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Atari Online News, Etc. Volume 15 Issue 10
Volume 15, Issue 10 Atari Online News, Etc. March 8, 2013
Published and Copyright (c) 1999 - 2013
All Rights Reserved
Atari Online News, Etc.
A-ONE Online Magazine
Dana P. Jacobson, Publisher/Managing Editor
Joseph Mirando, Managing Editor
Rob Mahlert, Associate Editor
Atari Online News, Etc. Staff
Dana P. Jacobson -- Editor
Joe Mirando -- "People Are Talking"
Michael Burkley -- "Unabashed Atariophile"
Albert Dayes -- "CC: Classic Chips"
Rob Mahlert -- Web site
Thomas J. Andrews -- "Keeper of the Flame"
With Contributions by:
Fred Horvat
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=~=~=~=
A-ONE #1510 03/08/13
~ Czech News Cyberattack ~ People Are Talking! ~ The Next New Xbox!
~ Google $7 Million Fine ~ SimCity Launch Botched ~ Microsoft Is Stupid?
~ Win 8 Laptops Cheaper! ~ 3D-Printed Skull Ready ~ Used Digital Goods!
-* Hackers Fail To Crack Chrome *-
-* Microsoft Is Browser Non-compliant! *-
-* Samsung Cancels US Windows RT Tablet Plans *-
=~=~=~=
->From the Editor's Keyboard "Saying it like it is!"
""""""""""""""""""""""""""
Another week, another major storm here in the Northeast! All week long,
the weather prognosticators were predicting a fairly large storm to hit
the northeastern part of the country. Here in Massachusetts, they were
predicting some snow, and turning over to rain. As of Thursday night,
we were supposed to get 3-6 inches of snowm focusing in on the lower
end of the range. By 2:00 Friday afternoon, we had about a foot of snow
on the ground before the storm shut down! Some areas got over two feet of
snow! They really blew this forecast!
So, after spending some "quality" time cleaning up after this storm, I'm
ready to get right to this week's issue! Hopefully you all managed to
"survive" another winter blast!
Until next time...
=~=~=~=
->In This Week's Gaming Section - EA Botches SimCity Launch, Amazon Stops Sales!
""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" Vita Sales in Japan Have Quadrupled!
The Next Xbox!
And more!
=~=~=~=
->A-ONE's Game Console Industry News - The Latest Gaming News!
""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
The Next Xbox
Over 76 million Xbox 360 gaming consoles have been sold since it debuted
back in 2005. While the system underwent a redesign in 2011, in the gaming
world, thats eons ago. So this year, everyone expects a new Xbox, and the
rumors are flying as to what new features might be added and when it might
be unveiled.
We know the new device is code-named Durango, but will the official release
name be Xbox 720? Or, as others have noted, Microsoft recently snapped up
domain names for Xbox8, with the 8 doubling as a symbol implying the name
Xbox Infinity.
Faster Graphics, 3D, a DVR, Blu-Ray, and a Supercharged Kinect Rumors
Whatever the name, the new Xbox is said to run on chipsets six to eight
times more powerful than todays device. As always, Microsoft wants to
convert PC Gamers to Xbox enthusiasts.
All new Xbox consoles will have a 500 GB hard drive minimum, mostly for
entertainment, but all games will have to be installed. According to
gaming site Kotaku, the console will have an 8-core, 64-bit CPU running at
1.6ghz, and 800mhz DirectX 11.x graphics processor units.
The new Xbox is rumored to be capable of 3D, if you have a 3D TV. And
were almost certain itll be heavy on entertainment options, such as the
ability to play Blu-ray discs and game play running simultaneous with
entertainment apps. Also Microsoft filed a patent to include a built-in
DVR in the device so you could record shows from live TV and watch off
your Xbox. Theres also a strong possibility youll get added controls
and accessibility to the Xbox if you have a Windows 8 Phone.
One big brother aspect of all these entertainment additions is implied in
a patent Microsoft won in 2011 called Content Distribution Regulation by
Viewing User. The idea is that a home user might stream a movie and
Microsoft could use the Kinect Motion sensor to determine how many people
are watching. Theyd then charge you a per seat fee: 2 people = $20, 3
people $30. Really, Microsofts looking into my living room to see whos
watching? Not sure thats going to fly, but remember: these are all just
rumors and speculation.
