Attending the IBM Forum 2008 in Wellington

Attending the IBM Forum 2008 in Wellington
Cool, it's that time of the year again when the IBM Forum is on. I've attended previous events and it's always an interesting day.

Here's a bit about this event:

IBM Forum 2008 focuses on Sustainable Innovation, starting with the keynote, Ray Avery, a kiwi scientist and entrepreneur; founder CEO of Medicine Mondiale. Ray is developing sustainable products and technologies for world markets, such as his latest invention “Proteinforte”. Ray will be talking about global opportunities for high tech innovation in healthcare, education and infrastructure.

Also on the agenda, Edward Orange, Director of Lotus Software of IBM Asia Pacific, will be talking about Web 2.0 and how it can be leveraged by enterprises of all sizes to help revolutionise the way they conduct business, help employees collaborate more effectively and enhance their client outreach.

The agenda also features a session on 'Co-Web: re-mixing audio and video collaboration in the next generation of the Internet’ and ‘Demystifying SOA - driving business agility with service orientated business applications’, as well as insights into the latest advances in strategy and technology; customer stories and interactive demonstrations.

The full day event is happening in Wellington (11th August, Michael Fowler Centre), Auckland (14th August, Hyatt Hotel) and Christchurch (19th August, Convention Centre).

Registrations are open now.

Intel slashes chip prices
Chip prices cut by up to 31%

Enhancing Web 2.0 Accessibility Via AxsJAX: A Tutorial at Google
This google talk lecture is on a Java technology for page ripping called AxsJAX.
This presentation tutorial of AxsAJAX is for building an screen reader for the blind.



I like this as it makes building a simulated 'expert systems to read and process existing web content so much nicer,
I mean, great for hacking, in that it lets your computer become more aware to the key page information.

And they mention a T-Shirt contest and the bit about the car, I think was cut.

Emailing from a Web Page
Imports System.Net.Mail

'Create an instance of the MailMessage class

Dim objMM As New MailMessage()

Dim Requestor_DropDownList As DropDownList

Dim IssueID_Label As Label

With Issue_FormView   Requestor_DropDownList = .FindControl(

"RequestedBy_DropDownList")

   IssueID_Label = .FindControl("JobID_Label")

End With

'Set the properties

objMM.To.Add(Requestor_DropDownList.SelectedValue + "@telecom.co.nz")

objMM.From = New MailAddress("est@telecom.co.nz")

'Send the email in html format

objMM.IsBodyHtml = True

'Set the priority - options are High, Low, and Normal

objMM.Priority = MailPriority.Normal

'Set the subject

objMM.Subject = "Feedback"

'Set the body

Dim sb As New StringBuildersb.AppendLine("Kiaora " + Requestor_DropDownList.SelectedItem.Text)

sb.AppendLine()

sb.AppendLine("Your EST Issue is about to be closed.")sb.AppendLine(

"Please take 5 minutes to rate the service you have received the the Enterprise Service Team.")sb.AppendLine("Click into this link: http://wstProdIIS/EST/register/Issue.aspx?ID=" + IssueID_Label.Text)

objMM.Body = sb.ToString

'Now, to send the message, use the Send method of the SmtpClient class

Dim objSC = New SmtpClient

objSC.Host = "WNEXBE01.telecom.tcnz.net"

objSC.Send(objMM)

Mobile coverage comes to Maungaraki - thanks to NZ Comms
If you live in Maungaraki (a hillside suburb in Lower Hutt) you'll realise that in many parts cellular coverage is terrible. This is because neither Vodafone or Telecom believe there is a need for sites and instead rely on coverage from other sites in the Hutt Valley basin below or in Vodafone's case coverage from a site on Mt Crowther in Wainuiomata.

Good news is on the way however, NZ Communications have applied to the Lower Hutt City Council for permission to put a cellsite at the top of Honeysuckle Grove (near the water tower) which would deliver great coverage. I'm not sure if this will be a standalone mast or panels mounted on the existing water tower which already houses radio gear for several organisations including Smartlinx3 who have equipment for their wireless broadband product.

If NZ Comms can do this why can't Vodafone or Telecom?

Skype won't say if it decrypts VoIP calls
Austrian officials with legal authority to tap VoIP communications have no problem listening in on Skype calls, says report

New mobile number ranges in New Zealand from 1-Aug-2008
From the start of August, some new mobile number ranges will be bought into service in New Zealand:

0201 Orcon Mobile 0241-0244 and 0246-0249 NZ Communications 0280 Compass 02885 M2 & Black+White

Interesting stuff - the competition... (more in the full post)

Alcatel-Lucent CEO and chairman resign
Russo and Tchuruk to make way for new board and management