Virtual Whistler

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla: With a visit to the Hubble Space Telescope off until next spring at the earliest, NASA on Thursday chose Nov. 14 for its next space shuttle launch, a flight by Endeavour to the international space station.

The Hubble repair mission had been planned for this month, but was postponed until next year because of problems with the orbiting telescope. The telescope is beaming back pictures again, but the spare part needed to completely resolve the issue won't be ready to fly before May, officials said Thursday.

As Hubble managers were announcing the setback, shuttle officials finalized plans to launch Endeavour with enough household items to increase the size of the space station crew from three to six next year, hopefully around May or June.

Endeavour will deliver equipment for a new water reclamation system, as well as an extra kitchen, toilet and sleeping compartments.

During the 15-day flight, the astronauts also will conduct four spacewalks to clean and repair a solar wing rotating joint that has been jammed for a year and hindered energy production. And another astronaut will take up residence at the space station, replacing Gregory Chamitoff, who has been on board since June.

Liftoff would be at 7:55 p.m.

Bill Gerstenmaier, NASA's space operations chief, said the only difference of opinion in the daylong review involved pump inspections in the shuttle main engines. This new inspection will be conducted in the future before the engines are installed, but there's no urgency for doing it before Endeavour's upcoming flight, he said.

Gerstenmaier said the Hubble repair mission could be inserted anywhere in the space shuttle flight lineup, and that it would have little if any impact on space station operations. Ten shuttle missions remain until the entire fleet is retired in 2010 to make way for a new rocketship.

IBM (NYSE: IBM) today announced a new mainframe to help midsize companies and customers in emerging markets jumpstart new application development efforts, consolidate IT server sprawl, and give qualified organizations a "pay-as-you-grow" financial platform to build the mainframe as the foundation of their new enterprise data center.

The IBM System z10 Business Class (z10 BC) mainframe was introduced today at press conferences in Johannesburg, South Africa; Zurich, Switzerland; and Singapore. Additionally, in support of clients' needs for attractive financing options, IBM Global Financing is now offering "Why Wait," a no-interest, no-payments program for 90 days deferral to support qualified customers acquiring the new z10 BC now through the end of 2008.

Designed as a powerful, entry-level version of the IBM System z10 Enterprise Class (z10 EC) mainframe announced earlier this year, the IBM z10 BC provides midsize clients with all the unique attributes of an IBM mainframe. For example, companies in emerging markets (such as South Africa and Singapore) or in hot industries (such as social networking or mobile commerce) -- can now afford IBM's flagship mainframe technology for under $100,000.

For customers seeking server consolidation options to cut costs, the IBM z10 BC delivers the capacity of up to 232 x86 servers, with 83% smaller footprint, up to 93% lower energy costs, and a much higher level of security, control and automation -- allowing for up to 100% utilization.

Clients can also look to the IBM z10 BC as one of the industry's most flexible architectures for today's newest business and consumer applications, which are often created on different operating systems and various programming languages. With up to 130 capacity settings for running permanent and temporary workloads such as application hosting or testing efforts, the IBM z10 BC can give administrators an upgradeable system to manage business growth. For peak seasons, administrators can temporarily increase the system's capacity for cost management. The IBM z10 BC also offers unique processors known as "specialty engines" that expand the use of the mainframe for popular SAP, Linux, Java applications, among others.

From a performance standpoint, the IBM z10 BC is nearly 40% faster, has over 50% more total capacity and nearly four times the maximum memory compared to its predecessor, the largest IBM z9 BC. Continuing with the lineage of the IBM System z10 EC, the new IBM z10 BC holds most of the same technology innovations as the EC model -- such as the Enterprise Quad Core z10 processor chip with hardware accelerators and cryptographic functions that are highly useful for commercial and financial applications.

For more general but critical workloads like email, the IBM z10 BC can support an incremental 1,000 e-mail users with the energy of a 100 watt light bulb.(4) Specifically, IT simply activates one Domino "specialty engine" for up to 7,500 users. More importantly, both IT managers and end users will welcome the mainframe's stellar availability and security benefits for seamless and fast email communications.

"Clients are continuing to invest in mainframe technology, as evidenced in IBM's Q308 earnings, as revenues for IBM System z mainframe server products increased 25 percent compared with the year-ago period, with double-digit growth in all geographies," said Anne Altman, general manager, IBM System z. "Now with the introduction of our new z10 business class mainframe, clients have an incredibly efficient consolidation platform that is smart, cool, and very affordable. There's no comparison when you consider the legendary reliability and security of System z.