One big prediction is that all Xbox consoles will come standard with a
Kinect motion sensor. It may add a bit to the price, but if this is true,
you can extrapolate that Microsoft might also force voice calibration to
get you to use the voice control features in Kinect. Also, they might need
to bring the manufacturing price down on the Kinect if it is to come
included with the console, and some think Microsoft will get that price
reduction by taking out the hinged base mount that currently adjusts to
the height its placed in relation to the field of play. Instead, analysts
think Kinect will have a fixed field of view, but that it will be much
wider going from the current 57.5? by 43.5? to a 70? by 60? area in which
it can see you and you can play. This also ties into the rumor that a
wider field of view will give the Kinect the ability to recognize six
people instead of the current four player max.
The hardware in the Kinect motion sensor is also due for some serious
upgrades. First, many predict a switch to USB 3.0 as its connector to the
Xbox. That would give the Kinect a much wider pipe to pump data back to
the console meaning decreased latency, smoother and more sophisticated
game play, increased recognition of finger movement, and possibly detailed
facial recognition including interpretation of your moods. Okay, maybe
the mood recognition part of that prediction belongs in the Unlikely
Features category, but its possible.
Microsoft filed a patent for an immersive game play option where parts of
the game would be projected all across the room where youre playing. No
question that this would be cool, but its pretty far fetched for the next
release. More likely to come soon but not soon enough augmented
reality glasses; youd see elements of the game in your glasses and use
the Kinects motion sensor to control gaming with gesture.
There are also persistent rumors that the new console wont allow you to
play used games. Games wont play unless you can match a new game CD to a
one-use-only game code. That would put an end to the highly lucrative Xbox
game resale market and even limit sharing amongst friends. That would be a
really bold move from Microsoft, and I cant quite believe theyd risk
angering that many fans, but business is business, so well just have to
wait and see.
While the E3 gaming conference in June is a natural time to make a big
debut, the recent Sony Playstation 4 announcement puts pressure on
Microsoft to unveil soon. Developer chatter has us expecting a late April
announcement. One things certain, the new Xbox will be available for
purchase in time for the holidays.
Vita Sales in Japan Have Quadrupled
It really does seem like cutting the price of the hardware is a cure-all.
The most recent example? PlayStation Vita. According to a report from
Gematsu, Vita sales in Japan are up roughly four times the usual amount
following Vitas much-advertised price cut, bring it down below ¥20,000.
Specifically, word comes from Sony Computer Entertainment Japan President
Hiroshi Kawano, who, during a presentation of One Piece: Pirate Warriors 2,
noted that, according to Gematsu, PlayStation Vita sales in [Japan] have
increased about four times the amount of units the platform was moving two
weeks prior
As noted in that story, Vita sold 11,000 units two weeks before the price
cut; presumably, this means Vita sold around 44,000 units following the
price cut, a substantial amount for a handheld thats been struggling to
gain a foothold. Whether or not the price cut can create sustained growth
in Vita sales remains to be seen, of course.
Still, with this new evidence that price cuts do indeed push units, has
Sony made an error in not cutting Vitas price around the world?
EA Botches SimCity Launch, Amazon Stops Sales
IconSo, SimCity has been released - the fifth instalment in this venerable
series of fantastic games. However, just as everyone suspected, the game
has been completely ruined by the always-online DRM. So much so, in fact,
that Amazon has ceased selling the game.
SimCity requires no introduction - from the first game onwards, it has
captured the minds and hearts of gamers the world over. SimCity 2000 is my
personal favourite, but I have played all versions to death. I was eagerly
awaiting SimCity (no version number), but sadly, the game has been ruined
even before it's been properly released.
The game requires an always-on internet connection to connect with EA's
servers, partly because of online components, but mostly because of DRM.
During a Reddit AmA with Maxis, the game's developers, the problems were
already predicted, and they panned out: EA's servers couldn't handle the
load, and the game became unplayable for large groups of people who just
paid 60 for the privilege.
