METRO Group, the world's third-largest retailer and an RFID pioneer announced the implementation of RFID readers and tags at METRO Group's largest and busiest distribution center in Germany. With more than 50,000 pallets read to date, METRO has 99% tag read-rates, as well as complete compliance with ETSI radio standards for operation in Europe.
The distribution center is equipped with Intermec IF5 Intelligent RFID readers and RFID tags powered by Intermec. RFID is a complement to the current bar code-based tracking systems. RFID automatic data collection typically does not require line of sight or manual scanning as do most bar code-based systems.
Monday, January 24, 2005
Oracle Details PeopleSoft Product Roadmap
Oracle unveiled the combined Oracle and PeopleSoft product roadmap and support plans in "Project Fusion.” Oracle stated it retained approximately 90 percent of PeopleSoft's development and support team to ensure continuity for PeopleSoft Enterprise, JD Edwards EnterpriseOne and JD Edwards World products. The "Project Fusion" architecture will leverage Oracle technology.
This estimated release timeline was provided:+ PeopleSoft Enterprise 8.9 will be completed in 2005+ Oracle E-Business Suite 12 (2006)+ PeopleSoft Enterprise 9 (2006)+ JD Edwards EnterpriseOne 8.12 (2006)+ Ongoing JD Edwards World enhancements+ Project Fusion data hubs and transaction bases in 2006+ Initial "Project Fusion" applications available in 2007+ "Project Fusion" applications suite delivery in 2008
Support milestones include:+ Oracle will provide support for the PeopleSoft Enterprise, JD Edwards EnterpriseOne and JD Edwards World product lines through at least 2013+ Oracle is extending JD Edwards EnterpriseOne XE and 8.0 support to February 2007+ For PeopleSoft's other products and versions, including JD Edwards World, Oracle has adopted PeopleSoft's current retirement policies+ Oracle will also continue to maintain currently supported hardware platforms, databases and operating systems.
Sid Snitkin, VP, ARC Advisory Group, commented, "Telephone lines and web connections were jammed by over 17,000 people for the recent Oracle event where they announced these plans for the merged company. This is testament to the size of the customer base that could be up for grabs if Peoplesoft and JD Edwards customers lose confidence in the future viability of their investments. Product support and product roadmaps are central to maintaining confidence and Oracle has done an excellent job in laying out a solid plan to address both of these issues."
Mr. Snitkin continued, "Most customers seem to be satisfied for now to continue their journey with Oracle. But the clear challenge is to maintain this confidence boost by delivering on promises and continuing to reinforce the message that the merged company is the way to get to the best destinations. The Oracle train will pass through many stations and there are competitors waiting at each stop with enticing alternatives."
This estimated release timeline was provided:+ PeopleSoft Enterprise 8.9 will be completed in 2005+ Oracle E-Business Suite 12 (2006)+ PeopleSoft Enterprise 9 (2006)+ JD Edwards EnterpriseOne 8.12 (2006)+ Ongoing JD Edwards World enhancements+ Project Fusion data hubs and transaction bases in 2006+ Initial "Project Fusion" applications available in 2007+ "Project Fusion" applications suite delivery in 2008
Support milestones include:+ Oracle will provide support for the PeopleSoft Enterprise, JD Edwards EnterpriseOne and JD Edwards World product lines through at least 2013+ Oracle is extending JD Edwards EnterpriseOne XE and 8.0 support to February 2007+ For PeopleSoft's other products and versions, including JD Edwards World, Oracle has adopted PeopleSoft's current retirement policies+ Oracle will also continue to maintain currently supported hardware platforms, databases and operating systems.
Sid Snitkin, VP, ARC Advisory Group, commented, "Telephone lines and web connections were jammed by over 17,000 people for the recent Oracle event where they announced these plans for the merged company. This is testament to the size of the customer base that could be up for grabs if Peoplesoft and JD Edwards customers lose confidence in the future viability of their investments. Product support and product roadmaps are central to maintaining confidence and Oracle has done an excellent job in laying out a solid plan to address both of these issues."
Mr. Snitkin continued, "Most customers seem to be satisfied for now to continue their journey with Oracle. But the clear challenge is to maintain this confidence boost by delivering on promises and continuing to reinforce the message that the merged company is the way to get to the best destinations. The Oracle train will pass through many stations and there are competitors waiting at each stop with enticing alternatives."
On Demand Business
Following is a briefing on 'On Demand Business Model'. In my view SAP is placed much ahead of this evolution. I feel with NetWeaver as a technology platform, On Demand Business Model can be enabled in a faster way for complex business solutions. And if required, it will not be difficult for SAP to operate some of the business in this model.
Briefing: The On Demand Business Model; Software Vendors Should Tread Carefully!
By Steve Banker, ARC Advisory Group
The On Demand business model has gotten a lot of publicity in the last year - IBM's commercials, SalesForce.com's successful IPO, and probably most significantly, Merrill Lynch's announcement that they would begin tracking software companies with an On Demand business model.
The On Demand business model, as we define it, involves selling a solution based on monthly service charges. One instance of software is hosted centrally by the software vendor, most customers use Internet browsers to access their application.
Merrill Lynch argued that the traditional way of measuring software companies, growth in software license, was becoming increasingly less relevant in this mature industry and that new methods of measuring software vendors were needed. It would, be easy to conclude that the On Demand business model can save best of breed software suppliers.