Midsize Clients Embrace The New Mainframe

Today's news comes on the heels of IBM's recent midmarket findings from the IBM Global CEO Study, the largest study of 1,130 chief executives ever conducted across 40 countries. The study noted that nine out of 10 midmarket CEOs expect dramatic change, and 75% are changing business models to go global, drive growth and attract new customers. As a highly-efficient and flexible computing system, the IBM z10 BC is an ideal platform for growth and can easily scale to accommodate rapid expansion.

For new mainframe clients like Transzap, founded in 1999, the company needed a computing platform that would scale to support its operations without requiring additional monthly costs in extra hardware, software or human capital. For Transzap, the IBM mainframe brings technology planning and controlled power and energy allocation to its former "rack and stack" distributed server environment.

"Transzap operates Oildex, the energy industry's top ePayable system and digital data exchange. Our business and reputation rest on promising a fast, reliable and secure service to our clients," said Peter Flanagan, CEO of Transzap. "We're a small company but our transaction data volumes are growing upwards of 100 percent, annually. We couldn't trust our business to any competitive product other than the IBM System z."

For more than 40 years, Utah-based DHI Computing Service has been using IBM System z technology as the central means to process billions of electronic data records. With the guidance of IBM Business Partner Sirius Computer Solutions, who has been helping DHI for 10 years, DHI is now currently using the IBM System z10 business class mainframe running the z/VSE operating system and homegrown applications ranging from telecommunications to database technology.

"The IBM mainframe has been part of the DHI family for more than 40 years and we can't think of a more stable, faster technology platform anywhere in the world today," said Dirk Baum, CTO, DHI Computing Service, Inc. "When we looked at the new z10 Business Class mainframe, the processor speed was key for us -- we're getting all the enterprise class features scaled to a more attractive price point for our specific business. Scalability and speed combined with a proven technology platform -- that's the z10 Business Class and its perfect for our business needs."

Based in Switzerland, Osys is an Independent Software Vendor who has been working with IBM on developing applications to resell on IBM System z to clients for more than 20 years. Osys is itself an IBM System z mainframe customer, running Linux on z for its large mails and web server needs. Osys has the latest IBM mainframe offering, the IBM z10 business class (BC) mainframe and is currently testing and porting applications over to the new system.

"As a service provider for large customers in Switzerland, it is imperative that our System z specialists are highly skilled and adopt the latest innovative technology," said Gerard Luechinger, CEO, Osys AG. "We have had tremendous success with the IBM System z9 Business Class mainframe and expect even more success with the z10 BC. As a long-time IBM mainframe customer ourselves, we have been driving the mainframe business for more than twenty years because we believe that the technology platform is rock solid with all the best of breed qualities."

Mainframe Momentum Spurs Business Partner, System Integrator, and ISV Growth

Interest from business partners, system integrators and ISV's continues to grow in 2008 validating growth around the System z platform.

IBM today announced next generation information infrastructure offerings DS8000 disk storage and TS7700 tape storage, to work in conjunction with the new IBM System z10 Business Class mainframe, helping customers simplify their storage infrastructures, support business continuity, safeguard their information and extract more value from their System z environments. More information can be found here: http://www.ibm.com/systems/storage/news/press/20081021.html.

IBM Global Financing Available For Clients

IBM Global Financing now offers "Why Wait," a no interest no payments program for 90 days deferral plan to support eligible customers acquiring the new IBM System z10 BC now through the end of 2008. The promotion financing structure is a 36 month fair market value lease. Customers installing the new server under the promotion terms make no payments for 90 days, and then make 36 even monthly payments (33 payments in some countries). Customers must be credit qualified, lease the eligible equipment with IGF for the promotional term and structure, and install the product in participating countries by Dec 31, 2008, See your local IGF representative for details or visit: http://www.ibm.com/financing/us/whywait. For international details, visit http://www.ibm.com/financing/whywait.

Novell and Red Hat Offers Now Available

For customers interested in additional IBM z10 BC "specials," available immediately until December 31, 2009 -- from Novell Inc. -- customers can get an IBM z10 BC Linux promotional price for one Free SUSE Self Study Kit per registered customer ($1095 Retail Value) and 40% discount to IBM and BP's off current SLES pricing. Details are available at http://www.novell.com/partners/ibm/mainframe.

