In The News

GE Taps a World of Local Skills

Peter Marsh February 18, 2004
American industrial giant General Electric is following it competitors in setting up research centers around the globe. Like Siemens, Philips, and IBM, GE has recognized the importance of tapping into researchers and technological disciplines beyond its home country's borders. The company's new European research center will soon be set up in Germany to the tune of $52 million. GE...

China: Controls Tighten as Internet Activism Grows

January 28, 2004
Human rights watchdog Amnesty International says that the world's most populous country is fighting a shameful battle against its own people. The Chinese government has implemented some of the most restrictive internet regulations in the world, banning Chinese web users from visiting certain foreign websites, and even suppressing speech and dissent on China-based websites. In less than a...

Seoul Unfazed by U.S. Move Against Piracy

Kim Min-hee January 10, 2004
Washington's efforts to protect the intellectual property rights of Hollywood and the American music industry have yet to meet with success in South Korea. Claiming that South Korea's government has not done enough to prevent copyright infringement, the US government has placed Korea on its Priority Watch List. South Korea's high internet saturation has meant that millions of...

IT Firms in for Rough Ride Despite Rebound

Ho Ka Wei December 4, 2003
The demand to be constantly connected is growing, and so is the market for wireless technology and other mobile applications. This trend, coupled with increased business spending on IT technology, has some analysts predicting a rebound in the sector. Singapore alone is expected to see a 5 percent growth in IT spending next year. And, globally, businesses are continuing to outsource IT services...

Fight for Freedom Logs On

Garrett Glass December 2, 2003
A new class of freedom fighter has emerged in Cuba - the computer hacker. In a country where high prices and government censorship restrict access to the internet, an increasing number of Cubans are using creative methods to explore the internet unhindered. These "informaticos" acquire laptops from friends in foreign countries and modify the hardware and software to get around...

Developing Nations Begin to Embrace Internet Commerce

Bod Tedeschi November 23, 2003
Though the internet has long served the needs of businesses large and small in developed nations, it has struggled to make a broad impact in the developing world, where the internet remains inaccessible to many. Global e-commerce revenue will reach upwards of $4 trillion this year, over 95% of which will come from transactions in industrialized countries. However, as this article reports, a...

Sleepy City Has High Hopes, Dreaming of High Tech

David Rohde November 20, 2003
The sleepy farm state capital of Chandigarh may soon become the "technology hub of northern India." In recent years, tens of thousands of jobs have flooded to India from the US and Europe as high tech companies, attracted by cheap, qualified labor, transfer their call centers en masse. India's "first tier" technology hubs, including cities like Bangalore and Bombay,...