Technology

Software solutions for Lankan businesses

Chief Executive, Proteus Software, David Gray displays the product.

Proteus Software and Kingslake partnered to provide software solutions for Sri Lankan businesses at a ceremony held in Colombo on Tuesday.

The two software companies will provide end-to-end solutions on consulting, software development, application integration, product design, research and development.

Chief Executive, Proteus Software, David Gray said, in a competitive global business environment access to right information is vital. Providing accurate financial control has been the hallmark for Proteus. "Through our best of breed products combined with industry expertise we deliver effective functional solutions for manufacturing, distribution, engineering and project management", Gary said.

Kingslake offers a full range of designs, manufacture and analysis solutions capable of transforming the development process.

"Intelligent asset management is a vital factor of a company's profitability.

Our asset management solutions are designed to keep business operations at optimal efficiency and peak profitability", an official of Kingslake said.

New net based software from Ridgecrest

Ridgecrest Asia (Pvt) Ltd. a leading software company recently introduced a range of new software solutions to the Sri Lankan market.

The internet based new solutions focused on financial, automobile, travel and entertainment industries.

Sanath Fernando

The chief technology officer of Ridgecrest Sanath Fernando said that these new technology solutions are based on LinkLk.com internet platform and will revolutionalize the internet usage in Sri Lanka.

Internet should be used to make the lives of the people better and easily deliver service to the people.

This will benefit both the consumer as well as the service providers.

However, each and every company cannot operate separate internet platforms to deliver their service and the rationale of the LinkLk is to provide a single platform for all Sri Lankan companies to deliver services to the customers..

LinkLK brings together like-minded people, providing a forum where the community is able to amplify and harness the strengths and capabilities of its constituent members.

LinkLK technologies provide a myriad of tools that assists our users with their day-to-day tasks.

The real power and value of LinkLK lies with our user base.

Sophisticated data warehouses constantly analyze community data, searching for patterns and statistics that may be of value to our users.

Access into this integrated world is through a single user log in which is common to all the services available in this platform and most importantly free to all individual users, Fernando said.

The modules currently available on the LinkLK Platform are; FinanceLK, AutosLK, CabsLK, TravelLK and TicketsLK.

In LinkLK innovation and creativity go hand in hand and we encourage the developer community to participate, contribute and grow with us as a community.

We are constantly on the look out for talented developers who can build on our ideas and give back to the community a complete product to simplify their lives, he said.

FinanceLK

FinanceLK provides spectrum of financial services.

It helps customers to keep track of all of their credit cards, bank accounts and keep balances at fingertips.

Fernando said that the use of FinanceLK is easy.

Unlike other sites, you don't have to download your bank account activity.

FinanceLK updates all your account information automatically.

So the customers always have the most current information available and therefore with FinanceLK, users can focus on making smart decisions.

FinanceLK is a simple one time set up that is always up to date and no book keeping is required.

It helps maintain utility bills and uses the data to track trends, assist preparation and maintenance of budgets with auto alerts on dues and track commodity trends.

Fernando said that except one foreign bank, all the commercial banks in Sri Lanka can be accessed through FinanceLK.

The services are provided to individual customers as well as corporate customers.

AutosLK

AutosLK is an automobile web portal that will meet every maintenance need of your vehicle.

AutosLK maintains all the details regarding a vehicle such as manufacture specifications, repair history, insurance and licensing information, accessories and spare parts, usage and service reports.

(GW)

Intel Core family of processors launched

Intel Corporation introduced its 2010 Intel Core family of processors, including Intel Turbo Boost Technology for laptops, desktops and embedded devices assuring unparalleled integration and performance. Intel is unveiling the industry's smartest and most advanced technology via several platform products including more than 25 processors, wireless adapters and chipsets, such as Intel Core i7, i5 and i3 processors, Intel 5 Series Chipsets, and Intel Centrino Wi-Fi and WiMAX adapters that include new Intel My WiFi features.

Computer makers are expected to create more than 400 laptop and desktop personal computer (PC) platforms and generate 200 designs for embedded devices based on these products.

The 2010 Intel Core processors are manufactured via the company's groundbreaking 32 nanometer (nm) manufacturing process which includes Intel's second-generation high-k metal gate transistors.

This system, along with other advances, helps increase a computer's speed while decreasing energy consumption.

Country Business Manager, Intel EM Limited - Sri Lanka Liaison Office Indika de Zoysa said, "The initial launch of Core i5 and i7 series of processes in Sri Lanka catalyzed the demand for high-end laptop and PC performance. Intel is ramping up its delivery of state-of-the-art technology through its 2010 family of processors which supports the development of numerous platforms and designs for desktop, mobile and embedded devices.

IIT students win gold at APICTA

Lahiru Lakmal Priyadarshana, a student of Informatics Institute of Technology (IIT), won the Gold Award in the Tertiary Category as well as the award for the Best Product developed using Open Source Tools for his iDisplay project. The latter was introduced for the first time at NBQSA.

