RNOW: RightNow Technologies Reports Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2006 Financial Results

RightNow(R) Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ: RNOW), today announced results for the fourth quarter and year ended December 31, 2006. Fourth quarter revenue was $28.8 million, and full year revenue was $110.4 million, representing increases of 17 percent and 27 percent over the comparable 2005 periods, respectively.

The net loss in the fourth quarter of 2006 was $(2.3) million or $(0.07) per share, compared to net income of $3.0 million, or $0.09 per diluted share, in the fourth quarter of 2005. Fourth quarter 2006 non-GAAP net loss per share was $(0.04) which excludes stock-based compensation charges of $1.1 million. The net loss for the full year 2006 was $(5.0) million or $(0.16) per share, compared to net income of $7.7 million or $0.23 per diluted share for the full year 2005. Full year 2006 non-GAAP net loss per share was $(0.01) which excludes stock-based compensation of $4.6 million.

RightNow added more than 75 new customers in the fourth quarter and more than 500 new customers for the year. New, renewed and expanded customer relationships during the fourth quarter of 2006 included the AICPA, Ceridian Corporation, Nikon, Restoration Hardware, Samsung Electronics America, Sovereign Bank, SunRocket, UCLA, and the U.S. Census Bureau.

"Overall, 2006 was a strong year," stated Greg Gianforte, founder and CEO. "We grew bookings 50% and cash flow from operations more than 80%. Our products served 1 billion customer interactions during the year, providing the backbone for high customer satisfaction and tangible cost savings. We’re pleased to announce that our first customers are now live on RightNow 8." Susan Carstensen, CFO, added, "As noted in our preliminary announcement, we are seeing an accelerating shift toward recurring revenue agreements in our customers’ buying decisions. Beginning in 2007, we are essentially eliminating perpetual revenue from our business model by taking them off our product price list. For those customers in our pipeline and our existing customers that prefer perpetual licenses, we will work to structure ratable arrangements. While this model change reduces our overall revenue and earnings guidance for 2007, we still expect to drive approximately 40% growth in recurring revenue and 30% growth in cash from operations."

"Change that aligns us with our customers' preferences is good for our business" said Gianforte. "We expect to return to profitability in 2008 and to create greater shareholder value as a result of these changes. We are excited about the opportunities in front of us and look forward to another successful year in 2007."

Guidance
For the full year 2007, the Company expects revenue in the range of $116 to $120 million, composed of 40 percent growth in recurring revenue and 15 percent growth in professional services revenue. The Company’s previous guidance for perpetual revenue was approximately $25 million for 2007. Given the business model changes, the Company now expects this business to produce approximately $2 million in revenue in 2007.

The net loss per share for the full year 2007 is expected to be in the range of $(0.56) to $(0.64). Non-GAAP net loss per share, which excludes stock-based compensation, is expected to be in the range of $(0.36) to $(0.44). This compares with the Company’s previous guidance for non-GAAP net income per share was $0.30 to $0.35, with the vast majority of the earnings change resulting from the substantial decline of perpetual revenue.

Cash from operations for the full year 2007 is expected to be in the range of $32.5 to $37.5 million.

For the first quarter of 2007, revenue is anticipated to be in the range of $24 to $25 million. The first quarter net loss per share is expected to be in the range of $(0.23) to $(0.25). Non-GAAP net loss per share, which excludes stock-based compensation, is expected to be in the range of $(0.19) to $(0.21).


Quarterly Conference Call
RightNow Technologies will discuss its quarterly results via teleconference at 4:30 p.m. (ET)/2:30 p.m. (MT) today, January 31, 2007. To access the call, please dial (877) 502-9272, or outside the U.S. (913) 981-5581, at least five minutes prior to the start time. An audio webcast of the call will also be available at www.shareholder.com/rnow/medialist.cfm A replay of today’s conference call will be available on the company Web site at www.shareholder.com/rnow/, under the Investor Webcasts menu, from 5:30 p.m. (MT) on January 31, 2007 until 10:00 p.m. (MT) February 14, 2007. You may also access a replay of today’s call by dialing (719) 457-0820 or (888) 203-1112 with the replay passcode 7121442.

For the full report and complete SEC filing information and details please visit:
RightNow Technologies Q406 complete SEC details

Michael Dell Assumes Duties as Chief Executive Officer of Dell Inc.

Dell Inc. announced today that Michael Dell will assume the duties of Chief Executive Officer, effective immediately. Mr. Dell, who will retain his duties as Chairman of the Board, will replace Kevin Rollins.

“The Board believes that Michael’s vision and leadership are critical to building Dell’s leadership in the technology industry for the long-term,” said Samuel A. Nunn, presiding director of Dell’s Board. “There is no better person in the world to run Dell at this time than the man who created the Direct Model and who has built this company over the last 23 years.”

Michael Dell founded the company in 1984 with $1,000 and an unprecedented idea - to bypass the middleman and sell computer systems directly to the customer. He has served as the company’s Chairman of the Board, since its founding, and served as CEO until 2004.

“Dell has tremendous opportunities ahead of it,” said Mr. Dell. “I am enthusiastic about Dell 2.0, which includes our plan to provide the best customer experience, build a strong global services business and ensure our products deliver the best long-term customer value.”

Mr. Rollins has resigned, effective immediately, from his position as CEO and as a member of the Board of Directors.

“Kevin has been a great business partner and friend,” said Mr. Dell. “He has made significant contributions to our business over the past ten years. I wish him much success in the future.”

In 1992, Mr. Dell became the youngest CEO ever of a Fortune 500 company. Mr. Dell serves on the Foundation Board of the World Economic Forum, the executive committee of the International Business Council and is a member of the U.S. Business Council.

The Company also said that it expects its fourth quarter Fiscal Year 2007 results to be below the average of First Call Estimates for both revenue and earnings per share.

PFE:Court Rules In Pfizer's Favor In Norvasc Patent Case, Finds Synthon Obtained Patent By Inequitable Conduct

The federal district court in the Eastern District of Virginia (Alexandria) has ruled that Synthon IP obtained, by inequitable conduct, two U.S. patents alleged to cover a process and an intermediate compound used to make the active ingredient in Pfizer's widely-prescribed hypertension medication, Norvasc, Pfizer said today.

Pfizer said the court found that Synthon had knowingly failed to disclose to the U.S. Patent Office Pfizer publications and other information it had in its possession that described the process Synthon sought to patent. "It's very difficult to meet the standards for establishing inequitable conduct," said Allen Waxman, Pfizer's general counsel. "But in this case it is clear that Synthon improperly used Pfizer's own published material to obtain a patent that it then tried to enforce against us."

Pfizer said it intends to seek attorneys' fees from Synthon. The case may be appealed.

Synthon had asserted that Pfizer's process for manufacturing Norvasc -- a process Pfizer had not only published but has been using for 15 years -- infringed Synthon patents issued in 2003 and 2005. In August of last year, a jury unanimously ruled that one of those patents was not infringed by Pfizer and was invalid on multiple grounds, principally because it was based on Pfizer's prior published work. Synthon had dropped its claim of infringement on the second patent prior to trial.

ARBA: JLG Expands Relationship with Ariba

Ariba®, Inc. (Nasdaq: ARBA), the leading spend management solutions provider, has expanded its relationship with JLG Industries, Inc., the world's leading producer of access equipment (aerial work platforms and telehandlers). Under the terms of an agreement signed in August 2006, JLG has broadened its portfolio of Ariba solutions to include additional technology, commodity expertise and services that will enable it to bring more spend under management and accelerate results. JLG has been using Ariba to drive its spend management initiatives since 2005.

"A year ago, JLG launched an aggressive plan to take costs out of our business, including the costs of procurement and doing procurement," said Brent W. Van Scoik, Director Telehandlers & Military Procurement, JLG Industries, Inc. "Ariba provided us with processes, tools and resources that have enabled us to identify significant savings across a wide range of direct materials and indirect goods and services. In expanding our portfolio of Ariba solutions to include additional technology, commodity expertise and services, we have enabled the people, processes and technology we need to reach our target."

JLG relies on Ariba Sourcing™ On Demand - Professional and supporting services to manage procurement of key direct materials and indirect goods and services. As part of its new agreement with Ariba, the company has added Ariba Spend Visibility™ and Ariba Category Management™ to its portfolio of spend management solutions to help solve its persistent data challenges, identify additional areas for savings, increase its focus on indirect and non-traditional areas of spend, and drive process standardization and compliance across its global organization.

"JLG began their spend management journey with the simple goal of saving money and leveraged a combination of sourcing technology and services to do it," said Kevin Costello, Chief Commercial Officer, Ariba. "As they moved down the path, they began to focus on building their capabilities in specific categories and tapped additional commodity expertise and services that has enabled them to reduce their risk and improve their cost structure. Today, JLG is well on its way to realizing the full promise of spend management with a comprehensive range of solutions in place that will allow them to further improve their profitability and competitive advantage."

About JLG Industries, Inc.
JLG Industries, Inc. is the world’s leading designer, manufacturer and marketer of access equipment. The Company’s diverse product portfolio includes leading brands such as JLG aerial work platforms; JLG, SkyTrak, Lull and Gradall telehandlers; and an array of complementary services and accessories that increase the versatility and efficiency of these products. JLG is a subsidiary of Oshkosh Truck Corporation [NYSE: OSK].
For more information about JLG Industries, Inc., log onto the company website at www.jlg.com

NYX: NYSE Group and Tokyo Stock Exchange Enter Strategic Alliance

NYSE Group, Inc. (NYSE: NYX) Chief Executive Officer John A. Thain and Tokyo Stock Exchange, Inc. (TSE) President and Chief Executive Officer Taizo Nishimuro today signed a letter of intent that establishes a strategic alliance between the two world financial market leaders to jointly develop and explore new opportunities in trading systems and technology, investor and issuer services, investment products, and governance and regulation. The agreement, which is non-exclusive, also sets the stage for a potential capital alliance between NYSE Group and the TSE.

