Polycom and Microsoft expanded their existing unified communications relationship and will now partner on both product development and marketing around Polycom end points and Microsoft's new Communications Server 14.The goal, according to executives from the companies, is to jointly offer end-to-end unified communications packages and incentivize their respective channels to do the same.The new agreement between Polycom and Microsoft was revealed Monday. Productwise, it calls for Polycom optimizing various Polycom CX series end points for Microsoft's UC platform and designing video systems specific for integration with Communications Server (CS) 14. More new products and better interoperability between existing Polycom and Microsoft UC products are also on tap, the companies say.Marketingwise, the companies will jointly develop sales resources, common messaging and training, as well as integrated marketing campaigns for solution providers. Polycom also will be a presence at Microsoft Technology Centers around the world and provide active technology demos at each. 

"We're really excited about what this means for our joint customer base," said Ashima Singhal, Group Product Manager, UC partner Marketing, Microsoft, in a CRN interview. "We've been tremendously excited about our [CS] 14 product and this takes us even further.""If we get this right, we've got the capability to transform business communications and provide a very effective, elegant and expansive collaboration experience, whether internal or external," said Mark Roberts, Vice President, Partner Marketing, Polycom.The agreement comes as competition for UC dominance grows fierce. Though Microsoft and Polycom have a number of existing UC-related partnerships with other companies, they face competition on multiple UC fronts and in a variety of markets from Cisco, Avaya, Siemens, ShoreTel and others.In a Monday release, the companies touted statistics from Wainhouse Research estimating that 70 percent of companies considering a UC implementation are kicking the tires on Microsoft Office Communications Server (OCS).Polycom and Microsoft declined to quantify how much they were co-investing in the UC strategy, but Roberts said the number would run into the tens of millions and that the partnership—as well as the products and opportunities that would emerge from it— was in the very early stages.Microsoft officially took the wraps off CS 14 at VoiceCon this past spring, with Gurdeep Singh Pall, Corporate Vice President, Unified Communications Group, Microsoft, suggesting at the time that within three years, more than half of all VoIP calls would contain some combination of instant messaging, video and presence information. Microsoft originally launched OCS in 2007, predicting at the time that a software-only UC approach would eventually overtake traditional PBX communications.The Polycom products involved so far, Roberts said, include the CX 5000 video collaboration platform and a number of IP phones, including Polycom's CX700 conferencing line.The two companies didn't disclose how many channel partners would immediately benefit from the combined push, but Roberts said the initial numbers the companies had seen of overlapping channel partners between Polycom and Microsoft are "more than tens and less than thousands.""I view this very simplistically as a dual-pronged approach," Roberts said. "We have both sets of channel partners and we can see where we've already got overlap. We have a list of channel partners that have expressed a huge interest in engaging early and aggressively."

Kaspersky Lab announced the launch of the latest versions of its flagship consumer products Kaspersky Internet Security 2011 and Kaspersky Anti-Virus 2011.According to official communiqué, Kaspersky Internet Security 2011 and Kaspersky Anti-Virus 2011 incorporate a full range of new and improved technologies, many of which are unique to Kaspersky Lab products.Both, Kaspersky Internet Security 2011 and Kaspersky Anti-Virus 2011, are fully compatible with the 32-bit and 64-bit versions of Microsoft’s OS, from XP up to Windows 7 versions. They include improved proactive protection from new, as yet unknown threats based on scanning for typical threat symptoms. All the main modules are updateable. The new Windows Gadget feature displays the computer’s security status, allows a file to be scanned with a single mouse click and enables an application to be launched in Safe Run mode. 

Kaspersky Internet Security is available at Rs 899, while Kaspersky Anti-Virus is available at Rs 599.“By releasing the new 2011 versions, our company has improved an already great product range still further, bringing the user a host of effective new technologies designed to protect their computers,” said Suk Ling Gun, Managing Director, South Asia, Kaspersky Lab. “Thanks to modules such as System Watcher, Safe Surf and our fully redesigned Safe Run module, our customers will be provided with an unprecedented level of control over the processes running on their computers, providing them with the security they need while working with important personal data.”She further added, “In India, we have introduced special value price offers and schemes so that people start going in for licensed versions. Our presence in India will help us reach out to consumers and enterprises alike with faster responses to address online security concerns, our aim is to ensure everyone with computer can effort to use Kaspersky Security solutions. We would like to establish more in the Enterprise segment.”