They were greeted by waiting screens, unable to play the game.
EA had to act, and they did. They have released a patch which... Disables
several features of the game. Ironically, it mostly disables features that
supposedly required the always-on connection in the first pace, such as
leaderboards and achievements. A more dramatic step is the removal of the
'cheetah' speed. This is the highest simulation speed in the game, and at
least in the way I play the game I require it - I switch between pause
(build mode) and cheetah (develop mode).
As a consequence of all the troubles with players being unable to, well,
play, Amazon has decided to remove the digital version of the game from
its virtual shelves, while the physical copy now carries a warning about
the game.
I don't think EA could have handled this any worse. None of the gameplay
features require always-on connectivity; you can play the game entirely on
your own. It's this kind of - pardon me - shit that makes people hate you,
EA. You just ruined SimCity.
Sony Sells Off $437 Million in DeNA Stock
Capping off a tumultuous financial year, Sony has decided to sell off its
shares in DeNA, the company that owns popular games portal and social
network Mobage. Sony expects to gain $437 million (or 40.9 billion yen)
from the sale. The shares were purchased by Japanese company Nomura
Securities.
This could mark a decision by Sony to move away from mobile gaming,
instead choosing to focus on the Playstation brand. Freeing up some money
with this sort of sale would be a good way to go about that.
Sony revealed the PlayStation 4 last month. DeNA, meanwhile, has produced
popular social games in Japan based on brands such as Final Fantasy and
Infinity Blade.
=~=~=~=
A-ONE's Headline News
The Latest in Computer Technology News
Compiled by: Dana P. Jacobson
Commission Fines Microsoft for Non-compliance with Browser Choice Commitments
The European Commission has imposed a 561 million fine on Microsoft for
failing to comply with its commitments to offer users a browser choice
screen enabling them to easily choose their preferred web browser. In
2009, the Commission had made these commitments legally binding on
Microsoft until 2014 (see IP/09/1941). In today's decision, the Commission
finds that Microsoft failed to roll out the browser choice screen with its
Windows 7 Service Pack 1 from May 2011 until July 2012. 15 million Windows
users in the EU therefore did not see the choice screen during this
period. Microsoft has acknowledged that the choice screen was not
displayed during that time.
Commission Vice President in charge of competition policy Joaquín Almunia
said: "In 2009, we closed our investigation about a suspected abuse of
dominant position by Microsoft due to the tying of Internet Explorer to
Windows by accepting commitments offered by the company. Legally binding
commitments reached in antitrust decisions play a very important role in
our enforcement policy because they allow for rapid solutions to
competition problems. Of course, such decisions require strict
compliance. A failure to comply is a very serious infringement that must
be sanctioned accordingly."
In December 2009, the Commission had made legally binding on Microsoft
commitments offered by the US software company to address competition
concerns related to the tying of Microsoft's web browser, Internet
Explorer, to its dominant client PC operating system Windows (see
IP/09/1941, MEMO/09/558 and MEMO/09/559). Specifically, Microsoft
committed to make available for five years (i.e. until 2014) in the
European Economic Area a "choice screen" enabling users of the Windows
operating system to choose in an informed and unbiased manner which web
browser(s) they wanted to install in addition to, or instead of,
Microsoft's web browser.
The choice screen was provided as of March 2010 to European Windows users
who have Internet Explorer set as their default web browser. While it was
implemented, the choice screen was very successful with users: for
example, until November 2010, 84 million browsers were downloaded through
it. When the failure to comply was detected and documented in July 2012,
the Commission opened an investigation (see IP/12/800) and before taking
a decision notified to Microsoft its formal objections in October 2012
(see IP/12/1149).
This is the first time that the Commission has had to fine a company for
non-compliance with a commitments decision. In the calculation of the
fine the Commission took into account the gravity and duration of the
infringement, the need to ensure a deterrent effect of the fine and, as a
mitigating circumstance, the fact that Microsoft has cooperated with the
Commission and provided information which helped the Commission to
investigate the matter efficiently.
