Something Completely Different - "Hydropolis"

20,000 Leagues Beneath the Sea - Hydopolis

Currently under construction in Dubai, Hydropolis will be the world's first luxury underwater hotel. It will include three elements: the land station, where guests will be welcomed, the connecting tunnel, which will transport people by train to the main area of the hotel, and the 220 suites within the submarine leisure complex. It is one of the largest contemporary construction projects in the world, covering an area of 260 hectares, about the size of London's Hyde Park.

"Currently under construction in Dubai, Hydropolis will be the world's first luxury underwater hotel."

"Hydropolis is not a project; it's a passion," enthuses Joachim Hauser, the developer and designer of the hotel. His futuristic vision is about to take shape 20m below the surface of the Persian Gulf, just off the Jumeirah Beach coastline in Dubai.

The 220-suite hotel was due to open by the end of 2006 but has experienced delays and is now scheduled to open in 2009. It will incorporate a host of innovations that will take it far beyond the original blueprint for an underwater complex worthy of Jules Verne.

There are only a few locations in the world where such a grandiose dream could be realized. A high proportion of today's architectural marvels are materializing like fanciful mirages from the desert sands. We have come to expect extravagant enterprises to be mounted in the Middle East, and especially in Dubai. "This venture could only be born here in Dubai," says Hauser. "It [has] a very open-minded, international community - and that's what makes it so special."

The land on which Hydropolis is being built belongs to His Highness General Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai. It was his last free beach property on this stretch of coast. The project is a fantastic one, yet Sheikh Mohammed's success record with comparable schemes instils confidence that science fiction can become fact. With his support, several companies have been formed to kick-start this phenomenal project, and around 150 firms are currently involved.

"There have been many visions of colonising the sea – Jules Verne, Jean Gusto and several Japanese architects – but no one has ever managed to realise this dream," says Hauser. "That was the most challenging factor, and that's what makes it so fascinating. Despite being a dream of mankind for centuries, nobody has ever been able to make living underwater possible."


UNDERWATER HOTEL DESIGN

The original idea for Hydropolis developed out of Hauser's passion for water and the sea, and goes much deeper than just building a hotel underwater. More than just curiosity, it is a commitment to a more far-reaching philosophy. "Once you start digging deeper and deeper into the subject, you can't help being fascinated and you start caring about all the associated issues," he explains. "Humans consist of 80% water, the earth consists of 80% water; without water there is no life."

Hydropolis reproduces the human organism in an architectural design. There is a direct analogy between the physiology of man and the architecture. The geometrical element is a figure eight lying on its side and inscribed in a circle. The spaces created in the basin will contain function areas, such as restaurants, bars, meeting rooms and theme suites. These can be compared to the components of the human organism: the motor functions and the nervous and cardiovascular systems, with the central sinus knot representing the pulse of all life.

The ballroom, located at this nerve centre, will have asymmetrical pathways connecting the different storeys along ramps. A large, petal-like retracting roof will enable the staging of open-sky events. Staircases, lifts and ramps will provide access to the ballroom, while flanking catering areas will supply banquets and receptions.


HYDROPOLIS LAND STATION

In order to enter this surreal space, visitors will begin at the land station. This 120m woven, semicircular cylinder will arch over a multi-storey building. On the lowest level passengers board a noiseless train propelled by fully automated cable along a modular, self-supporting steel guideway to Hydropolis. A just-in-time and on-demand logistical system will facilitate efficient supply of goods to the hotel.

The upper storeys of the land station house a variety of facilities, including a cosmetic surgery clinic, a marine biological research laboratory and conference facilities. On the lower levels are the staff rooms, goods storage and loading areas, and hotel and parking areas.

The land station also includes a restaurant and high-tech cinema screening the evolution of life in the ocean and the history of underwater architecture. As a finale, the screen will open to reveal the real-life Hydropolis. A viewing platform at the front opening of the spanning roof will allow views of the architecture as well as the light shows of Hydropolis.

MARINE ARCHITECTURE

This structure promises to be a conceptual as well as a physical landmark. While human beings accept the existence of water, we have only a superficial appreciation of its significance. "We waste it, go swimming in it and generally take it for granted," says Hauser. "Humans could actually live self-sufficiently underwater, generating energy, nurturing food supplies and so on. This is why we are starting a foundation to demonstrate something of the importance of water in our lives.