Red Hat Inc., the leading provider of open source solutions, has teamed with IBM through the Linux-on-Mainframe Program since May 2007 to expand the growth of Red Hat Enterprise Linux on IBM System z mainframes. Red Hat is offering a compelling IBM z10 BC Linux promotional 50% price reduction that is available immediately through June 30, 2009. For more information about Red Hat Enterprise Linux on IBM z10, visit http://www.redhat.com/rhel/server/mainframe/promo.

About IBM

For more information on the IBM System z10 Business Class or z10 Enterprise Class mainframes, please visit http://www.ibm.com/mainframe.

To connect with professors, clients and students who work with the mainframe as the future of the data center, please visit the System z's Facebook page http://www.facebook.com keyword: systemz mainframe.

To read the latest industry blog on the world of the mainframe, visit http://www.mainframe.typepad.com/.

Footnotes:

[1] All performance information was determined by IBM in a controlled environment. Actual results may vary. Performance information is based on customer studies.

[2] Specialty engines and up to 16 GB memory per specialty engine on z10 BC are priced at least 50% less than on z9 BC. ICF excluded.

[3] The z10 BC offers up to 120GB of available real memory per server -- nearly 2 times the maximum memory available on z9 BC. In June 2009, memory options up to 248GB is planned to be available providing nearly four times the available memory of the z9 BC.

[4] Source: September 2008 Domino R8.5 64 Bit and Linux on System z Benchmark conducted at Washington System Center

Two NASA instruments to map the lunar surface will launch on India's maiden moon voyage. The Moon Mineralogy Mapper will assess mineral resources, and the Miniature Synthetic Aperture Radar, or Mini-SAR, will map the polar regions and look for ice deposits. The Indian Space Research Organization, or ISRO, is scheduled to launch its robotic Chandrayaan-1 on Oct. 22 from Sriharikota, India.

Data from the two instruments will contribute to NASA's increased understanding of the lunar environment as it implements the nation's space exploration policy, which calls for robotic and human missions to the moon.

"The opportunity to fly NASA instruments on Chandrayaan-1 undoubtedly will lead to important scientific discoveries," NASA Administrator Michael Griffin said. "This exciting collaboration represents an important next step in what we hope to be a long and mutually beneficial relationship with India in future civil space exploration."

The Moon Mineralogy Mapper is a state-of-the-art imaging spectrometer that will provide the first map of the entire lunar surface at high spatial and spectral resolution, revealing the minerals that make up the moon's surface. Scientists will use this information to answer questions about the moon's origin and geological development, as well as the evolution of terrestrial planets in the early solar system. The map also may be used by astronauts to locate resources, possibly including water, that can support exploration of the moon and beyond.

The Mini-SAR is a small imaging radar that will map the permanently shadowed lunar polar regions, including large areas never visible from Earth. The Mini-SAR data will be used to determine the location and distribution of water ice deposits on the moon. Data from the instrument will help scientists learn about the history and nature of objects hitting the moon, and the processes that throw material from the outer solar system into the inner planets.

The spacecraft also will carry four instruments and a small lunar impactor provided by ISRO, and four instruments from Europe. ISRO will launch the vehicle into a lunar polar orbit for a two-year mission.

In addition to the two science instruments, NASA will provide space communications support to Chandrayaan-1. The primary location for the NASA ground tracking station will be at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, Md.

For more information about Chandrayaan-1, visit:

http://www.isro.org/Chandrayaan

LONDON, England (CNN) -- Picture this: you're sat down for the Football World Cup final, or a long-awaited sequel to the "Sex and the City" movie and you're watching all the action unfold in 3-D on your coffee table.

The future of television? This image is an impression of what 3D holographic television may look like.

It sounds a lot like a wacky dream, but don't be surprised if within our lifetime you find yourself discarding your plasma and LCD sets in exchange for a holographic 3-D television that can put Cristiano Ronaldo in your living room or bring you face-to-face with life-sized versions of your gaming heroes.

The reason for renewed optimism in three-dimensional technology is a breakthrough in rewritable and erasable holographic systems made earlier this year by researchers at the University of Arizona.

Dr Nasser Peyghambarian, chair of photonics and lasers at the university's Optical Sciences department, told CNN that scientists have broken a barrier by making the first updatable three-dimensional displays with memory.

"This is a prerequisite for any type of moving holographic technology. The way it works presently is not suitable for 3-D images," he said.

The researchers produced displays that can be erased and rewritten in a matter of minutes.

He said the University of Arizona team, which is now ten-strong, has been working on advancing hologram technology since 1990 -- so this is a major step forward. He believes that much of the difficulty in creating a holographic set has now been overcome.

