German software behemoth takes Britain’s Metismo in mobile move

New apps include GPS capabilities

New mobile BPM platform to expand apps into GPS, video, audio and mobile office

By ECM Plus staff

ECM Plus +++ Berlin-based Software AG has just acquired the British company Metismo Ltd,  a firm which sells mobile apps.

According to the company, Metismo’s expertise lies in mobile devices such as GPS, audio and video can be integrated into organisational business applications.

enprovia does ECM Lite for Macs

Blue jets

Bluejet takes off into the skies for Macintosh users

By ECM Plus

ECM Plus +++ ECM integration specialist enprovia has just taken the wraps off the latest BlueJet version 1.0, an Enterprise Content Management client for Apple Macintosh.

According to the firm, BlueJet is a native Mac OSX progran that can manage corporatist content on Macs, fully integrated in OSX and compatible with most common ECM systems.

Cloud migration held back by ‘lack of visibility’

Cloud migration concerns mount

Are organisations holding back from making use of cloud services due to lack of understanding and reassurance?

By ECM Plus staff

ECM Plus +++ New research by IT firm Intergence Systems has found that companies are often reluctant to migrate to the cloud when there are still on-going security and management concerns around data management.

According to Intergence, cloud-based services are expanding but are also frequently viewed with suspicion, particularly for reasons such as data governance and security.

Survey finds email storage needs room for improvement

Email storage managment not up to snuff. Image: smemon87

Survey reveals 19 percent have no formal email management system at all

By ECM Plus staff

ECM Plus +++ A new survey has found that almost half of respondents said that storage capacity and management is the most challenging email-related chore in their companies.

In-house counsel warns over corporate compliance and internal reporting

Eagle-eyes and ears of corporate whistleblowers

Association of Corporate Counsel frustrated by SEC ruling on whistleblowing bounty provisions of Dodd-Frank

By ECM Plus staff

ECM Plus +++ The Association of Corporate Counsel (ACC) is strongly disagreeing with a new Securities and Exchange Commission’s ruling that bypasses internal compliance and reporting systems in favour of permitting tips from prospective whistleblowers to be submitted directly to the SEC.

“The SEC’s bounty rule is a Pandora’s box that, when opened, is likely to create new and even unanticipated harms rather than promoting better reporting of potential problems” commented ACC’s senior vice president and general counsel Susan Hackett.

Useful addition to desktop virtualisation – with free giveaway

Standard USB devices for desktop virtualization

Desktop virtualization software license giveaway at Computex

By ECM Plus staff

ECM Plus +++ The Userful Corporation is giving away free software licenses for its Userful MultiSeat software which turns one Linux computer into 10 independent computer stations.

Using standard USB devices such as the HP t100 and t150, Wyse E01 and DisplayLink devices, Userful said that MultiSeat enables schools and businesses to deploy more than twice as many computers for the same cost, while enabling up to 10 users to use different applications at the same time from one host computer, each with their own monitor, keyboard, and mouse.

Software AG acquires Terracotta in Java cloud move

German company takes control of foreign firm to acquire cloud and memory assets

In-memory and cloud to enable high-performance Java applications for cloud services

By ECM Plus staff

ECM Plus +++ /Frankfurt, Germany/ +++ The German software firm Software AG has just acquired Silicon Valley innovator Terracotta’s portfolio of products and services which the German firm said will form the foundation of its new in-memory and cloud offerings.

According to Frankfurt-Germany-based Software AG, the combined portfolio will increase revenue with existing customers and expand opportunities with new enterprise customers.

The German software giant added that it would also gain access to Terracotta’s large open source community.

The firm also stated that the acquisition would also enable it to offercloud and to increase performance and scalability of its business process platform.

WEEKEND PLUS: Unlawful streaming of content gets top billing

Senator John Cornyn

Senate Bill calls for tougher penalties for unlawful streaming of content

By ECM Plus staff

ECM Plus +++ Senate Judiciary Committee members Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), John Cornyn (R-Tex.) and Christopher Coons (D-Del.) this week introduced S. 978, a bipartisan bill aimed at more effectively combating the online theft of copyrighted works by classifying the illicit streaming of music, movies and other content as a felony.

Under current law, illegal uploading and downloading of protected works is already a felony but not streaming. The bill follows upon the recommendations of U.S. Intellectual Property Enforcement Coordinator Victoria Espinel who in March outlined several steps Congress should take to improve intellectual property protection in the America.

