thePipeline

The wares that are soft

With all the attention that computers, wireless devices, network routers and switches, and other hardware products have gotten lately, sometimes simple, basic, necessary software gets lost in the shuffle.

So let's remedy that. First up is counter-espionage software from Nowell Development Inc. The product, SpyForce-AI, defeats insider security breaches to thwart both spying and identity theft.

Nowell officials said the product's secret is artificial intelligence technology that analyzes the online behavior of users. The system is intended to know when a user is behaving differently, suggesting it may not be the user at all but — cue dramatic music — a spy!

The system learns how users behave by analyzing their activities to build an accurate picture. It can also determine when to ask for additional personal information to figure out if the person behaving in an unusual manner is the legitimate owner of a log-in account or an imposter.

The system will report suspicious behavior to systems administrators even if the user answers the questions correctly, in case the user is conducting espionage. Users who can't answer the questions are locked out of the system, and the system reports their behavior.

Let's get phat!

PhatWare Corp. officials have released PhatPad 2.0, note-taking software that can turn a Microsoft Corp. Windows-based Pocket PC into a portable electronic notepad, allowing direct input of notes and drawings using a stylus.

The new version also comes with a companion PC application that allows users to view, edit and print notes created on the handheld device.

PhatPad 2.0 also adds several new features, including a pop-up customizable toolbar, variable page size and the ability to load picture files as backgrounds.

XLink Technology Inc. officials have released ClusterReplica software for Windows 2000, 2003 and XP. ClusterReplica binds two machines into one cluster system with automatic failover capability.

ClusterReplica can handle real-time, open-file data replication, including Microsoft SQL database files and some Windows registry files, company officials said.

Maxion Software officials have introduced Registry Restore, a tool to repair and restore corrupted Windows registry files. The system can scan, clean and repair the registry.

Can you see me now?

Marconi Corp. officials have enhanced the company's ViPr Virtual Presence system, a set of tools for remote video communications, including 15-way videoconferencing and streaming video improvements.

ViPr uses digital high-fidelity audio and DVD-quality video with an integrated telephony platform to render sound and visual images that, according to company officials, give users "an experience they perceive as virtual presence."

First introduced in 2002, ViPr uses Session Initiation Protocol, an emerging standard for voice over IP.

The system can be connected to a computer for data collaboration among participants in a video conference.

Marconi officials believe that bandwidth and communications will continue to be

important in the government, said Gerry Kolosvary, president of Marconi Federal, a subsidiary of the company.

"It's always been important in the Department of Defense," he said. "It's always been important in the intelligence community. We see our market expanding quite a bit."