US credit card firms share encryption standard

The top three US credit reporting companies will adopt a single, shared encryption standard to better protect the huge amounts of sensitive electronic data they receive every day from banks, retailers and credit card companies.

Reuters reports that Equifax, GUS subsidiary Experian and privately held TransUnion, which maintain huge databases on hundreds of millions of Americans, said the joint effort would involve the development and adoption of a data-cloaking code built on encrypted algorithm and 128-bit, secret-key technologies.

The companies said that by creating and adhering to a single, beefed-up industry standard, they would "further assure the protection of sensitive consumer data when transmitted between data furnishers and credit reporting companies".

Market research firm iSuppli has broken down an iPod Nano to see how much it costs to manufacture, reports Businessweek.com.

The researchers took apart a $199 2GB version of the Nano and concluded that it costs Apple $90.18 in materials to build the unit and $8 to assemble it, leaving a profit margin before marketing and distribution costs of about 50%.

Margins on the computer-maker`s other products tend to be slimmer, reports iSuppli. An iSuppli teardown of the Mac Mini found the cost of material and manufacturing on that computer to be about $283, leaving a gross margin of 44% before marketing and distribution costs.

Nokia has opened its first 3G-based Mobile Services Development Centre in Taiwan. The centre will focus on developing 3G mobile content and services.

The move is one of several new Nokia mobile initiatives in Taiwan, which is known for its early adoption of new technologies.

Nokia has also partnered with Chunghwa Telecom to launch Taiwan`s mobisode campaign, the first mobile film festival to be held in the Asia-Pacific region. Mobisodes are brief videos specifically designed to be watched on a mobile phone.

Pallitathya, a help-line run via cellphones for underprivileged women in rural Bangladesh, has beaten 30 other entries from all over the Asia-Pacific to win this year`s Gender and Information & Communication Technology (GICT) Awards.

The 2005 GICT Awards focused on ICT initiatives that promote women`s economic empowerment and development in Asia Pacific.

Two other projects were selected as runners up: Putting ICTs in the Hands of the Poor, an interactive community ICT centre in India; and eHomemakers, an online network for home-based business from Malaysia.

The awards ceremony will take place during the 10th AWID International Forum on Women`s Rights in Development to be held from 27 to 30 October in Bangkok, Thailand.