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Show She Salt LakeTribune SATURDAY, TECH CONNECTION NOVEMBER20, 1999 CYBERSAVVY Utah Firm Sends Cameras Into Space Five special videocameras D-10 Businesses Are Doing Most Online Buying, Selling will be eyes of astronauts on space shuttle mission THE ASSOCIATED PRESS By Kim McDaniel Sony Goes With Palm System Over Windows Asall computer geeks know, Comdex washeld this past week in Las Vegas. Beingthe world’s largest computer industry trade show, it pro- duces several major announcements. One of the biggest was Sony's backing of the Palm operating system for handheld devices, which struck a blow to Microsoft's Windows CE operating system. Sony wasan early licensee of Windowsandessentially abandonedthe format to endorse the Palm system. Until recently, handheld use has been relegatedto a relatively exclusive groupof professionals who adapt early to new technology and do not mind the higherpricetags associated with that. Now that more gadgetsare integrating these features andprices are coming down, more averagepeo- ple will start picking them up. This is where Microsoft snerally dominates with average people. But this time the Palm operating system has a significant jump on the marketand, quite possibly, could squeeze Microsoft out altogether. According to a recent ZDNetarticle, the Palm OSis used in 80 percent of portable devices. Microsoft's Win- dows CE runs 13 percent and a likely delayin the release of the upcoming Version 3 mayonlysail any eventual gains. Already,there are hundreds of sites online dedicated to the handheld user. There are thousandsof utilities and softwaretitles available, mostof them free. Users can download newsand weatherinformation to read on the plane or commute, get utilities to track tasks, or even play gamessuch as Pac Man and pinbal! —all on onetiny device. The screen is small, the memory sparse and Formost people, e-commerce brings to mind Beanie Baby auctionsorbattling BY VINCE HORIUCHI THE SALTLAKETRIBUNE Special video cameras built by a Sandy bookstores. But businesses, not consumers, are doing most of the buying and selling online. Inspired by the successofonlineretail companyliterally will be the eyesof astronauts whoare building the 16-nation International Earth’s orbit. merchants, companies are dealing with one anotheroverthe Internet, trading in Space Station around everything from coal to computer com: ponents to cows. Business deals will ac- The camerasusespecial housings and electronic components to ensure they operate without a hitch in the rigors of countfor two-thirds or moreofthe money movingontheInternet this year, and that ee will keep increasing, analysts space. “The astronauts cannot see the pro- ©rrancls Felber, feed-purchasing man- cess, so the cameras are the only eyes they've got, unless someone goes out into space,” said Don Stewart, president of Videospection Inc., which aiso makes agerat The TurkeyStore in Barron, Wis., is pleased with his first online foray for forage. Fascinated by the possibilities of video camerasfor the military and theoil theInternet,hetried the online auctions industry. The five NASA camerasbuilt by Videospection will be positioned inside the space shuttle’s cargo bay so astronauts hosted by Cattleofferings Worldwide, or for short, on its farms.com Web site. Felber wanted tostart small to see how can use them to maneuver the boom it worked, so he invited his suppliers to bid for the lowest price on 125 tons of crane in space without having to step outside. The cameraswill givea live feed corn,just a few hours worth of consump- to television manitorsinside the shuttle that astronauts useto position the crane. The camerasarebuilt with personalcomputer boards that are mounted specially inside an aluminum housing. from launch to touchdown, this equipment has to withstand tremendous shock at takeoff, vast changes in pressure and the coldnessof space. “Everything is mechanically bolted down. There is no wayit can be vibrated or shifted,” Stewart said. “Andit'll be on a space station that goes through a full cycle [of rotations] every 90 minutes. Part of the time, they wiil be in well-below freezingor in full sunlight. It will go from extreme heat to extreme cold very quickly. “Space is a harder place to be in than