“We welcome this opportunity to work more closely on areas of mutual interest with Mr. Nishimuro and his colleagues at the Tokyo Stock Exchange, the world’s second largest equity market,” Mr. Thain said. “We are committed to the success of this strategic alliance, which will benefit and create growth opportunities for both markets and our respective customers, advance our global vision, and further strengthen the ties between Japan and the United States .”

“Tokyo Stock Exchange is pleased that both exchanges are proceeding to the next level of cooperation. I strongly believe that this agreement will be a good starting point for a much stronger tie-up with the NYSE and will contribute to the benefit of various market participants of our respective markets,” said Mr. Nishimuro.

Specific Areas of Cooperation
Under the terms of the agreement, NYSE Group and the TSE will establish formal working groups that will meet regularly to engage in ongoing dialogue and development activities on specific areas of mutual interest, which will include: Information and market infrastructure systems and technology, trading services, market data products, issuer and investor services, cross-marketing and promotional activities, and listed company regulation and governance. They will examine cooperation in the listing process to enable issuers who are listed on only one Exchange to have improved access to investors in the other.

NYSE Group and the TSE will explore global strategic trends affecting each organization’s respective business and will exchange personnel if necessary. The chief executive officers of each organization will confer at least quarterly to review progress on developmental initiatives and on implementation of the agreement.

Additional Background

The New York Stock Exchange has 19 listed companies from Japan ; for a complete list go to: www.nyse.com/about/listed/7.html?country=Japan


New York Stock Exchange listed securities benefit from the world’s lowest overall cost of trading according to the second-quarter 2006 Global Trading Cost Analysis report by Elkins/McSherry, a State Street Company providing independent transaction cost analysis. Tokyo Stock Exchange ranks second in overall trading cost efficiency. For more on Elkins/McSherry, go to: www.nyse.com/Frameset.html?nyseref=&displayPage=/press/1165837254065.html


On June 4, 2002 , TSE and NYSE signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to share market surveillance information in their respective markets;


On Feb. 7, 2000 , the S&P Global 100 Index launched as the first equity stock index covering global companies. This index is a collaboration of the NYSE, Standard & Poor’s, TSE, and the Deutsche Borse.


About NYSE Group, Inc
NYSE Group, Inc. (NYSE:NYX) operates two securities exchanges: the New York Stock Exchange LLC (the “NYSE”) and NYSE Arca, Inc. (formerly known as the Pacific Exchange). NYSE Group is a leading provider of securities listing, trading and market data products and services. In 2006, on an average trading day, 2.3 billion shares, valued at $86.8 billion, were traded on the exchanges of the NYSE Group.

The NYSE is the world’s largest and most liquid cash equities exchange. The NYSE provides a reliable, orderly, liquid and efficient marketplace where investors buy and sell listed companies’ common stock and other securities. On December 31, 2006 , the operating companies listed on the NYSE represented a total global market capitalization of $26.5 trillion. NYSE Arca, Inc. operates the former ArcaEx®, the first open, all-electronic stock exchange in the United States , which has a leading position in trading exchange-traded funds and exchange-listed securities. NYSE Arca, Inc. is also an exchange for trading equity options. NYSE Arca, Inc.’s trading platforms provide customers with fast electronic execution and open, direct and anonymous market access. NYSE Regulation, an independent not-for-profit subsidiary, regulates member organizations through the enforcement of marketplace rules and federal securities laws. NYSE Regulation also ensures that companies listed on the NYSE and NYSE Arca meet their financial and corporate governance listing standards. For more information on NYSE Group, go to: www.nyse.com

About the Tokyo Stock Exchange
Tokyo Stock Exchange, Inc. is the premier exchange for Japanese cash equities and derivative products from the perspective of investors both in Japan and abroad. In 2006, stock trading volume on TSE reached 502 billion shares. This has positioned TSE as the central market of Japan . Also in 2006, TSE recorded an average daily trading volume of 2,026.0 million shares, and daily average trading value of JPY 2,716.7 billion. At the end of December 2006, the number of listed companies was 2.416, with a market capitalization reaching JPY 549.7 trillion. In addition to its core Japanese equity market, TSE provides markets for derivatives products such as long-term Japanese government bond futures and TOPIX index futures. Japanese Government Bond (JGB) futures trading, , the cornerstone of TSE’s fixed income derivatives market and the benchmark of the Japanese bond market, continues to thrive on investor demand from across the globe. The JGB futures contract is one of the most active long-term interest rate futures contracts in the world, with its annual trading volume in 2006 reaching 12,049 thousand contracts. The TOPIX futures contract, which is actively traded by institutional investors, is the leading stock index futures product in Japan , with the largest open interest among Japanese stock index futures products.

The trading volume in 2006 rose to 15,907 thousand contracts in 2006, an increase of about 16.5% over 2005. With respect to these cash and derivative products, the TSE, as a self regulatory organization, continuously makes every effort to provide a fair, transparent, and efficient market. For more information on Tokyo Stock Exchange, go to: www.tse.or.jp/english/index.shtml

ORCL: Oracle Delivers on Applications Unlimited with New Release of Five Major Application Families

Today at its global "Applications Unlimited" event held on 6 continents over 24 hours, Oracle announced new versions of its five major product lines, with the introduction of Oracle(r) E-Business Suite Release 12, Oracle's PeopleSoft Enterprise Release 9.0, Siebel CRM 8.0, JD Edwards EnterpriseOne 8.12 and JD Edwards World A9.1. This unprecedented product launch demonstrates Oracle's continued commitment to its "Applications Unlimited" program, which gives customers additional value by providing continued innovation for their current product lines. In developing these new releases, Oracle consulted directly with customer user groups to define customer-driven enhancements and ensure these products effectively address customer needs.

"Today is an important day, as we release five significantly enhanced product families. These releases are proof that Oracle is delivering on its strategy to protect and extend customers' current investments in Oracle's leading horizontal, specialty and industry suites," said Oracle President Charles Phillips. "Additionally, with the "Applications Unlimited" program, Oracle is providing best-in-class infrastructure technology that delivers next-generation capabilities today, and we are giving our customers the choice as to when they upgrade without having to re-license their applications. This is a first in the software industry," Phillips continued.

Customer-Driven Enhancements and Innovation
Oracle works closely with a variety of customer groups, including its CIO Council, Customer Advisory Boards, Industry and Product Strategy Councils, Early Customer Adoption Programs and extensive User Group Communities to understand customer requirements and prioritize new functionality. The feedback received from these user communities has resulted in significantly updated new releases:

* Oracle E-Business Suite Release 12: The Global Business Release. In the latest version of the Oracle E-Business Suite, Oracle has released 18 new products and 2443 new enhancements to help global businesses think globally for better decision-making, work globally to be more competitive and manage globally to lower cost and increase performance. Please see related release on the Oracle E-Business Suite Release 12.

* PeopleSoft Enterprise Release 9.0: The Extended Value Release. Oracle today also unveiled the latest product to be delivered as part of the PeopleSoft Enterprise 9 - the flagship PeopleSoft Enterprise Human Capital Management (HCM) 9.0. PeopleSoft Enterprise Release 9 contains 2 new products and 1478 enhancements. The new release of PeopleSoft Enterprise HCM delivers enterprise-wide talent management capabilities and, like the other applications in PeopleSoft Enterprise 9, leverages Oracle Fusion Middleware to give customers a comprehensive, standards-based platform to address the challenges of disparate technologies and applications.

* Siebel CRM 8: Transformational CRM. The new release of the Siebel CRM suite offers ten new products and 366 enhancements that extend Oracle's investment in industry-specific CRM and enable companies to propel business growth through customer-driven business transformation. The new release accelerates user adoption, enhances business responsiveness and delivers increased value to the enterprise with a new task-based user interface, enterprise search capabilities, SOA-enabled CRM and embedded intelligence driving real-time insight at the moment of customer interaction.

* JD Edwards World A9.1: The Renaissance Release. The first major release of JD Edwards World in ten years, this new version offers 4 new products and 1297 enhancements that provide customers with compliance support, operational excellence, technology improvements and capabilities for global operations.

* JD Edwards EnterpriseOne 8.12: The Continued Innovation Release. Delivered in the spring of 2006, the latest release of JD Edwards EnterpriseOne delivered 5 new products, including a new Operational Sourcing and three new modules for the food and beverage industry, as well as 291 enhancements.

In addition to providing industry-leading enhancements, Oracle is also delivering the components needed to enable successful implementations, such as automated upgrade scripts, extensive product documentation, an extensive, trained, partner ecosystem and a wide-variety of end-user education courses.

Next-Generation Technology Today
A key component of Applications Unlimited is delivering value to customers by allowing them to leverage next-generation technology within their current investments through integration and certification with Oracle's leading database and Oracle Fusion Middleware technology. The new releases of Oracle Applications provide next-generation, role-based analytics, comprehensive application management, integration, search, master data management, and XML-based reporting capabilities.