"My general plan was to create a living space in the sea. My initial proposal was a deep-sea project, which looked very different. I had to adjust to the local reality of the natural surroundings and change to a shallow-water construction.

"We want to create the first ever faculty for marine architecture because I believe that the future lies in the sea, including the future of city planning. I am certain that one day a whole city will be built in the sea. Our aim is to lay the first mosaic by colonising the sea."

Hauser plans to incorporate many different elements associated with the sea. The cosmetics will be ocean-based, the cinemas will screen films that focus on aquatic themes and a children's seaworld will educate as well as entertain.


He views his creation as a place where those who do not dive – or do not even swim – can experience the tranquillity and inspiration of the underwater world. "We are expecting around 3,000 visitors a day in addition to the hotel guests. The aim is to inspire people to develop a new awareness of the sea."

As well as emphasising the positive aspects of water, Hauser also believes we are systematically destroying marine life, and thus wishes to draw attention to various dangers and problems, such as the loss of algae and the destruction of the coral reefs.


Article here.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Copier Sales Training - Role Playing

2008

Ring...ring...

Have a great T-Giving!

I saw this on the Caskey Site and it is funny.

One of the most favorite sales training activities ever...RolePlaying...enjoy

HCL Technologies Hosts Over 500 of the Top Minds

HCL - Unstructure 2008, "...an annual compendium of thoughts..."

I posted earlier about the HCL/Xerox partnership, and managed print services. The following is a rather long press release regarding HCL's annual meeting.

The speaker list is impressive and the goals of the get together capacious. The overall theme is Green, Sustainability and the Global Economic landscape.

Press release

ORLANDO, FL -- (Marketwire) -- 11/25/08 -- More than 500 of the top business minds in the world discussed, debated and collaborated in Orlando last week about how to engage in a successful, sustainable, environmentally conscious business in the wake of the current global economic slowdown as HCL Technologies Ltd.(HCL) hosted its fourth-annual Global Customer Meet. Dubbed Unstructure 2008, the concept is an annual compendium of thoughts compiled from both the physical event and an online forum (www.unstructure.org) where participants have and will continue to exchange action-oriented ideas.

"The global economic slowdown has taken center stage and our physicalenvironment continues to deteriorate as businesses face the most challenging times since the Great Depression," said HCL CEO Vineet Nayar."We were fortunate at Unstructure this year to have high quality conversations to generate positive action that will help organizations and practitioners to reinvent their strategies for sustaining growth while also playing a significant role in saving our environment."

Highlighting HCL's global customer meet this year was a keynote address byformer U.S. Vice President Al Gore, who received the 2007 Nobel Prize for Peace for his efforts to enlighten the world community about the effects of global warming. During his address titled, "Thinking Green - Economic Strategy for the 21st Century," Gore hailed U.S. President-Elect Barack Obama for his support for the Green movement and told those in attendance that environmentally sound practices, once thought to be a draw on the bottom line, are today viewed not only as economically sound, but also as a necessity for sustainability of businesses.

In closing, Gore noted that in the future, our children will look back on the first years of this century and either say "what were you thinking, why didn't you act," or, "how did you find the courage to rise up and solve the problem?" "I hope they say the latter," he closed. "We have everything we need to solve this problem except political will but political will is a renewable resource."

Gore's keynote underscored HCL's larger Go Green! Initiative, which was omnipresent at Unstructure. In addition to the green-focused keynote, HCL made Unstructure both a paper-free and carbon-neutral event, the latter accomplished by purchasing carbon offsets from Carbonfund.org to compensate for the estimated 1,500 metric tons of carbon emissions that would be emitted by guests and HCL employees in attendance. HCL also arranged to plant 650 oak trees -- roughly one for each guest and HCLite in attendance-- on 2.8 acres of land in the Western Himalayas to help sustain the natural habitat of the oak silk worm, whose open-ended cocoons become "FreeSilk" -- meaning it was harvested after the moths had abandoned their cocoons -- which was used to create the hand-crafted silk scarves that were presented to attendees as gifts.

