GLITR Monday, July 6, 2009

Your report for Monday, July 6, 2009

Automation Alley adds 22 new members in June
Automation Alley, Michigan's largest technology business association, announced today that 22 new members joined the organization in June. "June proved to be another great month for Automation Alley," said Ken Rogers, executive director. "These 22 new members are from a variety of industries, including IT and manufacturing, and are diversifying the region's economy and growing Southeast Michigan into a true technology powerhouse." More.

German firm buys Sterling Heights robotics provider
Nuremberg, Germany-based Leoni, the leading provider of cable systems to the automotive sector and other industries, has taken over the Sterling Heights company Valentine Robotics in full effective July 1. With its acquisition of this robotics specialist, Leoni is further expanding its portfolio in the field of innovative, integrated system solutions with a high proportion of engineering and services for industrial robots as well as its position in the North American market. Valentine Robotics operates in a high growth niche market with its specialization in programming and commissioning of industrial robots, turn-key solutions for example for image processing and measuring systems as well as related application training. More.

Dow Corning CEO talks solar power with President Obama
Stephanie Burns, CEO of Midland-based Dow Corning Corp., met last week with President Barack Obama as part of a roundtable on business innovation and renewable energy. Burns was one of several business leaders Obama invited to the White House for the meeting, Dow Corning spokesman Jarrod Erpelding said. The corporation and its Saginaw-based subsidiary, Hemlock Semiconductor Corp., are heavily involved in the emerging solar energy industry. Burns visited Washington, D.C., last week with 10 Dow Corning customers to lobby for a plan to foster the solar industry the United States. Less than 1 percent of U.S. energy is solar generated. More.

New Web site for work force development firm
Dearborn-based Educational Data Systems Inc. contracted Troy-based Awecomm Web Strategies to create a new Web site and online strategy. The move came after EDSI realized that the growth of its product line, their sales staff, and their business as a whole would soon outpace the capabilities of their current Web site. More.

NextEnergy CEO takes similar post in Nevada
James Croce, former CEO of NextEnergy, the state's renewable energy industry accelerator, has accepted a position as president and CEO of the Nevada Institute for Renewable Energy Commercialization, located in Incline Village in the Lake Tahoe area of Nevada. NIREC is focused on the transformation of scientific research into viable businesses in order to accelerate the widespread adoption of renewable energy systems. Croce had most recently been COO of Wixom-based Lipten Co., a power generation and electric energy efficiency equipment provider. More.

The Week Ahead: A few days off, then the fun stuff resumes

The first couple of days after a holiday always feature ligher-than-normal traffic volumes.

And this is that little lull before the events start up again on the Michigan IT Calendar, the state's most comprehensive tech event calendar, at this link.

This week doesn't get going until Thursday, when there's a look at what's new in grantsmanship at the National Institutes of Health, a TiE Detroit networking event featuring an astounding 67 area chambers of commerce, and a meeting on hiring and jobseeking in tough times from the Motown Chapter of the Help Desk Institute.

Friday's the day for a terrific monthly TechTown meeting known as First Friday, which this month due to the holiday was moved to the second, and a business process management forum.

And next week look out, there's a terrific citizen-participation film festival at Madonna University, and meetings from Ann Arbor Spark, Red Level Networks, Automation Alley and much more.

See you out there!

Note: For information on how you can sponsor content in the Blue Box, contact Jeff Lasser at (248) 455-7319 or jeff.lasser@cbsradio.com

Women of Wind Energy seeking survey input
The Michigan Chapter of Women of Wind Energy is seeking public reaction to a survey. Organizers say the survey will help them gather information from interested parties that would like to be involved as well as those that we would like to serve. You're also invited to forward this survey on to others that you feel might also be interested in this group. To start the survey, visit this link.

Cherry nutraceutical company celebrates Cherry Festival in TC
The National Cherry Festival kicked off over the weekend in Traverse City, and for the folks from Traverse City-based Cerise Nutraceuticals, that means only one thing: Remembering that cherries are a real live 'superfruit' with a bunch of great benefits. More.

