Consumer Electronics Daily News

Nearly 500,000 "App Economy" Jobs in United States

TechNet, the bipartisan policy and political network of technology CEOs that promotes the growth of the innovation economy, today released a new study showing that there are now roughly 466,000 jobs in the "App Economy" in the United States, up from zero in 2007.

The study, sponsored by TechNet and conducted by Dr. Michael Mandel of South Mountain Economics LLC, also found that App Economy jobs are spread throughout the nation. The top metro area for App Economy jobs is New York City and its surrounding suburban counties, although together San Francisco and San Jose together substantially exceed New York.  And while California tops the list of App Economy states with nearly one in four jobs, states such as Georgia, Florida, and Illinois get their share as well.  In fact, more than two-thirds of App Economy employment is outside of California and New York.  The results also suggest that the App Economy is growing quickly and that the location and number of app-related jobs are likely to shift greatly in the years ahead.

"America's App Economy – which had zero jobs just 5 years ago before the iPhone was introduced – demonstrates that we can quickly create economic value and jobs through cutting-edge innovation," said Rey Ramsey, President and CEO of TechNet.  "Today, the App Economy is creating jobs in every part of America, employing hundreds of thousands of U.S. workers today and even more in the years to come."

"The App Economy, along with the broad communications sector, has been a leading source of hiring strength in an otherwise sluggish labor market," said Dr. Michael Mandel, the report's author and President of South Mountain Economics and former Chief Economist for BusinessWeek.

The full study, entitled "Where the Jobs Are," is available at: http://bit.ly/AlGe4l.

Top U.S. Metro Areas With Highest Percentage of App Economy Jobs
New York-Northern N.J.-Long Island	9.2%
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont	8.5%
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara	6.3%
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue	5.7%
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Santa Ana	5.1%
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria	4.8%
Chicago-Naperville-Joliet	3.5%
Boston-Cambridge-Quincy	3.5%
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Marietta	3.3%
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington	2.6%
Top Ten States for App Economy Jobs (Percentage)
California	23.8%
New York	6.9%
Washington	6.4%
Texas	5.4%
New Jersey	4.2%
Illinois	4.0%
Massachusetts	3.9%
Georgia	3.7%
Virginia	3.5%
Florida	3.1%

The research shows that when it comes to employment impacts, each app represents jobs—for programmers, for user interface designers, for marketers, for managers, for support staff. Conventional employment numbers from the Bureau of Labor Statistics are not able to track such a new phenomenon because this economic ecosystem is so new.  The research analyzed detailed information from The Conference Board Help-Wanted OnLine® (HWOL) database, a comprehensive and up-to-the-minute compilation of want ads, to estimate the number of jobs in the App Economy.

The total number of Apps Economy jobs includes jobs at 'pure' app firms such as Zynga as well as app-related jobs at large companies such as Electronic Arts, Amazon, and AT&T, as well as app 'infrastructure' jobs at core firms such as Google, Apple, and Facebook.  In addition, the App Economy total includes employment spillovers to the rest of the economy.

Mad for Mobile: Half of CIOs Say Their Firms Have or Will Offer a Mobile Application In Coming Year

"There's an app for that," may apply to nearly half of U.S. businesses before the year is over, a new survey by Robert Half Technology shows. Twenty-seven percent of CIOs polled recently said their companies already offer a mobile application, while another 22 percent said they plan to offer one in 2012.

The survey was developed by Robert Half Technology, a leading provider of information technology (IT) professionals on a project and full-time basis.  It was conducted by an independent research firm and is based on telephone interviews with more than 1,400 CIOs from companies across the United States with 100 or more employees.

CIOs were asked, "Has your company developed a mobile application for customers and clients, or do you plan to offer one in the next 12 months?" Their responses:

You have one now	27%
You don't have one now but plan to offer one in the next 12 months	22%
You don't have one and don't plan to offer one in the next 12 months	43%
Other/don't know	9%
Total	100%

As mobile applications become more prevalent, there is no shortage of issues for the IT teams tasked with developing them. In the same survey, CIOs said the two greatest challenges for IT teams developing these applications are collaborating across departments and finding IT professionals with the skills to build them.

