Welcome to InfoTextX- a monthly e-newsletter from the Knowledge Business Centre at InfoLab21, aimed at keeping you informed about developments inside InfoLab21 and other news which we hope will be of interest to you. If you would like to contribute news items to future editions, or know someone else who would like to receive InfoTextX please contact the editor - Amanda Ross - at a.ross@lancaster.ac.uk.
New Arrivals To InfoLab21
The Business Development team has welcomed 3 new arrivals to InfoLab21- Intuitive (www.intuitive.net), Kinetic Cubed (www.kinetic3.co.uk) and Dominic Wood- more information on these in the next issue.
InfoLab21 Resident Businesses Nominated for Major Awards
Nu.Blue.co.uk
NuBlue.co.uk formed just last year by brothers Thomas and Michael Ashworth, is celebrating being short-listed for the ‘Big Chip Accessibility and Web Standards Award’ in recognition of their achievements in providing standards-compliant web solutions for business. The business has also already expanded and taken up a larger office in InfoLab21.
For more information visit: www.clickpress.com/releases/Detailed/11695005cp.shtml
Escendency
Escendency is an Application Service Provider (ASP) that has created a web-based, pan-organisational management system. Escendency have made the finals of The National Business Awards North West Regional Programme 2006, sponsored by Orange Acknowledged by The Chancellor of the Exchequer as the UK's "Business Oscars", The National Business Awards have been established to reward and recognise the importance of both national and regional business excellence to the success of UK plc. The programme recognises "exceptional business, without exception."
ITZA Virtual Gallery
InfoLab21 Associate Company mhf:creative launched its latest venture ITZdirect at the Solaris centre in Blackpool last month in an a themed exhibition entitled 'Blackpool and Beyond.' The exhibition included a giant mural of the Beatles and works of art from artist to the stars, Chris Burns, whose original pencil drawings include Will Smith, Elvis and David Beckham as well as an eclectic mix of contemporary art and photography. All works on display were available to buy direct from the innovative virtual gallery at www.itzadirect.com which mhf:creative have developed to display the work of previously unknown artists. The site provides customers not only with aesthetically pleasing, affordable modern art, but also the knowledge that they are supporting a virtual community of fledgling local artists.
ITZAdirect has been supported throughout its development by InfoLab21 at Lancaster University, particularly through funding from its marketing project, the Blackpool Business Development Initiative (BBDI).
Calling all Microsoft .NET developers
Over the past 12 months ICT Focus has successfully completed the delivery of a training & development programme for a group of solutions and applications developers who were working towards their Microsoft Certified Solution Developer (MCSD) certification. Not only have ICT Focus had excellent feedback and good results (offering exam preperation days as well as training courses) but they have also been able to offer most courses at huge discounts because they have had a large enough group going through the programme together. The MCSD credential is still one of the most widely recognized technical certifications in the industry and is soon to be joined by a suit of new qualifications tailored to individual job roles. ICT Focus are hoping to repeat a similar programme next year to help people to work towards the new qualifications. In order to make it as cost effective as possible please register your interest as soon as possible.
Further information about the new qualifications can be found at: www.microsoft.com/learning/mcp/newgen/
Graduate Academy
The latest recruit for membership of the InfoLab21 Graduate Academy, Michael Maud, completed and handed over his first website last month. The site was for Steve Gilderdale of SIA Industries in Blackpool, for his Laddermaster product. Steve was really happy with the site, and stated that he was was surprised and delighted by “the professional help and advice, the friendly atmosphere, the excellent service delivered with a smile.” SIA Industries are also tapping into other business support at the University to manufacture and market the product.
This is an example of the range of ICT support available at InfoLab21. For more information, please contact Nick King (n.king@lancaster.ac.uk) or Colin McLaughlin (c.i.mclaughlin@lancaster.ac.uk).
Events at InfoLab21
School Events
In partnership with The Professional Development Placement Team at Lancashire Education Business Partnership, InfoLab21 is running an event for ICT Teachers and Technicians & Support Assistants on 14th June.
Topics to be cover throughout the day include Computerised Animation, Networking Problems and solutions in Educational Establishments. CELT (Centre for Enhancement of Learning & Teaching) will provide an opportunity to discover more about Virtual Learning Environments.
