NetLogic to Acquire RMI for $175 Million

NetLogic Microsystems agreed to acquire RMI, a developer of multi-core, multi-threaded processors, in a deal valued at approximately $175 million.


The merger is expected to enable NetLogic Microsystems to further expand into the high-performance "data-in-flight" processing segment. RMI's XLP, XLR and XLS Multi-Core, Multi-Threaded Processors will complement NetLogic Microsystems' existing portfolio of knowledge-based processors, content processors, network search engines and 10-100 Gigabit Ethernet PHY products. By expanding upon the IP and product portfolio, the merger is further expected to strengthen and expand NetLogic Microsystems' Tier 1 OEM customer base as well as to diversify its end market penetration.


RMI's high-performance Multi-Core, Multi-Threaded Processors enable the delivery of rich IP content and services, such as video, 3G/4G mobile services, voice-over-IP and enhanced security, over tomorrow's wireline and wireless networks. In addition, RMI offers a family of Ultra Low-Power Processors for high-volume enterprise, industrial and media-rich applications, where their unique blend of low power core, media architecture, and connectivity has created a highly differentiated value proposition. The rapid proliferation and growing market for these power-sensitive connected devices are fueling the demand for higher performance, mission-critical infrastructure equipment in core, edge, metro, access, enterprise, storage and SMB networks.


"We are excited by the opportunities presented by this merger because of the remarkable synergies in our technologies, markets, customers, geographic locations and company cultures," said Ron Jankov, president and CEO of NetLogic Microsystems. "Further, we believe that our two companies' individual strengths can be successfully leveraged into tremendous growth potential for the combined entity. Similar to the growth drivers that are opening up new opportunities for our knowledge-based processors and high performance physical layer products, the rapid growth in converged IP traffic and demand for the support of advanced IP services such as video, 3G/4G, voice-over-IP and enhanced security, are opening up new opportunities for high-performance Multi-Core, Multi-Threaded Processors."http://www.netlogicmicro.com
http://www.rmicorp.com

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Inphi Enables Cloud Servers Pack 384 GB of DDR-3 Memory

Inphi Corp.introduced a new technology that can quadruple memory capacity in servers and workstations at DDR3-2133 rates and beyond. The enabling component of the technology is Inphi's isolation memory buffer (iMB), which will reside electrically on a server DIMM between the memory controller and the DRAM, allowing it to buffer the data lines, as well as command, address and control lines.


"Contemporary multicore processors have a voracious appetite for memory capacity, but board layout and signal integrity issues limit the number of DIMMs on most two-socket server motherboards," observed Nathan Brookwood, research fellow at Insight 64. "Buffer-on-Board (BoB) approaches address signal integrity, but finding space and routing signals to all those DIMMs remains a tough problem. Inphi's iMB provides a clever and cost-effective solution that allows the latest Xeon servers to accommodate four times as many DRAM components in the same DIMM sockets designed for ordinary registered DIMMs. Users who feel hemmed in by the current 96 GB per socket constraint of Intel's Xeon 5500 series should love this way to grow their memories to 384 GB."


Inphi said its iMB technology enable up to 384 GB of mainstream DRAMs to be integrated into standard-sized DIMMs without the need for hardware changes. The iMB chip will transparently make multiple ranks of DRAMs look like a single rank of DRAM to the memory controller.


Inphi is currently manufacturing prototypes of the iMB and expects to deliver engineering samples to OEMs beginning in the summer of 2009.
http://www.inphi-corp.com

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Sprint Offers App Developers Java-based Access to Location-based Services

Sprint will provide access to tools to let developers quickly create location-based services (LBS) applications and advanced messaging applications. In addition, three additional location aggregation providers, Alcatel-Lucent, LOC-AID and Useful Networks, will help developers create new location-based services for Sprint customers. Sprint launched its open location platform in December with Veriplace and WHERE.


Sprint plans to hold its ninth annual Application Developer Conference in October in Santa Clara, California.