When the Commission finds an infringement of EU antitrust rules such as an
abuse of a dominant market position (Article 102 of the Treaty on the
Functioning of the European Union), it may take a decision under Article 7
of the EU's Antitrust Regulation (1/2003) prohibiting such behaviour and
imposing sanctions. The Commission may impose a fine up to 10% of the
undertaking's total turnover in the preceding business year.
However, under Article 9 of the Regulation, the Commission may also
conclude an antitrust investigation by making legally binding the
commitments offered by the companies concerned. Such an Article 9 decision
does not conclude that there is an infringement of EU antitrust rules and
does not impose a sanction. However, it legally binds the companies
concerned to comply with the commitments. Since the entry into force of
the Regulation in 2003, the Commission has taken 29 decisions under
Article 9, including the decision on Internet Explorer (IP/09/1941).
If a company breaks such commitments, Article 23 (2) of the Antitrust
Regulation empowers the Commission to impose fines of up to 10% of its
total turnover in the preceding business year.
The Commission's investigation into the tying of Windows and Internet
Explorer was distinct from the antitrust case involving Microsoft which
concluded in 2004 with a Decision finding that Microsoft had abused its
dominant position and imposing fines. This case focused on
interoperability between Windows and work group servers and on the tying
of Windows Media Player to Windows (IP/04/382).
Can Microsofts Executives Be That Stupid?
So here we go again. An AP story out of Amsterdam this week reports that
the European Union Commission has fined Microsoft the princely sum of $733
million. Why? Well, as many of you recall, Microsoft was supposed to offer
Windows users in Europe a choice of browsers when they first setup the OS,
or their new PCs.
That agreement came out of a 2009 settlement, in which Microsoft paid a
fine of 860 million euros (over $1.12 billion based on current exchange
rates) to give customers a way to choose a browser other than Internet
Explorer. You'd think that would have been the end of it, as this agreement
seems one that's fairly easy to fulfill, right? But not so.
According to the report on the latest findings, Microsoft failed to offer
the browser choice on some 15 million installations of Windows 7 in Europe
from May 2011 until July 2012. Microsoft admitted the transgression,
saying it was a mistake, and evidently cooperated in the investigation.
The mind boggles.
It's really hard to believe that Microsoft wasn't aware of the violation
or the cause of that violation from Day One. You'd almost think they never
tested their OS installations after shipment, and wouldn't Microsoft's
rivals in the browser wars, such as Opera, complain? But I'm more
concerned about the regulators at the European Union who allowed this
clear violation to continue for so long before clamping down. Sure,
exacting hundreds of millions of euros from Microsoft had to be an
attractive prospect. I'm not saying it was deliberate. But the failure to
notice what happened simply doesn't make sense.
Or maybe so few people care about Microsoft these days that they simply
didn't bother to complain. After all, it would take but one phone call and
a few photos or screen shots to confirm the lack of browser choice on a
new Windows 7 installation in Europe. How was this allowed to go on for so
long?
In all, Microsoft has paid some 2.2 billion euros ($2.86 billion) in fines
as the result of their alleged abuse of market power. These days, of
course, Windows users routinely install other browsers, and not just in
Europe, and that decision is made without a ballot box. Firefox and Chrome
have both taken a hefty portion of the market, but have yet to unseat
MSIE.
According to one survey from Net Market Share - and the numbers vary
considerably depending on the source - all versions of Internet Explorer
held 55.82% of the market as of the first part of 2013. Firefox remained
in the number two spot, with 20.12%. Google Chrome had 16.27%, and Apple
Safari held position number four with 5.42%, but Apple's browser is
evidently no longer being developed for Windows users.
Such surveys don't reveal mobile browser share, where Apple and other
WebKit browsers, including the ones supplied with Android (Internet or
Chrome) have the sort of dominance that Microsoft enjoyed on PCs for many
years.
But Microsoft isn't just squandering money on fines, and this latest fine
could have been easily avoided. They are also throwing bad money into
those terrible ads for Windows 8 and the Surface tablet, not to mention
Internet Explorer. Evidently Microsoft believes that sound and fury, in a
sense yelling at potential customers for attention among the clatter of TV
spots, has to have a positive outcome. The facts, however, are otherwise.
