IBM manages to build the first artificial neurons with phase change technology.

Artificial neurons scheme of phase change (IBM)

For decades, science has tried to recreate the structure of the human brain, but until now it was impossible to imitate its power and density available components. IBM has just taken an interesting step towards the positronic brain imagined by Asimov. It has created functional artificial neurons using phase change technology.

It is not the first time that IBM announced a breakthrough in this technology nonvolatile storage (data not disappear when you turn off the device) based on crystals that alter their molecular structure to receive electrical current of different intensity. Recently the company managed to create a similar cost of the current RAM memory phase change.

However, this new breakthrough IBM goes far beyond achieving our PC run more agility. What the investigators that the company maintains in Zurich has created are neurons that perfectly mimic the functioning of human neurons. Instead of a membrane enzyme, artificial neurons bind the axon and dendrites by a crystal antimony, germanium and tellurium, similar to that used in rewritable optical disks material.

These neurons glass changes its state closely resemble its biological counterpart. To begin with, the size can be reduced to a few nanometers, allowing enough grouping these neurons in a sufficiently small space.

In the first test, IBM has 500 functioning of these neurons in a row of five chips 10 × 10 compounds of these neurons, but the system is scalable. The researchers explain in the study that have published in Nature that could create viable marketing chips to 90 nanometer right now, and that in the future could be reduced up to 14 nanometers.

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CEBIT 2015: Blackberry launches the world`s most secure tablet the SecuTABLET.

Working alongside with IBM and Samsung, Blackberry has closed the circle of the chain of the Federal Security Network, adding the last link to it.

Subject to certification of the SecuTABLET, German government agencies will have a new way to access BlackBerry’s most secure and complete communications network in the world,” Dr. Hans-Christoph Quelle, chief executive officer of Secusmart GmbH, said.

The SecuTABLET, is  based on Samsung's Galaxy Tab S 10.5 and being presented by BlackBerry unit Secusmart at tech fair CeBIT 2015 in Germany.

“Security is ingrained in every part of BlackBerry’s portfolio, which includes voice and data encryption solutions,” said Quelle.

The device was undergoing certification by the German Federal Office for Information Security for secure rating, the statement said, adding that the new tablet used the same security technology as the Secusmart Security Card. 

The cost for this level of security is not cheap. While the consumer version of the Galaxy Tab S 10.5 is around $500, the SecuTABLET tablet will ring in around $2,500 CDN (US$2,380).

Press Release:

CeBIT 2015: SecuTABLET – The Secure Tablet for Public Sector and Enterprises.

• Secusmart collaborates with IBM and Samsung to deliver global expertise
• SecuTABLET provides high-security mobile communication for national and international authorities.

Düsseldorf – Secusmart, a BlackBerry company, is presenting with IBM at CeBIT 2015, the SecuTABLET, a high-security tablet based on the Samsung Galaxy Tab S 10.5. With the new secure tablet for national and international public sector markets and enterprises, data that is subject to special security requirements can be used on the move. Personal applications or those that are not additionally secured, such as Facebook, YouTube, Twitter and WhatsApp, can also be used. 

The solution is undergoing certification at the German Federal Office for Information Security for the German VS-NfD (classified – for official use only) security rating.

The SecuTABLET is a new, secure tablet that supplements the SecuSUITE for BlackBerry 10 portfolio and can be seamlessly integrated into existing SecuSUITE infrastructures.

“Security is ingrained in every part of BlackBerry’s portfolio, which includes voice and data encryption solutions,” said Dr. Hans-Christoph Quelle, CEO of Secusmart GmbH, a BlackBerry company. “National and international government customers have entrusted their voice and data communications with the Secusmart Security Card for years. This same technology is what secures the new SecuTABLET. Working alongside IBM and Samsung, we have added the last link in the chain of the Federal Security Network. Subject to certification of the SecuTABLET, German government agencies will have a new way to access BlackBerry’s most secure and complete communications network in the world.”

Joint expertise for global security of communication

The IBM Institute for Business Value (IBV) study on Mobility Impact notes that 63 percent of public sector respondents would appreciate mobile access to their specialized applications like budget and controlling. These data are subject to special security requirements. Access via conventional mobile devices is ruled out.