For example, new Oracle application product lines leverage role-based analytics, which provide pre-defined analytics that source information across heterogeneous systems and provide a unified view through Oracle Portal. Additionally, Oracle Applications can be managed with Oracle Enterprise Manager, to help increase the performance and quality of the application service, while reducing the costs of systems management.

A key component of next-generation technology is the ability to provide, open and sustainable integration. Oracle Applications provide extensive Web services and business events, enable modeling of business process, and offer published repositories of Web services. Additionally, Oracle has delivered pre-packaged and sustainable integrations across its multiple product lines and for specific industries.

The Path to Oracle Fusion Applications
Also at today's event, the Company outlined Oracle Fusion Applications, Oracle's next-generation application suite. Based on Oracle Fusion Middleware, Oracle Fusion Applications are designed to be the industry's first, complete standards-based, SOA built application suite. Leveraging Web 2.0 design principles, Oracle Fusion Applications intend to deliver dramatic increases in both user and partner productivity, while delivering significant reductions in cost of ownership.

GE Announces Winners in Auction for New York City Electric Transmission Capacity

Four power marketing and trading companies have won an auction of the electric capacity from what GE Energy Financial Services believes is the first truly merchant US transmission project. The project will provide New York City with much-needed additional power.

A three-month-long open season process -- including a fair, open, and transparent marketing program -- culminated in a successful auction for transmission rights. Winning bidders were Cargill Power & Gas Markets, Conectiv Energy Supply, Inc. (Conectiv Energy), Consolidated Edison Energy, Inc., and a fourth company that requested its name not be disclosed. None of the winning bidders is affiliated with GE. Financial details were not disclosed.

The project will create an additional 300 megawatts of electricity transmission transfer capability from the Pennsylvania/Jersey/Maryland (PJM) Interconnection, the largest centrally dispatched electric grid in the world, to the NYISO grid serving the New York metropolitan area. Capacity was auctioned in twelve 25-megawatt blocks of transmission scheduling rights, which include all associated rights for withdrawing energy and generation capacity from PJM and its delivery into NYISO. Transmission scheduling rights were offered in three-, five-, and seven-year contract lengths. Cargill Power Markets won three blocks for three years. Conectiv Energy won one block for five years. Consolidated Edison Energy won one block for three years.

The project, to be constructed adjacent to GE’s 900-megawatt Linden, NJ, cogeneration power plant, will be the first truly merchant transmission project in the United States. While regulators set tariff rates on other transmission projects or developers negotiate those rates with a utility, rates for transmission scheduling rights on the Linden project were set solely in an open auction, held Jan. 16, among market participants competing for economic power sources.

“Capacity-constrained New York City has among the highest electricity costs in North America, creating strong demand for PJM’s historically lower-cost sources of power generation,” said Mark Mellana, a managing director for power at GE Energy Financial Services. “Winning bidders gain access to a diverse universe of economic power sources, while New York City gains access to enough electricity to power up to 300,000 homes.”

The project will transmit power from PJM to NYISO using excess capacity available in a cable running in bedrock 60 feet beneath the Arthur Kill waterway, originating at the Linden power plant and connected to Consolidated Edison’s Goethals substation in the New York City borough of Staten Island. The project will increase the capacity of the cable, which went into operation in 1992, to 1190 megawatts. Project construction is expected to commence during the first half of this year, with commercial operation anticipated during the fourth quarter of 2009.

Building on GE Energy Financial Services’ 25-year legacy of investment in power, the project will consist of the design, construction, and operation of three 100-megawatt Variable Frequency Transformers, using proprietary GE technology that enables a simple and controlled transmission path between electrical grids. The three Variable Frequency Transformers will be installed at the Linden plant, which GE Energy Financial Services purchased last year. This would be the third installation of GE’s Variable Frequency Transformer technology in North America.

The proposed project reflects GE Energy Financial Services’ commitment to investing in and financing transmission projects. GE Energy Financial Services holds investments in power projects with a capacity to produce 22 gigawatts, enough to power more than 20 million homes.

About GE Energy Financial Services

GE Energy Financial Services’ 300 experts invest globally with a long-term view, across the capital spectrum and the energy and water industries, to help their customers and GE grow. With $13 billion in assets, GE Energy Financial Services, based in Stamford, Connecticut, invests more than $5 billion annually in two of the world’s most capital-intensive industries, energy and water. More information: www.geenergyfinancialservices.com

About GE

GE (NYSE: GE) is a diversified technology and services company dedicated to creating products that make life better. From aircraft engines and power generation to financial services, medical imaging, television programming and plastics, GE operates in more than 100 countries and employs more than 300,000 people worldwide. For more information, visit the company's Web site at http://www.ge.com

About Cargill Power & Gas Markets

Cargill Power & Gas Markets is a proprietary trader of electricity and natural gas, with offices in Minneapolis and Calgary. CPGM leverages its trading and risk management capabilities by aligning itself with entities that own, control or seek control of energy assets including gas transportation and storage or power generation. It is a business unit of Cargill, Incorporated, an international provider of food, agricultural and risk management products and services. With 149,000 employees in 63 countries, the company is committed to using its knowledge and experience to collaborate with customers to help them succeed.

About Conectiv Energy Supply, Inc. (Conectiv Energy)

Conectiv Energy is the competitive, wholesale subsidiary of Pepco Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: POM). Their teams of professionals operate a portfolio of 3700 MW of environmentally friendly, highly flexible power plants, located in five states within the PJM Interconnection power pool. Conectiv Energy applies the expertise of an in-house wholesale merchant asset management team to responsibly optimize the value of its energy portfolio.

About Con Edison Energy

Consolidated Edison Energy, Inc. (CEE) is a wholesale energy supply company, and is a wholly owned subsidiary of Consolidated Edison, Inc. CEE sells energy and capacity from power generating facilities, obtains energy for energy marketers including Consolidated Edison Solutions, its retail affiliate, and is an active participant in the wholesale markets and regulatory process in the Northeast.

MXWL:Maxwell Technologies Receives Purchase Order For 100,000 Square Meters Of Proprietary Ultracapacitor Electrode Material From Licensee In China

Maxwell Technologies, Inc. (Nasdaq: MXWL) announced today that it has received a purchase order for 100,000 square meters of its proprietary ultracapacitor electrode material from Shanghai Sanjiu Electric Equipment Company, Ltd., (Sanjiu) which is preparing to introduce a line of ultracapacitor products based on Maxwell’s cell architecture and high-performance electrode for the Chinese transportation, electric utility and industrial markets, with a specific focus on Shanghai.

The order is to be filled over the balance of 2007, based on Sanjiu’s planned production of 100,000 large cell 3,000 farad ultracapacitors cells for the year. It was placed under the terms of an April 2006 ultracapacitor technology license and exclusive electrode material supply agreement between Maxwell and Sanjiu’s joint venture parent companies, Shanghai Urban Electric Power Investment Development Corporation (SUEP) and the Ruihua Group.

Dr. Richard Balanson, Maxwell’s President and Chief Executive Officer, said that while Maxwell has been establishing separate manufacturing facilities and its own sales and distribution organization to market Maxwell’s BOOSTCAP® ultracapacitor products in China, the alliance with Sanjiu will accelerate penetration of the very large and rapidly growing Chinese market.

“The financial resources of Ruihua and SUEP and their networks of affiliated power utility and manufacturing companies and distribution channels will enable Sanjiu to expand ultracapacitor sales in China more broadly and rapidly than Maxwell could on its own,” Balanson said. “In addition to generating high-volume sales of our electrode material, this relationship may also provide an additional future option for offshore ultracapacitor assembly capacity to meet growing worldwide demand for our BOOSTCAP products.”

Mr. Hong Yuan Shuai, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Ruihua Group, said that Sanjiu already has produced and delivered a variety of prototype electric and hybrid buses, trucks and other vehicles powered by drive systems employing a combination of batteries and BOOSTCAP ultracapacitors for energy storage and regenerative braking. He noted that Sanjiu also is developing ultracapacitor-based power conditioning systems to enhance the reliability of electric utility infrastructure through its affiliation with SUEP, which operates a significant portion of the utility grid in Shanghai.

“We have identified substantial and immediate demand for ultracapacitor-based energy storage and power delivery systems for a broad range of transportation, industrial and utility applications,” Mr. Shuai said. “Maxwell’s ultracapacitor cell and module designs, manufacturing know-how and high-quality, low-cost, electrode material have been instrumental in helping us to rapidly build a new company and develop a line of products to meet that demand.

Balanson said that Maxwell has provided training and technical support and documentation for Sanjiu personnel in cell and module assembly at Maxwell’s facility in San Diego, and at Sanjiu’s new plant in Shanghai. He emphasized that Maxwell will continue to manufacture its proprietary ultracapacitor electrode material internally, and that the licenses and technology transfer arrangements with Sanjiu specifically exclude Maxwell’s carbon film electrode technology.

Sanjiu is a joint venture of The Ruihua Group and SUEP, whose diverse interests are focused primarily on innovative technologies and products aimed at enhancing the efficiency and environmental compatibility of transportation, industry and electric power generation and distribution. They conduct business through wholly-owned manufacturing and electric power utility infrastructure companies and joint ventures with Japanese and Swedish partners who share their commitment to developing and commercializing “green” power solutions.

Maxwell is a leading developer and manufacturer of innovative, cost-effective energy storage and power delivery solutions. Our BOOSTCAP® ultracapacitor cells and multi-cell modules and POWERCACHE® backup power systems provide safe and reliable power solutions for applications in consumer and industrial electronics, transportation and telecommunications. Our CONDIS® high-voltage grading and coupling capacitors help to ensure the safety and reliability of electric utility infrastructure and other applications involving transport, distribution and measurement of high-voltage electrical energy. Our radiation-mitigated microelectronic products include power modules, memory modules and single board computers that incorporate powerful commercial silicon for superior performance and high reliability in aerospace applications.

