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In this issue:

  * Genomics Technology
  * New Events in the Digital World
  * E-Finance in Emerging Economies
  * Robot Vacuum Cleaners
  * Credit-Card Debt among the Wealthy
  * California's Big Influence on Auto Designs
  * Adhesives in Eastern Europe
  * Interesting Patterns of Media Use
  * An eLearning Role for Enterprise-Application Players
  * User Interfaces for Virtual Environments
  * The Appeal of the Conservative Saver
  * Interest in Methane Hydrates
  * Changing Financial Attitudes
  * Signals of Change

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(Full text of SRIC-BI publications is available to sponsoring
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Genomics Technology

In genomics research, advances in biology drive technology 
development as much as technology development drives biology. 
In turn, companies that hope to turn science into practical 
applications face intense challenges, not the least of which 
is the need to unify many disciplines, scientific methods, 
organizations, emerging technologies, and levels of information
within the research environment. (Genomics: Technology Update 2002)
http://www.sric-bi.com/BIP/Bulletin/B311.shtml - 2401


New Events in the Digital World

A new report highlights several patterns of change that are 
of interest to clients of Digital Futures: announcement of a 
new protocol that will speed acceptance of voice over Internet, 
prospects for smart spaces, revenue possibilities for online 
medical consultation, and the emergence of standards likely to 
drive development of the Semantic Web.  (DF Scan)
http://www.sric-bi.com/DF/summaries/DFScan1002.shtml


E-Finance in Emerging Economies

Financial-services firms that encounter slowing growth in 
developed markets will increasingly look to emerging markets 
for profitable opportunities. The proliferation of mobile 
phones in the developing world points to a probable role for 
electronic finance. A new study examines four countries
that have adopted e-finance in varying degrees: Argentina, 
Mexico, Estonia, and India. (E-Finance in Emerging Economies)
http://www.sric-bi.com/BIP/Bulletin/B311.shtml - 2402


Robot Vacuum Cleaners

In September, iRobot became the first company to release a 
robot vacuum cleaner--the Roomba Intelligent FloorVac--with 
potential mass-market appeal. The product's $199 price is 
considerably lower than that of competing products from AB 
Electrolux, Dyson, and others. iRobot has been working for a 
while to bring down the manufacturing cost, both by using
low-cost plastics and by locating production facilities in 
the Far East. (October 2002 Robotics Viewpoints)
http://www.sric-bi.com/Explorer/ROBO.shtml


Credit-Card Debt among the Wealthy

According to recent MacroMonitor data from the Consumer 
Financial Decisions program, outstanding credit-card debt has 
increased 177% in the past decade for households with annual 
incomes of $75 000 or more. The average amount of debt has 
risen from $1240 to $3437. (Press Release)
http://www.sric-bi.com/press/2002-10-23.shtml


California's Big Influence on Auto Designs

Because California is the largest auto market in the 
United States, a new state law to reduce greenhouse-gas 
emissions could have a huge influence on future auto designs. 
If the law survives legal challenges by automakers, it could 
force manufacturers to make more fuel-efficient vehicles and
encourage development of hybrid and fuel-cell vehicles and 
alternative fuels. (California's New Greenhouse-Gas 
Auto-Emissions Law)
http://www.sric-bi.com/BIP/Bulletin/B311.shtml - 2403


Adhesives in Eastern Europe

As investment capital has poured into Eastern Europe and other 
developing regions, adhesives producers have set up factories 
in these regions to serve the new markets. Partnerships are 
also helping adhesives companies gain a foothold. For example, 
Henkel moved into Eastern Europe because German automakers like 
Volkswagen have also opened production plants in the region. 
(October 2002 Structural Adhesives Viewpoints)
http://www.sric-bi.com/Explorer/SA.shtml


Interesting Patterns of Media Use

U.S. consumers are spending more of their disposable income 
and more of their waking hours than ever before using 
entertainment and information media. Recent data show that they 
spend more money to watch the same amount of TV, continue to 
embrace traditional media styles even when they adopt new media, 
and exhibit broad demographic and behavioral characteristics
that pose challenges to the music industry. (Entertainment and 
Information Media: Trends in U.S. Households)
http://www.sric-bi.com/DF/summaries/EntInfoMediaTrends1002.shtml


An eLearning Role for Enterprise-Application Players

eLearning adopters have become frustrated with the need 
to integrate disparate eLearning components from small 
vendors whose financial viability is problematic. As a 
result, enterprise-application players like IBM, Oracle, 
SAP, and PeopleSoft have an opportunity to tap into this 
market, even if they can't provide the same functionality 
that a learning-management-system provider can offer. (LoD 
Bulletin, Third Quarter 2002)
http://www.sric-bi.com/LoD/bulletins.shtml


User Interfaces for Virtual Environments

As virtual environments evolve, user interfaces are evolving 
as well, moving beyond graphical user interfaces. One of the 
most promising new approaches is the non-command-based user 
interface, in which a person engages the computer through an 
action rather than a command. For example, when a child 
covers the eyes of Microsoft's ActiMates Barney, the plush 
toy reacts by playing peek-a-boo, acting much as a human would. 
(October 2002 Virtual Environments Viewpoints)
http://www.sric-bi.com/Explorer/VE.shtml


The Appeal of the Conservative Saver

Financial institutions tend to focus on affluent, well-educated,
financially sophisticated consumers. However, a less visible group 
of traditional, conservative savers deserves greater attention in 
today's risk-averse and scandal-ridden financial markets. These 
savers, who make up some 21 million households, are loyal customers 
who don't typically move their assets to take advantage of better 
rates or lower prices from other financial institutions. (The Saver 
Market: Simple, Conservative Consumers)
http://www.sric-bi.com/CFD/MRsummaries/MR.V-12.shtml


Interest in Methane Hydrates

Methane hydrates are an unconventional and potentially huge 
source of natural gas, but no one has yet determined their 
viability as an energy source. Despite incredible technological 
hurdles, the prospect of an abundant source of natural gas that 
could alter the geopolitical dynamics of energy is attractive 
enough to prompt some nations and industry players to invest in 
methane-hydrate R&D. (Methane Hydrates As an Energy Source)
http://www.sric-bi.com/BIP/Bulletin/B311.shtml - 2403


Changing Financial Attitudes

The 2002-03 MacroMonitor survey aims to learn how people's 
attitudes toward financial products, services, and channels 
have changed in the past two years. How much trust do consumers 
have in their financial-services providers today, for example, 
and what is their attitude toward the stock market and 
investment in general? The resulting data should help financial-
services firms stay responsive to their customers and plan for 
new services. 
http://www.sric-bi.com/CFD/2002MM.shtml


Signals of Change

Attendees at a recent Scan meeting in London, England, discussed 
diverse topics, with special attention to three emerging issues: 
the new ability to outsource one-off tasks because of the Internet, 
companies' growing interest in identifying their least and most 
profitable customers, and the growing prevalence and business 
implications of obesity in industrialized societies. (Signals of 
Change: July 2002)
http://www.sric-bi.com/BIP/Bulletin/B311.shtml - 2405


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Copyright 2002 by SRI Consulting Business Intelligence.