Windows 8 has not been that well accepted, and Windows Phone 8 and the
Surface tablets have essentially gone nowhere.
Faced with this situation, you'd think Microsoft's CEO, Steve Ballmer, and
his executive team, would be working overtime to deal with the company's
serious problems, and not pretending everything is just peachy. Were there
any consequences when the company failed to properly configure Windows 7
installers for the European market? Was one person, or a whole team,
responsible for failing to present the browser selection interface?
When it comes to Windows Phone, rather than doubling down and updating the
platform as if nothing was wrong, why isn't Microsoft going back to the
drawing boards and figuring out how to deliver a compelling mobile OS that
would help drive cutting-edge hardware, rather than also-rans? With PC
sales declining, why isn't Microsoft rushing to build a Windows 8 Service
Pack to address the worst ills? What about just restoring the Start Menu
for starters, a feature to which users have been accustomed for years?
The apparent popularity of third-party solutions has to convey a message,
one hopes.
Doing fast fixes shouldn't be difficult for a company with Microsoft's
resources. Take a look at an auto industry example. Despite great sales
for the 2012 Honda Civic, the new model received tepid reviews, and lost
the cherished "recommended" rating from Consumer Reports. Honda did a fast
refresh, and the 2013 Civic is far better in almost every way, from looks,
to comfort, interior fit and finish and, of course, ride and handling.
This relatively quick fixer-upper must have costa Honda hundreds and
hundreds of millions of dollars, and it had a positive result.
Microsoft should follow Honda's example, and get on with the job of
revamping Windows Phone and Windows 8 into platforms customers might
really like.
Like Amazon, Apple Wants To Create A Marketplace for Used Digital Goods
Apple filed a patent application Thursday to create a marketplace for used
digital goods. The description is similar to the idea behind the patent
that Amazon won approval for in February. Unlike Amazons patent, however,
Apples possible system outlines the ways in which publishers could profit
from the resale of digital goods. (Note: Apple applies for patents on lots
of things, and applying for one doesnt necessarily mean the company will
do anything with it.)
Apples patent application describes a system that would allow users to
transfer access to digital content such as an ebook, music, movie,
software application to others:
The transferor is prevented from accessing the digital content item
after the transfer occurs. The entity that sold the digital content item
to the transferor enforces the access rights to the digital content item
by storing data that establishes which user currently has access to the
digital content item. After the change in access rights, only the
transferee is allowed access to the digital content item. As part of the
change in access rights, the transferee may pay to obtain access to the
digital content item. A portion of the proceeds of the resale may be
paid to the creator or publisher of the digital content item and/or the
entity that originally sold the digital content item to the original
owner.
The application also describes many possible aspects of a marketplace for
used digital goods including how publishers might get paid:
How users might trace a files previous owner history: A user that
purchases a used digital biology book may be interested in who
previously had access to the digital school book because that previous
owner may have helpful information about a class taught by a professor
that required that book. As another example, a current owner of a digital
movie might be able to see that one or more of her friends also owned
that digital movie and, as a result, starts a conversation with them
regarding the contents of the digital movie.
How buyers and sellers could find each other: The patent describes
possibilities like physically meeting on an airplane, using online
resources, posting on a social network or physically bumping devices
against each other: For example, while device 230 is playing a song and
is in a bump mode and while device 240 is in a bump mode, device 230
touches device 240. This touch or bump causes a copy of the song to be
accessible to one of Sallys devices (e.g., device 240) either
immediately or later.
Payments for publishers: The patent lays out possibilities for how a
piece of contents original publisher could profit from a resale (something
that rarely if ever happens with physical goods). In one possible outcome,
the percentages that each party or entity receives from a resale of a
digital content item changes (1) based on the passage of time or (2)
based on how many times the digital content item has been resold among
end-users. For example, publisher 110 receives (a) 50% on each resale of
digital content item 202 that occurs within a year of the initial sale
from intermediary 120 to Jeff and (b)20% on each resale that occurs more
than a year after the initial sale. As another example, publisher 110
receives 50% on the first resale (i.e., from Jeff to Sally) and 40% on
second resale (i.e., from Sally to another user, not shown).
