Test Center Briefs: November 2010 - A Roundup of Hot New Products

Adobe Enhances LiveCycle Enterprise 2.5 With New Mobile, Collaboration Features

The latest version of Adobe's LiveCycle Enterprise suite comes with new mobile capabilities such as improved multiscreen delivery of applications and an enhanced framework for building enterprise-rich Internet applications (RIAs). The LiveCycle Mobile Client ES2.5 extends process management, data capture and content services to mobile devices such as Android, BlackBerry, iPhone and Windows devices and links them with back-end systems. LiveCycle ES2.5 was designed to facilitate the embedding of realtime collaboration capabilities like chat, voice, video and application sharing within RIAs. The new software also includes the ability to build application links to Microsoft SharePoint 2010.

Adobe also introduced three new "solution accelerators" that run on LiveCycle and help businesses reduce development times. They include a correspondence management solution accelerator for creating personalized correspondence such as a customized claims letter; an interactive statements solution accelerator for developing customer bills and statements; and a managed review and approval solution accelerator that allows multiparty participation in content review processes.

PivotLink Expands ReadiMetrix On-Demand System

PivotLink is one of a number of relatively new companies that offers Software-as-a-Service business intelligence applications for general information workers for whom business intelligence tools can be challenging to operate. The ReadiMetrix for Online Marketing software, developed with partner Cervello, synthesizes data across multiple marketing systems and gives businesses better insight into their online marketing operations. It incorporates 33 key performance indicators, 21 reports and 10 dashboards.

The online marketing application is designed to help businesses analyze advertising performance, identify potential customers and track top-performing online affiliates and referrals. The new modules add to the sales, marketing and human capital management analysis applications PivotLink launched in March under the ReadiMetrix brand. The ReadiMetrix software is built on the company's PivotLink BI platform. In addition, PivotLink worked with its retail customers to develop the ReadiMetrix for Retail software, incorporating best practices from more than 40 of them. The application has 62 key performance indicators, 15 reports and five dashboards.

Juniper Unveils Junos Pulse Mobile Security Suite

The Junos Pulse Mobile Security Suite, which is part of the broader Junos Pulse platform, incorporates antivirus, personal firewall, antispam, data loss and theft prevention and monitoring and control services, preventing spyware and malicious code from infiltrating a device and stealing data. The mobile security suite, which is built on Juniper's existing SSL VPN product, can also remotely back up and restore data, locate devices if they are lost or stolen, and can send an alert when a SIM has been removed or replaced.

The platform is designed to protect sensitive information on users' personal mobile devices that have become a tool for both business and home activities. While it is targeted toward enterprise environments of 25,000 users, it can scale down to SMBs with 50 users. The product also will be geared toward the consumer, featuring parental controls for users who want to block inappropriate content and contacts on their children's mobile phones. Juniper says it may also consider adding specializations or certifications around the mobile offering for channel partners who want to dive deeper into that space.

Extreme Networks Develops New Line Of Ethernet Switches

The new X460 Ethernet switches from Extreme Networks offer flexible stacking options and can be deployed in both top-of-rack data center and campus edge aggregation scenarios. The X460's extensive stacking options include support for Extreme's existing dual-port 40-Gbps SummitStack modules, making it compatible with the X250e, X450a, X480 and X650 models. There are also two new options: SummitStack-V80, a dual-port 80-Gbps QSFP+ module, which offers up to 100 meters of distance, and SummitStack-V, a two-port 10G SFP+ module, offering 40 kilometers.

There is support for 30-watt Power over Ethernet Plus (PoE+), and a number of optional features, including dual internal AC/DC redundancy, a module for dual 10 Gigabit Ethernet uplink and policy-based QoS and IPv6 forwarding. Extreme's new Summit X460 line sits between the company's 450 and 480 offerings, and comes in six different flavors, with 24- or 48-Gigabit Ethernet copper or fiber ports. The X460s will be generally available at the end of November November and will have a starting price of $4,495.

Apple Upgrades MacBook Air

New 11-inch and 13-inch models of Apple’s MacBook Air eliminate hard disks and optical drives in favor of solid-state flash data storage. The 11-inch model weighs 2.3 pounds and the 13-inch model weighs 2.9 pounds. They both feature a full-size keyboard and the same glass Multi-Touch trackpad used on the MacBook Pro. They also include a built-in FaceTime camera, microphone and stereo speakers. The new MacBook Airs run on Apple’s Mac OS X operating system, putting to rest speculation that Apple might abandon Mac OS X in favor of the iOS that runs the iPad. The new notebooks use Intel Core 2 Duo processors and Nvidia GeForce 320M graphics chips. They include 802.11n Wi-Fi networking, Bluetooth 2.1+EDR for wireless peripherals and two USB ports. The 13-inch model also has an SD card slot.

Both models are available immediately. Pricing for the 11-inch model with 2 GB of memory and 64 GB of flash storage starts at $999 while a 128-GB model is priced at $1,199. Pricing for the 13-inch model with 2 GB of memory and 128 GB of flash storage starts at $1,299. The version with 256 GB of flash is priced at $1,599.

HP Launches Slate 500 For Enterprise Space

The HP Slate runs on a 1.86GHz Intel Atom Z540 processor and Microsoft's Windows 7 operating system. It features an 8.9-inch, LED-backlit display with 1,024 x 600 resolution, 2 GB of memory, 64 GBs of storage, and five hours of battery life. Currently available for purchase on HP's Web site, the Slate 500 is priced at $799 and comes with the HP Slate Digital Pen, HP Slate Dock and HP Slate Portfolio.

Despite being billed as a device for business users, the Slate 500 features two cameras, a VGA Webcam for videoconferencing and a 3-megapixel camera. The device connects to a keyboard, mouse and printer via USB 2.9 port. In addition, users can import photos and other files with an SD card. It comes with Bluetooth and Wi-Fi capability, but no built-in high-speed wireless connection. Applications for the Slate include Adobe Reader and Adobe PDF, as well as Evernote software for writing e-mails and taking notes, and preinstalled HP Support Assistant for maintenance and troubleshooting.

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