PC components vendor Corsair announced the Corsair Hydro H70 CPU cooler. Designed to provide an efficient cooling solution for Intel and AMD CPUs, the cooler is an upgrade to Corsair’s Hydro H50 series.The H70 includes 50mm radiator with higher heat exchanging capacity and a pump/cold plate unit with increased efficiency. It also features two 120mm speed switchable cooling fans in a push-pull configuration to provide increased airflow at low noise levels.“Thanks to the H70, you no longer need a fin array the size of a small shoebox to cool aggressively over clocked CPUs,” said John Beekley, Vice President, Technical Marketing, Corsair. “The H70 stands toe-to-toe with any CPU cooler on the market, and does it with less noise, easier installation, and support of nearly every ATX-compatible case.”The H70 includes mounting hardware for most common AMD and Intel CPUs, and includes all necessary fans for high performance operation. 

Available with authorized distributors and resellers, Corsair H70 is available at and MSRP of Rs 6,300 along with a 2-year warranty.

Countries threatening to ban Research In Motion’s BlackBerry phones unless given access to transmitted communications and transactions just don’t get it when it comes to the Internet, according to RIM Co-CEO Michael Lazaridis.“This is about the Internet,” Lazaridis is quoted in an interview in today’s Wall Street Journal. “Everything on the Internet is encrypted. This is not a BlackBerry-only issue. If they can’t deal with the Internet, they should shut it off.”RIM is embroiled in a dispute with authorities in India, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and other countries, which are demanding that they be given greater access to the encrypted information sent by BlackBerry devices. Saudi Arabia’s government has ordered cellphone service providers to discontinue BlackBerry service starting tomorrow unless RIM complies while the UAE has set an October 11 deadline. 

RIM has opposed the requests, but is negotiating with authorities in those countries to reach some kind of settlement. In the interview Lazaridis said it can’t give access to encrypted data and has never given any one government special treatment. He expressed confidence that RIM and the countries can work out a deal.“We have dealt with this before,” Lazaridis said. “This will get resolved. And it will get resolved if there is a chance for rational discussion.” But he declined to provide details about the status of the negotiations, which include talks with the telecommunications regulatory authority in Saudi Arabia and three wireless service providers in that country.Lazaridis said the demands threaten the growth of electronic commerce. He said part of the challenge is educating foreign nations on how the Internet and BlackBerry service works, the story said. “We are going to continue to work with them to make sure they understand the reality of the Internet,” he is quoted as saying. “A lot of these people don’t have PhDs, and they don’t have a degree in computer science.”But Lazaridis also acknowledged that if RIM were given the equivalent of a court order to intercept a client’s communications, RIM would have to comply.

Cisco India has been ranked the market leader for the third consecutive year in the wireless LAN equipment market in revenues in 2009, as per IDC. It recorded a revenue market share of 19.6 percent in 2009.“It gives us immense pleasure to be ranked No 1 by IDC for wireless LAN segment. Our realignment of business strategy and investment in team and infrastructure development has worked well for us,” said Suresh Balasubramanian, National Sales Director, Cisco Consumer Products.“Over the past 15 months, Cisco has spruced its support infrastructure by setting up 16 RMA exchange centers across the country. “The key reason for growth has been the expansion of our channel network. We have grown our channel base to 2000 and have rapidly extended the network to smaller cities and presently have an active reseller base in 200 big and small cities,” added Balasubramanian.

Cyberstar Infocom announced that it plans to provide improved Hitachi RMA (return material authorization) service to dealers and end customers in India and address their warranty and support issues.Hitachi has 78 drop locations for its customers. Within the next few months, it plans to expand its service network to cover 100 cities. As the national distributor of Hitachi products, Cyberstar will provide support to Hitachi customers in solving their product-related problems in the event of a delay and provide replacements for their damaged products immediately on receiving customer queries.Raj Rathi, Managing Director, Cyberstar Infocom said, “As Hitachi’s national distributors, we can help Hitachi RMA service to emerge as the most flexible and fastest service in India for its customers. The support of our entire team as well as quick accessibility due to the large number of drop locations will enable us to reach out to customers and solve their problems at the earliest or replace their damaged products immediately. We were very confident of this new initiative and will try our level best to make it successful.” 

Available to both dealers and end users, the new service can be availed through toll free number and at the portal by quoting the RMA number—a reference number issued by Hitach at the time of purchase. The service reduces TAT by driving product inspection at the drop location itself and also includes free delivery of the replacement at the customer doorstep.

Re-feel Cartridge Engineering has announced that UK-based private equity firm, TLG Capital, has picked up a 36 percent stake in the company, investing around $5 million.Touted as India’s largest and fastest growing printer cartridge refill and laptop repair services' company, Re-feel Cartridge will utilize the funds for expanding its franchisee network and expanding its chain of laptop repair stores.

