Broadband Report
Technology and innovation are on the legislative agenda in Harrisburg with two bills  -  Senate Bill 1247 and House Bill 2880.  These bills contain provisions that will help streamline the process of introducing broadband based services throughout the Commonwealth while protecting the rights of local communities. We encourage our subscribers to voice their opinions by contacting their local legislators. To locate your legislator's district office, click here

The Pennsylvania Distance Learning Association (PADLA) is seeking volunteers (members & non- members) to present their toughest Distance/e-Learning challenge for us to explore. The problem should be real, unresolved and typical of the type of challenge others may face. For complete details, click here.   The association is accepting nominations for the 2006 Excellence at Work e Leaning Awards.  For more information click here.

Advanced Manufacturing Network: Competitive Modern Manufacturing through Nanotechnology
Learn about the impact of nanotechnology on manufacturing as Robert Ehrmann and Bill Mahoney, both of the Penn State University Center for Nanotechnology Education and Utilization, present during an informative morning session on Tuesday, July 25. Advances in nanotechnology are changing the world around us and are expected to help propel industrial competitiveness. Hear how our region has benefited from nanotechnology breakthroughs as we explore success stories from Earl Johns of Seagate and Sean Williams of Plextronics. Also, discover how the Pennsylvania Nanofabrication Manufacturing Technology Partnership provides a highly skilled work force to strengthen companies in a diverse group of industries, including biotechnology, test and characterization, chemicals, materials, medical instrumentation and more. Sponsored by Catalyst Connection, IBM, Microsoft, the Penn State University Center for Nanotechnology Education, the Pennsylvania NanoMaterials Commercialization Center, Pepper Hamilton LLP, PNC Bank and Sprint Nextel.
Date: Tuesday, July 25
Time: 7:30 a.m. breakfast and registration; 8:00 a.m. - 9:30 a.m. program
Venue: Sheraton Station Square Hotel
Cost: $30 for Council members, $50 for non-members
RSVP: Council Events or 412.918.4229

The Pennsylvania Chamber is holding a special "Information Technology Security Roundtable" from 8 a.m. to noon on Thursday, September 21, 2006, at the Holiday Inn Harrisburg-Hershey, Grantville, PA. PA Chamber's website: www.pachamber.org/cp/   Toll-free Publication Hotline: 877 866-8965

FDA Turns to RFID to Track Prescription Drugs - The Food and Drug Administration will require drug manufacturers to track the distribution of high-priced drugs throughout the pharmaceutical supply chain beginning in December. The FDA will require the use of radio frequency identification technology, but it will not mandate RFID for tracking the sale of all prescription drugs by 2007, as the FDA had planned. The Prescription Drug Marketing Act of 1987 calls for the pharmaceutical industry to track drug shipments.
Read Story on CRM Buyer http://www.crmbuyer.com/alert/51730.html
Source:ECT News Network

'Image Spam' and VoIP Scam Attacks on Rise  - So-called "image spam" is on the rise once again -- as clever hackers try to sneak by spam screening software that tests messages for spam based on keywords. After declining steadily throughout 2005 -- from about 12 percent of all spam at the beginning of the year, down to about 5 percent in November -- the use of image spam jumped dramatically in December 2005, to 25 percent of all spam. See the Full Story: Source: Tech News World

Threats from hackers are converging -- not just coming in on e-mail, or over the Web, or via Instant Messaging (IM), but through all three media, simultaneously, heightening the threat level that computer users are facing. This week, MessageLabs released its "Q2 2006 Intelligence Report," detailing the surprising trends in security for April through June. See the Full Story:  Source:  e Commerce Times

Palm on Thursday announced it is teaming up with Vodafone and Microsoft in hopes of expanding the adoption of wireless push e-mail in Europe. The UK, Germany, Spain, Italy and the Netherlands will have first dibs on the collaborative Palm Treo smartphone, which will operate on Vodafone's 3G/UMTS network. See the Full Story   Source:  e Commerce Times