Amani Soysa, also a student of IIT, was awarded the Bronze for her Chord A Tune Project.

Lahiru and Amani won these awards competing with the cream of software engineering students from more than five state universities and private institutes.

Lahiru and Amani were nominated to represent Sri Lanka at APICTA 2009, which was held recently in Melbourne, Australia, as part of the Asia Pacific Digital Innovation Summit. Lahiru and Amani won the prestigious merit awards, competing against more than 12 countries representing the Asia Pacific region, including Singapore, India, China, Australia and Malaysia.

The Asia Pacific ICT Awards (APICTA) is an international awards program which aims to increase ICT awareness in the Asian continent and assist in bridging the digital divide.

By providing networking and product benchmarking opportunities to ICT innovators and entrepreneurs in the region, the program was designed to stimulate ICT innovation and creativity, promote economic and trade relations, facilitate technology transfer, and offer business matching opportunities via exposure to venture capitalists and investors.

The goal of Lahiru's iDisplay is to identify a Computer Vision-Based Solution to Retrofit Existing Flat Displays into Interactive Surfaces.

Interactive interfaces provide novel ways of interaction by closely replicating the familiar hands-on experience of everyday object manipulation.

Unfortunately, most of the currently available interactive surfaces are based on infrared sensing and projection that necessitates a considerable monetary investment and a higher level of engineering knowledge. iDisplay is a solution to overcome these problems in a novel way with minimal cost and engineering efforts.

The hardware prototype of iDisplay includes a minimum number of hardware devices, a webcam and an LCD monitor.

Amani addresses the problem of harmonizing music, which is a tedious task for novice musicians.

Chord A Tune is a solution for the above dilemma that facilitates the harmonizing of a given melody allowing the user to incorporate emotional factor and genre choice. Chord A Tune uses a machine learning approach with Hidden Markov Model that generates the chord progression for a given melody by embedding the emotional factor.

Around 250 lead sheets were used to train this system, using a data driven and heuristic approach. Furthermore, Chord A Tune opens a path for research into chord progression generation for vocals, that takes into account the extraction of words, emotional factor and the tune from actual voice of the user.

The achievements of these students are an example of the strong foundation that IIT builds for its students which enables them to achieve their goals. It also portrays the devotion of the staff who are constantly at hand to guide their students.

INFOTEL exhibition in Jaffna

The Mini INFOTEL Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Exhibition under the theme of `Re-awakening with ICT' will be held from 26th to 28th February 2010 at the Vembady Girls High School with the objective of promoting ICT in the northern region.

TiGO (Pvt) Ltd has come forward as the sponsor of the largest ICT Expo to be held in Jaffna.

This was announced at the press conference convened by FITIS (Federation of Information Technology Industry Sri Lanka) held at the ICT Agency of Sri Lanka recently. The Mini INFOTEL exhibition in Jaffna will also feature an ICT career guidance program for northern youth. The ICT career guidance program is supported by the Information and Communication Technology Agency of Sri Lanka (ICTA) and the Ministry of Education.

`We are pleased to sponsor the Mini INFOTEL exhibition in Jaffna which is an important event added to Sri Lanka's ICT calendar. The Mini INFOTEL event in Jaffna will help to increase awareness of ICT among the northern youth', said Dumindra Ratnayake, CEO of Sri Lanka's pioneering mobile operator TiGO (Pvt) Ltd. `The INFOTEL bicycle race will no doubt add color and excitement to the INFOTEL in Jaffna', he further added. `We are delighted to have TiGO as the pinnacle sponsor of the INFOTEL Exhibition in Jaffna', said A. Jayaseelan, Acting Chairman - FITIS. "The ICT Agency (ICTA) has always been supporting our initiatives, and we are pleased that the Mini INFOTEL Jaffna career guidance program is being supported by ICTA.

FITIS aims to develop ICT and entrepreneurial skills among northern youth and promote information technology ventures in Jaffna' he continued.

"The INFOTEL Exhibition in Jaffna will help to integrate the northern youth into the mainstream society and development process by equipping them with the necessary IT skills to face the challenges of a modern world", said Dr. Ruwan Weerasinghe, Chairman of INFOTEL Society (Lanka) Ltd and Director, University of Colombo School of Computing (UCSC).

With the aim of developing the ICT skills of northern youth including those under rehabilitation programs, the training chapter of FITIS together with the Commissioner General of Rehabilitation will conduct English and Information Technology training programs at Thelippali and Vavuniya rehabilitation centres in parallel to the Jaffna INFOTEL Exhibition.

FITIS will also assist the Commissioner General of Rehabilitation to raise funds from the private sector to build ICT training facilities in Thelippalai, Welikanda, Vavuniya, and Mirisuvil rehabilitation centres.