“The SecuTABLET closes a supply gap and opens up for government and administrations an opportunity to derive greater benefit from digitization and the mobile Internet, with system integration as a fundamental success factor,” said Stefan Hefter, Senior Management Consultant with IBM. “We have contributed our longstanding expertise as a system integrator for mobile solutions. The technology used to make mobile apps secure by means of so-called wrapping has already proven its worth in the United States.”

IBM has provided the secure app wrapping technology for the SecuTABLET, and assists in implementing the high security solutions by Secusmart within the infrastructures of the various clients inside the governmental sector. 

As a BlackBerry company, Secusmart enhances the company’s commitment to remaining the leading provider in enterprise mobile security. BlackBerry is the only mobile device management (MDM) vendor that has achieved the “Full Operational Capability” level of certification for operation on U.S. Department of Defense Networks. Furthermore, BlackBerry 10 smartphones were the first to be approved by NATO for classified communications up to “Restricted” level. 

Secusmart GmbH (www.secusmart.com), a BlackBerry company (BlackBerry - NASDAQ: BBRY, TSX:BB), is the leading expert in the development and implementation of comprehensive olutions for protecting businesses and governments from electronic eavesdropping. The Düsseldorf-based company’s latest innovation is the high-security SecuTABLET, which has been created with IBM and Samsung for use by national and international government agencies and companies. The anti-eavesdropping app Vodafone Secure Call ensures companies can make secure mobile voice calls regardless of the platform and device being used. Since the start of 2015, one of the solutions for securing communications and protecting companies from corporate espionage has been sold to German business customers by Vodafone Germany, the solution’s first marketing and distribution partner. With its SecuSUITE for BlackBerry 10 high-security solution, Secusmart also protects the mobile communications of German and foreign governments as well as agencies and organisations responsible for providing emergency services.

For more about IBM visit www.ibm.com/de

CONTACT INFORMATION

• Secusmart GmbH, Heinrichstrasse 155, 40239 Dusseldorf
  Press Officer Swenja Kremer
  +49 (0)211 447399-251
  Mobile: +49 (0)151-54360563
  +49 (0)211-447396-251 (FAX)
  presse@secusmart.com
  www.secusmart.com / https://twitter.com/SwenjaKremer
  
  IBM Deutschland GmbH, Hollerithstrasse 1, 81829 Munchen
  Christine Paulus, Corporate Communications
  +49 (0)151 14 270 446
  Christine.Paulus@de.ibm.com
  
  euromarcom public relations GmbH,
  Muhlhohle 2, 65205 Wiesbaden
  +49 (0)611-973150
  fax +49 (0)611 719 290
  team@euromarcom.de
  www.euromarcom.de

A Quiz Master robot, Made in Japan.

Researchers have developed a robot that hosts quizzes. 

Why? Because the scientists see it as a step toward establishing cutting-edge artificial intelligence capable of understanding who is saying what.

     The group aims to apply the technology to nursing care and household robots.

     Groups from Kyoto University and Waseda University teamed up to equip a commercially available humanoid robot with artificial intelligence. The group is led by Kyoto University instructor Kazuyoshi Yoshii.

     IBM of the U.S. is trying to use its Watson artificial intelligence system -- which rather than acting as quiz show host answers questions -- for business. The Japanese researchers intend to enhance the knowledge and flexible judgment of robots with artificial intelligence based on the quiz master robot.

     The Japanese robot can discern which contestant speaks up first by a margin of 0.06 of a second. The robot then judges whether the answer is right based on storage banks of right answers.

     During an experiment, the robot was interrupted by a contestant while it was reading out, "Books and CDs that have sold more than 1 million copies are......" in Japanese. The robot then identified the contestant, and when the contestant answered "million-sellers," the robot said, "Correct."

MWC 2014: IBM Challenges mobile developers to bring the Power of Watson to your Palm of your hand.

WorldWide Tech & Science. Francisco De Jesùs.

IBM today launched the IBM Watson Mobile Developer Challenge (www.ibmwatson.com), a first of its kind, global competition to encourage developers to create mobile consumer and business apps powered by Watson. IBM announced the challenge at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, where the company is demonstrating its mobile and Watson capabilities.

The program, being driven by the newly formed IBM Watson Group, aims to encourage developers to spread cognitive computing apps into the marketplace. IBM's Watson cognitive computing innovation represents a new class of services, software and apps that analyze, improve by learning, and discover answers and insights to complex questions from massive amounts of disparate data.

