Convergent devices – Jack of All Trades, Master of Some?

Success of Multifunctional Products is a Matter of Consumer Acceptance and Clever Software Integration

Convergence was the buzzword of 2006. Back then it was predicted that all devices will eventually merge into one. Smartphones would eventually have all the functions anyone would need in a computer or a portable device, combining portable media players, personal navigation devices, digital cameras, phones and even laptops into one small device...Read More »

Winning in 2010 and Beyond

“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us…”
– Charles Dickens, "A Tale of Two Cities", 1775...Read More »

Getting World-Ready

A Proper Globalization Strategy can Yield Considerable Cost Savings and Increase Customer Satisfaction

As the Internet continues to tear down international boundaries, having software that can be deployed worldwide in a language appropriate for that respective region has moved from a strategic priority to a company imperative. International markets represent one of the best, if not THE best, sources of growth in today’s economy and leading companies recognize that increasing international market share is one of the key drivers to long-term success...Read More »

OpenCL – First Tremors of an Industry Revolution

In December 2008, the Khronos Consortium announced ratification and public release of the OpenCL 1.0 specification for parallel programming. Six months prior to that, all the major processor vendors had been vigorously questioning, redesigning and improving the draft specification contributed by none other than Apple the consumer device manufacturer. Many asked, why would Apple be interested in investing in such low level technology in the first place, and then donating it away for free? The answer - to be in front line to benefit from the eventual demise of Moore’s Law...Read More »

Android – Partly Cloudy

The Forecast for 2010 and Beyond: Partly Cloudy and Occasional Sunshine

Cloud computing has been basking in the sun for quite some time. Android can be viewed as an access point or emabler to Google's (cloud) services. Android was launched two years ago, and it already runs on over 15 different devices with approximately 20,000 (this figure seems to be subject to debate on the Internet) downloadable applications from the Android market. No matter how you look at it the results are very impressive...Read More »

Entering a New Era of Online Payments

Consumers are relying more and more on mobile devices as a means for online shopping and money transfer. Consumer trends of purchasing products and services from the Internet, social sites, and mobile devices have created a demand for secure money transfers and payment methods. While this poses exciting opportunities for companies providing products and services in the global online market place, money transfer and payments in non-conventional situations can be a challenge when considering security, currency exchanges, and cultural differences...Read More »

Developing Next Generation Automotive Infotainment Systems

Safety and Cost Savings Remain the most Important Development "Drivers" in the Automotive Industry

Modern multimedia and graphics technology that we are used to seeing in mobile devices and consumer electronics is headed for the dashboard. The automotive industry is being recharged - and user experience converged technology is beconing one of the most sought after differentiators among car manufacturers. And the driver isn't the only benificiary in this new game. Software related economies of scale enable car manufacturers to economize by leveraging and applying multimedia platform technologies across...Read More »