peoplethink,”he added. “It’s hard to keep equipment functioning like this out there.” Finally, tion at the company turkey farms in Wisconsin and Minnesota. Ryan Galbraith/The Salt Lake Tribune Videospection technician Sam Anderson examinesa targeting camera from a Hell-Fire missile. The company makesspeciaity cameras for NASA andthe military. “T got a little bit of a rush,” said the for NASA and shipped earlier this month. cameras have to be shielded fromradiation to reduce video noise, and they have to be madeof materials that are not canbe of giving off toxicgases. “It’s like having dry ice,” said Dave Anderson, Videospection’s chief engi- neer. “It goes from a solid straight to a gas, and lot of materials do that in a emy boats or help find sea mines. Cam- for NASA's buoyancytank,a large pool at its training center that simulates zero gravity. The company was started in 1985 de- Videospection also designed video camerasfor U.S. Coast Guard fighterjets for drug interdiction. The camera can spot the tail number of a plane trans- other technicians — also built cameras signing and building underwater cameras. It has the distinctionof takingthefirst picturesof the Titanic with camerassold to the Woods Hole Oceanographic Instivideo of the legendary oceanliner. Videospection’s main contract then wasbuilding underwater camerasforoil rigs that allowed workers to see where the drills were going deep in the ocean. Since then, they have made special video camerasfor the military that pilots use to track missiles. They also built cameras to help astronauts retrieve there is no keyboard, yetthereis lit, tle risk of the Palmdevicegoing any- vacuum.” Five camerasat $9,000 each werebuilt replacement for the desktopor even laptop, but simply a handy compan- Gates to Attend Denver Technology Summit Links KNIGHTRIDDER NEWSSERVICE Microsoft founder Bill Gates will come to Denverin HandHeld News: June to address a joint meet- Spartansatellites on the shuttle, and the S. Navy uses them for a thermal wheresoon.Afterall, it is nota ion. www.handheldnews.com PalmPilot at 3Com: www.palm.com Palm Boulevard: www.palmblvd.com Palm Gear HQ: www.palmgear.com Y2K Tip of the Week sure to check with officials before departing. Some countries may expe- rience problemsandit will be neces- saryto prepare. You also will want to register with the U.S. embassy or consultateifone exists, just in case. see each other Dec. 14, when the governorplans to ask him for financial support for a proposed Colorado Institute of Technology. “There are few worthier causes than higher education when it comes to building a state's profile as a high-tech technology workforce, Holtzmansaid. Owens, who will visit gy. Neither the agenda northe Gates during an development trip to Seattle, plans to raise up to $250 mil- The meeting is part of Col orado's effort to raise the hub,said Marc Holtzman, the state's secretary of technolo- If you are taking a trip overseas during the millennium rollover, be ah sl PHONE SALE ing of Gov. Bill Owens’ Commission on Science and Technology and the Metro Denver Network. exact date has beenset, he said. Gateswill be comingat the invitation of the governor, whowill serve as host for the visit, Holtzmansaid. Owensand Gatesalso will lion for the institute's facilities, programs and start-up costs. Thefirst courses would eras also were built for the Navy’s nu- clear powered mini-submarine. porting drugs from two miles away, muchlike policeofficer who takes down the license plate numberofa car. “Thelaser they illuminatethecraft is infrared, so the pilot doesn’t know heis being illuminated,” Stewart said. “It can be the dead of night, and the [Coast Guard] pilot can pick upthe tail number no problem.” They even finished a contract with the Turkish governmentto provide surveil- lance cameras that are mounted on vehicles to monitor borderactivities. “It's amazing how many fingers we havein thepieall over the world,” Stewart said. winning bidder, salesman Dave Kleingarn at grain dealer Andy Lorence in Minneapolis. Like the other bidders,it was thefirst time he tried business-tobusiness e-commerce. “Tt was a really quick wayto trade. All yougotto dois click on ‘Bid’ and ‘Send’ andthat’s aboutit,” Kleingarnsaid. The price was not remarkable, but Felber did not mind. “TI