As we noted last month, users rights to resell digital content is a
contentious issue under current U.S. copyright law. This year, a court
will rule on whether startup ReDigi, which allows users to resell digital
music, is legal. Last year, the European Court of Justice ruled that
users have the right to resell downloaded software.
Google To Pay $7 Million To Settle Wi-Fi Case
Google will pay a $7 million penalty to settle a multistate investigation
into the Internet search leader's collection of emails, passwords and
other sensitive information sent over wireless networks in neighborhoods
throughout the country several years ago.
A person familiar with the matter says the resolution will close a joint
investigation by more than 30 states. The person asked not to be
identified because the settlement isn't expected to be announced until
early next week.
The case dates back to 2010 when Google Inc. revealed that company cars
taking street-level photos for its online mapping service also had been
vacuuming up personal data transmitted over wireless networks that
weren't protected by passwords.
Google has maintained it didn't break any U.S. laws and has apologized for
a breach of online etiquette.
Czech News Media Face Cyberattacks
Leading media websites in the Czech Republic say they have come under
repeated and powerful cyberattacks.
The online editions of Mlada Fronta Dnes, a major newspaper, and of the
respected business daily Hospodarske Noviny were among the affected.
The attacks occurred Monday morning and again in the afternoon.
Mlada Fronta Dnes' iDNES.cz says it considers the denial of service attacks
the biggest it has ever faced. It says they likely originated from infected
computers abroad.
Lucie Tvaruzkova, editor-in-chief of IHNED.cz, the site that belongs to
Hospodarske Noviny, says "it was a coordinated attack on big media
websites in the Czech Republic."
Tvaruzkova says it is not clear who is behind the attacks.
Hackers Fail To Crack Chrome OS
Google offered hackers a chance at a big pay day if they could crack its
Chrome OS platform. The company held its annual Pwnium competition at the
ConSecWest security conference in Vancouver this week where it put
$3.14159 million up for grabs. While a number of hackers attempted to get
a piece of the Pi, a Google spokesperson confirmed in a statement to
TechCrunch that none of them succeeded in fully cracking the operating
system. The company did reveal, however, that it is evaluating some work
that may qualify as partial credit. Google is making a big push to boost
consumer interest in Chrome OS. The company recently released the
high-end Chromebook Pixel to compete directly with the Retina display
Macbook Pro.
Samsung Cancels US Windows RT Tablet Plans
There wasn't really a very clear positioning of what Windows RT meant in
the marketplace, what it stood for relative to Windows 8, that was being
done in an effective manner to the consumer. When we did some tests and
studies on how we could go to market with a Windows RT device, we
determined there was a lot of heavy lifting we still needed to do to
educate the customer on what Windows RT was. And that heavy lifting was
going to require pretty heavy investment. When we added those two things
up, the investments necessary to educate the consumer on the difference
between RT and Windows 8, plus the modest feedback that we got regarding
how successful could this be at retail from our retail partners, we
decided maybe we ought to wait.
Another issue, according to Samsung, is price. The Korean giant claims
that in order to keep the price of Windows RT devices down, it has to make
too many compromises. The issue here, of course, is that ARM-based
Windows 8 tablets should be cheaper than x86-based ones, since they are
simply less functional.
This doesn't surprise me. I'm going to buy a Surface RT (so I can do a
proper review of Windows 8), and as part of my duty as a consumer I wanted
to play with a Windows RT tablet to see what performance is like, and
whether or not I can justify spending 400 more for the Surface Pro
(unlikely). Expecting to see loads of Windows 8 tablets, I went to the
country's largest chain of electronics retailers.
To my utter surprise, they didn't have a single Windows 8 tablet on
display; no ARM, no x86. In fact, they didn't sell any Windows 8/Windows
RT tablets at all! The aisles were lined with Android tablets of all
shapes, sizes, and prices. On top of that, the iPads were stacked
roof-high; all iPads were fully stocked, and there was even a bargain bin
specifically for brand new iPad 3s.