"The power of Watson in the palm of your hand is a game-changing proposition, so we're calling on mobile developers around the world to start building cognitive computing apps infused with Watson's intelligence," said Mike Rhodin, Senior Vice President, IBM Watson Group. "Imagine a new class of apps that deliver deep insights to consumers and business users instantly -- wherever they are -- over the cloud. It's about changing the essence of decision making from 'information at your fingertips' to actual insights."

Today, it's second nature for people to simply tap an app to stay connected, make a purchase or manage a bank account. The IBM Watson Mobile Developer Challenge will encourage developers around the world to build sophisticated cognitive apps that can change the way consumers and businesses interact with data on their mobile devices. Through this initiative, mobile developers can take advantage of Watson's ability to understand the complexities of human language, "read" millions of pages of data in seconds and improve its own performance by learning.

Over the next three months, the global challenge invites mobile developers and entrepreneurs to share their best ideas to build and develop mobile apps into prototypes. Three winners will join the Watson Ecosystem Program. The winners will work with IBM's recently launched global consulting practice, IBM Interactive Experience to receive design consulting and support from IBM experts to develop a viable commercial app.

The IBM Watson Mobile Developer Challenge is part of the IBM MobileFirst strategy to help businesses of all sizes adopt mobile technology to better engage with customers and extend their businesses to new markets. The news also represents the latest milestone in the newly formed IBM Watson Group to fuel an ecosystem of developers, start-ups, tech companies and venture capitalists building Watson powered apps as part of the Watson Developers Cloud.

To date, more than 1,500 individuals and organizations have contacted IBM to share their ideas for creating cognitive computing applications that redefine how businesses and consumers make decisions. In fact, global developers have created and plan to go to market in 2014 with Watson apps across a variety of industries.

Using natural language processing and analytics, Watson processes information akin to how people think, representing a major shift in an organization's ability to quickly analyze, understand and respond to Big Data. Watson's ability to answer complex questions with speed, accuracy and confidence is transforming decision making across a variety of industries, including health care, financial services and retail.

IBM has advanced Watson from a game playing innovation into a commercial technology. Delivered from the cloud and able to power new consumer and enterprise apps, Watson is 24 times faster; smarter, with a 2,400 percent improvement in performance; and 90 percent smaller than the original system.

Named after IBM founder Thomas J. Watson, Watson was developed in IBM's Research labs and is now being accelerated into market by the new IBM Watson Group. As part of the group, IBM is investing $1 billion to introduce a new class of cognitive computing services, software and apps, and investing $100 million to spur innovation for software application providers to develop a new generation of Watson powered solutions.

For more information or to apply to participate in the Challenge, visit (www.ibmwatson.com)

For more insights on this story visit these posts on IBM's A Smarter Planet blog: http://ibm.co/1fie8Zn, http://ibm.co/1mrKKGo

To view the IBM keynote at Mobile World Congress, visit http://streaming.mobileworldlive.com/. Please follow the conversation at #IBMMWC

Follow the conversation at @IBMMobile and @IBMWatson.

Contact: 

Lizette Kodama

IBM Media Relations 

lkodama@us.ibm.com

646-675-0750

SOURCE IBM.

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LENOVO to pay GOOGLE US$3 Billions for the MOTOROLA handset division.

WorldWide Tech & Science. Francisco De Jesùs.

Lenovo is buying its way into a heavily competitive U.S. handset market dominated by Apple Inc.

Lenovo is in the final stages of talks to buy the Google division that makes the Moto X and Moto G smartphones, as well as certain patents.

Google bought the Motorola U.S. cellphone giant in 2012 for $12.5 billion but has struggled to revamp the money-losing business.

Lenovo  last week announced a deal to buy IBM's low-end server business for $2.3 billion in what was China's biggest technology deal thus far.

The Chinese firm will use a combination of cash and stock as well as deferred payments to finance the deal with Google, the people said, asking not to be named because the matter is not public.

Lenovo is being advised by Credit Suisse Group while Lazard Ltd advised Google on the transaction, the people said.

Representatives for Google, Lenovo, Credit Suisse and Lazard did not respond to requests for comment or declined to comment.

An announcement could come as soon as Wednesday.