In addition to Gore's discussion, Unstructure participants listened to keynote addresses by Xerox Chairman and CEO Anne Mulcahy, and world-renowned author and Management Educator Gary Hamel. In her address, "Sustainability: A New Business Paradigm," Mulcahy described how to balance economic and environmental priorities, noting that creating a holistic balance between these goals is now the key to long-term sustainability. Hamel spoke about the "Future of Management," including innovative new ways of mobilizing talent, allocating resources, and formulating strategies.

"There's a company whose entire management model is built on the principle of reverse accountability; that is a pretty radical thought," said Hamel."I think Vineet Nayar has said, 'The value is created at the interface between employees and customers. Our job as leaders is to do everything we can to enable that value to be created, and to do that you cannot have an old command and control kind of management system.'"

Unstructure also served as a platform for a number of key news announcements released by HCL and its partners. Among the announcements made at Unstructure were:

-- HCL Advances Go Green! Initiative with Carbon Neutral Global Customer Meet: announced HCL's plans to offset carbon emissions with carbon offsets purchased from Carbonfund.org and to plant 650 trees in the Himalayas.

-- HCL Technologies and TIBCO Expand Global Alliance: announced the expansion of HCL's strategic alliance with TIBCO Software Inc. (NASDAQ: TIBX) to include new and updated HCL solution frameworks for Business Process Management (BPM), Complex Event Processing (CEP) and Service Oriented Architecture (SOA).

-- Xerox and HCL Technologies Announce Global Partnership: Xerox announced a strategic global alliance with HCL where HCL will serve as a systems integrator for Xerox's managed print services offering, which helps companies control office print environments to achieve continual cost savings and productivity gains.

-- Raiffeisen International Becomes the Latest Financial Institution to Benefit from Misys and HCL Development Partnership: Misys announced that its partnerships with HCL will provide Raiffeisen International with an outsourced, flexible resource to support development needs of its new banking products and more efficiently maintain its existing products as it grows its global business.

Misys and HCL have now agreed to expand the partnership to the Americas, Europe and the rest of the Asia Pacific region following the success of the alliance. The companies signed a Go to Market agreement, at a signing ceremony at Unstructure in Orlando, Florida.

While the event was punctuated with A-list speakers and important news, the majority of Unstructure was devoted to panel discussions focused on topics that included surviving and thriving in the global economy, management innovations and environmental issues. Some of the panel discussion highlights included:

-- Aligning IT to Business: discussed not only the threats, but also the opportunities created by the new models rising out of the economic downturn with an eye toward the practices businesses should follow to ensure sustainability

.-- Taking Advantage of Emerging Markets: addressed the increasing focus in recent years on the opportunities and challenges posed by the E7, or emerging market economies, such as China, India, Brazil, Russia, Indonesia, Mexico and Turkey, to the established G7 economies in the U.S., Japan, Germany, UK, France, Italy and Canada. The panel discussed the different approaches companies must take in terms of R&D, supply chain, manufacturing and the entire front office to optimize business opportunities in these emerging markets.

-- Unlocking and Monetizing Innovation: looked at whether employees should be encouraged to contribute to the betterment of their professions, even though such efforts very often do not have direct impact on their current jobs and employers, and whether or not this is the type of practice that makes innovation possible.

-- Creating a Lean Business: discussed how lean principles being applied to manufacturing today have resulted in tremendous efficiencies without sacrificing quality or superior market positions for their proponents and questions whether IT companies can apply the same principles to reverse their trends of misutilized computing power, wasted software spending, reduction in quality of infrastructure support and general inconsistencies in performance.

-- Aligning Employees with Business: looked at the incongruities of employee self-interest versus the interests of the organization and tried to answer not only if the two could be mitigated, but also if a more egalitarian form of management that places the employee first is the key to optimizing business outcomes.

While the physical event of Unstructure 2008 concluded last week, its second platform -- the online discussion -- will continue indefinitely.Those interested in the presentations, discussions and ideas that were generated from the physical event can learn more about them or continue intheir discussion by visiting www.unstructure.org.

The output of the event will be the "Unstructure Ask Book" -- a compendium of insight and action ideas collected for businesses to use as an"Evolution" manifesto.

For more information on the Global Meet, including the detailed agenda,please visit: http://www.hcltech.com/global-meet2008/.