But not a single tablet with Windows 8 or Windows RT. I also noticed - for
the first time - that they had reduced the shelf space available to
laptops, and that, also for the first time, Apple laptops were
intermingled with Windows laptops.
It's all anectodal, of course, but if I were Microsoft, I'd be worried.
Windows 8 Laptops Are Getting Cheaper Will Consumers Bite?
Earlier this week, The Wall Street Journal reported that Microsoft was
offering its manufacturing partners a discount on Windows 8 licensing
fees. The reduced cost will likely help manufacturers offer lower priced
Windows 8 laptops. According to Digitimes, prices of Windows 8-powered
touchscreen notebooks are expected to drop at least 10%, while some
entry-level models could drop as much as 20%. Touchscreen laptops
currently account for about 10% of all notebook sales, however the
reduced prices are expected to increase sales to account for more than
20% in the second quarter. The new sweet spot for touchscreen notebooks
is said to be around $500, although it will still likely take some time
before consumers fully embrace the new operating system.
Sandberg's Hot-button Book Rings True for Silicon Valley Women
Facebook executive Sheryl Sandberg is taking a drubbing for prescribing
from a privileged perch the keys to female success in her upcoming book
"Lean In," but she's struck a chord among many in her backyard.
In her own technology sector, women remain woefully underrepresented in
leadership roles, even more so than in fields generally considered heavily
male-dominated like financial services. Sandberg's willingness to tackle
the issue of women and leadership is drawing plaudits from many in Silicon
Valley.
"She is bringing a topic forward that a lot of people want to talk about,"
says Blair Christie, chief marketing officer at networking company Cisco
Systems. "It doesn't matter what side of the debate you're on."
Sandy Kurtzig - one of the first women founders to take a company through
an initial public offering when her software company, Ask, listed on the
New York Stoc Exchange in 1981 - brushes aside the criticism that
Sandberg is speaking from heights unattainable for most women.
"To put herself out there is how she's chosen to contribute," says
Kurtzig. "You need more role models."
Of all the top executives working for a Standard & Poor's 500, midcap or
smallcap indices technology company for at least a year during the decade
ended in 2009, just 5.5 percent were women, says George-Levi Gayle, an
associate professor of economics at Washington University in St. Louis
specializing in gender and pay issues in the workplace. The data is the
most recent available; other studies on women in the workplace tend to
include technology in the "services" category, which includes other
unrelated fields.
Technology's 5.5 percent compares to 5.9 percent for financial services,
6.8 percent for industrials, and 8.1 percent for consumer goods. Sectors
that did worse than technology when it comes to women leaders included
health care, materials companies, and energy companies, according to
Gayle's data.
He blames the underrepresentation on the low number of women majoring in
engineering and computer science. Just 13.3 percent of all bachelor's
degrees in computer science, computer engineering, or information go to
women, according to the Computing Research Association, a trade group.
That represents a decline from 17.5 percent 10 years ago, according to
the most comparable data from the CRA.
Sandberg's book is the follow-up to talks she gave starting in 2010 on why
the world has too few women leaders. After working at the U.S. Treasury
Department, Sandberg scaled the heights of Silicon Valley, moving from
Google to chief operating officer at Facebook while raising two children.
The 43-year-old is adamant about making it home every night for dinner.
While the book does not come out until Monday, advance press for "Lean In:
Women, Work and the Will to Lead" has sparked a fierce debate between
supporters and detractors on the Internet. A bestselling book could ensure
the debate has practical results in workplaces across the United States.
"Lean In" offers tips for women in the workforce in general, such as how
to command more respect through simple acts such as sitting tall at a
conference table and speaking assertively at meetings.
Points like that might sound lightweight, but can have a big effect, says
Theresia Gouw Ranzetta of venture firm Accel Partners, the firm known for
backing Facebook in its early days.
"It impacts the way people perceive you," she says. "But you have to have
the substance to back it up." She recalls receiving similar coaching
early in her career when she worked as a management consultant at Bain &
Co.
Kurtzig, now founder and chief executive of software start-up Kenandy,
says too often she has seen women walk into a conference room and
automatically head for chairs around the edges of the room rather than the
main table. The message: "You're a support person," she says. "Not a main
character."