Reuters

MWC 2014: Newly CEOs List to Keynote: Facebook,Connecthings,Etisalat,Ford,GE,SingTel and mPowered Industries CEOs.

WorldWide Tech & Science. Francisco De Jesùs.

The GSMA today announced several new speakers in the keynote programme at the upcoming 2014 GSMA Mobile World Congress, including the Founder, Chairman and CEO of Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg. The GSMA outlined other new developments for Mobile World Congress, including keynote speakers in the mPowered Industries programme, new elements for the NFC Experience and new partners in Featured Programmes. Further, the GSMA revealed that BAFTA and Tony Award-winning British actor, writer, presenter and comedian James Corden will present the Global Mobile Awards at Mobile World Congress. Mobile World Congress will be held 24-27 February at Fira Gran Via in Barcelona.

"Mobile World Congress 2014 is set to be our biggest, most ambitious and most diverse event yet, offering new experiences for attendees across the growing mobile ecosystem," said Michael O'Hara, Chief Marketing Officer, GSMA. "Over four days, attendees will have the opportunity to see just how broadly mobile is impacting our everyday lives, how we work, live and play. We're looking forward to seeing the mobile world gather in Barcelona."

Facebook to Deliver First 2014 Mobile World Live Keynote 

Mark Zuckerberg, Founder, Chairman and CEO of Facebook will be headlining in the first of the week's Mobile World Live keynote sessions on Monday, 24^th February at 18:00-18:45. In this session, Mr. Zuckerberg and renowned technology journalist and writer David Kirkpatrick will explore the importance of extending the benefits of ubiquitous Internet access to the unconnected world. In addition to the live audience in the Conference Village in Fira Gran Via, the Mobile World Live keynotes will be streamed live across the venue and to hundreds of thousands of viewers globally via the Mobile World Live portal.

The GSMA also announced a number of additional CEOs participating in the Mobile World Congress conference programme, including:

• Laetitia Gazel Anthoine, CEO and Founder, Connecthings
• Ahmad Abdulkarim Julfar, CEO, Etisalat Group
• Stephen T. Odell, President of Europe, Middle East and Africa, Ford Motor Company
• Susan Siegel, CEO, GE Ventures and healthymagination
• Chua Sock Koong, Group CEO, SingTel

For full information on the Mobile World Congress conference programme, visit www.mobileworldcongress.com/conference.

mPowered Industries Keynotes on Monday, 24^th February 

The inaugural mPowered Industries programme, which focuses on mobile's role in key vertical industry sectors such as health, marketing and advertising, media and travel, will kick off with keynote sessions on the afternoon of Monday, 24^th February. These sessions will showcase the mobile achievements of top brands from around the world and will explore how adjacent industries can leverage the power of mobile to improve the customer experience and grow their businesses. The mPowered Industries keynotes will feature executives including: 

• Ralph Rivera, Director, Future Media, BBC
• Nicola Mendelsohn, Vice President, EMEA, Facebook
• Surjit Chana, Chief Marketing Officer for IBM Europe, IBM
• Dr. Oliver Harrison, CEO and Co-Founder, Ithaca Health
• Vikas Chawla, Vice President of Mobile and Digital Guest Services, Marriott International
• David Sear, CEO, Weve

For more information on mPowered Industries, including the keynotes, exhibition and the specific conference programmes produced by partners ECHAlliance, EyeforTravel, Mobile Media Summit and NABShow, visit www.mobileworldcongress.com/mpowered-industries.

Mobile App Delivers Full Mobile World Congress Information

The GSMA mobile app offers full Mobile World Congress information and services on the go, including registration and the NFC Badge for event access, event schedules, searchable exhibitor and conference speaker directories, networking tools and interactive venue mapping. The mobile app also introduces two new features to enhance the attendee experience at Fira Gran Via: SMART Transport and SMART Food.

SMART Transport lists transportation points by type and location, identifies closest points and maps routes to them and delivers real-time information on queues and wait times. SMART Food provides a searchable list of catering outlets by hall, cuisine and proximity, offers information on wait times and queues, identifies closest food outlets and maps routes to them, and allows attendees to order and pay for food in advance with credit card or PayPal and use express lanes with NFC or QR codes for quick pickup. The GSMA app with 2014 Mobile World Congress information is available for Android, iOS and Windows 8 devices and is in app stores now. For more information, visit www.mobileworldcongress.com/app.