About HCL Technologies

HCL Technologies is a leading global IT services company, working with clients in the areas that impact and redefine the core of their businesses. Since its inception into the global landscape after its IPO in 1999, HCL focuses on 'transformational outsourcing,' underlined by innovation and value creation, and offers integrated portfolio of services including software-led IT solutions, remote infrastructure management, engineering and R&D services and BPO.

HCL leverages its extensive global off shore infrastructure and network of offices in 19 countries to provide holistic,multi-service delivery in key industry verticals including Financial Services, Manufacturing, Aerospace & Defense, Telecom, Retail & CPG, Life Sciences & Healthcare, Media & Entertainment, Travel, Transportation &Logistics, Automotive, Government and Energies & Utilities.

HCL takes pride in its philosophy of 'Employee First' which empowers our 52,714transformers to create a real value for the customers. HCL Technologies,along with its subsidiaries, had consolidated revenues of US$ 2.0 billion(Rs. 8300 crores), as on 30th September 2008. For more information, please visit www.hcl.in

About HCL Enterprise

HCL is a $5 billion leading Global Technology and IT Enterprise thatcomprises two companies listed in India -- HCL Technologies & HCL Infosystems. The 3-decade-old Enterprise, founded in 1976, is one of India's original IT garage start-ups. Its range of offerings spans Product Engineering, Custom & Package Applications, BPO, IT Infrastructure Services, IT Hardware, Systems Integration, and distribution of ICT products. The HCL team comprises over 56,000 professionals of diverse nationalities, who operate from 19 countries including 360 points of presence in India. HCL has global partnerships with several leading Fortune1000 firms, including leading IT and Technology firms. For more information, please visit www.hcl.in

HP announced profits of $2.7 billion on sales of $33.6 billion

PALO ALTO, Calif., Nov 24, 2008 (BUSINESS WIRE) --

--Fiscal 2008 net revenue up 13%, or $14.1 billion, to $118.4 billion

--Fourth quarter GAAP operating profit up 4% to $2.7 billion; $0.84 earnings per share, up from $0.81 a year earlier

--Fourth quarter non-GAAP operating profit up 21% to $3.4 billion; $1.03 earnings per share, up from $0.86 a year earlier

--Fourth quarter cash flow from operations of $3.3 billion; fiscal 2008 cash flow from operations of $14.6 billion, up 52% from a year earlier

--Closed EDS acquisition; integration on track

HPQ 35.70, +1.06, +3.1%) today announced financial results for its fourth fiscal quarter ended Oct. 31, 2008, with net revenue of $33.6 billion, up 19% from a year earlier and up 16% when adjusted for the effects of currency. Excluding EDS revenue, net revenue grew 5% year over year or 2% when adjusted for the effects of currency.

Imaging and Printing Group

Imaging and Printing Group (IPG) revenue declined 1% to $7.5 billion. Supplies revenue grew 9%, while Commercial hardware revenue and Consumer hardware revenue declined 10% and 21%, respectively. Printer unit shipments decreased 8%, with Consumer printer hardware units down 8% and Commercial printer hardware units down 9%. Operating profit was $1.2 billion, or 15.5% of revenue, versus $1.1 billion, or 14.5% of revenue, in the prior-year period.

"HP capped off a strong year by delivering another solid quarter led by strength in our services segment and disciplined expense management," said Mark Hurd, HP chairman and chief executive officer. "Our global reach, broad portfolio, numerous cost initiatives and consistent execution differentiate HP in the current economic environment."

Xerox and The Magic Paper -

"Re-usable" paper -

Recently, from an article in Newsweek, I read about Xerox and magic.

Magic Paper. To be precise - ultraviolet light paper.

Sophie Vanderbroek, who I wrote of back in May, presents this paper by writing an 'x' with an ultraviolet light pen and the 'x' appears - then she heats the paper with a hair dryer and the 'x' dissolves; just like the old Xerox logo...

It's another effort by Xerox to someday help people conserve paper because the Magic Paper is reusable.

Says Sophie, ""We're the company that created information overload," For years everyone one has talked about the paperless office,but as most of us know, consumption of paper has increased 40 percent. "We're looking for radical solutions [by] asking ourselves, 'What does it mean to be radically green?' " Vandebroek says.