She is not as positive about Sandberg's pitch for women to join "Lean In
Circles," or groups where they can support each other and learn how to
achieve more success in their careers. "In business, you need to
assimilate into the world, and the world is men and women," she says.
Many technology veterans believe employers need to do more to help women
gain entry to executive suites.
"How women show up and really drive their success in the workplace is
important," says Cisco's Christie. "But there's a huge role for employers
to move the topic of gender diversity where it needs to be."
She lays part of the blame on the paucity of women executives in
technology on the relative immaturity of the sector. More established
companies have strong development programs that have tried to foster the
advancement of women, she says, while technology companies have generally
focused on keeping up with their rapid growth.
Ellen Pao, a former partner at venture firm Kleiner Perkins Caufield &
Byers who is suing the firm for gender discrimination and retaliation in
a case closely watched in Silicon Valley, believes individuals and
companies should pay more attention to attitudes. "A lot of the stuff that
happens seems to be very subconscious or unintentional, but it happens,"
she says.
Some women in technology say they are encouraged by changes they see at
the upper echelons. "What I'm seeing on the ground is really a sense of
momentum, and increasing momentum," says Accel's Ranzetta.
She points to companies like Hewlett Packard IBM, Xerox, and Yahoo, where
Meg Whitman, Ginni Rometty, Ursula Burns and Marissa Meyer, respectively,
are chief executives, as well as the growing numbers of female founders
and executives she sees at start-up companies.
"Merissa Meyer and Sheryl both rose very quickly by first joining small
entrepreneurial companies," she says, referring to the boost both of them
got by working at Google while it was still a private company.
But she sees an even speedier route to the top in technology. "If you want
to become CEO of a Fortune 500 company, I would say go start a company,"
Ranzetta says. "It's the fastest way to the C-suite."
3D-Printed Skull Implant Ready for Operation
3D printing technology has helped replace 75 percent of a patient's skull
with the approval of U.S. regulators.
The 3D-printed implant can replace the bone in people's skulls damaged by
disease or trauma, according to Oxford Performance Materials. The company
announced it had received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug
Administration for its skull implant on Feb. 18 a decision that led to
the first U.S. surgical operation on March 4.
"We see no part of the orthopedic industry being untouched by this," said
Scott DeFelice, president of Oxford Performance Materials.
DeFelice's company is already selling 3D-printed implants overseas as a
contract manufacturer. But the FDA decision has opened the door for U.S.
operations using the implants.
3D printing's advantage comes from taking the digitally scanned model of
a patient's skull and "printing" out a matching 3D object layer by layer.
The precise manufacturing technique can even make tiny surface or edge
details on the replacement part that encourage the growth of cells and
allow bone to attach more easily.
About 300 to 500 U.S. patients could use skull bone replacements every
month, according to DeFelice. The possible patients include people with
cancerous bone in their skulls, as well as car accident victims and U.S.
military members suffering from head trauma.
DeFelice envisions going beyond the OsteoFab Patient Specific Cranial
Device to make 3D-printed bone replacements for all parts of the human
body. His company has already begun preparing to submit other 3D-printed
bone parts for FDA approval a huge market worth as much as $50 million
to $100 million for each bone replacement type.
"If you can replace a bony void in someone's head next to the brain, you
have a pretty good platform for filling bony voids elsewhere," DeFelice
told TechNewsDaily.
Oxford Performance Materials adapted EOS P800 printing technology to use a
special polyetherketoneketone (PEKK) material that has proved suitable for
human implants. The company runs a biomedical-compliant manufacturing
facility in South Windsor, Conn., that can print bone replacements fitted
for specific patients in two weeks or less.
Such possibilities represent just one small part of 3D printing's
potential to revolutionize U.S. manufacturing and innovation. Oxford
Performance Materials is one of many companies and universities that
helped found the U.S. National Additive Manufacturing Innovation Institute
a $30 million pilot institute funded by the U.S. government to help
transform 3D printing into a serious manufacturing tool.
=~=~=~=
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