In order to enhance the entrepreneurial skills of youth undergoing rehabilitation, FITIS - in collaboration with Ichiban Consultants of India - will conduct entrepreneurship and training programs to encourage innovative thinking, helping them to speedily and successfully re-integrate into society.

MphasiS Annual Report highlights expansion in Sri Lanka

India's fastest growing IT/BPO company, which is setting up a major investment in Sri Lanka has highlighted the venture in its latest annual report.

In its Annual Report for 2009, MphasiS has featured a quotation by Chairman/Director General of the Board of Investment, Dhammika Perera prominently, referring to the speed with which the BOI and MphasiS worked together to set up operations in the island.

'MphasiS came, saw and established its footprint in Sri Lanka in record time. Working closely with the BOI within three months of its first communication, MphasiS announced its decision to start operations in Sri Lanka on the 9th December 2009', Perera is quoted in the Annual Report.

This is the first major international launch for the seventh largest Indian IT/BPO company which is considered one of the most innovative and dynamic software companies in India.

The company's share price has quadrupled last year making it one of the best performing IT stocks in India.

In the CEO's message to shareholders, MphasiS head Ganesh Ayyar has highlighted the expansion to Sri Lanka as an example of its emerging global talent footprint. During his visit to Sri Lanka Ayyar met with the Minister of Enterprise Development and Investment Promotion and Mass Media and Information, Anura Priyadarshana Yapa who emphasized the Government's commitment to develop the IT/BPO/KPO sector.

The declaration of 2009 as the Presidential year of IT and English by the President Mahinda Rajapaksa, played a key role in MphasiS's decision to commit a major expansion in Sri Lanka. With the guidance of Dhammika Perera, the BOI team worked expeditiously to establish the MphasiS investment in Sri Lanka.

One of the highlights of the collaboration was the setting up of proactive strategic partnership with key educational institutes such as Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology (SLIIT) to ensure the ambitious employment requirements of the company are met.

MphasiS which will start its operations in May at Orion City IT Park in Dematagoda, will be one of the largest IT/BPO operations in Sri Lanka, eventually employing more than 2000 people.

The BOI has identified the knowledge-based sector (IT/BPO/KPO and Education) as a prime growth area for Sri Lanka that can complement and benefit from the explosive growth of the sector in India.

Hill country Nenasala students receive certificates

In the backdrop of Kandy being the venue for the 62nd official celebration of Independence and the 'Deyata Kirula' National Development Exhibition, 32 students who did the Nenasala computer course received certificates at the Nenasala in Kandy recently.

Manager of the relevant Nenasala, Ven. Etipola Mahinda Thera along with some of the recipients of certificates, the relevant Nenasla operators and ICTA project Manager, Gavashkar Subramanium.

This certificate awarding ceremony took place when Natha Dewalaya Viharaya Nenasala Centre held its first certificate awarding ceremony last Saturday. Among those who received certificates from Central Province Governor Tikiri Kobbekaduwa as the chief guest were chidlren, middle level and advanced level students who had completed the relevant courses at the Nenasala.

Participating at the ceremony Manager of the Nenasala, Ven. Etipola Mahinda Thera recounted the history of this Nenasala which was inaugurated in 2004 by the First Lady Shiranthi Rajapaksa.

Participating at the occasion ICTA Project Manager Gavashkar Subramanium said how the Nenasalas, the brainchild of President Mahinda Rajapaksa , had been instrumental in bringing the dividends of ICT to all, especially the rural youth.

Gavashkar also said that the Government was working on the target of implementing 1000 Nenasalas islandwide 2010.

Meanwhile, an ICTA-initiated model Nenasala stall at the District Secretariat building in Pallekele, Kandy forming part of 'Deyata Kirula' which gave the visitors an experience of the benefits available at the 600 Nenasalas islandwide.

Etisalat's global customer base reaches 94 million

Etisalat has increased its international subscriber base to over 94 million and expected the number to reach 100 million with operations covering nearly two billion people across its eighteen markets around the world.

`We have witnessed a significant increase in the number of subscribers which clearly indicates the strong performance of our operations in the UAE and internationally.

We will reach 100 million customers soon', said Mohammad Omran, Chairman of Etisalat.

Etisalat has managed to achieve growth in its revenues in the last three years faster than previous years allowing sufficient cash position to finance its operations and strategic expansions. As a result Etisalat became one of the few global telecos to maintain negative debt position. Etisalat has been highly rated by the three credit rating agencies with a stable outlook.

It has excelled in its operations with no adverse effects on the quality of services and has continued to spend where needed, whether it is on infrastructure such as fiber optic network, which will be accomplished in UAE in 2011 making Abu Dhabi the first city in the world be fully connected by this network, or in maintaining the quality of services and networks upgrades.

On the other hand Etisalat kept shareholders content with a cumulative annual growth in their earnings over the past years.

Etisalat has currently the largest international roaming network in the region with more than 520 operators around the world covering more than 190 countries.