IBM Board Approves Regular Quarterly Cash Dividend

The IBM (NYSE:IBM) board of directors today declared a regular quarterly cash dividend of $.30 per common share, payable March 10, 2007 to stockholders of record February 9, 2007. With the payment of the March 10 dividend, IBM will have paid 365 consecutive quarterly dividends, starting in 1916.

IBM also announced that its next annual meeting of stockholders will be held April 24, 2007 at the Knoxville Convention Center in Knoxville, Tennessee.

SUNW: Sun Microsystems and Mentor Graphics Collaborate to Provide Solaris 10-based EDA Solutions on x64 Platforms

Sun Microsystems (Nasdaq: SUNW), the creator of the Solaris Operating System (OS), and Mentor Graphics Corporation (Nasdaq: MENT) today announced that Mentor Graphics would begin qualifying and supporting selected Mentor products on x64/x86 platforms running the Solaris 10 Operating System (OS). This outlines Mentor Graphics' intent to include market leading products BoardStation XE, Calibre nmDRC and LVS, Design for Test suite, and O-In product lines in the Questa functional verification platform.


"In cooperation with Sun, we are focused on providing products by the end of this calendar year running on x64/x86 platforms powered by the Solaris 10 OS, which address many different areas of design and design flow," said Greg Hinckley, President, Mentor Graphics. "This combination of market leading applications, the Solaris 10 OS and Sun's powerful x64/x86 workstations and servers is anticipated to provide optimal solutions for engineering teams developing next-generation system-on-chip and printed circuit board designs."

"Mentor Graphics and Sun have a long history of collaboration, so it's natural that we would expand our partnership," said John Fowler, Executive Vice President, Sun Microsystems. "Solaris, as the only UNIX OS that runs on x64/x86-based systems, is ideally suited to address the challenges of deep sub-micron design."

"We are pleased to see these two industry leading companies, Sun Microsystems and Mentor Graphics, collaborating in this fashion," said Toshiaki Machida, General Manager of NEC Electronics' Development Support Center, Technology Foundation Development Operation Unit. "With Mentor Graphics providing support for the Solaris 10 OS running on platforms such as the "Sun Fire x64/x86 servers, NEC can effectively leverage the depth of in-house Solaris expertise to provide the robust design infrastructure needed to bring next generation products to market."

"Our infrastructure investment is protected," continued NEC's Machida, "with the guaranteed forward compatibility of the Solaris operating system, which ensures that our engineers can count on application and infrastructure stability throughout the lifetime of our evermore complex development projects."

About Questa

The Questa platform is a mixed-language verification solution that supports simulation, assertions, coverage and testbench automation.

About Calibre nmDRC and LVS

Calibre nmDRC is the solution to the physical verification challenges of nanometer design. Calibre nmDRC, with the new Hyperscaling processing architecture, produces best-in-class DRC run times with scalability to 100 CPUs. Calibre LVS is unique among LVS tools as it measures actual device geometries for a complete accounting of physical parameters. These precise device parameters supply the information for back-annotation to the source schematic as well as the comprehensive data needed for running simulations.

About BoardStation XE

The Board Station XE flow enables highly productive design of complex PCBs through modern and innovative design tools while minimizing risk and leveraging customers' investments in Board Station libraries, designs, & front-end tools.

About Design for Test

A broad portfolio of DFT solutions for today's System-on-Chip and deep submicron designs, including integrated solutions for scan, automatic test pattern generation (ATPG), electronic design and test (EDT), advanced memory test, boundary scan, logic built-in self-test and a variety of DFT-related flows.

Availability

Questa, ModelSim and O-In support for Solaris 10 on x64/x86 systems is targeted for Q3 2007. Calibre nmDRC and LVS, Boardstation XE and the Design for Test suite availability is targeted for Q4 2007.

About Mentor Graphics

Mentor Graphics Corporation (Nasdaq: MENT) is a world leader in electronic hardware and software design solutions, providing products, consulting services and award-winning support for the world's most successful electronics and semiconductor companies. Established in 1981, the company reported revenues over the last 12 months of about $750 million and employs approximately 4,100 people worldwide. Corporate headquarters are located at 8005 S.W. Boeckman Road, Wilsonville, Oregon 97070-7777. World Wide Web site: http://www.mentor.com/

GE: GE Security Announces Next Generation Container Security Solution to Further Increase Security of Cargo and Ports

GE Security and its global partners today announced the release of the latest version of the CommerceGuard™ System, which is designed to further increase security of cargo containers and ports by addressing dangerous vulnerabilities in today’s global supply chain.

Version 3.0 extends CommerceGuard’s container security system with new, ultra rugged readers; automated XML data feeds for use by customers to track the status and location of their shipments, and a secure protocol for highly reliable wireless messaging. Security is assured by encrypting all data communications and authenticating all hardware transactions and authorized users. Extensive lab and field tests conducted by independent third parties show wireless communications for the system exceed 99% reliability, and the sensor detects container breaches with a false positive rate that is less than 1 percent.

“The U.S. Congress has identified a lack of maritime security as one of our country’s greatest vulnerabilities and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security continues to seek technologies that can safeguard maritime container shipments,” said Randy Koch, president and CEO, CommerceGuard. “The supply chain’s weakest link is the transport of containers from the factory point of origin to a foreign port. CommerceGuard addresses this vulnerability today by detecting and reporting security breaches while the containers are in-transit.”

“It’s crystal clear that more progress needs to be made with port and container security,” said A. Louis Parker, president and CEO, GE Security. “GE Security is committed to making the world a safer place and we are pleased, along with our three multinational partners, to demonstrate this commitment by fielding this new generation of CommerceGuard products that can immediately and materially improve the security of cargo containers and the world’s ports.”

The latest version of the CommerceGuard System delivers state-of-the art technology in a container security device (CSD) that can detect and report intermodal cargo container intrusions. The CSD is uniquely located inside the container for protection from sabotage as well as the harsh maritime environment. CommerceGuard is the first, market-ready global supply chain security system that can deter and detect theft, smuggling and international terrorism by integrating container security devices with a global information network.

Point-to-point tracking data from the CommerceGuard system is available to customers at no extra charge. Shippers and logistics professionals use the data for supply chain visibility. Shippers, carriers, and ports that currently operate the CommerceGuard System to protect and track assets include Starbucks Coffee Company, Yang Ming Marine Transport Corp., and the Virginia Port Authority.

The CommerceGuard 3.0 products are available worldwide through a global business collaboration consisting of GE Security (NYSE:GE), Mitsubishi Corporation (TSE:8058), Samsung Corporation (SEO:000830), and Siemens Building Technologies (NYSE:SI). The CommerceGuard Information Network is globally established in fourteen international seaports, and is slated for additional expansion through ports in 2007.

The CommerceGuard container security device is positioned inside an intermodal cargo container and registers any opening of the container door. Fixed and handheld readers at critical points along the supply chain collect container status from the device and report it using the CommerceGuard Information Network. This information provides cargo owners greater security while tracking the location and status of shipments as their containers move through the supply chain. Tracking data is available at no additional charge as part of the CommerceGuard service. Should an unauthorized door opening occur, it is recorded as a tamper event and alerts are sent to appropriate officials. Cargo owners, authorized logistics providers and appropriate government authorities can securely access the security and tracking data from any Internet browser. GE Security holds the sales and distribution rights for the CommerceGuard system in North America and certain other regions.



About CommerceGuard
The CommerceGuard container security solution, jointly owned by GE Security, Mitsubishi Corporation, Samsung Corporation, and Siemens Building Technology, features the first market-ready container security device (CSD) that is located inside an international cargo container and registers openings of the container door. Fixed and handheld readers record its status in the CommerceGuard Information Network that can be accessed at no additional charge by customers and government officials anywhere in the world.

IVGN: Gulf Coast Consortium Members to Use Invitrogen's Stealth siRNA Libraries in Screening Centers

Invitrogen Corporation (Nasdaq:IVGN), a provider of essential life science technologies for disease research and drug discovery, today announced it has formed a strategic scientific relationship with researchers from Baylor College of Medicine and The University of Texas at Houston, part of the John S. Dunn Gulf Coast Consortium for Chemical Genomics (GCC-CG).

As part of the relationship, consortium members plan to use Invitrogen's broad gene expression and imaging portfolio to enable discovery of biomedically relevant aspects of gene and protein expression through advanced screening techniques. The screening centers will focus on many aspects of disease-related biology including diabetes, cancer and steroid hormone-related metabolic disorders.

Peter Davies, M.D., executive vice president of research at University of Texas Health Science Center, and director of GCC-CG, stated, "Invitrogen's siRNA screening technologies and their high content, high throughput assays will greatly assist us in a variety of research being conducted by GCC-CG researchers," a view echoed by Kathleen Matthews, chair of the Gulf Coast Consortia Oversight Committee.

Scientists at core facilities at Baylor College of Medicine and University of Texas Health Science Center will use their expertise in high content, high throughput image-based screening and quantitative gene expression, respectively, to maximize the biological content from these experiments. Initial experiments will use Invitrogen's human kinase, human nuclear receptor, and mouse nuclear receptor collections. The quantitative effects of the siRNA molecules on gene and protein expression will be assessed using Invitrogen's novel, highly sensitive SYBR GreenER(TM) real time qPCR technology, and image-based tools from its Molecular Probes(TM) portfolio.