For more information please see: http://omelette.lancs.ac.uk/infotext/may06/flyerJune_06.doc
Talking Technology Events
The next InfoLab21 Talking Technology event will take place on Thursday 8th June 2006 at 9.00 am and will focus on Wireless Technology.
Future Talking Technology Events will be taking place on the following dates (events details to follow):
Thursday 8th June 2006
Wednesday 6th September 2006
Thursday 7th December 2006
Wednesday 7th March 2007
For more information please contact Colin McLaughlin on c.i.mclaughlin@lancaster.ac.uk
Folly Event - 'Perimeters, Boundaries and Borders'
InfoLab21 Associate company Folly and Manchester based Fast-uk are holding an exhibition of contemporary arts and design practice, ‘Perimeters, Boundaries and Borders’ in Lancaster. The exhibition focuses on object and spatially oriented disciplines, the use of digital technologies and the convergence of sculpture, product design and architecture and brings emerging and existing contemporary practitioners and technologies into the public arena.
For more details please see:
Training Opportunities!
Want to get inside of the mind of your IT system’s worst enemies?
The first EC Council “Certified Ethical Hacking” (CEH) course to be held in the North-West is running at ICT Focus 3rd-7th July.
The course immerses you in the tools and tricks of the “hacking” trade, teaching you how to secure your systems & networks against them.
For more details please see www.lancs.ac.uk/ictfocus/
Discounted courses in June for InfoLab21 Associate Companies
MS2285 - Installing, Configuring, and Administering Microsoft Windows XP Professional: a core course in the MCSA certification : 15 - 16 June : £280
MS2262- Supporting Users Running Applications on Microsoft Windows XP (second part of the MCDST) 21 - 22 June £280 reduced to £230
A new training schedule for courses from September onwards will be available soon.
Free Resit Offer on Microsoft Exams due to end soon!
ICT Focus are an authorised Pearson Vue Test Centre. The free resit offer on Microsoft Professional Exams taken at Pearson Vue test centres is due to end soon. Microsoft's Second Shot offer will end 30 June 2006. Candidates have got until this date to take their first exam. Resits must be taken by 31 July. Further details can be found at www.PearsonVUE.com/ms/2ndshot
For details of all our courses please see our web site at www.lancaster.ac.uk/ictfocus, e-mail us at ictfocus@lancaster.ac.uk or phone Tracy on 01524 510425
Neural Networks Course
The Department of Communication systems is running a Short course in Neural Networks which will take place over 3 Days in first week of July.
For full details see: http://omelette.lancs.ac.uk/infotext/may06/ShortCourse_NN_advert_v4.pdf
Fresh Marketing!
Lancaster University has developed a series of free marketing workshops which will run for 6 weeks commencing 23rd May. The workshops help your businesses take a fresh look at its marketing and cover a range of marketing topics.
For further details please see: http://omelette.lancs.ac.uk/infotext/may06/E-mail_fresh_2_flyer.pdf
BT gets its hands on Dabs.com
BT has acquired online IT retailer Dabs.com to expand its service offering to SMEs. As well as continuing to sell the Dabs.com range of IT and telecoms products, BT will add its own range of products and services to Dabs.com’s online catalogue.
For full article see: www.computerweekly.com/Articles/2006/04/28/215694/BT+gets+its+hands+on+Dabscom.htm
Warnings over USB memory sticks- how safe is your data?
Smart phones, iPods and USB memory sticks are posing a real risk for businesses, warn security experts. Just over half of companies take no steps to secure data held on these devices, found a UK government-backed security survey. Now security firms are developing ways to help firms control access to the confidential data held on the gadgets. They are also working on ways to stop the devices being used by viruses as a way to bypass other digital defences.
For full story see: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/4946512.stm
The £15m InfoLab21 building was made possible with funding from Lancaster University, the Northwest Development Agency (NWDA), the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE).
Project part-financed by the European Regional Development Fund NW Objective 2 Programme 2000-06 NW Knowledge Based Action Plan www.nwua.ac.uk Delivering an Entrepreneurial and Digital Economy in North West Lancs.
For further information on InfoLab21, please see:
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