"It took us a while to make that first breakthrough, but as soon as you have the first element of it working the rest often comes more rapidly," he said. "What we are doing now is trying to make the model better. What we showed is just one color, what we are doing now is trying to use three colors. The original display was four inches by four inches and now we're going for something at least as big as a computer screen."

There are no more great barriers to overcome now, he said.

The breakthrough has made some long-time researchers of the technology believe that it could now come to fruition.

Tung H. Jeong, a retired physics professor at Lake Forest College outside Chicago who had studied holography since the 1960s told NJ.com; "When we start talking about erasable and rewritable holograms, we are moving toward the possibility of holographic TV ... It has now been shown that physically, it's possible."

And what might these holographic televisions look like?

According to Peyghambarian, they could be constructed as a screen on the wall (like flat panel displays) that shows 3-D images, with all the image writing lasers behind the wall; or it could be like a horizontal panel on a table with holographic writing apparatus underneath.

So, if this project is realized, you really could have a football match on your coffee table, or horror-movie villains jumping out of your wall.

Peyghambarian is also optimistic that the technology could reach the market within five to ten years. He said progress towards a final product should be made much more quickly now that a rewriting method had been found.

However, it is fair to say not everyone is as positive about this prospect as Peyghambarian.

Justin Lawrence, a lecturer in Electronic Engineering at Bangor University in Wales, told CNN that small steps are being made on technology like 3-D holograms, but, he can't see it being ready for the market in the next ten years.

"It's one thing to demonstrate something in a lab but it's another thing to be able to produce it cheaply and efficiently enough to distribute it to the mass market," Lawrence said.

Yet, there are reasons to be optimistic that more resources will be channeled into developing this technology more quickly.

The Japanese Government is pushing huge financial and technical weight into the development of three-dimensional, virtual-reality television, and the country's Communications Ministry is aiming at having such technology available by 2020.

Peyghambarian said there are no major sponsors of the technology at present, but as the breakthroughs continued, he hopes that will change.

Even if no major electronics company commit themselves, there is hope that backers could come from outside of the consumer electronics industry, he said.

LOS ANGELES (AP) ― Hollywood's six major movie studios on Tuesday sued RealNetworks Inc. to prevent it from distributing DVD copying software that they said would allow consumers to "rent, rip and return" movies or even copy friends' DVD collections outright.

The studios stand to lose key revenue from the sale of DVDs, estimated by Adams Media Research at $15 billion in the U.S. this year, if consumers stop buying DVDs and instead copy rental discs from outlets like Netflix and Blockbuster.

The suit, filed in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles, alleges RealNetworks' RealDVD program, which launched Tuesday, illegally bypasses the copyright protection built into DVDs.

"The incentive for the consumer is obvious and all but overwhelming," the studios said in a request for a temporary restraining order. "'Why,' he or she may ask, 'should I pay $18.50 to purchase a DVD when I can rent it for $3.25 and make a permanent copy?'"

For $30, consumers can buy RealDVD and use it to copy DVDs to computers or portable hard drives, though the program prevents them from transferring the files to other users. The maker calls RealDVD "100 percent legal" on its Web site.

"This is not a product that enables Internet piracy," said Bob Kimball, general counsel for RealNetworks.

Real has said the software enables DVDs to be copied onto up to five computers — with the purchase of up to four extra program licenses for $20 each — and does not alter the discs' encryption technology meant to prevent wide-scale piracy.

The software locks the copy to the hard drive where it is copied and to the program it was copied with, Kimball said, and he asserted that copying one's personal collection of DVDs amounts to "fair use" allowed by law.

Kimball said the company discourages using the program to rip rental DVDs, but he acknowledged there's nothing to prevent consumers from doing that.

"We are very open to coming up with solutions to that problem that will require industry participation," he said.

The studios had asked the company not to launch the product last week.

The studios argued that the federal Digital Millennium Copyright Act makes it illegal to circumvent technology that prevents copying without the express permission of the copyright holders.

In a motion for a restraining order, the studios argued that a ruling by a California state court last year in favor of a company that sells entertainment centers that allow DVD copying is irrelevant to their case.

The plaintiffs in the suit against RealNetworks include Viacom Inc.'s Paramount Pictures, Sony Corp.'s Sony Pictures, News Corp.'s Twentieth Century Fox, General Electric Co.'s Universal, The Walt Disney Co.'s Disney studio, and Time Warner Inc.'s Warner Bros.