CIOs were asked, "What is the greatest challenge for IT teams when developing a mobile application for the business?" Their responses:

Collaborating across departments	29%
Finding and hiring IT professionals with the necessary expertise	28%
Keeping the application up to date	19%
Gaining approvals from the application store or market	16 %
Other/don't know	8%

"Building mobile applications requires intense collaboration between numerous groups within the organization, including marketing, IT, operations and sales," said John Reed, executive director of Robert Half Technology.  It's important for mobile application developers to have strong soft skills, in addition to the ability to write code and test and debug software applications."

As more companies look to develop mobile apps, the demand for IT professionals who specialize in this area has increased, according to the Robert Half Technology 2012 Salary Guide, which shows starting salaries for mobile applications developers are expected to increase 9.1 percent next year -- one of the largest increases of any IT position researched.

Added Reed: "Because the demand for professionals with a track record of building successful mobile apps currently outpaces the supply, companies are willing to pay a premium for professionals with these skills."

CTIA-The Wireless Association Talks Heart Health in February's 'Wonder of Wireless'

In recognition of February as American Heart Month, CTIA-The Wireless Association® is highlighting a few of the wireless products and services that may help consumers improve their heart health and live healthier lives. Unfortunately, heart disease is the leading cause of death in the U.S. with an American experiencing a coronary event every 25 seconds and almost one every minute will die from it. To help consumers improve their heart health, CTIA's February edition of "Wonder of Wireless" (WOW) webcast and blog (http://blog.ctia.org) talk with health experts and app creators on how consumers can use wireless to receive better quality of care and practice preventative and wellness living while reducing costs.

• INSIDER INTERVIEW – Wireless applications are improving health and healthcare systems in the U.S. Ann McGrath, Director of Leadership Summits at World Congress, says consumers demand wireless technologies that improve the delivery of care by helping them incorporate preventative and wellness lifestyles. In addition, wireless innovations have pushed the boundaries of technology's impact on improving a patient's quality of care while decreasing costs.
• POLICY POINT – Whether it's remote monitoring or tracking weight loss, wireless technology may help consumers improve heart health and live healthier. CTIA takes a look at some of the new mobile products and services that are available to keep one's heart healthy.
• WIRELESS AT WORK – U.S. Preventive Medicine's Chairman and CEO Chris Fey showcases Macaw, a wireless application that uses preventative medicine tools to help consumers reduce their risk factors that cause poor health. Macaw uses a variety of health information inputs to determine how healthy the user is living and recommendations for changes to their daily routine so they may live a healthier and longer life.
• WIRELESS LIFESAVER – When Amber Engel went into labor at her home on Valentine's Day, she and her husband, Jeremy, immediately rushed to the hospital. On their way, they became snarled in rush hour traffic as Amber's labor was progressing rapidly. When it became clear that the baby was going to arrive before they reached the hospital, they pulled over and Jeremy used his cellphone to dial 911 and received real-time medical assistance to safely deliver their healthy baby. Shortly after, first responders, including firefighters, police and paramedics arrived on the scene. 

To watch the February WOW webcast, please visit: http://www.ctia.org/consumer_info/wow/index.cfm/2012/02/. 

Globecomm Maritime Extends Ericsson Mobile Connectivity to Worldwide Globecomm Maritime Extends Ericsson Mobile Connectivity to Worldwide Fleet

Globecomm Systems Inc. (NASDAQ: GCOM), a leading global provider of communications solutions and services, announced today that it has been selected by Ericsson as a subcontractor of the maritime GSM/VSAT managed operation for an Ericsson mobile communication network. The network will be implemented on up to 400 container vessels worldwide over the next two years, providing end-to-end 24/7 automated monitoring and real-time information control.

Globecomm will provide below-deck equipment and provide operation services, under a seven-year subcontract to Ericsson Denmark.