"Invitrogen is committed to driving gene expression analysis techniques forward," said Amy Butler, Ph.D., vice president, gene expression profiling, at Invitrogen. "This broad collaboration with renowned research centers allows us to jointly make important contributions to new medical and drug development research."

Additional participating members of the GCC-CG are Rice University, University of Houston, The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, and The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston. Together the six institutions form a larger organization, the Gulf Coast Consortia.

"This partnership allows us to work with many key decision makers in the academic marketplace," said Lewis Vann, Ph.D, business development manager for Invitrogen's Consortium Program. "By combining resources and technologies we are maximizing the impact on consortium-based research."

"Access to Invitrogen's siRNA library and hardware/software resources for screens that reach down to the individual investigator laboratory is very efficient," said Michael A. Mancini, Ph.D., associate professor in the Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology at Baylor College of Medicine, and co-director of the GCC-CG.

About GCC
The Gulf Coast Consortia (GCC) brings together the strengths of its six member institutions to build interdisciplinary collaborative research teams and training programs in the biological sciences at their intersection with the computational, chemical, mathematical, and physical sciences. Comprised of six prominent and geographically proximate Gulf Coast institutions, Baylor College of Medicine, Rice University, University of Houston, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston and University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, the GCC's goal is to provide a cutting edge collaborative training environment and research infrastructure, one beyond the capability of any single institution. The GCC's mission is to train the next generation of bioscientists and to enable scientists to ask and answer questions that cross scientific disciplines to address the challenging biological issues of our time and, ultimately, to apply the resulting expertise and knowledge to the treatment and prevention of disease.

IBM Report: Software Security Vulnerabilities Will Continue to Rise in 2007

IBM (NYSE:IBM) today announced the highlights of its 2006 security statistics report, which describes key security findings for 2006 and predicts the nature of Internet threats expected to emerge in 2007. Based on early indicators, IBM anticipates a continued rise in the sophistication of profit-motivated cyber attacks, including an increased focus on the Web browser and advances in image-based spam.

According to the report, which was developed by the IBM Internet Security Systems (ISS) X-Force® research and development team, there were 7,247 new vulnerabilities recorded and analyzed by the X-Force in 2006, which equates to an average of 20 new vulnerabilities per day. This total represents a nearly 40 percent increase over what ISS reported in 2005. Over 88 percent of 2006 vulnerabilities could be exploited remotely, and over 50 percent allowed attackers to gain access to a machine after exploitation.

“While these numbers seem grim upon initial review, the good news is our research indicates a drop in the percentage of high-impact vulnerabilities since last year,” said Gunter Ollmann, director of security strategy for IBM Internet Security Systems. “In 2005, high-impact vulnerabilities accounted for about 28 percent of total vulnerabilities, while they only accounted for 18 percent in 2006. The security industry has made great progress over the last year, but despite promising statistics such as this one, we predict that 2007 will require even higher levels of vigilance and innovation to deal with emerging threats and new vectors of attack.”

Attacks on Web browsers are expected to continue rising in 2007, partially as a result of the newly-created “exploits as a service” industry. The sale of exploit material is becoming even more organized and is increasingly taking the shape of the channel sales model used by legitimate corporate entities. Managed exploit providers are purchasing exploit code from the underground, encrypting it so that it cannot be pirated, and selling it for top dollar to spam distributors. The organized development and sale of encrypted exploit code will make signature-based protection even less effective in 2007.

In terms of spam, X-Force predicts a continued sophistication of image-based spam techniques. In 2007, new forms of image-based spam will likely be developed to evade protection solutions that have been created to combat early forms of image-based spam seen in the wild.

This latest report from X-Force also points to new methods being used by attackers to avoid detection by commercial security solutions. In 2006, malware continued to become less distinct in its categorization, instead borrowing characteristics from other successful forms of malware. As such, the classical groups of virus, rootkit, spyware and other categories typically used by the security industry to differentiate standalone protection products will be much less relevant in 2007.

In 2006, X-Force also observed considerable Web browser exploitation and a strong increase in the use of Web exploit obfuscation and encryption to make it difficult for signature-based intrusion detection and prevention products to detect attacks. X-Force data indicates that approximately 50 percent of Web sites hosting exploit material designed to infect browsers now obfuscate, or camouflage, their attack, with approximately 30 percent encrypting their payload.

The X-Force has been cataloguing, analyzing and researching vulnerability disclosures since 1997. With more than 30,000 security vulnerabilities catalogued, it has the largest vulnerability database in the world. This unique database helps X-Force researchers to understand the dynamics that make up vulnerability discovery and disclosure. In addition to the vulnerabilities catalogued in its X-Force database, IBM ISS content filtering services are designed to provide a world-encompassing view of spam and phishing attacks. With millions of e-mail addresses actively monitored, ISS has identified numerous advances in the spam and phishing technologies used by online attackers.

During 2005 and 2006, X-Force data indicates that the use of image-based spam increased rapidly, accounting for more than 40 percent of spam messages at the end of 2006. This issue quickly became one of the biggest challenges in spam-fighting for 2006 since it is difficult for spam blockers that rely on content identification to decode text embedded within images.

The X-Force report also discusses the following key security statistics for 2006, among others:

• Within the last year, the volume of spam has increased by 100 percent over what ISS reported in 2005.


• The U.S., Spain and France are the three largest originators of spam worldwide.


• After English, German is the most popular language in which spam messages are written. (X-Force predicts that as computer users become more savvy at detecting and deleting spam, spammers will increasingly localize their messages in languages other than English to improve the rate at which they are opened.)


• The most popular subject line for spam in 2006 was “Re: hi.”


• South Korea accounts for the highest source of phishing e-mails.


• The largest threat category of malware in 2006 was Downloaders, accounting for 22 percent of all malware. (A Downloader is a piece of low-profile malware that installs itself on machines for the purpose of later downloading a more sophisticated malware agent.)


• The most popular exploit used on the Internet to infect Web browsers with malware was for Microsoft’s MS-ITS vulnerability (MS04-013), disclosed in 2004.


• The busiest month in 2006 for vulnerability disclosure was June, while the busiest week was the week before Thanksgiving and the most popular day of the week to disclose vulnerabilities was Tuesday.

In 2007, IBM also expects to see a continued rise in the total number of vulnerabilities, largely due to the release of new operating systems. While the new operating systems include more security functions than previous versions and have undergone extensive security audits, their sheer complexity will likely introduce new vulnerabilities. In addition, the synchronized release of new and updated third-party products that support new operating systems will likely contribute to a record year for vulnerabilities in 2007.
For more security trends and predictions from IBM, including graphical representations of security statistics, please access the full IBM X-Force 2006 Trend Statistics report at: http://www.iss.net/documents/whitepapers/X_Force_Exec_Brief.pdf

About IBM Internet Security Systems
IBM Internet Security Systems is the trusted security advisor to thousands of the world’s leading businesses and governments, providing pre-emptive protection for networks, desktops and servers. An established leader in security since 1994, the IBM Proventia® integrated security platform is designed to automatically protect against both known and unknown threats, helping to keep networks up and running and shielding customers from online attacks before they impact business assets. IBM Internet Security Systems products and services are based on the proactive security intelligence of its X-Force® research and development team – the unequivocal world authority in vulnerability and threat research. The Internet Security Systems product line is also complemented by comprehensive Managed Security Services and Professional Security Services. For more information, visit the Internet Security Systems Web site at www.iss.net or call 800-776-2362.

BAYE: Innovative Long-Acting Contraceptive Product Mirena approved in Japan

The Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW), has granted marketing approval for Bayer Schering Pharma’s long-acting intrauterine contraceptive system Mirena®. The product is expected to be launched in Japan in April 2007 under the trade name Mirena® 52mg and will significantly enhance the choice of methods of contraception available to women in Japan.

“In Japan there has been a limited choice in convenient, reliable and reversible long-acting contraception” said Phil Smits, Head of Women’s Healthcare at Bayer Schering Pharma AG. ”We are delighted that with Mirena® we can offer women in Japan an innovative long-acting method for contraception. With the Mirena® launch in Japan we will further strengthen our leading position on the Japanese market and grow our worldwide leadership in female contraception”.

The approval is based on broad experience from international studies as well as a Japanese study program, including a large clinical trial with more than 400 Japanese women. Until now, Mirena® has been used by more than 10 million women worldwide and is registered in more than 100 countries. With the approval in Japan, Mirena® is now available in all major pharmaceutical markets worldwide.

About Mirena®
Mirena®, a levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine contraceptive system (IUS), is marketed in many countries throughout the world. Mirena® offers advantages to other birth control options, in particular compared to conventional intrauterine devices (IUDs). In addition to preventing pregnancy effectively over a period of five years, many women experience shorter, lighter and less painful periods while using Mirena®. Mirena® does not contain estrogen. Instead, Mirena® delivers a low dose of the progestin levonorgestrel (approx. 20 microgram/day) to the lining of the uterus and thereby provides desired local effects and minimizes undesired systemic effects. The insertion and removal of the intrauterine system Mirena® takes only a few minutes. It can easily be done by a trained health care professional in a doctor’s office on an outpatient basis. Once Mirena® is removed, fertility is rapidly restored.

