Sears, Roebuck and Co. will remove PCs and film cameras from its store shelves in the third quarter to make room for TVs, DVDs and other consumer electronics devices. The retailing giant, which has carried computers from Hewlett-Packard, Compaq, Dell, Sony and others at various times, is winding down PC sales, after results failed to meet expectations. Most people, when they think of Sears, think of tools and appliances. Sears has constructed distribution deals with a number of computer manufacturers, i.e. the Dell deal whereby Dell agreed to set up kiosks inside Sears stores but cancelled the effort early in the trial period. The extra shelf space at Sears' stores will be used fro televisions, DVD players and digital imaging products like cameras.

Camera maker Eastman Kodak has launched a federal lawsuit against Sony, saying its rival's digital cameras and camcorders infringe on Kodak patents, seeking unspecified damages and an injunction barring further infringement. The suit alleges that various Sony products infringe on 10 Kodak technology patents that were issued between 1987 and 2003. Sony counters stating that they have not violated any Kodak patent relating to digital imaging and will vigorously defend any allegations made in this regard. Kodak has more than 1,000 patents worldwide that relate to digital cameras, including patents covering CMOS (complementary metal-oxide semiconductors) and CCD (charge-coupled device) image sensors, as well as emerging technologies such as cell phone cameras. Kodak's suit against Sony was filed after three years of negotiations failed to produce an accord. Kodak has secured licenses from at least two digital camera makers, Olympus and Sanyo, which got licenses for the company's technology in 2001. In January, Kodak said it would cut 20% of its work force, as it tried to reorganize its business. According to analysts, Sony and Kodak have been in a fierce battle for market share, with the two companies neck and neck in the battle for the top spot, in terms of U.S. market share last quarter.

The Federal Communications Commission has released guidelines that it will use to decide what rules, if any, will govern companies providing Internet telephone services. These guideline consist mainly of a list of questions on which the FCC is seeking public comment. The FCC has already ruled that phone calls that never touch the public switched telephone network should not be regulated. It appears that the agency will use the public comments to determine whether calls that travel over the Internet and the traditional phone network should be regulated, a key Internet phone regulatory issue. VoIP is a technology for making phones calls that use the Internet Protocol, the world's most popular method for sending data from one computer to another. VoIP is embraced by carriers as a way to cut traffic costs on international and long-distance calls, and it is expected to eventually replace the public switched telephone network, as big phone companies convert to IP-based fiber-optic networks.

PROCUREMENT AND FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES

The following is a listing of recently published technology procurement or Federally funded opportunities with various governmental entities. We hope our readers take the opportunity to investigate these postings and increase their business :

DOT - Research and Special Programs Administration (RSPA)
Volpe National Transportation Systems Center
R --Design and Development of an operator fatigue data collection monitor Synopsis http://www.eps.gov/spg/DOT/RSPA/VNTSC/DTRS57%2D04%2DQ%2D80077/listing.html

DOT - Federal Highway Administration (FHWA)
Office of Acquisition Management
U -- Instructor Development Training
Solicitation 01 http://www.eps.gov/spg/DOT/FHWA/OAM/DTFH61%2D04%2DR%2D00014/listing.html

DOJ - Federal Bureau of Investigation
Property Procurement and Management Section
D -- Pre-solicitation Announcement: Technology Support & Development Project (TSDP) for the FBI (previously known as Information Technology Support Procurement [ITSP]) Synopsis
http://www.eps.gov/spg/DOJ/FBI/PPMS1/WH04001/listing.html

USAF - Air Force Materiel Command
ESC - Electronic Systems Center
A -- ELECTROMAGNETIC TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH
Synopsis
http://www.eps.gov/spg/USAF/AFMC/ESC/BAA%2DSNH04%2D01/listing.html

DON - United States Marine Corps
Marine Corps Systems Command
R -- Classification and Staffing Services
Combine Synopsis/Solicitation http://www.eps.gov/spg/DON/USMC/M67854/M67854%2D04%2DR%2D0035/listing.html

DOT - Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)
W.J. Hughes Tech Center nation. National laboratories will not be permitted to participate as prime contractors. More information is available at: http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/14mar20010800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2004/04-4583.htm

DOE invites applications for research and development of advanced pulverized coal NOX control technologies at the pilot-scale and field testing-scale. The goal is to reduce energy consumption and balance of plant issues and improve the associated capital and operating costs while burning a high volatile bituminous coal. Approximately $3.5 million is expected to be available for 3-6 awards. Cost-sharing of at least 25 percent is required. Eligibility is unrestricted. More information is available at: http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/14mar20010800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2004/04-4582.htm

99--Airborne Internet Data Communications Research Support Synopsis, Amendment 01 http://www.eps.gov/spg/DOT/FAA/WJHTC/DTFACT%2D04%2DR%2D00009/listing.html

DOE has announced it will be soliciting proposals to develop technologies that protect the critical energy infrastructure . Three areas of interest include (1) physical security, (2) cybersecurity and (3) modeling, simulation and analysis. Critical infrastructures are defined as systems whose extensive incapacity or destruction would have a debilitating impact on the defense and economic security of the