Saturday, November 21, 2009

NIIT Technologies partners with Hitachi Information Systems to offer Cloud computing services

NIIT Technologies Limited, a leading global IT solutions organisation announced its partnership with Hitachi Information Systems, Ltd, a leading provider of IT infrastructure services in Japan, to offer services in cloud computing.


Cloud Computing is an emerging megatrend which is standardized, IT capability delivered via the Internet in a pay-per-use and self-service manner. NIIT Technologies pursuing its non linear services model of business will be an early entrant in this space. Through this partnership NIIT Technologies and Hitachi Information Systems will provide unmatched value based on the strengths of both companies.

“Hitachi with its reliable and scalable infrastructure would own the cloud, while NIIT Technologies will harness it’s competencies and world class process capability in Remote Infrastructure Managed Services to operate the cloud” said Mr. Arvind Thakur, CEO, NIIT Technologies Ltd. “Together our customers will experience the highest quality of reliability, security and service” he added.

With Cloud Computing gaining impetus, both companies will be able to offer the complete portfolio of services around the cloud infrastructure to cater to the changing IT landscape.

“Abundant IT business experience of NIIT Technologies in global markets and Hitachi Information system's data center design & operational experience in Japanese market over many years are now united. This union will be used to provide advanced IT service in Asia.” said Mr. Iwao Hara, President and CEO, Hitachi Information Systems Ltd.

To begin with Hitachi Information Systems would leverage NIIT Technologies data centre in Bangkok and create the first hub outside Japan networked to their existing infrastructure. Drawing on the benefits of scale, shared infrastructure and standard applications, this partnership will drive down costs while increasing the speed and agility of deploying applications.
The operations are expected to begin by the first quarter of the next fiscal.

SC Asset launched 3 new projects in Q4 Y2009 and its “SC Parade” the privilege campaign to be held on November 2009.

SC Assets announced its latest investment of over 1,300 million Baht to develop 3 new high-end projects , for serve the housing demand in 4Q Y2009. The three new 2009 series are “Bangkok Boulevard Kaset-Navamintra”, a luxurious 3-story detached housing project; “Life Bangkok Boulevard Ratchavipha”, a stylish 2-story detached housing project; and “Work Place Ratchada-Ramindra”, a special-designed home office project. In addition, it will also launch “SC Parade” the privilege marketing campaign on November 8, 2009, which is expected the total sales revenue of more than 300 million Baht.


Mr. Kree Dejchai, Chief Operating Officer, SC Asset Corporation Pcl.,discloses about the company’s project development plan in Q4 Y2009 that SC Asset will continually plan new project developments in accordance with its 2009 operating plan. Highlights will mainly be with projects on high potential locations in all market segments, including high rise and low rise. The company has a plan to launch 3 new projects with a combined value of over 1,300 million Baht.

1.“Bangkok Boulevard Kaset-Navamindra”, The luxurious 3-story detached housing project, which is located on an 18-rai plot of land on Ladplakao Road, will have a combined value of 740 million Baht. Developed under “Modern City Resort Style” concept to allow its urban residents to stay closer to the nature, the project will have only 74 units. With a starting price of only 10.9 million Baht, each unit will have four bedrooms, 5 restrooms, green room and family room to serve the lifestyle of each family member – all within a combined usable area of approximately 260 SQM. The project is most outstanding in its prime location, which is right on main road and well connected to various routes, e.g. Ramindra, Kaset-Navamindra and Paholyothin. It is fully equipped with basic facilities and infrastructure, swimming pool, Wi Fi fitness center and safe with triple security system.

2.“Life Bangkok Boulevard Ratchavipha”, The stylish 2-story detached housing project, which is outstandingly located on a 16-rai plot of land right on Pibulsongkram Road, will have a combined value of 450 million Baht. Developed under “Modern Life in Urban Natural” concept, the project will have only 69 units. With a price range of 5.9 – 8 million Baht, each unit will have 3 bedrooms, 3 restrooms, living room, dinning room and separate drawing room, all within an area of 50 square Wah onwards. Designed to be airy and spacious, all units will come with curtain wall windows to allow its residents to absorb a full natural feeling of its landscape. Project facilities include a luxurious club house, swimming pool, green garden and Wi Fi fitness center.