Globecomm will provide its se@FLEX VSAT service, including integration of shipboard terminals accessing Ku-band satellites as a part of Ericsson´s rollout, and will utilize Globecomm’s Hosted Wireless Services. The global se@FLEX VSAT platform will provide automatic roaming between Ku-band satellite beams on a global basis at a flat rate. The global system will access over 20 satellite beams operating through 13 teleports and including fiber backhaul to the Globecomm Data Center in New York. The Hosted Wireless Service will provide hosted BSC services, BTS/BSC monitoring and performance management by using Ericsson equipment.

The Globecomm Maritime solution offers Ku-band maritime service coverage which reaches the global shipping lanes and a worldwide managed network of fiber-linked teleports for transmission and management of customer traffic.

Keith Hall, Globecomm President and COO, said: "This contract is a great example of how far Globecomm has come as a global managed network services provider. We take great pride in becoming a major player in the next generation Maritime market and this contract is a major stepping stone. We look forward to the opportunities that will arise from this contract and our partnership with Ericsson.”

Andy Silberstein, Globecomm Senior VP and General Manager, said: "Our collaboration with Ericsson on this important project enables us to utilize Globecomm’s global maritime VSAT network together with our hosted wireless GSM services, bringing together two core Globecomm capabilities to provide a total solution for our customer.”

Telecom Ventures Partners with LightSquared to Offer Branded Mobile Broadband Services to Underserved Markets

LightSquared™, a wholesale carrier building a nationwide wireless broadband network that will create consumer choice and drive industry innovation, and Telecom Ventures have announced a wholesale agreement that will enable Telecom Ventures' two entities, Assist Wireless and New-Talk, to deliver branded mobile broadband services to underserved customers.

Both Assist Wireless and New-Talk are certified as Eligible Telecommunications Carrier (ETC) providers by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), allowing them to offer subsidized telephone services, better known as Lifeline, to low-income subscribers.

Assist Wireless, which targets unbanked and underbanked consumers, provides wireless services to tens of thousands of customers in Arkansas, Maryland, Missouri and Oklahoma, and plans to expand its footprint to several other states, including California, Louisiana, Michigan, Missouri, Pennsylvania and Texas. New-Talk offers local phone services to a growing base of thousands of customers in Texas, which include a range of value-added services, including bilingual customer representatives and the ability to check account balances, pay bills and view invoices online.

With LightSquared, Assist Wireless and New-Talk will now be able to offer reliable, world-class mobile broadband data services at competitive prices to their Lifeline customers.

"Access to advanced mobile broadband services will open up vast opportunities for our customers," said Byron Young, chief executive officer of Telecom Ventures. "With LightSquared's unique business model and state-of-the-art technology, we can deliver affordable, reliable access to our growing base of subscribers across the country, and ensure they won't get caught in the digital divide."

With Telecom Ventures, LightSquared now has wholesale agreements with 39 wholesale customers. These customers include wireless carriers, device manufacturers, nationwide retailers, regional phone companies, CLECs, mobile content providers and others who plan to use LightSquared's network to offer competitively-priced wireless service to their customers.

"LightSquared's mission is to ensure that more than 260 million people have access to wireless broadband services," said Sanjiv Ahuja, chairman and chief executive officer of LightSquared. "Telecom Ventures shares our belief in the importance of delivering these services to underserved markets, and in the process, democratizing wireless for all Americans."

Frequency to bring video to you from everywhere

At CES this year, Frequency will launch the world's first personal video aggregation platform and the first three consumer products built on that platform: for the web, the iPad, and for connected TVs.

Frequency brings together video from everywhere across the internet, including news, entertainment, sports, technology, and hundreds of other categories, plus social networks like Facebook and Twitter, creating custom channels that are updated in real time. Using Frequency's intelligent tuner, users can tune into just what they want to watch, including big media brands and niche sites, broad categories and specific subjects, video from social networks, and smart channels that learn what users like.

Visit www.frequency.com or for a Frequency demo at CES contact simin@frequency.com.