"We want developers to have the tools they need to create useful, engaging and exciting applications for our customers -- whether they're for individuals and families or small business and enterprise customers," said Kevin Packingham, senior vice president of Product and Technology Development for Sprint. "The Sprint Developer Sandbox and new location platform enablers bring tools from outside Sprint into our open Application Developer Program to allow more innovation than developers have in other closed communities."http://developer.sprint.com/sandbox

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Mushroom's Broadband Bonding Aggregates Up to 5 Connections

Mushroom Networks, a start-up based in San Diego, announced the second generation of its TRUFFLE Broadband Bonding device capables of aggregating up to five high-speed Internet connections of any type (DSL, cable, T1, DS3, fiber, wireless) into a single Internet connection. The second generation version incorporates enhanced flow-based quality-of-service (QoS), traffic prioritization and application filtering, dual unit automatic failover, 1Gig Ethernet ports and higher maximum throughput rates of over 300Mbps.




TRUFFLE is an Ethernet-based turn-key solution that installs between the broadband modems and the local network at the customer's premises without requiring any configuration changes to the existing network or coordination with the ISP. This enables the user to mix and match various services from multiple broadband providers into a bonded pipe. If one or more of the links in the bonded pipe fail or is degraded, the traffic is transparently spread across the remaining links without any interruptions resulting in maximum network up time. When peered over the Internet with another TRUFFLE device for example: connecting the main headquarters with multiple branch offices, both the download and upload capacity is aggregated solving a major industry pain point -- slow uplink speeds for Virtual Private Network (VPN) traffic.


In addition to much greater bi-directional maximum throughput rates, new features include advanced QoS algorithms and application filtering that intelligently prioritizes and manages traffic improving inbound real-time traffic latency metrics for applications such as voice, streaming, and video conferencing. Duel unit configuration enabling hot-swap failover to the standby unit (active/passive availability); and bypass port failover during unforeseen power outages ensures high-nines network reliability.
http://www.mushroomnetworks.com

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AT&T Study: Business Continuity Planning Evolves With Emerging Technologies

According to a survey of over 500 IT executives in the U.S., the dramatic rise in social networking and mobility trends is presenting new challenges and considerations to companies' network security, disaster planning and business continuity programs. The good news: businesses are stepping up their technology investment and efforts to meet these challenges despite the economy; and mobile devices are increasingly part of business continuity plans.


For the eighth consecutive year, AT&T surveyed IT executives from companies throughout the United States that have at least $25 million in annual revenue to get their views on disaster planning and business continuity trends. Sixty-eight percent of the companies surveyed this year have locations outside of the U.S. The study is based on an online survey of 502 Information Technology (IT) executives.


2009 AT&T Business Continuity Study Key Findings:

• Two-thirds (65%) of all executives indicate that their companies will be investing in new technologies for 2009. Investment tends to focus on new
  equipment and a variety of software, storage and security upgrades.



• Forty percent of executives surveyed indicated that their IT budgets are expected to be lower this year than in the previous two years, while nearly one-fourth
  (24%) indicated that budgets will be higher. Interestingly, companies with business continuity plans in place are significantly more likely
  than those without plans to anticipate budget increases (32% compared to 11%).



• Sixty-seven percent of executives indicate that wireless network capabilities are part of their business continuity plan. Furthermore, nearly half (46%) stated that mobile
  devices play a major role in their plan's considerations.



• Three out of four executives surveyed are concerned about the increased use of social networking capabilities' potential impact on network security. Forty-four percent allow employees access to such social networking sites. However, hacking still continues to be listed as the biggest security risk to companies (30% compared with 3% for social networking).



• One-third of companies surveyed have used their business continuity plan that is in place. Nationally, companies are most likely to invoke their business continuity plan due to extreme weather (25%) or power outages at facilities (19%).



• Nearly seventy-four percent of businesses surveyed set target recovery times for their key business processes (compared with sixty-seven percent in 2008), an indication that businesses understand not only is it important to have a plan in place, but that plan needs to identify goals and expectations for recovery should it be invoked. In the event of a natural or man-made disaster, these companies have special arrangements for communicating with key executives spanning voice, email and text-messaging.

