of Israeli bias. Despite these setbacks, Al-Jazeera has prevailed to become the ‘world’s foremost uncensored Arab news service’, said the judges.
PoliticsOnline asked its 40,000 readers to name the people and organisations which they believed had the biggest impact on internet politics. A panel of experts then selected the top 10 from 292 nominations.
“We are witnessing virtual revolutions in the way we do politics in the 21st century,” said Phil Noble, PoliticsOnline CEO, speaking at the forum. We honour the most innovative ideas and the most influential individuals in the world of internet and politics.”
13 October 2004
BBC Worldwide has announced the creation of BBC Japan. The new BBC wholly owned entertainment channel will bring the best of BBC programming to TV audiences in Japan. BBC Japan will offer viewers a mix of top comedy, drama, factual entertainment, children’s and learning programming, as well as talk shows and documentaries, from Fawlty Towers to The Weakest Link, from Pride and Prejudice to Ready Steady Cook and from Tweenies to Goal.
Set to launch in Japan on December, 1 2004, the channel will offer a selection of programmes subtitled in Japanese.
BBC Japan has been created by BBC Worldwide’s Channels team that is also responsible for the success of BBC Prime, the BBCs international entertainment channel for Europe, Middle East and Africa. Headed up by Wayne Dunsford, BBC Worldwide Director of Channels, Europe, Middle East, India and Africa, the team will manage and oversee the channel with the support of BBC Worldwide Japan Ltd. in Tokyo.
David Vine, BBC Worldwide Managing Director Asia Pacific, said: “Establishing our own BBC channel in Japan is a major step for us. Audiences there associate the BBC name with top quality television and the time has now come to offer them a channel where they can see such programming from the BBC every day.”
Katsuhiko Waza, President of BBC Worldwide Japan Limited, adds: “There is a high positive awareness of the BBC name in Japan. This reputation has paved the way for a channel dedicated to the best of the BBC’s entertainment output. We are looking forward to bringing BBC Japan into homes throughout the country.”
BBC Japan will carry advertising and the channel will be distributed and marketed by media company Japan Mediark Co. Ltd.
13 October 2004
China Radio International (CRI) has signed a contract extension with WRN following a visit by a high-level delegation to the London headquarters of the international broadcaster and transmission service provider. WRN will continue to provide an increasing range of transmission and distribution services to CRI, ensuring that listeners around the world can tune into programmes produced in many languages by Chinas international radio station.
The delegation was led by Mr Xia Jixuan, CRIs Vice-President. Other delegation members included Mr Dong Weimin from the Chinese Ministry of Finance and Mr Zhao Gang from the Chinese State Administration for Radio Film and TV.
WRN has worked closely with CRI for more than five years since signing an initial Collaboration Agreement in Beijing in 1999. WRN works on CRIs behalf distributing its daily programmes to reach both new and existing listeners around the world using AM and FM transmissions that augment CRIs traditional Short Wave broadcasting from China. CRIs daily programmes can be heard on FM in Berlin and Moscow and on AM in London, St Petersburg, across Western Europe, South West Russia, Ukraine and Romania. WRN identifies the most appropriate transmitters, undertakes local negotiations and monitors the output on behalf of CRI.
Furthermore CRIs daily programmes in English, French, German and Russian can be heard on WRNs international news radio networks distributed around the world via satellite, cable, local FM relays, wireless applications and the Internet.
After the signing ceremony, Mr Karl Miosga, Managing Director, said: I am delighted that CRI continues to place its trust in WRN to distribute its content worldwide giving more listeners the opportunity to easily tune into the important Chinese perspective.