Here's the "411" on the technology behind the Magic Paper -

"The paper developed by Xerox includes photochromic compounds (such as spiropyran) which exhibit heliochromic properties. That is, they darken when exposed to U.V. radiation and fade in the absence of U.V. light. Photochromic compounds are used in the manufacturing of certain sunglasses due to their ability to darken and regain their transparency quickly. However, a distinct difference from sunglasses is that Xerox’s erasable paper can remain darkened for many hours. The U.V. light source, called a light bar, is integrated into a printer which illuminates specific parts of the erasable paper, creating the desired text or image on the paper. The printer can also erase the paper using a different wavelength—making the paper reusable..."

It's all About the Molecules -

The paper contains specially-coded molecules that create a print after being exposed to ultraviolet light emitted from a thin bar in a printer. The molecule readjusts itself within 24 hours to its original form to delete the print, or heat can readjust the molecule instantly. The molecule was developed by Xerox - Agam Shah, Techworld

And It's all About Being Green to Make Green -

In an expanding effort for companies to "out green" each other it looks like all things business can be "Greenified" - and all green projects will save money.

From the Newsweek article -


"Some of the savings arise from pretty simple stuff. Instead of giving each worker a desktop printer, for example, companies can consolidate and use networked printers. They'll install multifunction machines that can replace separate printers, copiers and fax machines. Another trick: create a print-on-demand system for brochures, forms and other corporate literature, to avoid printing up thousands of copies and storing them until they are needed—or thrown out when they're not. Owens Corning outsourced its print operations to Xerox and saved $1.5 million a year by adopting a print-on-demand strategy. Its system now lets building contractors go online to print customized brochures about Owens Corning products. That saves money for Owens Corning and also lets contractors deliver material that's tailored to each customer..."

"I'm in a funny business—I'm looking for ways that companies can print less," says John Kelly, president of global services at Xerox. "Printing is not going to go away, but we think you have to print more efficiently, and when you do print, print stuff that's relevant. We know that if we do that we can continue to grow."

And Wall Street agrees, "We care about how it positions them competitively, and customers are asking for it. So at the very least it's good marketing," says Shannon Cross, analyst at Cross Research, an independent stock-research firm.

The biggest reason that green solutions are popular is that they're really about saving money, says Angèle Boyd, analyst at researcher IDC. "Frankly, what the customer is benefiting from is a reduction in cost, but at the same time they get the benefit of a reduction in their carbon footprint," Boyd says.

Vandebroek says, "It's still a research project," and she is also the one who said, "...within the research and development community at Xerox, we no longer do any work on photocopiers..."

Five Reasons HP Is OutPerforming The Market

I grabbed this post off of the Blog over at Channel Web

BLOGS
The Channel Wire
November 18, 2008

Five Reasons HP Is OutPerforming The Market

With many technology companies posting disappointing results in the midst of the economic downturn, Hewlett-Packard Tuesday released an upbeat preliminary fourth-quarter forecast.

The world's largest supplier of IT products and services said its expects that revenue for the quarter ended Oct. 31 jumped 19 percent and earnings grew 4 percent. HP shares were up 10 percent or $2.96 to $32.31 in midday trading on the good news.

HP gave no details on specific product segments or geographies but said its revenue for the period ended Oct. 31 reached $33.6 billion, a 19 percent jump over year-earlier sales. For the year, net revenue was up 13 percent to $118.4 billion. The sales figures exclude the impact of HP's recent acquisition of EDS.

Here are five reasons HP is outperforming the market.

1. HP CEO Mark Hurd

He isn't infallible or the new Messiah, but he is pretty darn good. He's made a string of key acquisitions this year, capped off by EDS and LeftHand Networks. But his most important trait is that he's constantly visiting and listening to customers. And he keeps his closest counsel with his biggest customer: the channel. Hurd regularly makes one-on-one visits to solution providers both large and small. He asks questions. He listens. He motivates. No other CEO of a major technology company keeps as close to the channel as Hurd.

2. HP's Diverse Product Portfolio

From the desktop to the data center. From printers to routers. From network management to asset management software. HP products span the technology spectrum. At $118 billion, this is truly a one-stop shop. And now with its $13.9 billion acquisition of services giant EDS, HP has the people power and services muscle to do it all. Take note that even with the biggest and broadest portfolio in the business and a boatload of services people, HP embraces the channel. Bottom line: HP gets that it's a solutions game. And solutions means channel.