Bayer Health Care
Bayer HealthCare, a subsidiary of Bayer AG, is one of the world’s leading, innovative companies in the healthcare and medical products industry and is based in Leverkusen, Germany. The company combines the global activities of the Animal Health, Consumer Care, Diabetes Care, and Pharmaceuticals divisions. The Pharmaceuticals division, Bayer Schering Pharma, comprises the following business units: Women's Healthcare, Diagnostic Imaging, Specialized Therapeutics, Hematology/Cardiology, Primary Care, and Oncology. Bayer HealthCare’s aim is to discover and manufacture products that will improve human and animal health worldwide. The products enhance well-being and quality of life by diagnosing, preventing and treating diseases.

AAPL: iPod shuffle Now Available in Five Brilliant Colors

Apple® today announced that the world’s most wearable digital music player is now available in five brilliant colors: blue, pink, green, orange and the original silver. A hit with customers since its initial shipment three months ago, iPod shuffle is just half a cubic inch in volume, weighs just half an ounce and features a stunning aluminum design with a built-in clip, making it the most wearable iPod® ever. Based on Apple’s pioneering shuffle feature which lets music fans enjoy a continuous mix of their favorite songs anywhere they go, iPod shuffle contains one gigabyte of flash memory, holds up to 240 songs and is available in all five colors for just $79.

“iPod shuffle is the world’s most wearable digital music player,” said Greg Joswiak, Apple’s vice president of Worldwide iPod Product Marketing. “Music fans can now choose iPod shuffle in one of five brilliant colors, or they can buy one of each.”

iPod shuffle features up to 12 hours of battery life* and lets users shuffle their songs to listen to them in a random order or simply flip a switch to listen to their songs in order, such as when listening to a new album.

Users connect iPod shuffle to their PC or Mac® with the included dock, and iTunes’ innovative AutoFill feature automatically syncs the perfect number of songs from their music library. Seamless integration with iTunes® 7 and the iTunes Store (www.itunes.com) allows customers to choose from a selection of over four million songs from the world’s most popular digital music store.

With Apple’s legendary ease of use, pioneering features such as integrated podcasting support, iMix playlist sharing, seamless integration with iPod and groundbreaking personal use rights, the iTunes Store is the best way for PC and Mac users to legally discover, purchase and download music and video online.

Pricing & Availability
The new iPod shuffle is available immediately worldwide through the Apple Store® (www.apple.com), Apple’s retail stores and Apple Authorized Resellers for $79 (US). iPod shuffle includes an iPod shuffle dock and earbuds.

iPod shuffle requires a Mac with a USB 2.0 port and Mac OS® X version 10.3.9 or later and iTunes 7.0.2 or later; or a Windows PC with a USB 2.0 port and Windows 2000 (Service Pack 4), Windows XP Home or Professional (Service Pack 2) and iTunes 7.0.2 or later. Internet access is required and a broadband connection is recommended.

*Battery life and number of charge cycles vary by use and settings. See www.apple.com/batteries for more information. Music capacity is based on four minutes per song and 128-Kbps AAC encoding; actual capacity varies by content.

IBM Calls on Congress to Act on Genetic Non-Discrimination Legislation

Today, IBM's (NYSE: IBM) Chief Privacy Officer, Harriet Pearson, will testify before the House Education and Labor Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor and Pensions about the subject of genetic non-discrimination.

IBM filed its testimony on the Genetics Information Non-Discrimination Act last week and will call on Congress to enact laws that prevent discrimination based on genetic information which is increasingly prevalent in the diagnosis and treatment of many medical conditions, as well as in research to discover the fundamental genetic mechanisms of major diseases.

In October 2005, IBM became the first major corporation in the world to establish a genetics privacy policy that prohibits current or prospective employees' genetic information from being used in any employment decisions.

The Health, Employment, Labor and Pensions Subcommittee Hearing on "Protecting Workers from Genetic Discrimination" will take place at 10:30 a.m. at 2175 Rayburn House Office Building, in Washington D.C.

IBM has taken the position that genetic information will not be used in hiring; in determining employees' eligibility for healthcare coverage or other benefits; or in other employment decisions to which such information is not relevant. IBM believes genetic data should be secured not only because the privacy of such information is vital to innovation in healthcare and life sciences, but also because protecting such personal data is a natural extension of the company's nondiscrimination practices.

Pearson, architect of IBM's genetic non-discrimination policy, will testify, "The reasons for making genetic privacy part of our broader discrimination protections are clear to us: first, a person's genetic profile or makeup should be treated the same as other innate human characteristics, including one's race, gender, national origin, sexual orientation, age or physical abilities. Simply stated, a person's genetic profile is as natural and as inseparable from who they are as any other physical trait or attribute."

IBM believes that genetic data or tests results are a valuable tool used in health diagnosis and treatments. One practical reason genetic information should be controlled is that in many instances test results only suggest a risk of developing a disease. It is IBM's view that no employee should lose their health insurance or their livelihood because they have a statistical chance of developing a medical disorder.

Instead, such information can be -- and should be -- used to positive ends: enabling preventative lifestyle changes or tailoring medical regimes to reduce a patient's chance of developing any disease their genes might incline them toward.

With genetic tests available for almost 1,000 diseases today and hundreds more under development, personal genetic data is becoming more commonplace. The danger of not safeguarding information raises the potential for a person with a genetic predisposition toward one or more diseases to be denied healthcare insurance, lose their job or be denied employment altogether.

For more than 90 years, IBM has been a pioneer in ensuring that other human attributes such as race, gender, age, disability or sexual orientation are not used in employment decisions.

VRSN: News Corporation and VeriSign Finalize Joint Venture

News Corporation (NYSE: NWS, NWS.A) and VeriSign (NASDAQ: VRSN) today announced that a joint venture giving News Corp controlling interest in VeriSign’s wholly owned Jamba subsidiary will finalize January 31, 2007. The joint venture combines Jamba and Fox Mobile Entertainment assets to form a leading global provider of mobile entertainment. Lucy Hood, who was formerly President of Fox Mobile Entertainment, will become the company’s CEO effective immediately upon the close of the deal.

The transaction will meet all required regulatory approvals and the satisfaction of all other customary conditions.

MSFT: Microsoft Launches Windows Vista and Microsoft Office 2007 to Consumers Worldwide

On Jan. 30 the most significant product launch in Microsoft Corp.’s history culminates in the release to consumers of the Windows Vista™ operating system and Microsoft® Office 2007. Starting tomorrow, these two flagship products will be available in more than 70 countries, in 19 languages (with 99 languages anticipated by the end of the year), and at more than 39,000 retail stores and online. The launch marks the achievement of an unprecedented collaboration between Microsoft and its customers and partners, and ushers in an era in which personal computing is easier, safer and more enjoyable than ever before.

“Windows Vista and Microsoft Office 2007 will transform the way people work and play,” said Bill Gates, chairman of Microsoft. “Personal computers have become a key part of the daily lives of almost a billion people worldwide. Millions of consumers had a hand in helping us design, test and create the most exciting versions of Windows and Office we’ve ever released. Windows Vista and Microsoft Office 2007 squarely address the needs and aspirations of people around the globe.”

A New Era of Personal Computing

Windows Vista and the latest release of Microsoft Office feature dramatic graphic enhancements to the interface that make the desktop more visually exciting and significantly easier to use. With simple and intuitive tools, consumers can easily create and share digital documents, photos, music and videos, participate in digital communities, and play online and offline games.

With Windows Vista, consumers will be able to experience all kinds of entertainment — from television to video games to music and movies — how and when they want. Keeping in touch with family, friends and colleagues using e-mail, voice recording or video will be richer and more convenient. Redesigned user interfaces will increase productivity and ease of use, helping consumers and small businesses produce documents — from a marketing plan to a child’s birthday invitation — that look better and are more professional in less time. Windows Vista and Microsoft Office 2007 will continue to improve access to information with new tools that make it easy to find the right piece of information — be it an e-mail message, image, note or media clip — no matter where it is stored.

The new versions of Windows and Microsoft Office also deliver advances in family safety by empowering parents to better manage and monitor their children’s PC and Internet activities. With a few simple clicks in the new Windows Vista Parental Controls center, parents can manage and monitor PC and Internet access, and decide what kinds of TV, music and games are appropriate for their children. Security is also more robust in the new releases. Features such as Windows Defender help protect consumers against attacks from spyware and malicious Web sites, while other enhancements help safeguard personal information. In Microsoft Office 2007, Document Inspector helps clean personal information, comments and hidden text from documents, so families can share their documents with confidence.

“These are the most amazing versions of Windows and Office ever,” said Steve Ballmer, CEO of Microsoft. “The visual effects are spectacular; the navigation is streamlined and intuitive. They make it much easier to protect your PC, yourself and your children online. And they work together to help you accomplish more throughout the day.”

New Opportunities

The consumer launch of Windows Vista is also expected to unleash a flood of new next-generation hardware, software and entertainment devices and services. Currently, more than 1.5 million devices and peripherals are on the market that work with Windows Vista, including more than 2,500 that are Certified for Windows Vista. In addition, thousands of PC manufacturers and system builders around the globe will deliver the Windows Vista operating system and Microsoft Office 2007 on new PCs.

“We designed Windows Vista and Office 2007 as springboards for our partners, for realizing the next generation of computing, for a whole new wave of innovation in devices and software that offer better graphics, better connectivity and communications, and a more productive, more enjoyable experience all around,” Ballmer said. “Tomorrow’s launch will have a dramatic impact on computing long-term.”