"In today's business environment, connectivity cannot be disrupted, which is why business continuity planning and disaster recovery efforts are paramount," said Bill Archer, chief marketing officer - AT&T Business Solutions. "The top three lessons learned by the executives we surveyed who have experienced a disaster include: having a plan in place is critical; increase back-up systems to ensure no data loss; and have multiple means of communication available. AT&T is focused on helping our customers stay connected with their employees and customers no matter if and when disaster strikes."http://www.att.com/businesscontinuity-news

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Percello Introduces 16-User Femtocell Chip

Percello, an Israeli fabless semiconductor company developing highly integrated and low-cost digital baseband for UMTS and LTE networks, unveiled the second product in its Aquilo chip family for enterprise-grade femtocells. The new PRC6500 SOC supports 16 users - double the capacity of competing solutions - while delivering evolved high speed packet access (HSPA+) data rates of 21.6Mbps and 5.7Mbps and extended cell range optimized for outdoor applications. It is pin-compatible with Percello's first Aquilo chip - the PRC6000 - an eight-user HSPA+ device, and can be easily used by Percello customers to offer a low-cost solution for residential, enterprise and outdoor applications.


The PRC6500 is compliant with 3GPP HNB specs. It integrates an HSPA+ modem, a MIPS processor, 3GPP L2 hardware accelerators, IP-SEC accelerators, embedded secured platform capabilities, a timing and synchronization mechanism, 2G/3G cognitive radio capabilities and peripherals such as embedded USIM I/F.


Aquilo architecture enables UMTS NodeB and RNC functionality to run on a single die. The family chips contain MIPS24Kc and its peripherals as well as femtocell L1 engine (FLE), which includes an HSPA+ modem and embedded RF I/F.
http://www.percello.com

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AT&T Calculates Savings for Conducting Regional Telepresence Meeting

By conducting its meeting of a customer Regional Advisory Council (RAC) by Telepresence rather than face-to-face, AT&T calculates that it reduced emissions by an equivalent to more than 62 metric tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2e) and saved participants more than US$100,000.


Twice each year, AT&T Asia Pacific Group meets with approximately 20 of its regional and global customers who make up the advisory council to discuss a wide range of issues from service quality and support to new products and investment plans for emerging markets.


Previous RAC meetings have been held in Beijing, Hanoi, Hong Kong, Delhi and Singapore with customers generally devoting 3-4 full days including travel time. AT&T takes responsibility for the meeting and hospitality costs while customers pay their own travel and accommodation expenses, with total costs for each meeting exceeding US$100,000 on average.


Using Cisco TelePresence suites, the meeting involved 21 customers from 15 companies including Air Products, Intel, Cargill, Tata Consultancy Services and DuPont along with 15 AT&T staff in ten locations -- Dallas, Chicago and New Jersey in the US, London, Sydney, Singapore, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Mumbai and Bangalore.
http://www.att.com

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Former Enron Broadband CFO Pleads Guilty

Kevin Howard, former chief financial officer and vice president of finance for Enron Broadband Services (EBS), Enron's failed telecommunications business, pleaded guilty to falsifying books and records. According to the superseding indictment and the plea agreement, Howard knowingly and willfully directly or indirectly caused Enron's Form 10K for the year-ending 2000 to be falsified because it did not accurately and fairly reflect, in reasonable detail, the transactions and dispositions of Enron's assets.
http://www.usdoj.gov

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Qualcomm Debuts 4x4 MIMO 802.11n Solution

Qualcomm introduced a dual-band 802.11n standards-based wireless local-area networking (WLAN) solution with 4x4 multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) technology capable of delivering 600 Mbps of performance. The new chip is designed to enable users to distribute multiple simultaneous streams of high-definition video, voice and data throughout the home. The WCN1320 chip includes an internal high-speed application processor to run the WLAN software within the chip which provides OEMs the flexibility to use lower cost host processors in their design, easing integration, and reducing development costs for adding WLAN to their products.