3. Committed Channel

HP has worked hard over the past several years to hone its channel strategy to focus on a mutually profitable relationship with solution providers. It hasn't always succeeded or delivered on its promises, but it's shown a willingness to fix things on the fly rather than letting channel problems fester. it is the biggest and yet it is the most channel-cognizant. One big reason is that Hurd views the channel as an extended sales force. He understands sales and he wants his partners out there in the front lines winning over new customers.

4. Maniacal Focus On Profitable Growth

No other company right now has a sharper focus on profitable growth than HP. Hurd is closing out his fourth year at the company and his drive and determination to do things more efficiently and profitably in everything HP does has resulted in a new and more inventive HP. That "profitable growth" mantra has everyone at HP working toward a common goal. It's a, 'Hit your number or hit the road,' proposition. That is a good thing, especially as we come into what looks like the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression. Look for HP to buck the trend and beat the bad news blues.

5. Full Speed Ahead With R & D

Based on his long list of acquisitions, some observers might think Hurd's R&D budget consists in snapping up smaller, innovative companies. Not so. HP has remained on top of the technology heap in part because of its willingness to invest in product innovation. The company's multibillion-dollar R&D effort and the company's cultural legacy of building better products is a huge differentiator. HP products are more often than not better engineered, designed and performing than the competitive product sets. Take Blades. "Blade everything" isn't just a marketing slogan at HP; it's a technology commitment.

---------- End Post ------

Points 1 and 3 resonate- Hurd and the Channel, great combo...

Ricoh and IBM into InfoPrint and Now, rIKON -

Pssst...their going after the guys in I.T, not Purchasing...What? You didn't see this coming?

Back in Time - Friday, June 8, 2007

Ricoh counts on InfoPrint Solutions for growth...

Ricoh Co. Ltd. foresees job growth and increased market share for InfoPrint Solutions Co., its new Boulder hub for Ricoh's high-volume printer business.

That's notable at a time many computer industry mergers end in layoffs and closed facilities.

In the past two and a half years, Tokyo-based Ricoh bought the high-volume printer units of Hitachi and Danka Europe, now Infotec.

Its $725 million purchase of controlling interest in IBM Corp.'s printer division in Boulder -- renamed as InfoPrint Solutions -- is its biggest yet.

The move promises to give Ricoh a shot at a leading market-share position in sales of high-volume printers after years of being a behind-the-scenes manufacturer of parts for machines sold by other companies.

"We want contact with end-users -- customers -- so we can understand their needs to improve our offerings and grow our market share," said Katsuya "Kevin" Ochiai, InfoPrint Solution's vice president for strategy and business development.

Ochiai is one of four executives transferred from Ricoh offices in Japan to Boulder the week of May 28 to run InfoPrint Solutions.

Ricoh owns 51 percent of the Boulder-based venture. Its stake will grow in the next three years until it's InfoPrint Solutions' sole owner.

The new company, which designs production printers used in print-on-demand publishing and mass-mail billing, is based at IBM's campus in Boulder and employs 550 people there. Its worldwide payroll includes 1,200 people in 18 countries. InfoPrint Solutions will bring on another 1,000 IBM employees in a year, most of them involved in maintenance.

IBM (NYSE: IBM) received $725 million June 4 and expects to record $250 million in sales in the next three years, it said in a Securities and Exchange Commission filing.

Ochiai predicted InfoPrint will maintain 7 percent to 8 percent annual growth. If things go well, the company could double its $1 billion in annual revenue in five years, he said.

The company will use IBM's global sales force in the next three years while InfoPrint cultivates its own, and how well that goes will drive its near-term success, Ochiai said.

...acquiring InfoPrint gives Ricoh access to enterprise-level clients it didn't have before and products with a lot of customer loyalty behind them, he said.

"How you see this deal has a lot to do with your perspective," Hamilton said.

InfoPrint has a good chance of meeting its growth goals, he said. The key will be the company's ability to maintain IBM's reputation for quality and establish an effective sales force, he said.
-------

Friday, February 2, 2007

Selloff of IBM printing division could mean good news

IBM announced on Jan. 25 that it will sell its printing division to Ricoh -- creating a separate company that will be based in Boulder.