Global Outreach

Microsoft also kicked off its global television, Web, and out-of-home and theater advertising campaigns encouraging people to see the “wow” of Windows Vista. The global campaign will reflect the exciting possibilities that Windows Vista will deliver to customers around the world.

Microsoft has mobilized employees — including executives, engineers, developers and product managers — to spend the launch day assisting salespeople at retail stores across the United States. Retailers around the world are providing special offers and opportunities to shoppers on the first day of general product availability.

IBM Joins the WiMAX Forum

IBM (NYSE: IBM) today announced it has become a member of the WiMAX Forum™, an industry-led organization driving the global adoption of standards-based, interoperable WiMAX products for the delivery of broadband mobile Internet services.

"Our membership reaffirms IBM's commitment to helping our service provider community deliver anytime, anywhere, converged communications," says Don Lopes, vice president, IBM Global Services telecommunications industry. "We want to continue to support WiMAX as it evolves and becomes more established in the marketplace."

WiMAX technology is designed to help service providers across global markets deliver economical, "last-mile," wireless broadband data, voice and video services to both residential and business customers. Migrating from a traditional switched environment to an IP-based network is a major challenge facing service providers, but one that creates a lot of opportunity to meet the growing demands of users, Lopes notes.

"The ability to integrate, collaborate and create new services across a universal platform is critical to maintaining relevance," he says. "We're helping our service provider clients understand how WiMAX can enable new sources of revenue -- advertising, other content -- with a lower cost of delivery. Moving to an IP environment will transform all aspects of their businesses -- from enhanced capabilities to efficient operations."

In addition to a wide range of consulting, implementation services, hardware and software to help service providers leverage new business models, IBM has developed an ecosystem of device, equipment, software and services partners, many of whom are also WiMAX Forum members. Together, they have participated in early broadband wins in both the municipal and telco markets, where interest has been growing rapidly.

About the WiMAX Forum
The WiMAX Forum is an industry-led, non-profit corporation formed to help promote and certify the compatibility and interoperability of broadband wireless products using the IEEE 802.16 and ETSI HiperMAN wireless MAN specifications. The Forum's goal is to accelerate the introduction of these devices into the marketplace. WiMAX Forum Certified™ products will be fully interoperable and support Metropolitan Broadband Fixed, Portable and Mobile Applications. For more information about the WiMAX Forum and its activities, please visit www.wimaxforum.org WiMAX Forum and WiMAX Forum Certified are trademarks of the WiMAX Forum.

MBIA Settles Securities Fraud Charges for Misuse of Reinsurance Contracts

The Securities and Exchange Commission announced settled securities fraud charges against MBIA Inc., one of the nation’s largest insurers of municipal bonds, arising out of a sham reinsurance transaction that was restated in 2005, which the company had previously entered into to avoid having to recognize a $170 million loss. MBIA suffered the loss when, in 1998, the Allegheny Health, Education and Research Foundation (AHERF) defaulted on bonds guaranteed by MBIA and MBIA was forced to make good on its guarantee. MBIA addressed analyst concerns about its expected losses on the AHERF bonds by representing that it had obtained reinsurance to cover them. In fact, MBIA had agreed through concessions on other reinsurance agreements to compensate the reinsurers for the losses they were certain to incur on the AHERF contracts. The improper use of the reinsurance contracts enabled MBIA to convert what would otherwise have been the company’s first-ever quarterly loss into a profit and reverse the decline in MBIA’s stock price.

Under the settlement, MBIA consents to a cease-and-desist order, to pay a $50 million penalty, and to retain an independent consultant to examine a number of other specified transactions to which MBIA was a party.

Mark K. Schonfeld, Director of the Commission’s Northeast Regional Office, said, “This case arose out of our industry-wide investigation of the abuse of finite insurance and reinsurance policies to burnish the books of public companies. Here, MBIA purchased a sham reinsurance policy to make a $170 million loss disappear from its financial statements. In fact, MBIA was simply reimbursing its reinsurers the full amount of the covered losses.”

The Commission’s order, issued today, found that MBIA learned in 1998 that AHERF would default on $256 million of municipal bonds that MBIA had guaranteed, which would have resulted in MBIA’s first-ever quarterly loss. To mask the financial effect of this loss, MBIA’s then-senior management devised a scheme to obtain reinsurance that would cover the entire net present value of the anticipated loss, or about $170 million, for a nominal premium. The effect was to offset the entire $170 million loss MBIA recorded in the third quarter with a roughly equivalent reinsurance recovery, thus converting a loss in the quarter to an apparent gain.

The AHERF reinsurance consisted of three contracts under which the reinsurers agreed to provide coverage of up to $170 million for the AHERF loss. In order to pass scrutiny with MBIA’s accountants and obtain their approval for the desired accounting treatment, these contracts were written as if it was unclear whether the reinsurers would have to pay out under them. In fact, however, MBIA and the reinsurers knew that the reinsurers would be called upon to pay, making the $170 million received by MBIA from the reinsurance companies ineligible for reinsurance accounting.

MBIA reimbursed the reinsurers for the $170 million they paid to MBIA by entering into other reinsurance agreements on hundreds of millions of dollars of future MBIA business. Although the reinsurers undertook some risk under these other agreements, they were nevertheless reimbursed for their payments to MBIA on the AHERF contracts because the other agreements entailed so much premium and so little risk to the reinsurers.

In addition, MBIA secretly entered a side agreement with one of the reinsurers whereby it orally agreed to re-assume virtually all of the risk given to the reinsurer on the future business, leaving the reinsurer with all the premiums and virtually no risk.

In March 2005, MBIA restated $70 million related to these agreements, after an internal investigation concluded that it appeared likely that the oral side agreement existed. In November 2005, MBIA restated the remaining $100 million.

In connection with the settlement, MBIA has agreed, without admitting or denying the Commission’s findings, to the issuance of a cease-and-desist order that requires MBIA to cease and desist from further violations of Section 17(a) of the Securities Act of 1933 and Sections 10(b), 13(a), 13(b)(2)(A) and 13(b)(2)(B) of the Exchange Act of 1934 and Rules 10b-5, 12b-20, 13a-1, 13a-11,13a-13, and 13b2-1 thereunder, and to comply with various undertakings, including an undertaking to retain an independent consultant to examine a number of specified transactions. MBIA has also consented to pay a $50 million penalty, plus $1 in disgorgement. The Commission acknowledges MBIA's cooperation during the Commission's investigation.

The Commission acknowledges the assistance of the New York Attorney General in connection with this matter.

AMD and Microsoft Collaboration Enables World-class Windows Vista Experience

AMD (NYSE: AMD) today detailed the hardware and supporting software technologies to deliver the highest levels of performance, stability and application compatibility for Microsoft Windows Vista™ users.


Based on an unprecedented collaboration between Microsoft and AMD, Windows Vista harnesses AMD silicon and software to deliver truly immersive computing experiences, new tools for creating and sharing multimedia content and enhanced capabilities for locating and securing data. AMD and Microsoft have worked closely and continue to collaborate on Windows Vista™ development and requirements to bring hardware and software benefits together for our mutual customers. In addition, AMD64 processor-based systems were one of the platforms on which Windows Vista was developed, built, tested and optimized.


“Today begins a new era in computing, one that will change people's expectations about how they enjoy their PCs," said Hector Ruiz, chairman and CEO, AMD. "It has been our great pleasure to work so closely with Microsoft to develop tightly integrated solutions that deliver the ultimate experience for Windows Vista.”


Steve Ballmer, CEO, Microsoft, said: “AMD has invested heavily in hardware and software innovations so that consumers can enjoy new experiences that take full advantage of the breakthrough capabilities that Windows Vista delivers. From day one, AMD has played a key role in helping us design and validate the new driver model at the heart of Windows Vista. That knowledge has led to the development of extremely stable, feature-rich high-performance software drivers and hardware that really showcase the full power of the new Windows operating system.”


AMD has worked closely with Microsoft for more than four years to ensure broad availability of optimized hardware and software solutions for Windows Vista at launch. AMD’s mainstream multi-core and 64-bit microprocessor technology and advanced graphics solutions provide consumers with superior performance, stability and compatibility for Windows Vista, along with a stunning visual experience.


The results of the AMD-Microsoft collaboration continue today with the immediate availability of ATI Catalyst™ 7.1, AMD’s graphics driver optimized for Windows Vista. ATI Catalyst 7.1 for Windows Vista:

• was developed in close collaboration with Microsoft and is an evolution of AMD source code found in the default graphics drivers in Windows Vista;


• enables PC users to view next generation Blu-ray and HD DVD titles when used in conjunction with AMD hardware and appropriate playback software; and


• provides optimized performance for 3D applications and games.

Independent benchmarks demonstrate that ATI Catalyst 7.1 for Vista delivers one of the most stable graphics experiences available with high performance and broad application support.



Timeline of Innovation Building to Windows Vista

ATI Catalyst 7.1 for Windows Vista is the most recent example of AMD’s ongoing commitment to work with fellow industry leaders to deliver high-quality computing experiences for the widest audience possible. AMD has long championed industry collaboration to deliver advanced technologies which integrate to deliver outstanding Windows Vista experiences:

• 2002: As the former ATI, AMD’s Graphics and Media business unit collaborated with Microsoft to jointly develop optimized graphics solutions for Windows Vista.


• 2003: AMD introduced AMD64 technology, offering advanced capabilities including Direct Connect Architecture, hardware-level Enhanced Virus Protection*, and 64-bit x86 processors fully compatible with existing 32-bit software, enabling a seamless transition to more powerful 64-bit computing.


