Everything's on display at CeBIT, but what's actually new?

MobiPro has used CeBIT to launch a subscription service to its TimeWAP time management software, which apparently provides teams with up-to-date access to appointments, meetings, events and tasks via SMS, WAP, GPRS or 3G technologies.

CeBIT was also used by Sydney-based Bio Recognition Systems to launch a couple of biometrics products. BioLock is a fingerprint reader that takes the place of keys and is designed for the home, going for about AU$500. The BioScan product comes in 'security' and 'time and attendance' formats, indicating a workplace use. Or a really stringent wife. Several scanners can be networked together with their BioNet system, and hooked up to PCs.

Epicor is showcasing the soon-to-be-released version of Vantage Business Intelligence (VBI) this week at the National Manufacturing Week - which is being held beside CeBIT and into which several hapless journalists accidentally walked in search of interesting IT stuff. Security's a wonderful thing. Anyway, VBI claims to provide the ability to perform complex queries and analysis, and the next version embeds CRM at the core of the solution.

For those who have trouble maintaining their Web site HotHouse are offering an 'online ambulance'. This is apparently a team of 10 dedicated copywriters and programmers who check content, do information update alerts, meta tag setting and hyperlink testing. They claim a 25 percent saving off the 'typical' industry rates of AU$150-180 / hr for the team.

Techplus are distributing the New Zealand based E-Secure-IT service in Australia. Basically, when you register all your details with the service it keeps track of all the threats and vulnerabilities and e-mails you details of them, and where to get patches. They say New Zealand is ideally placed for this service because many virus and worm payloads follow the date-line, so the Kiwis are the first to cop it.

A Californian company called Technopundit has attacked a niche market with StepUp, a program for migrating data from an old computer to a new computer. A trial program is downloadable from the Internet, which seems awfully trusting, considering you'll probably only use once every few years.

Fujitsu will introduce some new hard disk drive (HDD) models, MAP and MAS. According to the press release, MAP models (available in August) feature spindle speeds of 10K RPM and have capacities up to 147 GB, whereas the MAS models (available October) have a spindle speed of 15K, and can hold up to 73GB.

Dell have launched OptiPlex GX260, which purports to be the first desktop computer system to integrate an Intel PRO/1000 MT GB (10/100/1000) Ethernet controller on the motherboard. Which means gigabit networking. The sample configuration provided (which is really as basic as you'd want to get) goes for AU$2,375, with AU$99 delivery.

In order to give hope to all the small software developers who are disheartened by people illegally using their software for free, the Trialware Professional Association (TPA) has released Crack Killer v1, a freeware windows software program. It appears to search for sites offering pirate software, and allows you to send them a nasty e-mail.

D-Link has released the DMC-1000, a AU$1,143 chassis which holds up to 16 media conversion modules, which adapt signals capable of transmission on one type of cable to signals capable of transmission on another type of cable. Modules range from AU$364 to AU$1,664, depending on what you want converted.