TECHNOLOGY

Infotel 2010 from Sept 30 - Oct 4

Infotel 2010, the tenth edition of Sri Lanka’s premiere ICT exhibition and conference, will be from September 30 to October 4. Intel has once again partnered this path breaking ICT Expo and conference with the belief that it is the way to enhance the availability of technology and awareness throughout the island.

Infotel 2010 organised by the Federation of Information Technology Industry Sri Lanka (FITIS), will cover a series of events aimed at enhancing the technology landscape of Sri Lanka. Speaking on the significance of Infotel 2010 and Intel’s partnership with the event, Country Business Manager, Intel EM Ltd Indika de Zoysa said.

“This year is seeing a significant rise in the level of technology adoption throughout the island. Events like Infotel 2010 open up the world of IT to individuals who will use it to better the communities we live in, enhancing the scope and possibilities of development. We are proud to be a part of this initiative and look forward to continuing our partnerships with the organizations that are doing so much to enhance the future of Sri Lanka through technology for many years to come”.

The event will kick off on the eve of September 30 with an inauguration ceremony followed by the Infotel Forum at the BMICH.

A highlight of the Infotel 2010 exhibition is the declaration of a dedicated student’s day on October 4 when ICTA will conduct ICT career guidance seminars in order to create awareness on ICT career opportunities among the local student population. ICT career guidance seminars will also be held at the BMICH auditorium and about 10,000 students will be invited to these sessions through the Ministry of Education.

Students will get the opportunity to experience and learn about cutting edge technologies at the exhibition. Chairman Infotel 2010 Organizing Committee A.

Jayaseelan, emphasized the diversity and scope of the many events that will come together to form the 4 day event. “The Sri Lanka ICT Expo has been organized to coincide with the ICT week 2010.

This is no small undertaking and as such, we are very thankful to Intel for being a continuous source of inspiration and support”.

Some of the brand new technologies Intel will be showcasing at Infotel 2010 include its 2010 Intel Core family of processors with Intel Turbo Boost Technology for laptops, desktops and embedded devices assuring unparalleled integration and performance.

The event will also see Intel and its partners showcasing the industry’s smartest and most advanced technologies via several platform products.

The cessation of hostilities makes the 2010 Infotel a very special event.

With the country’s new found freedom and its apt theme ‘ITs About Growth’, Infotel 2010 would be an event not to be missed.

AppZone Mobile Applications competition launch

Etisalat and hSenid’s groundbreaking Mobile Application Eco-System, the AppZone will launch its AppZone mobile applications competition on September 28; giving University students one month to submit applications and compete in one of the most rewarding competitions to ever hit the Sri Lankan mobile sphere.

Since Etisalat partnered with hSenid Mobile in launching the country’s first Mobile Application platform, users were able to browse and download applications, in addition to significantly creating the opportunity for non-professional Sri-Lankan mobile application developers to create, test and sell their own unique applications.

As a following phase to this unique setting of the stage for all budding Sri-Lankan Mobile software developers to experience rapid development and commercialisation of their Mobile applications, teams from Etisalat and hSenid have held seminars and workshops in all leading graduate institutes in Sri Lanka, including the University of Colombo, Moratuwa, Kelaniya, Peradeniya, SLIIT and APIIT.

The sessions focusing on explaining the procedures, prospect and potential in terms of opportunity and revenue have seen impressive response with a better than expected turn out.

It is a unique business proposal as it opens a new breed of entrepreneurs amongst local application developers enhancing their presence in the region while enabling them to earn substantial revenues off their applications.

The AppZone mobile applications competition is two-faced, targeting IT students as well as the IT savvy public.

The University level contest will see an Internal Competition in the respective universities where the top three performers will win cash prizes, winner t-shirts and certificates.

The internal winners are then eligible for the all island inter-university competition for a sensational grand prize of an Apple i-pad.

In addition to trophies and certificates, the top three application designers will take home to their universities a significant library fund, courtesy Etisalat and hSenid.

