Technology

'Gamata IT' launched in Sabaragamuwa

Microsoft Sri Lanka's groundbreaking 'Gamata IT' initiative, a series of activities aimed at taking Information Technology to the most remote rural communities of Sri Lanka, is another step in the Company's long-term journey to making IT accessible to all Sri Lankans.

IT Eager R/Yakdehiwatta Vidyalaya students 2. Country Manager of Microsoft Sri Lanka, Sriyan de Silva Wijeyeratne addressing the gathering at the launch of the Gamata IT programme 3. Country Manager of Microsoft Sri Lanka, Sriyan de Silva Wijeyeratne inaugurating the MultiPoint technology enabled classroom at the R/Yakdehiwatta Vidyalaya.

The inaugural Microsoft 'Gamata IT' town storming event, held in Nivithigala on October 11, commenced under the auspices of Sabaragamuwa Provincial Council Minister Ramyakumara Weerasinghe, and other dignitaries representing the Ratnapura District, the Secondary Education Modernization Project II of the Ministry of Education, the Information and Communication Technology Agency of Sri Lanka (ICTA) and Microsoft Sri Lanka.

Sabaragamuwa Provincial Council Minister Ramyakumara Weerasinghe acknowledging the Gamata IT initiative said `Microsoft Sri Lanka's Gamata IT is a pivotal program enabling the rural community to face the future with confidence. IT is a valuable tool which enriches skills and talent, the Government of Sri Lanka fully endorses the initiative which facilitates the Year of English and IT'.

The event, which had its operational epicentre at the Nivithigala Nenasala, featured the corner stone of the Gamata IT program - the revolutionary Sinhala Language Interface Pack for Microsoft Office 2007 and Windows Vista. Microsoft also donated genuine Windows Vista and Microsoft Office 2007 software to the Nivithigala Nenasala Centre, exposing the users to a genuine software experience. The Gamata IT initiative also saw Microsoft Sri Lanka distributing free copies of the comprehensive Sinhala Glossary of IT Terms used in Windows Vista and Office 2007, along with Sinhala keyboard stickers to all the participants at the event held at Nivithigala Nenasala.

Sanjeewa Kumaratunga Manager of the Nivithigala Nenasala said, 'I am thankful to Microsoft Sri Lanka for selecting Nivithigala for the inaugural Gamata IT initiative, running under the banner of 'global knowledge to the village'. We promise to provide training classes and other ICT services as well act as a hub of local, national and global information resources whereby we become a catalyst for rural communities in poverty alleviation, social and economic development and peace building. Our aim is to provide these services in a long-term, sustainable manner'.

As part of the Gamata IT initiative Microsoft Sri Lanka was engaged in training and providing technical assistance to the residents of Nivithigala thus ensuring that they receive a strong foundation in basic Computing skills. Career guidance, hands on user exposure, and awareness creation sessions were also part of these training programmes. In addition the Sinhala translation of Microsoft's Unlimited Potential curricular was distributed free of charge to key stakeholder organizations. This will enable the youth in Nivithigala to enrol for a course on Computer Fundamentals at the Nenasala Centre, taught using the world recognized UP curricula in either English or Sinhala.

Speaking about the launch of the Gamata IT programme Country Manager of Microsoft Sri Lanka, Sriyan de Silva Wijeyeratne, said 'The Gamata IT initiative is designed to take Information Technology to the most remote areas of the country and provide access and training to communities who may have had little or no access to IT.

We are thankful to the Government of Sri Lanka, the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Science and Technology, ICTA, Singer Sri Lanka and all our partners who joined forces to make this far-reaching vision a reality. My team looks forward to making an unforgettable and long-lasting footprint on rural Sri Lanka through these efforts. This is a new chapter for the future of Sri Lanka'.