Richo initially will acquire 51 percent of the joint venture, called InfoPrint Solutions Co., for $725 million in cash and

will progressively acquire the remaining interests from IBM over the next three years as the company morphs into a fully owned subsidiary of Ricoh.

With Boulder becoming the worldwide headquarters of InfoPrint, the office will likely create more positions related to development, marketing, product management and maintenance, Paterra said.
------
2007-06-14

Ricohs InfoPrint Ready for Print Market By Patrick Hoffman

InfoPrint Solutions Company, a joint venture between Ricoh and IBM, has announced it is ready for business.

InfoPrint Solutions Company, formerly IBMs Printing Systems division but soon to be owned by Ricoh, announced recently that it was ready for business.

Ricoh is buying IBMs Printing Systems division over the course of three years, an arrangement which gives Ricoh access to IBMs production printing software and provides Ricoh a way to market their MFPs (multifunctional products) and printer-based products. Under the terms of the agreement, Ricoh will own 51 percent of the joint company and IBM will own the remaining 49 percent.

"Our focus is to provide solutions that focus on quality of output and total cost of operations that improves a customers environment whether it be an office or commercial environment," said Bob Kilcullen, senior vice president and general manager at the Boulder, Colo.-based InfoPrint Solutions.

Kilcullen pointed out that although IBM had been involved with the printing industry for a number of years, it was not their main focus.

"It was a question of focus as IBM has been involved with the printing industry for a number of years, but it was not their main stream of activity," Kilcullen said. "Printing is the core business for Ricoh so it made a lot of sense to move the printing business to Ricoh."

According to Susan Lyon, research director of Hardcopy Peripherals and Document Solutions at the Framingham, Mass.-based technology research firm IDC, the IBM-Ricoh arrangement has two main benefits for Ricoh.

"[Ricoh] now has access to the services and solutions expertise that will especially be attractive to IT decision makers in all types of enterprises,"

she said, "as well as access to future transaction print high-speed color products and workflow solutions that IBM was developing with partners and internally."

Since InfoPrint Solutions inception, the company has released a number of new products including the IP5000 high-speed, full-color offering for the production environment that produces more than 900 full-color images per minute as well as a new family of light production cut sheet products ranging from 90 to 135 images per minute.

"We want to deliver broader solutions to the marketplace and we are in a position to extend in the print business," Kilcullen said.

"With InfoPrint Solutions, Ricoh will have added a strong product pipeline of production equipment and related services and workflow solutions," Lyon said. "It will be great for the industry that there is a player with a keener focus on the printing industry. As in any industry, stronger players make the marketplace stronger."

-------

Is Ricoh/IKON poised for a major thrust into the IT and transactional printing space?

Will InfoPrint be enveloped into the rIKON PS world?

Will IKON A/E's be trained in the art of talking to IT or will this fall to Professional Services?

Can Ricoh use the existing InfoPrint client list to build upon?

How will IBM and HP respond to having a "copier company" targeting the same prospects and contacts?

How drôle...

PC Magazine Dropping Print for Online -

Dr. Egon Spengler lives on...

PC Magazine has been reporting on the personal computer since 1982- I remember the first time I saw an issue - it had something to do with printing...

Today, the magazine announced it was dropping its print edition next year - you will be able to find the magazine, online only.

"Moving our flagship property to an all-digital format is the final step in an evolutionary process that has been playing out over the last seven years," Ziff Davis Media chief executive Jason Young said.

"Since 2000, online has been the focal point where technology buyers get their information, and technology marketers are directing their dollars to drive demand and build their brands.

"We have been carefully preparing for this step and are fortunate to have a digital business that has the scale, profit, and opportunity to carry the brand powerfully into the future," he said.

Xerox and HCL Technologies Announce Global Partnership - Who in The World is HCL?

ROCHESTER, N.Y., Nov 19, 2008 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Xerox Corporation (XRX:
Xerox Corporation

XRX 5.58, -0.48, -7.9%) today announced a strategic global alliance with HCL Technologies, a leading global IT services company. HCL will serve as a systems integrator for Xerox's managed print services offering -- which helps companies control their office print environment to achieve continual cost savings and productivity gains.

