Wireless transfer of large format entertainment data – music, video, and photos – between devices at short range is imminent. The Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG) today announced a new way it will provide for consumers’ growing need for speed.

The Bluetooth SIG is developing an innovative method of radio substitution. It will allow the well known Bluetooth protocols, profiles, security and pairing to be used in consumer devices while achieving faster throughput with momentary use of a secondary radio already present in the device. This architecture, called ‘Alternate MAC/PHY’ by Bluetooth SIG members working on the specification, is taking on a two-phased approach as SIG member companies drive the specification forward.

“This is the wireless technology equivalent of ‘low hanging fruit,’” said Michael Foley, Ph.D., executive director, the Bluetoot ...

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I cant find any reference which explains how Add-ins, Plug-ins and Extensions differ from one other. I just cant accept them to be synonyms.

Here is an account of how I interpret each one. Please correct me or point me to appropriate source.

Add-ins
I guess add-ins are those modules which bring-in a specific fuctionality, at runtime, for such requirements which are unknown at build time. That mean Application is unaware about source of Add-ins. Normally they are chosen from list to add. eg.Excel Ad-Ins

Plug-ins
I guess Plug-ins are those modules for which an adapter is built inside the application at build time. Thus a trust relation ship exists between application and Plug-In at Runtime.

Extensions
I guess Extensions are those modules which are added to bring in additio ...

Last week some one tried to make a joke about usage of Net DDE in WW products. Actually I was also not so convinced why WW still supports DDE and SuiteLink (DDE+ avatar). Since then I was trying to collect some information to educate myself on DDE.

I have been using DDE since 1998. Then I used it to create some custom report formats for customers. I used to collect information from DCS Systems to populate excel sheets. Those were the times OPC (OLE for Process Control) is stabilizing. OPC is COM based as the name itself contains OLE. Every DCS system is offered with DDE support for connectivity to excel. A simple formula in excel to access data made is quite a suitable approach. Like Application!Topic.Item for local DDE. and \\server\ndde$|share_name!tag_name for Net DDE. This is simplified by WW to be \\ ...

If you are trying to connect to a remote OPC server from Windows XP SP2 and you are getting the message “DCOM was unable to communicate with the computer using any of the configured protocols”, then think about the additional security features and firewall configuration provided by Windows XP Service Pack 2.

Let’s consider the following points while configuring XP SP2 for OPC communication.

• “Turn Off” firewall only for testing purpose (OPC client should work if firewall is “Off” and DCOM settings are correct). 
• If firewall is “On”, proceed with the following steps.   
  • Goto “Exceptions” tab and select “Add Program”. Add all OPC Clients ...

 Microsoft has sponsored RoboCup 2007 in Atlanta and will host competitive soccer matches using the Microsoft Robotics Studio. The matches are simulation-based and will be hosted within the Microsoft Robotics Studio physics-based 3D simulation environment which uses the licensed PhysX™ engine from AGEIA™ Technologies Inc.

While this contest will demonstrate a competitive simulation environment, Microsoft is also working with robot manufacturers developing hardware for RoboCup to demonstrate how easily player competition software can be transferred to physical robots.

Balluff industrial RFID systems now support Ethernet, which offers higher communication speeds at lower network costs. Balluff RFID systems have been designed to be compatible with all preferred communication bus formats such as Interbus, Profibus, DeviceNet, and Ethernet, including Ethernet/IP, Modbus TCP, and Ethernet TCP/IP protocols.  Ethernet RFID systems are finding multiple uses with automotive Tier One assembly, general automated assembly processes, inter-logistics, and material handling operations. Balluff RFID systems are well suited for reliable product identification at the source, station-based re-write and process step update at each station ...

Frost & Sullivan selected Emerson Process Management as the recipient of the 2006 Frost & Sullivan Award for Customer Value Enhancement within automation and software solutions for the pharmaceutical industry.

With its PlantWeb® digital automation architecture, Emerson has successfully differentiated itself from other companies by translating its vision of an integrated solution into reality thus becoming a one-stop shop for all pharmaceutical industry customers More