Other activities carried out by Microsoft Sri Lanka under the Gamata IT banner included a training session conducted at the Nivithigala Provincial Council for over 60 Government officials from the area, who were awarded certificates at the event. The donation of the revolutionary MultiPoint technology enabled classroom to the children of R/Yakdehiwatta Vidyalaya can be considered the most significant outcome of this ground breaking initiative. Microsoft Sri Lanka will be providing further teacher and student training to the R/Yakdehiwatta Vidyalaya.

Mr. U.A.G. Hettiarachchi Principal of R/Yakdehiwatta Vidyalaya speaking at this momentous occasion said 'Our school is blessed to experience this new technology, the installation of the MultiPoint system will immensely benefit our children, they will be able to practice curriculum through the click of a mouse; granting exposure to digital learning. Microsoft MultiPoint enables one computer to serve many students simultaneously. Using multiple computer mice that drive uniquely-designed on-screen cursors, Microsoft MultiPoint allows about 30 students to simultaneously use and learn from educational software on one computer. This creates an active, collaborative learning experience that engages each and every student'.

HP helps SMBs 'make it count'

HP has the potential to grow in Sri Lanka and we are expanding our market share though the global economy is recovering in areas such as Stock Markets every cent still counts, said Director Consumer and Web Solutions Business Imaging and Printing Group South East Asia P.V. Wishvanath.

Any company sets aside 1-3 percent of its revenue as printing costs and this is a huge cost for small and medium businesses which face many challenges such as local competition, growing revenue and improving local productivity.

The two printers launched by HP will reduce the costs in the first year alone will save 50 per cent. He said over three years, the company can save 55 per cent of the total printing costs.

HP (Hewlett Packard) showcased its printing solutions and programs to help small and medium businesses (SMBs) obtain more value from their IT investments in this challenging economic climate.

Aimed at helping SMBs urgently address increasing budgetary pressures, the new suite of printing solutions and programs enables SMBs to reduce printing costs and energy use, leverage print management tools to further reduce costs, and renew their printer fleet.

SMBs can expect to reduce business costs with the new HP officejet pro series which deliver up to 50 percent cost-per-page (CPP) and energy savings compared to laser printers. The new printers can improve business productivity for a lower price than a colour laser.

"When everything counts for cost-cutting in today's challenging business environment, HP wants to do its part in helping SMB customers to alleviate the considerable cost and cash-flow pressures and better manage their imaging and printing costs with our innovative portfolio of print solutions, tools and programs".

The new printers enhance performance and reliability with embedded wired and wireless networking.

Microsoft launches Windows 7 Operating System

Microsoft launched its Windows 7 Operating System - the latest version of Microsoft Windows for use on personal computers, including home and business desktops, laptops, tablet PCs and media center PCs.

Windows 7 was released to manufacturers on July 22, with general retail availability set for October 22, less than three years after the release of its predecessor, Windows Vista. Windows 7's server counterpart; Windows Server 2008 R2, was released in parallel to the global product launch held recently.

Windows 7 is projected to be a more focused, incremental upgrade to the Windows line, with the goal of being fully compatible with applications and hardware with which Windows Vista is already compatible. Manoji Samararatne, Marketing Director for Microsoft Sri Lanka said, 'The introduction of Microsoft Windows 7, built fully around customer feedback, highlights Microsoft's commitment towards our faithful customers and their requirements. Windows 7 is the easiest, fastest, and most engaging version of Windows yet.'

Produced to the theme 'Your PC Simplified', users of Windows 7 will enjoy better ways to find and manage files, through the Jump Lists functions and improved taskbar previews, previews, bigger icons, pinning, and creative ways to personalize help the user to speed through everyday tasks. Added features like Windows Media Center and Windows Touch make are new features introduced to the consumer. Windows 7 supports the latest advances in PC hardware, like 64-bit computing and multi-core processors, and improved memory utilization helps your hardware reach its full performance potential.

With Windows 7, consumers across the world will experience more simplicity, more choice, and more value than any launch of an OS. Improvements in the user interface, performance and reliability translate to a wider range of innovations on PCs that run Windows 7. The taskbar has seen the biggest visual changes, where the Quick Launch toolbar has been replaced with pinning applications to the taskbar.