IBM devises Green Sigma consulting service

IBM has devised the ‘Green Sigma’ consulting service to minimise usage of water and energy in businesses, with the application of data-analysis software and use of networked sensors. IBM was prompted to develop this device by the corporate initiative to “go green”.

The practice is derived from the ‘Lean Six Sigma’ management strategy, which was deployed for focussing on customer needs and enhancement of operational efficiency of the organisations. Green Sigma would perform accounting of energy and water consumption in a company at its own plant and those of its suppliers. The method is being piloted at 2 of IBM’s and its customers’ facilities.

IBM could succeed in reducing its consumption significantly by tracking usage and initiating corrective actions. It has already saved £167m ($310m) through similar schemes. It could also save 8 million gallons of gasoline by introducing work-at-home programme. IBM is going to make big business by helping businesses to go green.

The souring energy costs and water charges are compelling companies to take stringent corrective measures. But the global leader of IBM’s operation strategy practice, Dave Lubowe, claims that companies are aiming to fulfill corporate social-responsibility (CRS) by taking these initiatives. He adds that consumers are actively watching where companies put their money. Donating it to charities is no longer enough.

Google’s Android security team appeals to security researchers

In an attempt to raise its profile among security researchers, Google’s Android mobile platform security team has improved their awareness in platform monitoring.

The team sent an email to the popular Full Disclosure mailing list, urging security researchers to help Google in detecting and disclosing inevitable flaws in the system. The team requested that Android vulnerabilities may be disclosed to Google rather than making them public.

The team wrote that it was quite difficult to build and maintain a secure mobile platform and though Google could find and fix many of its bugs and flaws in open-source projects, it was still inevitable to discover additional security issues in a complex and vast system. It further added that Google would encourage and appreciate important disclosures, since the use of Android on different devices would require more co-ordination for patching up security holes. Security researchers help in suggesting usable bugs and responsible timelines would help Google in securing ecosystem of Android devices quickly.

Numerous vulnerabilities in Android were reported back in March 2008. Vulnerabilities were tested on an Android emulator which was part of the software development kit (SDK). The developers were given the beta version of SDK on Monday. Android is yet to be deployed on any devices.

Dell adds extra year’s warranty for range of laptops

Dell announced a worldwide extension of warranties of one year on a wide range of its laptops after detecting a flaw in some Nvidia graphics-processing units.

The announcement was made on the Direct2Dell website on August 18. Nvidia disclosed that the fault had arisen due to the weak die/packaging material used in previous GPUs and notebook systems in the beginning of July 2008. It claimed that all these GPUs have higher-than-normal failure rate due to fluctuating temperatures and not all are affected by the flaw.

Dell’s chief blogger Lionel Menchaca informs that fault symptoms could be random characters on screen, multiple images, lines on the screen or simply a blank screen.

The affected notebooks listed by Dell include:

Dell Precision M4300, Dell Precision M2300, Dell Precision M65, Latitude D630, Latitude D620, Inspiron 1420, Latitude D830, Latitude D820, Latitude D630c, XPS M1530, XPS M1330, Vostro Notebook 1710, Vostro Notebook 1510, Vostro Notebook 1400, and Vostro Notebook 1310.

Menchaca wrote that Dell planned to add 12 months of coverage to the existing limited warranty of sixty months for this issue, only available on the listed notebooks but for all customers worldwide. He promised that details of the service plan would be announced in coming weeks. Users of models that may be affected are requested to visit the Direct2Dell website to find recommended links for Bios updates.

Vodafone increasing shops and staff to improve customer service

Vodafone wants to improve its face-to-face customer service by adding 50 shops and 200 extra staff to its existing strength of 500 in the next 12 months. Vodafone already has a 350-strong retail network in the UK.

The first new shops will arrive in London, Bristol and Liverpool this autumn. The remaining shops would be opened in spring 2009.

Vodafone’s director of consumer sales UK, Tom Devine, informs that the company is trying to deliver its best services by enabling face to face dialogue between existing and prospective customers with a retail adviser, closest to their location.

Vodafone has initiated this multi-million pound expansion at a time when its revenues are dwindling due to the decline in consumer spending.

According to analyst James Barford at Enders Analysis, it is worth noting that although the rate is slow, Vodafone is still pushing for growth in the market, which is not the case with most other markets. It is offering cheaper tariffs and rolling out new outlets to remain in competition with its rivals.
Vodafone has the highest number of customers in the government and corporate sector; a push in the consumer market is the right option for its further growth.

It is less costly for a large mobile phone company to expand its network and the gains in terms of brand awareness and customer proximity are significant. According to Barford, Vodafone saves on commission if the customer goes to its shop directly, instead of purchasing through Carphone Warehouse.