TranSwitch Announces LTE™ Fixed Wireless Residential Gateway Solution Based on Atlanta 2000 Communications Processor

TranSwitch Corporation, a leading provider of consumer and telecom semiconductor solutions, has announced the availability of a new LTE™ (*Long Term Evolution; a 4G wireless broadband technology) fixed wireless reference design that enables wireless providers to deliver broadband voice, video and data services to homes and enterprises. TranSwitch’s reference design incorporates its Atlanta 2000™ processor and complete software solution which is designed for high performance, real time services under real world network conditions.

Atlanta 2000™ LTE Fixed Wireless Gateway Solution will be Showcased at the Las Vegas Hilton, Suite 1269, During the 2012 International CES.

According to a recent GSA (Global mobile Suppliers Association) report, 174 commercial LTE network deployments are in progress or planned in 64 countries, including 26 networks that have already commercially launched. While LTE services are initially targeted at mobile subscribers, LTE fixed wireless networks are also gaining traction worldwide as wireless carriers can simultaneously offer wireless and fixed services, such as Voice-over-IP (VoIP), high speed internet access, and television service, to consumers’ residences and businesses.

“Until now, residential broadband access has been the exclusive domain of wire-line service providers. LTE is a game changer in that it allows wireless carriers around the globe to offer equivalent services such as VoIP, high-speed internet and IP video to residential customers. Additionally, LTE allows traditional fixed services to be bundled at retail wireless stores without the significant provisioning and service deployment costs usually associated with providing these services. The launch of TranSwitch LTE fixed wireless reference design is a significant milestone in our strategy to address the growing demand for LTE broadband access,” reports Kris Shankar, Sr. Vice President of Worldwide Sales and Marketing of TranSwitch Corp. “We have successfully leveraged years of telecommunications expertise to deliver a turnkey hardware and software solution which enables our customers to rapidly enter the fixed wireless LTE market for voice, video, data and home automation over an IMS (Infrastructure Management Services) infrastructure.”

TranSwitch’s Atlanta 2000 incorporates triple processor cores including a DSP (Digital Signal Processing) as well as hardware security engines and packet processing accelerators which combine to deliver unparalleled performance under degraded network conditions. According to Shimon Edelhaus, Senior Director of Software Engineering at TranSwitch Corp, “The key differentiator for the TranSwitch LTE reference design is that it delivers high throughput internet access and high quality, multi-channel voice while meeting the key requirements of telecommunications carriers in terms of IMS compliance and QoS (Quality of Service)."

Atlanta 2000™ LTE™ Fixed Wireless Gateway Solution Key Features

Software:

• Integration of the Atlanta 2000 product family’s triple play functionality with IMS compliant, Voice over LTE™ (VoLTE) deployment-ready stack
• Fully integrated support for leading dual band 2x2 and 3x3 WiFi 802.11n modems
• Outstanding VoIP, ISDN and CAT-iq density and voice quality
• Certified OMA-DM and Broadband Forum Management and Provisioning
• Dual Stack IPv4/IPv6, Hardware based security and tunneling (IPSec /PPPT/L2TP /SSL)
• Best-in-class performance Java Virtual Machine and OSGI for Home Automation Applications over LTE

Hardware:

• Integrated dual RISC cores: 400 MHz Tensilica Xtensa LX2 with MMU
• Single or dual hardware encryption engines
• Integrated VLIW architecture DSP, supporting up to eight channels of deep compression wideband or narrowband codecs or 16 channels of G.711
• Comprehensive Wireline and Wireless Codec support Two USB 2.0 dual mode (Host/Device) interfaces
• Three Hardware Accelerated Gigabit Ethernet ports

For more information on TranSwitch’s A2000™ LTE fixed wireless gateway solution, please visit: www.transwitch.com.