WEEKEND PLUS: EFF lawsuit demands ‘secret memo’ be revealed

EFF submits Freedom of Information Act request

Foundation demands answers about secret surveillance law memo; Justice Department withholding information on controversial legal theory

The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) has filed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) suit against the Department of Justice (DOJ), demanding the release of a secret legal memo used to justify FBI access to Americans’ telephone records without any legal process or oversight.

Picture perfect? Kofax acquires imaging bellwether

Atalasoft flogged for development toolkits for portal and business process management

By PAUL QUIGLEY

ECM Plus +++ Document-driven business process automation specialist Kofax is to acquire Atalasoft, the imaging SDK specialist firm.

According to the FTSE-100 plc, the acquisition will add to its product portfolio with unique capabilities for portal and internet browser based applications, strengthen the Company’s competitive position and increase its addressable market.

United We Stand: Doc storage for intranet knowledge gets smarter

United we stand. Image: Clearly Ambiguous

Unifying document storage promises to transform intranets into single search point for organisational knowledge base with new SharePoint Connector

By ECM Plus staff

ECM Plus +++ Altrincham-based intranet specialist Interact has just taken the wraps off its latest SharePoint Connector, a dual-purpose development that connects Interact Intranet to SharePoint, which the company claims will make intranets a single searchable point for organisations’ knowledge bases. 

PDF collaboration gets the blues

Bluebeam launches Studio Server for locally-hosted, collaboration

By ECM Plus staff

ECM Plus +++ Bluebeam Software has just released its latest version of Studio Server.

The server-based softwae boasts real-time collaboration features of the cloud-based Bluebeam Studio and participates in secure, PDF-based collaboration sessions in their own, locally hosted environment, the company said.

News Photo Caption Competition

In this week’s Caption Competition, who would have thoughi it.

So the reader with the most amusing caption to the above photo will win a Tech Air laptop case worth over £100!

Send entries to us at newsdesk(at)ecmplus(dot)eu by the end of the month,

The lucky winner with the most amusing caption will be announced shortly after the end of May.

Good luck!

Stream of concert-ness? Creatives go live with streaming media

Streaming at the Roundhouse: What goes around comes around

Underground reaches the internet masses

By PAUL QUIGLEY

ECM Plus +++ Creative directors and musicians are collaborating live to an online stadium-sized audience as digital streaming experts StreamUK have are joining forces with the Camden Roundhouse for directors and musicians to offer an internet audience the size of Wembley Stadium. 

Mancunian boffins tap Irish techies for web content expansion

Mancunians join with Irish in WCM move

TERMINALFOUR Wins £100,000 Web Content Management Deal with Manchester Metropolitan University

By ECM Plus

ECM Plus +++ Irish WCM bellwether TERMINALFOUR has just won a £100,000 contract to provide its web content management system and services to Manchester Metropolitan University.

MMU has more than 52,000 student applications for undergraduate courses starting in 2011.

TERMINALFOUR Site Manager will be used to support the development and maintenance of over 100 websites and replace a number of disparate content management systems currently used in the university.

RFID hacked: TV station finds chips are toast

RFID chip pulled from a credit card

Television group reveals serious security flaws with RFID-equipped credit and debit cards

By ECM Plus staff

ECM Plus +++ A consumer television report into the insecurity of radio frequency ID – or so-called ‘RFID’ -equipped credit and debit card chips has shocked the security industry.

One vendor, SecurEnvoy said the apparent ease with which RFID has been hacked to create a `magic wand’. With the ability for anyone to effectively read RFID cards at a distance clearly demonstrates that RFID is no longers fit for purpose, observers say.

Digital asset firesale as Autonomy mops up at Iron Mountain

Autonomy’s moves into the cloud platform to expand to 25 petabytes of customer data under management

By PAUL QUIGLEY

ECM Plus +++ Autonomy has just acquired selected key assets of Iron Mountain’s digital division including archiving, eDiscovery and online backup.

In a digital asset firesale that observers see as a stratgic move into the cloud for Autonomy, this means access to Autonomy’s technology for information governance in secure, private clouds in data centres.