NFC Experience at Mobile World Congress

The 2014 Mobile World Congress NFC Experience has been expanded to provide an even greater range of mobile NFC services for attendees with NFC-enabled devices, such as venue access, catering and networking, as well as demonstrations of the latest NFC products and services, among others. This year, attendees with iPhones will be also be able to participate in NFC Experience activities using an NFC-enabled case provided by Mobile World Congress Supporting Partner Incipio.

The GSMA is introducing interactive NFC Tap-n-Go Points to provide attendees quick and easy access to event information and other downloadable material. Attendees with NFC-enabled devices can go to one of the 61 NFC Tap-n-Go Points located across Fira Gran Via to easily download event news, schedules, documents, presentations, videos and other information.

As part of the NFC Experience, the GSMA will be demonstrating a range of NFC-based Mobile Commerce solutions, highlighting applications in payment, retail, transport, mobile identity and access, among others. Partners demonstrating solutions with the GSMA include Aimia, Assa Abloy, BC Card, Chunghwa Telecom, Deutsche Telekom, Escher Group, Gemalto, The Logic Group, Proxama, Telecom Italia, Telenor and Verifone. For more information on the NFC Experience at Mobile World Congress, visit www.mobileworldcongress.com/nfc-at-mwc.

New Partners in Featured Programmes

Several new companies have confirmed their participation in Featured Programmes at Mobile World Congress. HP has joined as an App Planet Partner and will hold a half-day App Developer Conference on Monday, 24^th February, while Huawei will be presenting a half-day Partner Event on Wednesday, 26^th February. dotMobi and TRUSTe will both be participating in Power Hour sessions on Thursday, 27^th February. For more information on Featured Programmes at Mobile World Congress, visit www.mobileworldcongress.com/featured-programmes.

Fitbit Challenge at Mobile World Congress

Working with Fitbit, a leader in wearable health and fitness technology, the GSMA is introducing the Fitbit Challenge at Mobile World Congress. Challenge participants will use Fitbit Flex devices to monitor their daily activity, share statistics and see the real impact of live personal data on activity levels. Prizes including an HTC One smartphone and Fitbit Force will be awarded daily to the two individuals recording the highest number of steps. Registered Mobile World Congress attendees may use their own Fitbit Flex devices to participate or they can purchase a Fitbit Flex at a 40 per cent discount. For more information on the Fitbit Challenge, visit, www.mobileworldcongress.com/fitbit-challenge.

James Corden to Host Global Mobile Awards 

The GSMA announced that James Corden, the Tony Award-winning star of "One Man, Two Guvnors", which ran at the National Theatre in the UK and on Broadway in New York, will host the Global Mobile Awards at Mobile World Congress. James is a BAFTA winning co-writer and star of British TV sitcom, "Gavin and Stacey", the four-time host of the BRIT Awards and also the host of Sky 1's quiz show, "A League of Their Own". He recently starred in the Weinstein film production, "One Chance", is the co-creator, co-writer and star of the acclaimed BBC television comedy thriller, "The Wrong Mans" and has been filming "Into the Woods" alongside Meryl Streep, Johnny Depp and Emily Blunt. In addition receiving Tony and BAFTA awards, James has been presented with numerous other awards, including a Writers' Guild of Great Britain Award for Comedy Writer of the Year and a National Television Award. For more information on the Global Mobile Awards, visit www.mobileworldcongress.com/global-mobile-awards/.

Get Involved at Mobile World Congress 2014

For more information on the 2014 Mobile World Congress including how to attend, exhibit or sponsor, visit www.mobileworldcongress.com. Follow developments and updates on Mobile World Congress (#MWC14) on Twitter @GSMA or on Facebook www.facebook.com/mobileworldcongress. 

The Mobile World Congress is the cornerstone of the Mobile World Capital, which will be hosted in Barcelona from 2013 to 2018. The Mobile World Capital encompasses programmes and activities that span the entire year and will benefit not only the citizens of Barcelona, Catalonia and Spain, but also the worldwide mobile industry. For more information on the Mobile World Capital, visit www.mobileworldcapital.com.  

About the GSMA

The GSMA represents the interests of mobile operators worldwide. Spanning more than 220 countries, the GSMA unites nearly 800 of the world's mobile operators with 250 companies in the broader mobile ecosystem, including handset and device makers, software companies, equipment providers and Internet companies, as well as organisations in industry sectors such as financial services, healthcare, media, transport and utilities. The GSMA also produces industry-leading events such as Mobile World Congress and Mobile Asia Expo. 