3.“Work Place Ratchada-Ramindra” , The luxurious home office is the only project of its exclusive in Ratchada-Ramindra, which is Bangkok’s top potential location and future business center. Located on a 4-rai plot of land right on main road, it will have only 20 units and a combined value of 180 million Baht. With a starting price as low as 8 million Baht, this 4-story home office will be 6 meters wide. Designed to be both airy and spacious in order to maximize its business potentials, it is, however, planned in a Privacy Cluster Zone to optimize privacy. With a common parking lot able to accommodate 50+ cars, the project is safe and sound with access card control system. It is conveniently networked with many main routes, e.g. Kaset-Navamindra, Ramindra, Sukapiban 1-2, West Outer Ring Road and Ekamai-Ramindra Express Way.

Besides the three new projects launching, SC Asset will be held the marketing activities in order to stimulate consumer purchasing power. It is launching “SC Parade” campaign on November 8, 2009, which is a complete showcase of its eight quality projects featuring detached houses, townhomes, and condominium. These projects, which will either open its new phases or new designs and functions, will be accompanied by very privilege offers namely “SC Package to visit the 8 Wonders of the World” The campaign is forecasted to generate many visitors and the total sales revenue of over 300 million Baht.

The eight quality projects include (1) Grand Bangkok Boulevard Ratchada-Ramindra with prices ranging from 15 – 25 million Baht (2) Bangkok Boulevard Rajapruek-Rama V with prices ranging from 17 – 30 million Baht (3) Life Bangkok Boulevard Petchkasem 81 with starting price of 5 million Baht, (4) Vista Avenue Petchkasem 81, 2-story townhome with starting price of 2.4 million Baht (5) Vista Avenue Petchkasem 81, 3-story townhome with starting price of 2.99 million Baht (6) Vista Park Changwattna, 3-story townhome with starting price of 3.99 million Baht (7) Centric Scene Ratchavipha, newly conceptualized condominium with prices ranging from 2.5 – 5.55 million Baht and (8) Centric Scene Sukhumvit 64 with starting price of 2.8 million Baht.

Mr. Kree Dejchai further adds that as all projects, launched within the year, have been well achieved which is quite confident that the market would warmly welcome the three new projects as it had in the past. With outstandingly new designs and functions, high potential locations, competitive prices, rising demands, as well as the project’s value-for-money offering, it is expected that the new 2009 series would deliver satisfactory result and that the company would achieve its projected plan and targets.

Thursday, November 12, 2009

Stoppage hits Glow's Q3

       The SET-listed power producer Glow Energy saw earnings slow in the third quarter due to a one-month maintenance closure of one of its plants.
       Two factors caused its normalised net profit to drop to 899 million baht in the third quarter, down by 274 million from the second quarter, the company said in its statement.
       Reduced power output due to a onemonth maintenance closure at its 150 MW coal-fired station affected te thirdquarter performance.
       The quarter's results also weakened as Glow had not booked the business interruption liability for a stoppage earlier this year at the 150 MW station.
       Output is expected to return to normal in the final quarter as there are no more major maintenance stoppages scheduled until late 2011. The company also plans to book the remaining business inter-ruption claim of more than 100 million baht in the fourth quarter.
       Glow reported sales of 26.6 billion baht over the first nine months, up 3.3%year-on-year from 25.7 billion. But its net profit fell by 5% from the same period last year to 3.04 billion baht.
       Chief executive Esa Heikanen said higher interest payments of 705.5 million baht, up from 605 million last year, from increasing project finance caused the weaker performance. Fuel costs also rose by 2.8% for natural gas and 1.8% for coal.
       However, Mr Heikanen said that performance declined at a slower pace than the rise in costs, thanks to revitalised sales to industrial customers.
       Shares of Glow closed yesterday on the Stock Exchange of Thailand at 33 baht, up 3 baht, in trade worth 41.53 million baht.