“TLG Capital will work with us to consolidate and grow our business within India and overseas,” said Samit Lakhotia, Director, Business Development, Re-feel. “The access to fresh capital will allow us to grow in accordance with the market and will help Re-feel stay ahead in the business. TLG’s network in sub-Saharan Africa will also prove invaluable to Re-feel’s expansion beyond Indian borders.”Zain Latif, Principal, TLG Capital, said: “It is a first deal for TLG in India. Re-feel’s distribution network within India is phenomenal. We will be able to provide other related services in near future. We will also look into replicating this business in sub-Saharan Africa given the similarities between Africa and India. Exporting stream-lined, efficient and cost-effective business models and technology from India to sub-Saharan Africa is a core theme for us.”TLG Capital's Sidarth Menon has been appointed Chief Financial Adviser at Re-feel.TLG will work with Re-feel to expand its operations in India, and also get into print managed services and printer servicing. Re-feel’s wholly-owned ClubLaptop subsidiary will offer laptop repairs at half the price of the original manufacturer.

IBM will acquire Storwize, a developer of real-time data compression technology, under a deal IBM disclosed.IBM did not disclose the financial terms of the acquisition, which it expects to close by the end of the third quarter. Storwize is a privately held company based in Massachusetts.Most data compression technology available today is used to compress secondary or backup data. But as the volume of data generated by businesses skyrockets there is a growing need to compress primary data as quickly as it’s generated. Demand for enterprise storage capacity is growing at a compound annual growth rate of more than 43 percent, according to market researcher IDC. 

Storwize’s Random Access Compression Engine (RACE) technology compresses primary data; such as files, databases and virtualization images, in real time even as the data is in active use without affecting performance, according to IBM. RACE allows businesses to reduce their physical storage requirements by up to 80 percent, IBM said.Storwize’s technology works with network attached storage systems from IBM and other vendors such as EMC, NetApp and Hewlett-Packard, as well as IBM’s Scaled-Out Network Attached Storage (SONAS) systems.Storwize has more than 100 customers including Shopzilla and Sumitomo Mitsui Construction. The company’s technology is used by businesses in such industries as energy, manufacturing, finance, insurance, telecommunications and cloud services.

Is the so-called hardware refresh of 2010 real or imaginary? According to HP, it’s very real—and very lucrative for partners.Last month at D&H Distributing’s Mid-Atlantic Technology Show, CRN Senior Editor Rob Wright sat down with Mike Parrottino, Vice President of HP’s Personal Systems Group, Solutions Partner Organization, to discuss his company’s PC sales for the first half of 2010 as well as HP’s effort to increase channel resources and personnel in the field. The results for the Personal Systems Group have been impressive so far: For HP’s second quarter, ended April 30, unit shipments jumped 20 percent year-over-year while revenue increased 21 percent, led by surprisingly high growth in the desktop category with 25 percent revenue growth.With third-quarter earnings just around the corner, can HP keep it up? Parrottino outlines why he thinks PSG’s business will continue to grow, despite intense pricing pressure and competition from the likes of Acer. He also discusses tablet PCs, cloud computing and the product category within PSG that’s really turning heads.

Acer India recently launched their enterprise server range—announcing a series of products ranging from tower, rack and blade servers. The Taiwanese PC maker has set a target of garnering around 14 percent of Indian server market by the end of this fiscal year.“We have been a strong player in Government and Education segment in past. But after launching our entire portfolio, we are expecting to gain share from other vertical notably SMB and enterprise,” said S Rajendran, CMO, Acer India.Acer also launched a server series Gemini, specifically designed for optimized density. "Large set of customers are looking for scalable solutions that performs better than a rack server, and needed to more affordable compared to a blade. The Gemini server series allows is scalable modularized rack, that can help you scale up to 96-cores and 192GB RAM in a single 2U box,” explained Saji Kumar, Head Product Marketing, Acer India.According to Gartner India, Acer had a market share of 7.5 percent in Q1 FY2010-11, which the officials admitted was as a result of some large orders from Government and Education Sector.“Presently, the Server program is integrated with in our Acer Select Channel program, which is targeted at SMB channels. A number of mid-market resellers and resellers have shown interest in our server range, and we expect more partners to sign on soon,” said Rajendran.

Acer will soon announce a web configurator, specifically for partners which will allow them to configure servers for specific requirements. “This is under beta testing, and will be made available very soon,” added Rajendran.As of Q2 FY2010-11, servers account for just 2 percent of revenues for Acer India. “More than revenues, the presence of an entire range of servers in our portfolio, allows our partners to pitch into many corporate and enterprise accounts which wants to standardize on one vendor. We expect the server strategy to boost our desktop and notebook numbers,” said WS Mukund, MD, Acer India.