For more information, please visit the GSMA corporate website at www.gsma.com. Follow the GSMA on Twitter: @GSMA.

  Media Contacts:

For the GSMA

Charlie Meredith-Hardy

+44 7917 298428

CMeredith-Hardy@webershandwick.com

Christian Martinell

+34 607 150 276 

CMartinell@webershandwick.com

GSMA Press Office 

pressoffice@gsma.com

The Keynotes Speakers above enlisted is additional to this Before List of MWC 2014: Keynote Speakers.

IFA2012: IBM cloud to deliver New Home Entertaiment Services for Philips Smart TV.

WorldWide Tech & Science. Francisco De Jesùs.

IFA2012: IBM cloud to deliver New Home Entertaiment  Services for Philips Smart TV.

IBM today unveiled a new cloud platform for consumer electronics firms and announced it will power the Philips Smart TV platform for Internet services, which will deliver greater interactive services to millions of TV viewers in more than 30 countries in Europe, as well as Brazil and Argentina. Through their broadband connections, smart TVs provide consumers with innovative, on-demand access to an unlimited array of entertainment options throughout the Internet. In addition to standard, linear TV, they provide two-way interaction and personalized content, enabling new "intelligent" consumer services. Today's announcement at the IFA consumer electronics event in Berlin provides IBM cloud services on a pay-per-use basis to TP Vision, an Amsterdam-based joint venture between Philips and TV manufacturer TPV responsible for the development of Philips Smart TV. TP Vision needed a cloud computing environment resilient enough to support unexpected service demands at any given time when millions of TV units access a variety of services on its network. "IBM's cloud platform allows us to place the service and application intelligence into the cloud, and reduces the complexity of managing software in the TVs for our consumers," said Albert Mombarg, head of Philips Smart TV at TP Vision. "This provides an economic, more flexible way to create new services for our viewers. By engaging with IBM on a cost-per-device basis, we obtain a new business model with predictable costs, and great flexibility to expand our services and grow our user base. We expect it to transform the way we offer new services and drive ongoing business innovation." The new IBM cloud platform opens up paths to new revenue. The data stored within the cloud can provide new insights about consumer needs and behavior for the media and entertainment industry, such as recommending TV shows based on past selections. Service providers, chief marketing officers and advertisers can use Big Data analytics to deliver more personalized entertainment options and targeted advertisements. Marketers can generate collective consumer knowledge derived from the aggregation of data from a population of homes, in addition to an individual TV. "As the Internet and smart devices continue to infiltrate home entertainment, today's consumer electronics manufacturers are looking to deliver new interactive entertainment services," said Bruce Anderson, general manager of IBM's global electronics industry. "Televisions are about to become the next open application platform, similar to the application platforms on mobile devices. Organizations are turning to the IBM cloud as the channel for their innovation." IBM Launches IBM SmartCloud Service Delivery Today IBM unveils a cloud-based platform managed by IBM global cloud data centers, for subscriber and device management, service life-cycle management and more. IBM's new service delivery platform, called the IBM SmartCloud Service Delivery for Electronics, provides consistent management of millions of different connected consumer devices, provisions services, interfaces with third parties, and acts as a collector of customer intelligence. It bundles services, software, hardware, network and third-party services in a single integrated service, for an all-in price, with per active user pricing, making smarter TV services more cost effective for manufacturers and consumers. Examples of live solutions demonstrated at IFA include the Philips Smart TV and service portal, and a smart home proof-of-concept, with home management and monitoring, as well as home energy management. For more information about IBM's global electronics industry, visit http://www.ibm.com/electronics To read more about IBM's news at IFA, visit this Smarter Planet blog post. About IBM Cloud Computing  IBM has helped thousands of clients adopt cloud models and manages millions of cloud based transactions every day. IBM assists clients in areas as diverse as banking, communications, healthcare and government to build their own clouds or securely tap into IBM cloud-based business and infrastructure services. IBM is unique in bringing together key cloud technologies, deep process knowledge, a broad portfolio of cloud solutions, and a network of global delivery centers. For more information about cloud offerings from IBM, visit http://www.ibm.com/smartcloud. Follow us on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/ibmcloud and on our blog at http://www.thoughtsoncloud.com Contact Information: Colleen Haikes IBM Media Relations chaikes@us.ibm.com 415-545-4003 Jelmer Letterie IBM Media Relations jelmer.letterie@nl.ibm.com 31-20-513-3241 SOURCE IBM

IBM selling point-of-sale (POS) terminal business to Toshiba for US$850 million.