Magnificent seven

       In the most important, most revered event since the invention of the brontosaurus trap,Microsoft shipped the most incredibly fabulous operating system ever made; the release of Windows 7 also spurred a new generation of personal computers of all sizes at prices well below last month's offers.The top reason Windows 7 does not suck: There is no registered website called Windows7Sucks.com
       Kindle e-book reader maker Amazon.com and new Nook e-book reader vendor Barnes and Noble got it on; B&N got great reviews for the "Kindle killer"Nook, with dual screens and touch controls so you can "turn" pages, plays MP3s and allows many non-B&N book formats, although not the Kindle one;Amazon then killed the US version of its Kindle in favour of the international one, reduced its price to $260(8,700 baht), same as the Nook; it's not yet clear what you can get in Thailand with a Nook, but you sure can't (yet) get much, relatively speaking, with a Kindle;but here's the biggest difference so far,which Amazon.com has ignored: the Nook lets you lend e-books to any other Nook owner, just as if they were paper books; the borrowed books expire on the borrower's Nook in two weeks.
       Phone maker Nokia of Finland announced it is suing iPhone maker Apple of America for being a copycat; lawyers said they figure Nokia can get at least one, probably two per cent (retail) for every iPhone sold by Steve "President for Life" Jobs and crew via the lawsuit,which sure beats working for it -$6 (200 baht) to $12(400 baht) on 30 million phones sold so far, works out to $400 million or 25 percent of the whole Apple empire profits during the last quarter;there were 10 patent thefts, the Finnish executives said, on everything from moving data to security and encryption.
       Nokia of Finland announced that it is one month behind on shipping its new flagship N900 phone, the first to run on Linux software; delay of the $750(25,000 baht) phone had absolutely no part in making Nokia so short that it had to sue Apple, slap yourself for such a thought.
       Tim Berners-Lee, who created the World Wide Web, said he had one regret:the double slash that follows the "http:"in standard web addresses; he estimated that 14.2 gazillion users have wasted 48.72 bazillion hours typing those two keystrokes, and he's sorry; of course there's no reason to ever type that, since your browser does it for you when you type "www.bangkokpost.com" but Tim needs to admit he made one error in his lifetime.
       The International Telecommunication Union of the United Nations, which doesn't sell any phones or services, announced that there should be a mobile phone charger that will work with any phone; now who would ever have thought of that, without a UN body to wind up a major study on the subject?;the GSM Association estimates that 51,000 tonnes of chargers are made each year in order to keep companies able to have their own unique ones.
       The Well, Doh Award of the Week was presented at arm's length to the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development; the group's deputy secretary-general Petko Draganov said that developing countries will miss some of the stuff available on the Internet if they don't install more broadband infrastructure; a report that used your tax baht to compile said that quite a few people use mobile phones but companies are more likely to invest in countries with excellent broadband connections; no one ever had thought of this before, right?
       Sun Microsystems , as a result of the Oracle takeover, said it will allow 3,000 current workers never to bother coming to work again; Sun referred to the losses as "jobs," not people; now the fourth largest server maker in the world, Sun said it lost $2.2 billion in its last fiscal year; European regulators are holding up approval of the Oracle purchase in the hope of getting some money in exchange for not involving Oracle in court cases.
       The multi-gazillionaire and very annoying investor Carl Icahn resigned from the board at Yahoo ; he spun it as a vote of confidence, saying current directors are taking the formerly threatened company seriously; Yahoo reported increased profits but smaller revenues in the third quarter.
       The US House of Representatives voted to censure Vietnam for jailing bloggers; the non-binding resolution sponsored by southern California congresswoman Loretta Sanchez said the Internet is "a crucial tool for the citizens of Vietnam to be able to exercise their freedom of expression and association;"Hanoi has recently jailed at least nine activists for up to six years apiece for holding pro-democracy banners. Iran jailed blogger Hossein "Hoder" Derakshan for 10 months - in solitary confinement.