* LTE is a trade mark of ETSI (European Telecommunications Standards Institute)

About TranSwitch Corporation TranSwitch Corporation (NASDAQ: TXCC)  designs, develops and supplies innovative semiconductor and intellectual property (IP) solutions that provide core functionality for voice, data and video communications equipment for network, enterprise and customer premises applications. Founded in 1988, TranSwitch® is headquartered in Shelton, Conn.  The company provides integrated multi-core network processor System-on-a-Chip (SoC) solutions and software solutions for fixed, 3G and 4G mobile, VoIP and multimedia infrastructures.  For the customer premises market the company offers a family of communications processors that provide best-in-class performance for a range of applications and  also provide interoperable connectivity solutions that enable the reliable distribution and presentation of high-definition (HD) content for consumer electronics and personal computer  markets.  

Qualcomm Announces FCC Approval of Sale of 700 MHz Spectrum Licenses to AT&T

Qualcomm Incorporated (NASDAQ: QCOM) today announced that the U.S. Federal Communications Commission has approved the sale of its Lower 700 MHz D and E Block (Channel 55 and 56) unpaired U.S. spectrum licenses to AT&T.   The sale by Qualcomm to AT&T of the licenses for $1.925 billion was originally announced in December, 2010.  The proposed transaction has been pending subject to the satisfaction of the conditions of closing.

In connection with the announcement of the transaction in 2010, AT&T indicated that, as part of its longer term 4G network plan, it intends to deploy this spectrum as supplemental downlink, using carrier aggregation technology.  This new technology is designed to deliver substantial capacity gains by enabling unpaired spectrum to be used in conjunction with paired spectrum for 4G services.  

Qualcomm is integrating carrier aggregation technology into its chipset roadmap to enable supplemental downlink and intends to market the technology globally.  This new technology is expected to create opportunities around the world in regions where unpaired spectrum bands can be made available for wireless operators to use in conjunction with existing paired bands in order to obtain substantial improvements in their mobile broadband networks.

"We are very pleased that the FCC has approved the sale of our spectrum licenses and look forward to working with AT&T to deploy supplemental downlink.  This is a positive outcome for Qualcomm and our stakeholders," said Dr. Paul E. Jacobs, chairman and CEO of Qualcomm. "We would like to express our appreciation to FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski, his fellow FCC Commissioners and the FCC staff.  The use of supplemental downlink will enable the efficient use of unpaired spectrum for mobile broadband in the U.S. and a richer, faster mobile experience for consumers."

CES: It's Still the One

This is Part One of a two-part story that looks at whether a show that's been around since 1967 is still relevant in today's consumer electronics marketplace.

By Lorrie Baumann

Round trip airline ticket to Las Vegas, $400 on Southwest Airlines.

Four nights at Las Vegas hotel at International CES discounted rates, $1,200.

The chance to see every important buyer and every hot electronic product that will matter in the market during 2012, priceless.

With a bow to Joyce King Thomas, who created the iconic MasterCard campaign, there is no better word than “priceless” to describe the International CES' importance in the consumer electronics marketplace. Between January 10 and 13, 2012, about 3,235 exhibiting manufacturers will ring up somewhere around half a billion dollars in sales, according to Consumer Electronics Association Senior Director of Communications Tara Dunion. That's billion, with a B. And that doesn't count the multitude of intangible and unquantifiable benefits of being part of the show, exhibitors say.

Those benefits fall into four categories, according to Dave Dickinson, President and Chief Executive Officer of Zeo, Inc., who is coming to CES to be part of a whole new growth area in digital health. “CES is still a great way to showcase new categories and market opportunities,” he said. Those four categories of benefits include the public relations value associated with the opportunity to get a lot of press for a great new idea, the exposure to retailers other than the ones who are already familiar with the product category, the chance for exposure to international distributors and retailers, and the chance to build awareness of new products among early adopters and enthusiasts who attend CES not only as industry professionals but as consumers themselves. “If you have product news in the CE space, it's a great way to get the word out to all kinds of stakeholders,” Dickinson says.