WorldWide Tech & Science. Francisco De Jesús.

IBM selling point-of-sale (POS) terminal business to Toshiba for US$850 million.

Toshiba unit plans to buy Big Blue's point-of-sale (POS) terminal business, which includes cash registers and related devices, for 68 billion yen (US$850 million).

IBM's technology will strengthen Toshiba's cloud computing services which enables stores, shoppers, manufacturers and others to exchange information and offer services, according to its statement Tuesday.

"The opportunities in retail store solutions are expected to grow by increasing demand in POS systems. In addition, demand for multi-channel integration and enhancement of store back office management accelerates further expansion of sales," Mamoru Suzuki, president and CEO for Toshiba, said in the statement.

Toshiba also aims to close the deal late in the second quarter or early in the third quarter of 2012.

A new holding company will be established in Japan and Toshiba Tec will acquire an 80.1 percent stake in the holding company, while IBM will hold a 19.9 percent stake, which it will gradually divest.

Currently, IBM holds the top spot in the global POS terminal market, with a share of 22 percent, while Toshiba, which will make the purchase is ranked fourth worldwide with a 7 percent market share, Reuters reported on Monday, citing the Nikkei.

In a statement Wednesday, Krista Macomber, computing practice analyst at TBR, noted that the deal will position Toshiba as a leader in worldwide POS revenue as it can now look beyond Japan to 33 additional markets that IBM has a presence in.

This will create opportunities for new revenue streams to be established internationally for the Japanese IT vendor, and enable it to target new vertical markets and a broader base of customers, she explained. Toshiba can leverage IBM's knowledge base and position itself to reap the benefits of IBM's Smarter Commerce initiative, too.

Press Release:

Toshiba Tec to Acquire IBM’s Retail Store Point-of-Sale Solutions Business,

Agreement Allows Both to Tap Growing Smarter Commerce Opportunity.

· Creates world's leading retail Point-of-Sale systems and solutions

business.

· Multi-year Business Partner agreement between IBM and Toshiba Tec

would integrate retail store solutions for Smarter Commerce.

· Transaction of approximately US$850 million

· Deal expected to close late in second quarter or early in third quarter of

2012

ARMONK, NY & Tokyo, JAPAN – April 17 2012: IBM(NYSE:IBM), the leader in

Smarter Commerce, and Toshiba Tec(TSE:6588), Japan's leading maker of

point-of-sale systems and related technology for retailers, today announced a

definitive agreement under which Toshiba Tec will acquire IBM’s Retail Store

Solutions (RSS) business, which offers retail point-of-sale (POS) solutions

worldwide. Upon completion of the transaction, Toshiba Tec would become the

world's foremost retail point of sale systems company, offering hardware,

software and integrated in-store solutions, and will team with IBM to bring the

Smarter Commerce experience to retailers and their customers worldwide.

The purchase price is approximately US$850 million (JPY: 68 billion).

As part of the transaction, Toshiba Tec will enter into a multi-year agreement with

IBM in which Toshiba Tec will become a IBM Premier Business Partner for

Smarter Commerce. This agreement will help ensure that IBM’s portfolio of

enterprise-level Smarter Commerce solutions and services, which extend from

the corporate data center to the local retail store, and Toshiba Tec's customerfacing

retail store point-of-sale solutions are available to customers worldwide to

meet the growing demand for multi-channel commerce.

It is expected that upon completion of the deal, Toshiba Tec, a subsidiary of

Toshiba, will acquire IBM’s Retail Store Solutions overall business operation

functions globally, including development, sales and related in-store maintenance.

Toshiba Tec's retail store point-of-sale solutions operation will benefit from a

worldwide distribution and sales network, enhanced product and solution

selection for customers, and decades of innovation by both companies.

The transaction is expected to close late in the second quarter or early in the

third quarter of 2012 subject to the satisfaction of regulatory requirements and

customary closing conditions. Subsequent closings will occur subject to similar

conditions, local agreements and the information and consultation process in

applicable countries.

