John Blau

Germany's national soccer team may not be the most tech-savvy in the world, according to its manager, but things could improve with the introduction of a Web-connected bus to get them to and from matches.

Opinions vary on how to preserve data on digital storage media, such as optical CDs and DVDs. Kurt Gerecke, a physicist and storage expert at IBM Deutschland GmbH, has his own view: If you want to avoid having to burn new CDs every few years, use magnetic tapes to store all your pictures, videos and songs for a lifetime.

Four companies have applied to test broadcast mobile TV services based on the DMB (Digital Multimedia Broadcasting) standard in the German state of Baden-W

Finland's Nordic ID has launched a versatile, radio-based handheld computer designed for users in the retail and logistics sectors who prefer to collect and forward data wirelessly.

The idea isn't new: offering small and medium-size businesses an affordable, all-in-one box that meets nearly all their needs for managed network services. But a Portuguese startup believes its technology provides all that and more -- and for less money. Critical Software SA plans next month to offer a new version of its edgeBox multifunctional gateway technology that will offer several new features aimed at making communications easier and less costly for customers.

In a move to refocus on its core telecommunications business, BCE Inc., Canada's largest telecommunications company, has agreed to sell its stake in Canadian IT service provider CGI Group Inc. Under the agreement, BCE will sell its stake in CGI in two phases, beginning with 100 million shares, worth C$859.2 million and the remaining 28.3 million shares after a 120-day standstill period, BCE announced Friday.

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) has awarded a contract to upgrade and support an RFID (radio frequency identification) network launched last year to track multinational defense consignments between Europe and Afghanistan. The contract underscores the growing demand for RFID systems projected by research and consulting company Gartner Inc. in a report.

Demand for storage software products continues to grow, with revenue up 10 per cent in the third quarter, marking eight consecutive quarters of double-digit year-over-year growth, according to data published Monday by IDC in its Worldwide Quarterly Storage Tracker.