European Council warns on increased risks from cordless, mobile and wireless devices

EMF: The long-term risks to health are still unknown

Kids at particular risk from cordless, mobile phones nand wireless Wi-Fi radiation effects

By ECM Plus staff

ECM Plus +++ In the wake recent heightening concerns over the health risks associated with new airport MMW backscatter radiations in full-body scanners being installed inside many major airports, – especially the longer-term risks to DNA and the human lymphatic system of the skin-deep penetrating backscatter radiation – new concerns are now emerging over the other serious health risks to people who live and work close to cordless, mobile and wireless Wi-Fi devices in homes and offices, especially the effects on young children whose DNA and cellular activity is still in a rapid growth phase. 

Blog moves to dismiss sham copyright troll lawsuit

American Bar Association Magna Carta Tribute. Image: donnamarijne

Unsealed documents show Righthaven not true owner of news article’s copyright

The publisher of a criminal justice blog that provides resources for difficult-to-prosecute murder cases has asked a judge to dismiss the sham infringement lawsuit filed against him by copyright troll Righthaven LLC.

Recently unsealed documents show that Righthaven is not the true owner of the copyright of the news article that is the basis for the lawsuit.

The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) and the law firm of Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati are representing former prosecutor Thomas DiBiase. In this case, as in many others, Righthaven sued over the use of a Las Vegas Review-Journal article, claiming that the newspaper had transferred the copyright to Righthaven before filing the suit.

Hollywood is dead? Long live online content – Ollie Stone

From silver screen to touchscreen, online video causing a revolution in the the movie industry. (Picture: L-R: vzaar’s Ken Moss, Oliver Stone, vzaar CEO Stephen McCluskey. (c) ECM Plus)

British online video platform streaming hits HD

By PAUL QUIGLEY

ECM Plus +++ Hollywood film director Oliver Stone, npw a shareholder in the British-based online video delivery platform vzaar, said this week he now believes the internet is becoming an rising ‘force in the world of film’.

Search engine behemoth lambasted in new book

Search and destroy. Image: andercismo

New book alleges that search behemoth has become a serial violator of privacy and property rights

By ECM Plus staff

ECM Plus +++ ‘SEARCH & DESTROY: Why You Can’t Trust Google Inc.’ is the first book to critically examine Google’s business practices, mission, and unprecedented power over information access and the digital economy. 

MetaCafe taps RealGravity for video content syndication

RealGravity: platorm for syndication

Metacafe partners for syndicated video content

By ECM Plus

ECM Plus +++ RealGravity, the video platform that integrates syndication, publishing and monetization, has just teamed up with Metacafe the video entertainment site to syndicate its catalog of original short-form video content to publishers.

According to the firm, the platform will simplify the way online video publishing and syndicators work by combining a network-oriented online video platform (Network OVP), a content marketplace and an ad server with built-in yield optimization.

Transcoding content coup to push live streaming into mainstream

Content: transcoding on-the-fly. Image: jrhode

New online transcoding service via LiveTranscoding.com to demo at Streaming Media East

By ECM Plus staff

ECM Plus +++ Live streaming is a new way to engage audiences, but when users find they canntt access a video on their device, it casts a negative light on the content provider.

LiveTranscoding.com said it was the only cloud-based service in the market to transcode live streams around the clock – 24/7, 365 days a year. This new SaaS solution (Software-as-a-Service) is set to save content providers thousands of dollars in hardware, manpower and maintenance.

LifeSort online backup proffers another cloud content closet

Dutch want to sort your life out

Securing and sharing ‘free’ cloud file management

By ECM Plus staff

ECM Plus +++ In what is being dubbed as the ‘first real semantic desktop’ a small Dutch startup firm – ‘The Guys That Hope’ have taken the wrsps off what it claims can provide an ‘identical interface offline as online’.

According to TGTH, this new file managment software can simplify the organization and management of what it calls the ‘digital life’.

Web content management takes to the clouds

pTools proffers web content management for cloud computing

Dublin, Ireland. Image: PPCC Antifa

By ECM Plus staff

ECM Plus +++ WCM software vendor pTools has launched a new cloud-based version of System6. According to the Irish firm, it offers enterprise-level websites.

Keith Wood, CEO of pTools said: “It provides extensive functionality on-cloud or on-premise that’s easy to use and easy to scale.”

Added Wood: “When setting up a CMS online you typically buy the software, spec the servers, install, configure, and put the servers in a data centre. You then add firewall boxes and routers, sign a hosting and bandwidth agreement, put it all online and pay annual support and maintenance for hardware, software and so on. With a cloud solution, you just turn it on and start straight away – no upfront hardware or IT support costs, and no hassle.”