The month of December at IBM was filled with a slew of announcements in hardware, software, services, acquisitions, and corporate initiatives. I was particularly interested to see that IBM and Circuit City Stores, Inc. are exploring how to apply virtual worlds
and 3-D environments to retail business models.The result could lead to new growth areas. Here are all the announcements made by the company during the month. The complete index of prior IBM Happenings is here.
IBM, Yahoo! unveil free enterprise search software IBM OmniFind Yahoo! Edition, a no-cost, entry level enterprise search product, will help eliminate financial and technology barriers to intranet and Web search.
http://www.ibm.com/press/us/en/pressrelease/20767.wss
IBM extends PLM with SOA
IBM's Product Development Integration Framework will elevate product lifecycle management from an engineering function to a strategic process by linking product design and core business processes.
http://www.ibm.com/press/us/en/pressrelease/20768.wss
IBM, universities announce open source program Under IBM's new Open Collaborative Research program, results developed between IBM, university faculty and students will be made available as open source software code.
http://www.ibm.com/press/us/en/pressrelease/20772.wss
Danish Tax Authority signs services agreement The Danish Tax Authority (SKAT) and IBM announced a 24-million euro, 3-year services agreement to modernize SKAT's IT systems.
http://www.ibm.com/press/us/en/pressrelease/20749.wss
New memory chip technology demonstrated
Scientists from IBM, Macronix and Qimonda demonstrated a prototype phase-change memory device that switched 500 times faster than flash while using less power to write data into a cell.
http://www.ibm.com/press/us/en/pressrelease/20744.wss
Hospital selects IBM outsourcing services Childrens Hospital Los Angeles has signed a five-year, $13 million contract with IBM to manage the hospital's financial, materials management and grants-tracking systems.
http://www.ibm.com/press/us/en/pressrelease/20752.wss
IBM, Siemens win German military contract
The German Federal Armed Forces have commissioned a consortium consisting
of Siemens Business Services and IBM to modernize and manage its non-military
information technology.
http://www.ibm.com/press/us/en/pressrelease/20822.wss
IBM demonstrates optical device
IBM researchers have built a device capable of delaying the flow of light on a silicon
chip which may one day allow computers to achieve better performance.
http://www.ibm.com/press/us/en/pressrelease/20815.wss
IBM wins design awards
IBM's Boston Center for Solution Innovation won two prestigious MITX Awards
for the design and development of a new feature for its client L.L. Bean.
http://www.ibm.com/press/us/en/pressrelease/20812.wss
Dansk Supermarked signs 3-year contract
Denmark's leading retailer signed a 3-year services contract for IBM to manage
existing systems and build up and run infrastructure to support new SAP applications.
http://www.ibm.com/press/us/en/pressrelease/20808.wss
Chicago Transit selects IBM for security pilot
IBM is working with the Chicago Transit Authority on a pilot program to test a
mobile security network that will improve safety and security on CTA's bus and
rail system.
http://www.ibm.com/press/us/en/pressrelease/20804.wss
IBM, Circuit City to explore virtual worlds
IBM and Circuit City Stores, Inc. are exploring how to apply virtual worlds
and 3-D environments to retail business models.
http://www.ibm.com/press/us/en/pressrelease/20800.wss
Complete index of IBM Happenings