WWJ, Weinberg offer free sales training to the unemployed
Gerry Weinberg and Associates is offering a free sales training event for the unemployed. It's designed to tune up their sales skills for their next interview and their next sales position. The event is sponsored by Gerry Weinberg and WWJ Newsradio 950. The event will be held Thursday, July 9 from 8 to 11 a.m. at Gerry Weinberg & Associates, 29201 Telegraph Rd Suite L-11, Southfield, 48034. To sign up, e-mail gerry@gerryweinberg.com .

THE WORLD IN TECH

Some TV stations struggling with viewer loss after DTV switch
The government is helping two dozen TV stations that became difficult to receive by antenna when they switched to new frequencies as part of the digital TV transition, the Federal Communications Commission said Thursday. Most of the stations, in cities like Chicago, Philadelphia, New York and Dallas, moved their digital broadcasts from the UHF band to the VHF band on June 12, when they turned off their analog broadcasts. The VHF band was previously used only for analog broadcasts, and was largely untried as a carrier for digital broadcasts. While UHF can be received well with small indoor antennas, the best VHF antennas are large rooftop units. Many antennas sold as "digital" ones in the last few years receive UHF only. More.

Geeks double as scourges and sages at media summit
The media moguls attending an annual powwow staged by investment bank Allen & Co. used to be able to rest comfortably in the Idaho mountains as they mulled their next moves. Even if they didn't hatch any big deals or bright ideas, the media executives could try to squeeze more profit from their firm grip on the flow of news, entertainment and seemingly everything else people read, watched or heard. Things have changed radically since Allen & Co.'s first summer summit in 1983. The conference, which returns to Sun Valley on Tuesday, now revolves around the technology trailblazers who have turned computers and mobile phones into multimedia hubs that are tormenting newspapers, magazines, broadcasters, music labels and movie studios. The disruption has the geeks playing the dual role of the media's sages and scourges. More.

Web retailers, states tussle over sales taxes
In a big break for online shoppers, Web retailers generally don't have to charge sales taxes in states where they lack a store or some other physical presence. Increasingly, states aching under the weight of the recession are seeking a way around that rule. Because companies like Amazon.com Inc. get help drumming up sales from online affiliates -- people who link to products on their blogs, promote Web shopping deals and offer coupons -- several states say the Internet retailers should charge sales taxes in states where those affiliates are based. The financial benefits may not be quite what the states anticipate, though. Rather than gearing up to collect taxes, Amazon and other Web retailers are simply shutting down their affiliate marketing programs. As the small businesses that participate in these programs get cut off, a state could lose tax revenue rather than add to it. More.

U.S. wants privacy in new cyber-security system
The Obama administration is moving cautiously on a new pilot program that would both detect and stop cyber attacks against government computers, while trying to ensure citizen privacy protections. The pilot program, known as Einstein 3, was supposed to launch in February. But the Department of Homeland Security is still pulling the plan together, according to senior administration officials. Einstein 3 has triggered debate and privacy concerns because the program will use National Security Agency technology, which is already being employed on military networks. More.

Stocks: Dismal employment numbers push markets lower
The tech sector tumbled Thursday, caught in a broad market sell-off as investors reacted to gloomy news about the U.S. employment picture. The Nasdaq Composite Index (COMP) lost 49.2 points or 2.7 percent to 1,796.52. The Dow Jones Industrial Average ($INDU) slumped by 223.32 points or 2.6 percent to 8,280.74. Investors were in a mood to sell after it was reported that the U.S. unemployment rate rose to 9.5 percent in June, up from May's 9.4 percent, and that the number of nonfarm payroll jobs shed last month was significantly higher than forecast. The Philadelphia Semiconductor Index ($SOX) fell 3.21 points or 1.2 percent to 263.81. The Morgan Stanley High Tech 35 Index (MSH) fell 10.93 points or 2.4 percent to 443.44. The NYSE Arca Pharmaceutical Index (DRG) fell 6.17 points or 2.3 percent to 257.52. The NYSE Arca Biotech Index (BTK) fell 22.73 points or 3.3 percent to 664.54. Finally, the Standard & Poor's 500 (SPX) fell 26.91 points or 2.9 percent to 896.42. Markets were closed Friday in observance of the Independence Day holiday.

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