Itron has released the first set of specialized analytic software applications built on the Active Smart Grid Analytics (ASA) platform, each bundled with the company’s Analytic Accelerators and Extension Toolkits. Built to leverage its metering, communication network, and meter data management (MDM) solutions, Itron reports that the new applications “provide actionable business intelligence to enable specific smart grid solutions for distribution operations, revenue cycle services and customer engagement. Each analytic application is operational out-of-the-box and comes with an Accelerator and Extension Toolkit.”

By embedding technology from SAP, IBM, and Teradata, Itron’s ASA solution establishes an extensible platform to incorporate data warehousing, business intelligence, interval meter data and state-of-the-art analytic methods. It also enables utilities to combine and analyze data in innovative ways.

Mark deVere-White, Itron Energy’s senior vice president of North America and Latin America, says, “Successfully meeting the challenges that lie ahead requires a comprehensive, extensible set of analytic tools that create strong business value from the vast amounts of data utilities are now collecting. The flexibility inherent in Itron’s ASA solution enables utilities to gain valuable insight into the delivery and use of energy.”

Energy diversion detection, transformer load management, and power quality analytics are the first applications to be released on the ASA platform.

DeVere-White adds: “We set out with the goal of creating an analytics platform that had the flexibility of a custom solution while delivering the ‘time to value’ and decreased risk of an off-the-shelf application. By creating analytic applications that include prebuilt Accelerators for rapid deployment and Extension Toolkits for customization, we have created a best-of-both-worlds solution.

Source:http://www.smartmeters.com/the-news/smart-grid-news/2971-itron-releases-new-software-apps.html

IBM has made an announcement as the most recent element in its Smarter Commerce initiative, launching a new software that makes it easier for consumers to browse, and purchase retail items using social networks and mobile devices.

IBM is putting the spotlight on its ability to boost the ability of retailers to engage their clients by assisting them in taking advantage of rapid changes in the way the digital marketplace is always changing, so that customer demands can be better met, performance can be improved, and digital age customers will find them more appealing.

The IBM Smarter Consumer Survey has also just been released as a part of the initiative. It pointed out that consumers are currently seeking to be able to communicate more effectively with retailers through the media channels they like and use the most, and that they are looking to obtain a more personalized experience while they shop.

It went on to indicate that consumers are becoming more willing to provide information to the retailers they like the most in order to allow that business to become better aware of when, how, and where they want to be approached.

IBM has kept these factors in mind as it released its new software with social media and mcommerce capabilities. The new Mobile Commerce software is now available for mobile users with Apple- or Android-based devices, as it integrates with apps for those operating systems in order to provide a more engaging shopping experience. Retailers can use the applications to rapidly build their own mobile storefronts for these devices.

Source:http://www.qrcodepress.com/ibm-announces-new-smarter-commerce-software-for-retailers-and-consumers/856190/

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IBM reported fourth-quarter revenues below analysts’ expectations, but still beat forecast profits because of strong margins in its software and services businesses.
Revenues were $29.5bn for the quarter, up 1.6 per cent from the same quarter last year, but missing Wall Street’s anticipated $29.73.

Net income was $5.6bn, or $4.71 per share, up 11 per cent from last year, and beating analysts’ expectations of $4.62.
For 2011, the company reported a 15 per cent increase in profits, at $13.44, on $106.9bn in revenues.

The year marks IBM’s ninth consecutive year of double-digit growth in earnings per share, said Mark Loughridge, IBM’s chief financial officer.

The quarter was the first that Virginia Rometty served as chief executive since taking the post last autumn, though she did not participate in the earnings call with investors.

As traditional hardware sectors suffer across the technology industry, IBM is relying more on higher-margin businesses in software and services.
Pre-tax income from IBM’s hardware business was down 33 per cent. Its global financing segment saw pre-tax income decrease 9 per cent.

Instead, the company’s software and services businesses drove overall profits. Software pre-tax income rose 12 per cent, to $3.7bn, while services pre-tax income rose 18 per cent for the quarter, to $1.9bn.

However, analysts questioned whether the good margins in the services business were due to labour migrations outside the US.

“We were very specific in our overall business model for the 2010 road map and 2015, of our intention to pull spend and drive productivity as a global corporation,” Mr Loughridge responded. “Services businesses are a big beneficiary of that large structural corporate take-out.”

Mr Loughridge said IBM will continue to expand its business model by investing in its new, growing business segments in cloud computing, business analytics and “smarter planet” software, which makes cars and appliances run more efficiently.

IBM is on track to reach $14.85 in earnings per share this year, and meet its projected $20 per share by 2015.

Source:http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/2/ed3fdde2-42f6-11e1-b756-00144feab49a.html#axzz1kFVrZrjU