"The partnership with HCL will open new opportunities for Xerox in this high-growth market while bringing sustainable business benefits to more customers worldwide," said Stephen Cronin, president, Xerox Global Services.

The joint, go-to-market offering combines Xerox Office Services and systems with HCL's desktop management and infrastructure expertise to help enterprises gain control of printing, copying and other document-related costs. Effectively managing the office can lead to reduced print costs; faster and easier management of documents; lower compliance and security risks; a higher level of service to end users; and environmental benefits.

"This partnership represents an opportunity to transform the way enterprise print environments are managed," said Anant Gupta, president, HCL Technologies Infrastructure Services Division. "With the collaborative efforts of two market leaders we will create new, value-added solutions that will drive additional efficiencies throughout the office setting."

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I find this very interesting. Can you see the pattern?

EDS and Xerox had a relationship until HP bought EDS. HP has direct inroads to IT departments. Leveraging this position into MPS opportunities.

And now, on the surface, it looks like Xerox may be trying to chip away at MPS engagements via the IT department -

until I looked at HCL.

Off their site, "...HCL focuses on 'transformational outsourcing', underlined by innovation and value creation, and offers integrated portfolio of services including software-led IT solutions, remote infrastructure management, engineering and R&D services and BPO..."

"Transformational outsourcing"? The definition, here.

So, let me get this straight - HCL is a "transformational outsourcer" from India...right...ok...sure...

I guess we may need to wait and see on this one.


P.S. - Here is a post by Vineet Nayar, the CEO of HCL about Leadership - it's a good read.

Webster's Xerox plant will soon produce a new kind of toner

In a post earlier this month, I reported Xerox shutting down toner production in Oklahoma City - Today, reports of new toner production at the Webster Plant.

Six, 25,000-gallon tanks were seen hoisted up and lowered into position at the Xerox plant in Webster.

The tanks are needed for the production of Xerox's new, Ultra Low-Melt EA toner.

“With the new tanks, we expect the Webster plant to start producing the Ultra Low Melt EA Toner sometime next year,” said Edouard Langlois, project manager for the Xerox Consumables, Development and Manufacturing Group. “Installation of these tanks will give this plant the flexibility to meet the demand for both first and second generation EA toners, and it will help Xerox deliver the most energy-efficient document management solutions for its customers.”

As with most of the newer, advanced toner, this Ultra Low-Melt is chemically grown instead of the older method of air-jet, pulverizing plastic.

EA (Emulsion Aggregation) Ultra Low-Melt is made of a combination of plastics and wax.

This toner melts as much as 45 degrees lower than Xerox's standard EA toner, resulting in devices using less power; between 15 percent to 30 percent less.

“This was the most difficult toner design we ever worked on,” said Hadi Mahabadi, Xerox vice president and manager of XRCC. “We had to push the envelope to the limit to achieve lower melting temperature and higher gloss while keeping other performance the same as or better than current EA toner.”

Ultra Low-Melt was developed by Xerox researchers in Canada in collaboration with Fuji Xerox Co., the Tokyo-based joint venture between Xerox and Fuji Photo Film Co. Xerox had been purchasing the toner from Fuji Xerox but is doing the addition so it can produce its own, Xerox spokesman Bill McKee said.

Xerox Laying Off - Ceases Toner Production

HP Really Doesn't Like it when you Fool With Their Ink - Really.

HP Resolves Ink Cartridge Patent Infringement with LexJet Corporation

HP (NYSE:HPQ) today announced that it has resolved the dispute and dismissed a patent infringement lawsuit against Florida-based LexJet Corporation and LexJet Southern California, LLC, regarding inks used in certain remanufactured HP large-format ink cartridges.

On May 22, 2008, HP filed a lawsuit against LexJet in the U.S. Federal Court for the Northern District of California.

HP and the ink manufacturer supplying ink to LexJet have developed a solution to avoid legal action. LexJet’s ink manufacturer has agreed to reformulate the inks in question and pay HP an undisclosed amount of money.

"HP is pleased to have resolved this matter quickly, and we remain committed to vigorously protecting our investment in intellectual property,” said Stephen Nigro, senior vice president, Inkjet and Web Services Business, Imaging and Printing Group, HP. "As part of HP’s ongoing worldwide testing and enforcement efforts, we will continue to monitor LexJet and others for possible patent infringement.