The public competition aimed at getting the non-professional applications developer on board will see five content winners walking away with a victorious trophy, certificate and a Blackberry device each.

Developers can formulate within the categories; news, sports, games, information and fun.

Etisalat CEO, Dumindra Ratnayaka expressed excitement at the prospects offered by this competition, with hSenid Mobile providing the technology platform for the developer portal, Etisalat invites all Sri Lankan application developers to join the Revolution, by creating and submitting their mobile applications to the Etisalat-hSenid Mobile Application Developer Portal, as it paves the way for taking creations from one’s home to the global platform.

IDM launches six degree programs

by Surekha Galagoda

The IDM affiliated University College Trust has launched six degree programs, in affiliation with the University of Wolverhampton UK last week.

The Director Studies, IDM Computer Studies (Pvt) Ltd., Lionel Perera said that for the first time IDM will have a flying faculty where lecturers from the University will deliver lectures.

Dr. Bandu Ranasinghe

A General degree is not sufficient today and specialisation is needed to earn a higher salary. There is always a demand for specialisation from the time a student starts a degree program.

According to a survey by the Sri Lanka ICT Association (SLICTA) in the year 2007 the demand for IT graduates was 7672 while the education system could only provide ground 3,000 persons.

Hence, there is a dearth of IT graduates at any given time. Another reason for the scarcity is due to people seeking greener pastures. He said that once a person is armed with an IT degree and with two years of job experience they go in search of greener pastures. At present the trend has been reversed due to the global recession but sooner or later it will start again.

He said that IDM offers a job placement support scheme as well as a special division to improve the soft skills of graduates.

This helps them to go in for employment without delay.

He said that when students complete their first year of the degree program they should become employable and at IDM they will be encouraged to be armed with at least two years of experience by the time they passout.

Perera said that they have 55 branches islandwide including the North and the East while the first branch in Kandy was set-up in the late 1980’s.

He said that 15 branches are affiliated University Colleges which offer degree programs.

Perera said by offering foreign degrees locally the country saves valuable foreign currency while the degrees are of high value and at an affordable price.

IDM partnered with Chartis Insurance recently to offer the country’s first education protection scheme.

Initially IDM will offer the scheme to undergraduate and postgraduate students in the 14 branches, said Chairman, IDM Group of Companies Dr. Bandu Ranasinghe.

India launches mobile share trading

India has launched stock trading on mobile phones, hoping to capitalise on the country’s position as the world’s fastest-growing handset market by catering to tech-savvy investors.

Asia’s oldest stock market, the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), started trading in shares on mobile phones on Tuesday while the rival National Stock Exchange (NSE) plans to launch a similar service early next month.

Trading on mobile phones is picking up globally, particularly in Asia, where equity markets are on the rebound from the global financial meltdown of 2008.

The new form of trading kicked-off in India as share prices hit a near three-year high, led by strong overseas fund inflows and optimism that Asia’s third-largest economy could grow at nearly nine percent in coming years.

Both the BSE and NSE have tied up with local mobile phone operators and software firms to provide a real-time data feed and trading products.

Users will now be able to buy and sell shares, view live index and stock prices, as well as get margin and net investment positions on their phones.

BSE chairman S. Ramadorai said: “We believe that this will advance the development of financial inclusion through higher penetration of capital markets... by leveraging the mobile telecom infrastructure in the country.”

At least 35 accredited BSE brokers are eligible to provide mobile trading to their clients while at the NSE, at least 800 brokers are lining up to do the same.

“Mobile phone trading will pick up,” said Rajiv Prabhakar, an analyst with Mumbai brokerage firm Sharekhan, through which nearly one million people trade across India.

India’s investor community is estimated at between 10 and 20 million but those behind the scheme hope to capitalise on the buoyant state of the country’s mobile phone sector.

One in 10 of the world’s mobiles is sold in India, according to technology research specialists Gartner, and the country adds 15-17 million new mobile subscribers every month.

AFP