• 2005: AMD unveils the industry’s first simultaneous 32- and 64-bit native dual core x86 processors for multi-tasking performance that allow users to quickly switch from one program to another, reducing annoying processing pauses.


• 2006: AMD unveils the advanced AMD Quad FX Platform with Dual Socket Direct Connect Architecture, providing the ultimate two-socket solution for Windows Vista with a two socket upgrade path to eight cores for mega-tasking enthusiasts.


• 2007: Systems that feature AMD’s Better by Design label incorporate high-performance and energy-efficient AMD64 dual-core processors, superior graphics and wireless network performance, and other superior technologies that meet and exceed the demands of even the most advanced Windows Vista applications.


• 2007: ATI TV Wonder™ Digital Cable Tuner announced, providing the only way to view premium HD digital cable TV content on Windows Vista based PCs.

* Enhanced Virus Protection (EVP) is only enabled by certain operating systems including the current versions of Microsoft® Windows®, Linux®, Solaris and BSD Unix. After properly installing the appropriate operating system release, users must enable the protection of their applications and associated files from buffer overrun attacks. Consult your OS documentation for information on enabling EVP. Contact your application software vendor for information regarding use of the application in conjunction with EVP. AMD strongly recommends that users continue to use third party anti-virus software as part of their security strategy.

CSCO: Cisco Unveils Wireless Location Solution for Manufacturers

Cisco® today announced a new turnkey Wi-Fi Asset Tracking solution specifically geared for aerospace, automotive, mining and semiconductor manufacturing industries. This solution utilizes Cisco Wi-Fi location tracking technology to improve asset utilization, reduce costs and increase operational efficiencies.

The misplacement of industrial assets such as mobile toolkits, machinery, parts and WIP inventory is a significant issue for manufacturers, sometimes costing companies as much as $1 million per incident. By implementing Cisco's Wi-Fi Asset Tracking solution, manufacturers gain greater visibility into their enterprise, can track the presence and real-time location of high-value manufacturing assets, and substantially increase operational efficiencies by reducing misplacement incidents.

"A Cisco wireless-enabled environment gives manufacturers a highly secure, robust and scalable platform to utilize next-generation mobility services, such as voice over Wi-Fi, location and asset tracking, and contractor and guest access," said Alan Cohen, senior director of mobility solutions at Cisco. "Built on the foundation of a Cisco Unified Wireless Network, the Cisco Wi-Fi Asset Tracking solution yields unparalleled management and control of vital assets throughout the manufacturing process."

Cisco's Wi-Fi Asset Tracking Solution is comprised of the Cisco 2700 Series Wireless Location Appliance, the Cisco Wireless Control System (WCS), Lightweight Access Point Protocol Controller, Cisco Aironet® Access Points, AeroScout Wi-Fi-based Active RFID tags and AeroScout MobileView Software. Together, these components deliver a comprehensive RF location architecture that allows organizations to gather location information and track assets in the most demanding environments.

"Asset visibility has always been a business-critical issue within manufacturing, and now there is a convenient network-based solution that has been proven to increase efficiency and save organizations substantial time and money," said Gabi Daniely, vice president of marketing and product strategy at AeroScout. "Together, Cisco and AeroScout address the specific needs of a wide variety of environments with a complete, proven solution for lean and efficient manufacturing."

The following vertical markets can all benefit from wireless location tracking:

Aerospace - The aerospace industry must keep track of a unique array of expensive systems, sub-assemblies, equipment and materials to complete its projects on time and on budget. Misplaced parts can cause assembly to stop, impacting direct labor costs, capital equipment utilization and cycle time. In addition, manufacturers may be required to pay large fines for late deliveries. Using Cisco's Wi-Fi Asset Tracking solution to monitor airplane parts throughout the building process - from the factory floor to final assembly - limits process delays and reduces costs.

Automotive - As in the aerospace sector, the automotive industry must track high-value tools and parts through the vehicle assembly and production process, as any missing or misplaced parts can result in delays, high costs and quality issues. With Cisco's Wi-Fi Asset Tracking, quality issues can be addressed quickly to minimize the offline work-in-progress, eliminate costly delays and help ensure the rapid, cost-effective production of vehicles in this highly competitive industry.

Mining - As recent events have demonstrated, safety is of paramount concern in the mining industry. Better management of tools and people underground is increasingly critical to improving visibility and ensuring safety. Cisco's Wi-Fi Asset Tracking solution provides a clear signal underground to help maintain miner safety while speeding ore production. In addition, by using RFID tags and technology that are certified to be safe for explosion-sensitive environments, mining companies can better track trucks, containers, equipment and their miners, to assure continuous monitoring of all the mine's assets at all times.

Semiconductor Manufacturing - In the semiconductor industry, constant monitoring of valuable materials and equipment is essential to keeping costs low and quality high. The Cisco Wi-Fi Asset Tracking solution can facilitate work-in-process cases in fabrication facilities, mask shops and advanced test manufacturing environments. Real-time location of manufacturing lots improves capital equipment utilization, saves on labor costs and increases throughput. With rack-level accuracy of parts, materials and entire projects, semiconductor manufacturers can minimize waste and better drive toward completion.

SUNW: Sun Microsystems Powers World-Leading London Centre of Nanotechnology

Sun Microsystems, Inc. (NASDAQ: SUNW), the creator of the Solaris Operating System (OS), today announced that the newly opened London Centre of Nanotechnology (LCN - www.lcn.ucl.ac.uk) and the Bio-Nano Centre (BNC), funded by the Department of Trade & Industry (DTI) and London Development Agency (LDA), are using components of Sun Visualization System software to harness the world-class expertise of researchers across the physical, engineering and biomedical sciences, from University College London and Imperial College, to help meet the needs of society and industry. In essence, LCN and the BNC combine London's leading technology and medical research institutions.


Sun has delivered innovative 3D visualization hardware and software solutions as part of an overall 30 million pound investment in world class bio- and non-bio facilities and over 200 multi-disciplinary staff. The Sun Visualization System combines the best aspects of high performance 3D graphics technology with new ultra high speed networking and system architectures. In practice, these systems are used to predictively model the precise manipulation and control of atoms and molecules, which is central to the science of nanotechnology. Nanotechnology can deliver a wide variety of benefits to society, ranging from the design of minute doses of breakthrough drugs, real-time clinical diagnostics to the exotic, such as self assembling bio-structures.

LCN's use of leading edge modelling and visualization technologies is enabling researchers from a wide array of scientific disciplines to work together on collaborative projects in a way that no traditional department or individual scientist could previously work. This combination of resources and skills positions the LCN as a serious participant on the global stage to tackle challenges in industries such as energy, healthcare and information technology.

Gabriel Aeppli, Director of the LCN said, "There are tremendous needs and opportunities for in silico biotechnology, especially as the costs of in vivo and even in vitro development of solutions for bio medicine are rapidly escalating. At the same time, data, design and security are even more important as the stakes for the biomedical industry rise to meet the challenges of nothing less than global personalized medicine. To take advantage of these rapidly crystallizing opportunities in the UCL and Imperial complex, Sun has collaborated with the DTI to co-develop with UCL and Imperial the systems and software to underpin what we see as the merger of the information and biosciences. The first steps have already been taken in the form of the delivery of a beta version of an advanced visualization system that has already changed our thinking about the 'plumbing' of osteoclasts — responsible for degrading bone in the human body."

"The cutting edge research that is taking place at the London Centre of Nanotechnology is helping to raise the profile of UK research on the international stage. Sun's involvement in facilitating collaboration between research institutions and industry demonstrates its commitment to delivering projects that allow educational institutions to undertake this ground-breaking research," said Neil Hadfield, Business Unit Manager for Education, Sun Microsystems UK.

The Sun Scalable Visualization Software deployed at LCN represents the first time Sun N1 software has been used, in conjunction with Chromium Open Source Software, to manage the vast quantities of data and compute power required to deliver interactive and graphically intensive results.

The Sun Visualization System will significantly increase the computing power previously available to LCN, which will now be able to manipulate larger volumes of numerical and visual data, helping the researchers to interpret their findings more rapidly. In addition to the Sun Scalable Visualization Software, Sun also offers Sun Shared Visualization Software, which allows for local and remote users to interactively share centralized 3D graphics resources across a wide array of client platforms.

For LCN, powerful computer clusters, built using Sun Fire X4600 servers and Sun Ultra 40 Workstations, combine to drive multiple displays which in turn deliver high-quality, high-resolution, stereographic 3D displays with exceptional rendering performance for 2D, 3D and textured surfaces. The Sun N1 software automates servers and applications life-cycle management and manages grid services across heterogeneous environments to help ensure an even distribution of computing power across multiple users.

About The London Centre of Nanotechnology and the Bio-Nano Centre
LCN is a new UK-based multidisciplinary research centre, purpose-built to enable work at the forefront of science and technology. The LCN brings together two of the world's leading institutions, namely University College London (UCL) and Imperial College London, with strong capabilities in the underlying disciplines - engineering, physical sciences and biomedicine - which are bridged by nanotechnology. Its aim is to provide the nanoscience and nanotechnology needed to solve major problems in information processing, health care, and energy and environment. The LCN, together with Imperial's Institute for Biomedical Engineering and funding from the DTI and LDA, are creating the Bio-Nano Centre - offering concept development, rapid prototyping, and product validation services to translate research concepts to prototypes, ready for manufacture. The objective is to provide small to large companies with easy and economical access to prototyping facilities and multidisciplinary capabilities for the early-stages of bio-nano product development.