Kim Stowe, Spokesperson for Analogix Semiconductor, is also counting on CES as a venue to reach other manufacturers. “We're introducing a technology that allows the smart phone and the tablet to connect to big-screen displays,” she says. This technology will allow someone who needs to make a presentation to his company to upload his presentation to the cloud, travel to the meeting, access the presentation from his smart phone, and then present it on a big screen in the conference room, with theater-quality audio and video, Stowe says. She wants to introduce that technology to the television manufacturers and the people who build other devices that could incorporate the technology, and, “Everyone that matters is at CES.”

It's that “everyone” that matters to Laura Taylor, Senior Manager of Marketing for Ethertronics. Ethertronics is the leading developer of high performance embedded antennas for wireless devices, and she's looking for those companies that need wireless to help them get their products to market. CES is a particularly valuable trade show to her because it attracts a wide spectrum of industries that have only their dependence on electronics technology in common. Many of them are potential customers for Ethertronics. “I don't think there's a show out there that has such a diverse group of technologies all at the same time,” she says. “It makes it easy for us to meet our customers from all around the world over a couple of days in one location.”

Part Two of this story will be posted tomorrow.

Toys"R"Us Bolsters Electronics Assortment

Toys"R"Us® today announced it has reinvented its assortment of consumer electronics and tech accessories as it continues to stay at the forefront of emerging trends for kids and families. New and expanded product categories include prepaid mobile phones, tablet computers, headphones, iPod docks, digital cameras and accessories for the Apple® ecosystem. The company has redesigned its electronics department and significantly increased the space dedicated to consumer electronics by developing an open floor plan and adding interactive displays to all its stores across the country. At the same time, the company has worked to strengthen its leadership position in family-oriented video games and movies, licensed electronics, musical instruments and karaoke.

New and Expanded Product Categories

Toys"R"Us has added new items from key manufacturers to its growing assortment of portable electronics product, including:

•Introducing No Contract Cellular Offerings: Toys "R" Us will now carry a large assortment of no-contract cellular phones from AT&T, T-Mobile, Net 10 and Tracphone. A variety of handsets are available for each carrier, including devices from Nokia, Samsung and LG, among others.

•Expanded Selection of Digital Devices: Keeping in tune with the ever-changing pace of what kids want, Toys"R"Us has broadened its assortment of digital devices. From the newest versions of the Apple iPod to touchscreen players from Sony, Samsung, Sandisk, Riptunes, Archos and Sakar, customers can find the perfect device to play music, watch movies, play games and surf the internet.

•Keeping Up With the Kindles: The Amazon Kindle, with both the 3G Graphite and Wifi with Special Offers, is currently available, and Toys"R"Us stores will continue to add the latest generation of Amazon eReaders, including the new line: Kindle, Kindle Touch and Kindle Fire.

•An Explosion of Tablets: Toys"R"Us has offered a variety of tablet computers for several years and now customers interested in computing on-the-go can find a larger assortment of these devices. New tablets available include the Sony S1 and Samsung Galaxy, as well as tablets from Acer, Archos and Asus.

•Cool Headphones: From pop culture icons like Iron Man and M&Ms to vibrant hues from violet to red, a headphone shop allows kids to express their personal style. The available assortment features high-quality Skull Candy headphones, in a variety of colors, and sporting a skull logo, perfect for future audiophiles. Additionally, Toys"R"Us offers an exclusive line of Safe Sounds in-ear and over-ear headphones from Maxell. Designed specifically for children, these headphones offer style and safety by preventing the volume from being turned too loud.

•A Growing Apple Ecosystem: Toys"R"Us has introduced a wider variety of accessories for iPod and iPad users, including colored cases for each device. Featured licensed cases include Angry Birds, Hello Kitty, Muppets, Disney Fairies, Disney/Pixar Cars 2 and more from manufacturers such as Xtreme Mac, Griffin, Play On, Sakar, Zagg and Speck. Also available are items that enhance each device, including extra power cords, car chargers, speakers, headphones and styluses. Shoppers will also find a larger selection of iHome products to dock their Apple items, including speaker systems, alarm clocks and more. Exciting new products supporting one of the biggest toy trends for the holiday season – App-cessories – offers kids fun ways to interact with apps downloaded onto Apple iPod and iPad.