t-systems
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Deutsche Telekom and RSA team on hack-resistant internet connections
It's easy to find security experts who can safeguard corporate internet connections against cyber attacks. However, it's hard to get someone who can stop attacks before they do any damage -- and that's where Deutsche Telekom hopes to make a difference. It's partnering with the security gurus at RSA on services that will include both early detection of attacks as well as "clean pipe" internet connections, which route data through hack-resistant lines. While the German provider isn't divulging its pricing just yet, it's targeting small- and medium-sized businesses willing to pay a fixed monthly fee; the toughened internet access is likely to be (relatively) affordable when it launches early next year. It's certainly well-timed. When many Europeans are already nervous about digital intruders, we wouldn't be surprised if Deutsche Telekom lands quite a few early customers.
Airbus Bag2Go smart luggage wields GPS, RFID to skip airport hassles
Many of us avoid flying with checked baggage when possible, and for good reason: even a simple delay can sour a whole trip. Airbus' new Bag2Go prototype could save us from having to pack light, however. The smart luggage carries a raft of sensors that work with an iOS app to bypass the usual airport drudgery. Its RFID chip lets travelers check in their bag and link it to every step of their itinerary; in theory, couriers can ship baggage to the hotel at a lower cost than usual. Bag2Go should also provide some reassurance through GPS tracking and alerts to any possible tampering. Airbus is still early into development, but it foresees a business model where customers can either buy a Bag2Go suitcase at a premium or rent one for a long vacation. As for us? We'll just be happy if our luggage avoids an unexpected detour to Belize.
Germany ousts BlackBerry for government VIPs
RIM may have recently opened a facility in Bochum, but that apparently wasn't enough Bavarian love to save it from being canned as the German government's platform of choice for its high-security needs. Deutsche Telekom subsidiary T-Systems has been selected to lead up an effort to procure "several thousand" customized handsets with mega-uncrackable encryption, winning the deal over the old BlackBerry standby thanks to concerns that state secrets are being transmitted overseas -- to Canada, specifically. Canada has always struck us as a pretty trustworthy bunch of good, hard-working folks, but then again, it's all fun and games until Canadian Motor Works, Canadawagen, Canada-Benz, and Canadorsche all come out of nowhere. [Thanks, Toby]
Rumor: German retailer might have new MacBook Pro
German retailer T-Systems (a division of Deutsche Telekom/T-Mobile, already the iPhone's German carrier) has had images of what it claims is a MacBook Pro for sale, but this model includes a glossy screen with a black border, much like current iMac displays. The notebooks feature 2.5GHz and 2.6GHz (update: the latter of which has been removed from the site, but we have a cached copy) Intel Core 2 Duo processors, 2GB of RAM, a 250GB hard disk, and an nVidia GF 8600M GT video card. My German is very rusty, but it appears the 2.5GHz laptops are offered with both glossy and matte displays. If true, it could mean more definite announcements from Apple soon about new laptops on the way. Thanks, Felix!
Deutsche Telekom scores Germany's DVB-H spectrum -- all of it
Germany wasted no time doling out licenses -- or license, in this case -- for its DVB-H airwaves following the EU's decision to standardize on the technology for mobile TV. Deutsche Telekom's T-Systems unit is the lucky recipient, a logical move considering that the company has apparently had a DVB-H trial running in Berlin since 2005. The build-out is expected to start in early '08, with all of Germany's state capitals getting the hookup by year end; the remainder of the country's going to take a good long while, though, with 90 percent of the populace getting covered by 2015 (geez, how do we know DVB-H is even going to be relevant by then?). It apparently hasn't been decided yet who's going to be building the network, but... well, something tells us T-Systems is going to play a role in there somewhere.[Via mocoNews]
