CoroWare joins Microsoft partner program

Bellevue-based CoroWare Inc. joined Microsoft's Windows Embedded Partner Program, a Microsoft initiative that helps partners market their offerings and helps customers find products and solutions based on the Windows Embedded operating systems. CoroWare is the first mobile service robotics company that has joined the program.

CoroWare is a systems integration firm and mobile service robotics specialist.

Isomedia, Dyrand Systems team up

Redmond-based Isomedia joined forces with Dyrand Systems Inc. of Vancouver, B.C. to take part in Dyrand's Managed Security Services Program for ISPs.

Isomedia is now able to offer industry-leading network security products and services from SonicWALL. SonicWALL's security products and services help organizations of all sizes to protect their IT infrastructure affordably and efficiently.

Isomedia makes business Internet products.

IT workers cautious, managers optimistic

The Hudson Employment Index for IT workers fell 21 points in May from 114.2 to 93.2, the lowest reading ever recorded for the IT Index. This decline in confidence was due to a significant decrease in optimism about personal finances and hiring intentions, as well as increased concerns about job loss.

The study found that 19 percent of the workforce expects their organizations to lay off staff in the coming months, up from 17 percent in March and April. Similarly, the percent of workers nervous about losing their own jobs rose to its highest level in more than a year at 22 percent.

Despite workers' concerns, optimism continues to climb among managers. The percent anticipating their companies will hire in the coming months rose two points to 35 percent, while the percent expecting layoffs dropped a point to 18 percent. Managers in the private sector were even more bullish as the number predicting increased hiring climbed from 44 percent last month to 48 percent in May.

Belltech upgrades business publishing software

Seattle-based Belltech Systems released Small Business Publisher 2.0.

Belltech's new designing and printing software is devised exclusively for business printing, and helps users create flyers, letterheads, brochures, labels, newsletters, advertisements, envelopes, and postcards with graphics, backgrounds and art-work.

WiFi sales rise to record rates

Worldwide sales of wireless LAN equipment revenue rose 20 percent to $767.6 million between the fourth quarter of 2004 and the first quarter of 2005, according to Infonetics Research's quarterly market share service.

The study also said that 12.2 million units were shipped, the highest quarterly volume to date. Revenue is expected to rise another 2 percent to $779.6 million by first-quarter 2006, and will hit $3.6 billion by 2008, as wireless LAN products continue to gain traction across most all product categories and across all geographic regions.

The number of wireless LAN switch ports in use rose 44 percent to 112,000; revenue grew 13 percent to $52.2 million and is expected to jump to $699.2 million by 2008.

The global broadband boom continues to generate more and more demand for wireless broadband routers, which saw a 34 percent increase in revenue between 4Q04 and 1Q05, topping $328 million. In 2005, new product features such as MIMO, extended range capabilities, and Infonetics said VoIP functionality will generate replacement purchasing, further fueling the wireless broadband router market.

Vorsite joins Microsoft Partner program

Seattle-based Vorsite Corp., a provider of products and services for integrating Microsoft SharePoint with Enterprise Content Management System, accepted an invitation to become a partner in Microsoft's Digital Pharma initiative.

Vorsite solutions help pharmaceutical and life science companies speed clinical trials and other processes by ensuring that researchers can access information quickly and easily while preserving security and data integrity.

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