could have called any one of the people that I normally do business with and bought it at that value or maybe even lower. But that’s not the idea. Anytime you try something new, you don’t necessarily get the lowestprice.” Heexpects to see better prices when more supplierstake part, increasing the competition among them. ttleofferings Worldwide, which hosted the auction, was founded four years ago by Ben Zaitz, a farmer who describes himself as “your basic land-andcattle kindof guy.” ADVERTISEMENT Repossessed CarsEeto be Sold Local Business Looking for Responsible Parties to Make Payments on 163 Bank Repossessions and Over-age Inventory be offered through a network of other Colorado schools as early as next fall, Holtzman said. While Supplies Last! Salt Lake City, UT Transports of used cars and trucks seem to be arriving daily from across the country. Their cargo is a sore subject for many banks, butall is not gloom and doom. es these cas often represent huge FREE “Nationwide Weekend Calling (500 min per month)”* * NowLocal Area Includes: UTAH, IDAHO, Free Caller 1.D Free Paging, Free Voice-Mail Ist Incoming MinuteFree * Three Way Calling Trade-ins won't be a problem, just bring in your title or payment book and we'll take care of the rest.” Te Na ora Pete on to say, “We are so confident we can arrange are often sought after deals for bar: gain hunters. But financing for anyone that id you've been on the job fora year and you make at retail them to the public often selling these cars and trucks for top dollar. But that’s all about to change. Larry H. Miller Dodge * Trade-In Credit for New Phone Purchases “The banks want to put these cars and trucks on the road,”said Eric Arnault, General “Wee 50 confident we can arrange vehicles at huge discounts and * Call Waiting/ Call hold help be agreeing tofinance these sale. At these prices, the really vehicles for litle or no dewn great buys will go fast! We are payment, on approval of credit. staffing up for this event. losses to banks, they Jinanaingfor anyonewellpayyou $100 these bargains are often hard, if not next to impossible, to find. Generally, used car dealers buy these COLORADO * * * * imaging system so ships can target en- The company — which employs more than a dozen engineers, machinists and tute, the center that recorded thefirst the At a set time, the suppliers scattered about the Midwest logged on to a special Web page set up for the auction. In 13 minutes and45 secondsthey clicked their mousebuttons to take the price from $80 perton to $48.50. $69" has announced what may be a er Oma tte bargain-hunter’s dream. Whenaskedfor details Bob Cockerham, General on the spot if we cant” Avteh Dov Sales Manager of LarryH. Miller Dodge, “and I think theyll do just about anything to make this sale a success” All the cars and trucks will be clearly markedon the window with their discountedprices. least $1,300 a month and we can’t get you qualified, we'll pay you $100 on the spot!” Cockerham said, “We have a little bit of everything to offer. I think if it can be driven, we have one.” Each vehicle has been “The payments will also be clearly marked.” added Cockerham, “This should make shopping for these bargains even easier. Customers can expect to inspected and serviced and is _—_readyto go, This special event will take place at Larry H. Miller Dodge, in the Utah Auto Mall in Sandy finda large selection of vehicles just take the 106th South South of Larry H. Miller Dodge, said, andprices, from top ofthe line Exit off of 115. The auto mal is “The banks askedus to help, and 1 think we can.” Wireless Etc. yoceSireanr 448 W. Antelope Dr. * Layton * 775-0350 361 W. 500 South. * Bountiful * 295-5656 apply, Coupon must be presented 10receive “Neme restr special, While supplies lave huxury cars, 4x48, minivans and spost utilities to basic This Friday and Saturday, transportation. We have it all!” November 19th and 20th, Larry Larry H. Miller Dodge's Miller Dodge will sell these Used Car Manager, Aurel vehicles and pass the savings on to their customers, ‘The banks said they would just a block south of the South ‘Towne Mall. For more information please contact Aurel Dovale, Used Car Managerat 553-5500 Dovale was quoted as saying, “We wanteveryone to know that this is a first come first served © 1997, AMC |