Qualcomm is offering WLAN reference module designs to enable manufacturers to quickly integrate WCN1320 into a wide range of media streaming consumer electronic devices such as access points, set-top boxes, and media-centric devices.


The new WCN1320's 4x4 MIMO technology uses four spatial streams to distribute multiple streams of concurrent voice, video and data in either the 5GHz or 2.4 GHz radio bands. The highly integrated N-Stream WCN1320 solution utilizes a 65-nanometer CMOS process technology to combine an embedded applications processor, media-access controller, digital baseband, radio-frequency transceiver and system power-management in a single compact 12x12 mm package.


Qualcomm's N-Stream WLAN WCN1320 solution is expected to begin sampling in the second quarter of 2009. http://www.qualcomm.com

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Qualcomm Introduces Single-Chip 802.11n for Handsets

Qualcomm introduced a single-chip, high-performance 802.11n-compliant wireless local-area networking (WLAN) solution for handsets and mobile devices that supports data rates of up to 72 Mbps - significantly higher than previous 802.11a, b, and g Wi-Fi solutions. The WCN1312 solution offers a high level of integration with a 2.4 GHz 802.11n baseband processor, media-access controller, RF transceiver, transmit power amplifier, low-noise amplifier, transmit switch, power coupler and radio-frequency (RF) bandpass filter all in a small 7x7 mm package. The chip uses low-power 65nm CMOS technology and advanced power-management techniques to minimize sleep, standby and active power consumption. http://www.qualcomm.com

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EMC Proposes to Acquire Data Domain, Outbidding NetApp

EMC announced a bid to acquire all of the outstanding common stock of Data Domain, Inc. (NASDAQ: DDUP) for $30.00 per share in cash, in a transaction with a total enterprise value of approximately $1.8 billion, net of Data Domain's cash. EMC's all-cash offer represents a 20% premium to the cash and stock offer made by NetApp for Data Domain on May 20, 2009.


EMC said it is bidding to acquire Data Domain for its fast-growing revenue base, its strong data protection-focused management team and sales force and its highly complementary storage software technology that will help to accelerate both companies' ability to deliver next-generation disk-based backup and archiving solutions for customers.htp://www.emc.com

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Polaris Wireless Deploys 50 Meter Mass Wireless Intercept Location Solution

Polaris Wireless, a start-up based in Santa Clara, California, introduced a mass wireless intercept location application that is capable of pinpointing the precise location of all mobile devices in a network to an accuracy within 50 meters. This would enable intelligence agencies and Law Enforcement Agencies (LEAs) to locate millions of handsets in real time or for a period of time in the past.


"Most intelligence and law enforcement agencies already have the capability to intercept wireless communications during criminal investigations but lack the ability to accurately track the locations of handsets sending and receiving transmissions or map wireless activity on a mass scale," said Manlio Allegra, President and CEO, Polaris Wireless. "Working within the local laws of individual countries, high-accuracy mass intercept location technology allows law enforcement agencies to analyze wireless activity before, during and after an event, helping them put together an accurate timeline of events, identify suspects and gather additional evidence for criminal investigations."


The ability to map and analyze wireless activity on a mass scale gives LEAs a more detailed picture of a crime scene, including who was present, what wireless activity was being conducted and where all handsets were located at any given time. For example, if a bomb goes off in the downtown area of a major metropolitan area, LEAs would be able to identify and analyze wireless activity just before the bomb went off and then track the movements of the handsets that sent and received transmissions in the immediate aftermath. Using this information to map wireless activity around the blast zone, responding personnel would be better equipped to take swift action to identify and apprehend the suspects before they flee. Criminal investigators would also have a significant advantage when gathering evidence and eyewitness accounts from a chaotic crime scene.