Retailers, including those with global store operations, will benefit from

accelerated development of new products and solutions for regional and

geographic needs. Toshiba Tec customers also will benefit from a “one-stop

retail store solution” providing comprehensive support --planning, maintenance

and services -- to help them accelerate new store deployments worldwide.

In 2011, IBM announced a major Smarter Commerce initiative that helps

businesses automate and infuse intelligence into their procurement, marketing,

sales and customer service functions to better serve today's empowered online

consumer in the era of mobile and social networks. In a time when brands can

be built or broken across the Web within minutes --- and customers expect the

same quality experience from all channels --- businesses need to adapt with

technology that quickly responds or even anticipates customer needs across any

sales channel at any time.

"Together, IBM and Toshiba Tec represent the broadest multi-channel offerings

worldwide," said Craig Hayman, general manager, Industry Solutions, IBM

Software Group. "The pace of retail expansion requires a strategy to serve this

dynamic marketplace. This acquisition by Toshiba Tec creates not only the

world’s leading point-of-sale company, but also a key business partner for IBM in

its strategically important Smarter Commerce initiative. Retailers can invest with

confidence in the proven abilities of these two leaders to deliver multi-channel

commerce to more demanding consumers who want the same experience

shopping online, in-store, mobile, social or by any other means."

“The opportunities in retail store solutions are expected to grow by increasing

demand in POS systems. In addition, demand for multi-channel integration and

enhancement of store back office management accelerates further expansion of

sales,” said Mamoru Suzuki, President and CEO, Toshiba Tec. “Toshiba Tec

will become the world’s foremost Point-of-Sale provider capable of providing

products and services at the same level of high quality. It also will allow Toshiba

Tec to expand its global Point-of-Sales business through a combination of the

competitive product lineup and worldwide network proven by Toshiba Tec’s and

Retail Store Solutions history of the business.”

The acquisition will enable Toshiba Tec to seek expanded opportunities to deliver

new value to customers, including mass merchandisers, specialty and

convenience stores and fast food restaurants. Toshiba Tec also expects to

generate new retail business opportunities based on synergies with its printing

solutions business combined with Retail Store Solutions sales network.

“Toshiba warmly welcomes this agreement,” said Norio Sasaki, President and

CEO, Toshiba. “Toshiba Tec enjoys a strong presence in retail store solutions in

Asia-Pacific, including Japan, and we are confident that this acquisition will

support expansion in North America, Europe and the emerging economies. I

also expect this significant step to support innovation and the creation of new

business opportunities for Toshiba Group.”

While the transaction is being completed, the companies will continue to operate

independently. After the transaction closes, IBM will continue to provide

maintenance services to RSS clients under a multi-year services agreement.

Retail Store Solutions customer service and product availability will continue as

usual as the RSS operations are integrated.

Additional Transaction Details

A new holding company will be established in Japan. This company will hold the equity

of a number of companies organized in countries around the world. Toshiba Tec will

acquire an 80.1 percent stake in this holding company and in order to promote a smooth

transfer, IBM will hold a 19.9 percent stake in the holding company. Eventually, the

holding company will become a wholly owned subsidiary of Toshiba Tec. The new

companies, including the holding company, will continue to operate Retail Store

Solutions business worldwide as Toshiba Tec’s core retail point-of-sale solution affiliates.

Steven D. Ladwig, currently general manager, IBM Retail Store Solutions, will become

the chief executive officer (CEO) of the new US company with headquarters in Raleigh,

North Carolina.

A portion of the aggregate purchase price will be paid on the closing date and on the first

anniversary of the closing. The remaining portion will be paid on the third anniversary in

exchange for IBM’s 19.9 percent equity interest.

The IBM’s Retail Store Solutions revenue in 2011 was approximately $1.15 billion (US)

with approximately 1,000 employees worldwide plus maintenance specialists. Over time,

maintenance specialists may join the new companies subject to local business

conditions and completion of local information and consultation processes.

More information about IBM may be found at

http://www.ibm.com/smarterplanet/us/en/smarter_commerce/overview/

More information about the transaction may be found at

http://www.ibm.com/products/retail/announcement/index.html

More information about Toshiba Tec may be found at

http://www.toshibatec.co.jp/en/