Well known for its analysis, the Gartner Group predicts, in its last week press release, that Instant Messaging systems will be the "de facto" tool for voice, video and text chat with 95% of workers in leading global organizations. It may even become the primary interface for real-time communications by 2013. The Gartner Group forecasts the IM market to grow from 267 mio/USD in 2005 to 688 mio/USD in 2010.

As part of the corporate IT infrastructure, they recommend use of corporate IM solutions such IBM "Lotus Sametime" or Microsoft's "Office Live Communication Server" as they can be protected by the corporate firewall. One key part of IM corporate setup will be the "Presence Technology" which allows people to establish the availability of others for real-time communications regardless of their location.  It also enables users to cut through desktop clutter, resulting in immediate responses.

As a result, Gartner predicts that by 2012, presence technology will be offered independently of IM and email products.  Mr David Mario Smith, research analyst at Gartner, urged vendors and enterprises alike to recognize this and develop a real-time architecture with presence as the key ingredient. “The IM client is becoming the launch pad for many types of communications channels and services,” he concluded.  “Presence will extend its influence beyond IM to become an essential source of innovation for enterprise applications of the future.” 

This release collides with a discussion I had last week with some colleagues about which IM tool we were using and which one is our preferred. Personally, a tool like Skype makes my day as I get to use it to transmit and receive messages from many networks and not exclusively from the Web. However, it is well known that Skype is a real nightmare for corporate ICT Security officer and this piece of software always tries its best to find a way to connect the net, bypassing any corporate security (firewall & NAT) using peer-to-peer technology.

Full Press release is available on Gartner site

Tags: 2007, analysis, arc, art, availability, blog, ces, communication, CTU, find, forecast, gartner group, global, ia, ibm, ict, ICT Security, im, instant messenger, Internet News, lan, launch, live, location, messenger, microsoft, MIT, mobile, Mobile Communications, msn, network, Nomad Tools, nomadcom.net, officer, presence, press, real time, release, sametime, search, security, services, skype, space, technology, user, video, web, wp, www

After having eared good and bad news about the new Bangkok International Airport, now it's my turn to tell about my own experience using for the first time the brand new airport facilities.

Going there : I left Sukhumvit area around 16h00 today and arrived 25 minutes and 65 baths (toll way) later in front of the entrance 4 at the airport In short, "piece of cake". No traffic jam, lot less confusion in front of the terminal.

Check-In : less than 5 minutes chrono, but ok using counter for Star Alliance Gold member (got the Gold card yesterday…just in time). Anyway for other passengers check-in seemed to be as smooth as mine.

Immigration : all counters opened, 60 immigration officiers on duty at this section, 15 pax ahead of me. Bad luck we fell on the slowest guy in town, who needs an average of 3-4 minutes per passenger to give the exit stamp…. 17h00 sharp, still 7 pax ahead but for immgration officers a new shift starts. The "turtoise" is off and replaced my someone fresh… Good news ! average time per pax falls down to 30-40 seconds ! 

International Boarding : This area looks like a shopping mall with a luxury and internation brands. Few places to have a drink or some food and as mentionned on many websites, only few places where to seat and rest as well as restrooms.

Business Lounge
Very crowded as only one is available for the time being. Certainly the longest lounge I ever seen (I guess about 50 meters long)
 
Changes with Don Muang

• No more luggage security scan before check-in
• No more camera at the immigration counters
• Laptop computers to be removed from their bag for x-ray screening

Otherwise, an international airport often looks like another International Airport and Suvarnabhumi is no more than one among others. 

More about arrival area next week

 

 

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Sept 19
8.00 am Thaksin Shinawatra calls an urgent teleconference with all armed forces' commanders at Government House, but none attends. Gen Sonthi Boonyaratkarin, the army chief, later says the meeting is hastily called. Rumor then spread around the capital and the stock market that a coup de tat is under way.

12.00 am After finishing the webcamera teleconference with Thaksin, who is New York, several Cabinet members check with reporters if there would really be a coup.

6.30 pm The Army's special forces from Lopburi move into Bangkok. Gen Prem Tinnasulalonda, president of Privy Council, has an audience with HM the King, reportedly on a meritmaking ceremony for ML Bau Kittiyakala.

6.55 pm Thai News Agency reports that Thaksin will return to Bangkok on Thursday, instead of Friday.

8.00 pm 191 police receive M16 rifles to prepare for an antiriot assignment.

9.00 pm The Army'[s special forces from Lopburi arrive at the Army's Bangkok headquarters. Web surfers post messages on Pantip.com asking if there is a coup de tat.

9.10 pm The armyowned TV Channel 5's mobile TV broadcast unit arrives at the Army's Bangkok headquarters.

9.30 pm TV channel 5 cancels regular programming and puts on air royallyauthored songs. Reporters at Government House say situation is normal, but rumour was rife that deputy premier Pol Gen Chidchai Vanasatit and defence minister Gen Thammarak Isarangkun have been under custody. Panthongthae, Thaksin's son, reportedly has left Thailand for the UK.

9.40 pm Police commandos arrive Baan Chansongra, Thaksin's residence

10.00 pm Army tanks take position at Bangkok Makkawan Rangsan Bridge and Rajdamnern Avenue.

10.10 pm CNN reports Bangkok situation

10.20pm Thaksin declares a state of emergency via the phone from New York. He also issues two orders, transferring en Sondhi from the post of army chief to the PM's Office, and naming Gen Rungroj Mahasaranond as the officer in charge of the crisis.

11pm "The Administrative Reform Council" (ARC) issues a first statement on TV network, saying the armed forces and national police have peacefully seized control of Bangkok and surrounding areas. Soldier seize the Shinawatra Building, iTV television stationand Thaksin's residence.

11.15pm Soldiers put steel barricades at Sri Ayudha and Rajdamnoen Roads
11.50pm ARC issues the second statement explaining the reasons for the coup d'etat, citing national disunity and rampant corruption. ARC says it plans to return power quickly to the people

12.39am ARC issues third statement, nullifying the constitution, the caretaker Cabinet and the Constitutional Court.

Chronology continues on Nation Website 

 

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