Currently, some lawful intercept solutions rely on Cell-ID/Enhanced Cell-ID (ECID) or Assisted GPS (A-GPS) to determine handset location. However, these technologies neither provide the accuracy necessary to deliver actionable information nor can they be used to reliably track handsets on a mass scale. ECID uses crude location information from cell towers to determine location to within several hundred meters or a few city blocks--not accurate enough to be useful in criminal investigations. A-GPS is not any more accurate or reliable given its limitations in critically important urban and indoor environments. Additionally, it can be easily disabled or jammed on handsets.


The Polaris Wireless solution uses Polaris Wireless Location Signatures (Polaris WLSTM) technology to quickly and reliably determine handset location to an accuracy within 50 meters. Like a fingerprint's pattern of lines and swirls, a location can be identified by a unique set of values including measurements of neighboring cell signal strengths, time delays and other network parameters. The Polaris WLS solution collects this information and uses it to match incoming signals to an extensive database of values to determine highly accurate handset location--regardless of the type of environment.


Polaris Wireless is also working on adding advanced analytical techniques to its high accuracy, mass intercept location solution. The advanced analytics, in conjunction with high accuracy, will help narrow suspect lists, eliminate false leads and focus criminal investigations in an effective and efficient manner. When used in accordance with local laws, predictive intelligence can arm LEAs with the information they need to prevent criminal activity before it occurs. As the Polaris WLS mass intercept system continues to be populated with larger volumes of raw and analytical data over time, the quality of actionable intelligence will simply continue to improve.
http://www.polariswireless.com

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Qualcomm Shows 45nm Snapdragon Chipset for Smarter Smartphones

Qualcomm is expanding its Snapdragon platform for Smartphones with its next-generation chipset based on 45 nanometer (nm) process technology.


The new Snapdragon QSD8650A(TM) chipset - scheduled for sampling before the end of 2009 - offers significant performance improvements including a 1.3 GHz processor for 30 percent higher performance as well as enhanced multimedia and 2D/3D graphics. The 45nm technology lowers power consumption by up to 30 percent compared to previous-generation Snapdragon products. Standby power is lowered to less than 10 millwatts.


In addition to its faster processor and faster bus speed, the new QSD8650A chipset also offers multi-mode UMTS and CDMA 3G mobile broadband connectivity in the same 15x15mm package as current Snapdragon chipsets. A standalone, power-efficient 2D graphics accelerator and enhanced 3D graphics core deliver a powerful multimedia experience with better performance of Adobe Flash software. It also features integrated GPS and high-definition video recording and playback, the latest Bluetooth 2.1 technology and support for Wi-Fi, high-resolution WXGA displays and mobile TV technologies such as MediaFLO, DVB-H and ISDB-T.
http://www.qualcomm.com

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Mformation's MDM to Support Clearwire's Mobile WiMAX Service

Clearwire will use Mformation's SERVICE MANAGER mobile device management (MDM) software for its CLEAR mobile WiMAX service. Mformation's platform ensures that all of the mobile devices are properly configured and working optimally. The company said its deep experience with the OMA DM protocol and its leadership role in managing OMA DM devices are especially critical to the seamless management of WiMAX-based devices, which use this protocol. Financial terms were not disclosed.


Mformation said the user requirements for device management will be much the same regardless of whether they are connected to an all-IP WiMAX network or a cellular network (including CDMA, CDMA 2000, GSM, GPRS, UMTS, WCDMA, HSPA). Regardless of what network their subscribers are using at any given point in time, service providers still need to configure services, remotely activate users, get a real-time view of devices, distribute and update applications and firmware, secure devices and data, and monitor service availability and performance.

"Working with Clearwire on this very important mobile broadband initiative is great validation of the power of our comprehensive MDM platform," said Mark Edwards, Mformation CEO.
http://www.mformation.com

• Mformation previously disclosed that UQ Communications has selected its MFORMATION SERVICE MANAGER to provide seamless device management capabilities for new WiMAX-capable devices as part of the rollout of its WiMAX network. The UQ Communications venture was established with KDDI Corporation, Intel Capital Corp., East Japan Railway Company, KYOCERA Corporation, Daiwa Securities Group Inc. and The Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ Ltd.

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