Be careful! One of the markets ARC is studying is Location-based Business Solutions. These are GPS based solutions that help companies track and manage fleets or people in real time. Where historically trucks would have a GPS enabled "black" box in the cab, now suppliers have created On Demand services based on hosted applications and users in the field with GPS-enabled Nextel cell phones. Two years ago, many companies paid about $50 per month per vehicle. Last year a number of companies were charging about $25 per month per vehicle (or user). And this year some vendors are selling stripped down tracking for as little as $15 per month per node.
In short, instead of the On Demand model providing a stable and predictable long term stream of cash, it is providing, in at least this market, brutal cost competition and customers as fickle as the mobile phone users who switch whenever a new plan offers better savings.
Where does the On Demand model offer some protection for vendors? For vendors who have services where content changes all the time. For example, Vastera’s service is constantly being updated with changing customs regulations; Management Dynamics services continuously changes as ocean freight assessorial charges change. These types of services offer the promise of strong customer retention. Services based on connectivity also offer strong lock-in. So for example, by using Lean Logistics as a TMS solution, you are automatically linked to hundreds of carriers and do not have to manage integrating to carriers on an ongoing basis.
Briefing: The On Demand Business Model; Software Vendors Should Tread Carefully!
By Steve Banker, ARC Advisory Group
The On Demand business model has gotten a lot of publicity in the last year - IBM's commercials, SalesForce.com's successful IPO, and probably most significantly, Merrill Lynch's announcement that they would begin tracking software companies with an On Demand business model.
The On Demand business model, as we define it, involves selling a solution based on monthly service charges. One instance of software is hosted centrally by the software vendor, most customers use Internet browsers to access their application.
Merrill Lynch argued that the traditional way of measuring software companies, growth in software license, was becoming increasingly less relevant in this mature industry and that new methods of measuring software vendors were needed. It would, be easy to conclude that the On Demand business model can save best of breed software suppliers.
Be careful! One of the markets ARC is studying is Location-based Business Solutions. These are GPS based solutions that help companies track and manage fleets or people in real time. Where historically trucks would have a GPS enabled "black" box in the cab, now suppliers have created On Demand services based on hosted applications and users in the field with GPS-enabled Nextel cell phones. Two years ago, many companies paid about $50 per month per vehicle. Last year a number of companies were charging about $25 per month per vehicle (or user). And this year some vendors are selling stripped down tracking for as little as $15 per month per node.
In short, instead of the On Demand model providing a stable and predictable long term stream of cash, it is providing, in at least this market, brutal cost competition and customers as fickle as the mobile phone users who switch whenever a new plan offers better savings.
Where does the On Demand model offer some protection for vendors? For vendors who have services where content changes all the time. For example, Vastera’s service is constantly being updated with changing customs regulations; Management Dynamics services continuously changes as ocean freight assessorial charges change. These types of services offer the promise of strong customer retention. Services based on connectivity also offer strong lock-in. So for example, by using Lean Logistics as a TMS solution, you are automatically linked to hundreds of carriers and do not have to manage integrating to carriers on an ongoing basis.
Friday, January 21, 2005
Initial specs for ultimate gaming PC
Processor: AMD AthlonXP 2600+ 2.08 GHz >> The Athlon XP remains far and away one of the best-value solutions you can get.
Mobo: Biostar M7NCD Pro >> Has nForce2 400 chipset. With its dual-channel RAM interface, NVIDIA's nForce2 Ultra 400 is still the performance champion. But not everyone can afford to spring for a new processor, a motherboard and two DIMMs in one fell swoop. nForce2 400 chipset is the next best bet.
RAM: I prefer two 512 MB Kingston DDR 400MHz PC3200 SDRAM.
Cooler: The Coolermaster Aero7 looks very cool indeed and also includes a front or rear mountable dashpot that lets you alter the speed of the fan.
Graphics Card: The ATI Radeon 9600 XT 8X AGP card has 128 MB DDR memory to speed the graphics to the screen as well as a fan to keep it cool while it's doing its thing.
Monitor: I prefer an LCD or a 21" CRT Monitor.
OS: XP ... but depends on your choice.
Mobo: Biostar M7NCD Pro >> Has nForce2 400 chipset. With its dual-channel RAM interface, NVIDIA's nForce2 Ultra 400 is still the performance champion. But not everyone can afford to spring for a new processor, a motherboard and two DIMMs in one fell swoop. nForce2 400 chipset is the next best bet.
RAM: I prefer two 512 MB Kingston DDR 400MHz PC3200 SDRAM.
Cooler: The Coolermaster Aero7 looks very cool indeed and also includes a front or rear mountable dashpot that lets you alter the speed of the fan.
Graphics Card: The ATI Radeon 9600 XT 8X AGP card has 128 MB DDR memory to speed the graphics to the screen as well as a fan to keep it cool while it's doing its thing.
Monitor: I prefer an LCD or a 21" CRT Monitor.
OS: XP ... but depends on your choice.
Courtsey: THG.
Wednesday, January 19, 2005
Monday, January 17, 2005
Where to invest in 2005
An excellent article on how to think smart and invest in 2005.
http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/toc/04_52/B39140452invest.htm
Building Sustainable Startups in the Developing World
If creating a startup is one hell of a job, then sustaining that business is also a herculian task. Look at this article on how to sustain a startup.
http://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/index.cfm?fa=viewArticle&id=1084&specialId=24
http://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/index.cfm?fa=viewArticle&id=1084&specialId=24
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)