FTEC to open RM10mil store

By STEVEN PATRICK

Local IT company FTEC Resources announced it will open a RM10mil concept store in Kuala Lumpur's Golden Triangle shopping area in September.

According to FTEC president Kenneth Vun, the store will carry digital lifestyle products in line with its "4C" focus, namely computers, communications, consumer electronics and content.

"It will be called TecAsia and it will be a 20,000sq ft store somewhere near Low Yat Plaza," he said. He declined to specify the exact location.

Apart from FTEC computers, the store will have a full range of products from over 40 vendors such as Hewlett-Packard and Acer.

"There will also be MP3 players, LCD TVs, projectors and lots of gadgets," Vun said.

Vun feels that the market has matured enough to justify such a store.

"The consumer is more matured than before. We opened a 10,000sq ft store in the Karamunsing Complex in Kota Kinabalu last March and since then we have done up to RM4mil in sales per month.

"If the Kota Kinabalu store, which is smaller, can generate that kind of sales, we expect the KL store to do very well," he said.

Vun added that there will be weekly workshops on digital cameras and other devices at the store.

"It's not just going to be a retail store, there will be a chance for the public to learn about the products," said FTEC executive director Ameezan Jamal.

Vun added that FTEC plans to open two more concept stores next year in Petaling Jaya and Penang.

Ultimately, the company wants to open stores in every major local city, Vun said.

Star-TechCentral

SC lauded for blocking access to web scam sites

By M. KRISHNAMOORTHY

News Saturday June 2, 2007

SC lauded for blocking access to web scam sites

By M. KRISHNAMOORTHY

krishna@thestar.com.my

PETALING JAYA: The financial community has welcomed the Securities Commission's (SC) decision to block access to illegal investment schemes operated by some 60 websites after it received 720 complaints and queries.

They are urging the SC to be more alert as such illegal sites could re-emerge as other websites.

Financial adviser Billy Toh, who is also a certified financial planner for unit trusts, said: "I am surprised the SC had to wait for 720 complaints to act. It should have acted much earlier because the complainants are only the tip of the iceberg, as the vast majority who were cheated may not have complained."

"Now the SC has to be more alert to check if the illegal investment websites emerge under another website. The SC has to employ experts on investment websites to monitor and block fly-by-night websites," he added.

He said the SC said had done a good job of publicising licensed and illegal websites.

"This will allow licensed companies to operate and the spoilt apples to be weeded out."

The SC's exercise to block the websites will begin on June 11.

The commission, in a statement on Thursday, advised investors in such schemes to withdraw their investments and terminate their accounts immediately.

Malaysian Associated Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry president Pardip Kumar urged faster action in such cases in future.

"We must appreciate the fact that SC has acted finally, but it has to move faster as the website scams could start at another website address.

"The scams haves been around for some years and the SC should constantly monitor illegal operators," he said.

Start-TechCentral

Typing on space

It’s a keyboard that appears to have come straight out of Star Trek. RIDZWAN A. RAHIM beams in on a virtual laser keyboard.
WHAT: I-Tech Bluetooth Virtual Laser Keyboard

IT’S LIKE: You’ve probably played air guitar. Now here’s an air keyboard. The difference is that it actually works.

PRICE: RM799.
RATING: Way cool!

Bro, why are you massaging your desk?
I’m not. I’m typing.
You’re typing on what? Those red coloured beams? What are they, some kind of laser?
Yeap. This is what you call Virtual Laser Keyboard. See this handphone-sized black thing in front of me? That’s the source of the laser beam.
Oh wow, that’s so cool! I think I’ve seen this before on Pimp My Ride on MTV.
The virtual laser keyboard — let’s call it VKB for short works by using both infrared and laser technology to produce an invisible circuit and project a full-size virtual QWERTY keyboard onto any surface.

So by ‘full-size’, you mean the keys are exactly the same size as the ones you have on ordinary computer keyboards, right?
Correct. You know how before this people had to either live with the minuscule keypads on their phones and PDAs or bring along a foldable keyboard, which may or may not have full-size keys? Well, this thing solves that problem!
You can use the VKB with your computer or with a compatible mobile device such as Smartphone and PDA. The I-Tech keyboard behaves exactly like a real keyboard. It even comes with tapping sounds!
And guess what. Another built-in advantage of being virtual is that you’ll always have a clean keyboard. And that makes it perfect for environments such as clean rooms, and sterile and medical environments such as hospitals.

Hey, but what happens if the environment’s too bright?
There is a high intensity setting for that, so you’ll still be able to see the beams and use the keyboard with ease. But I doubt it will help under direct sunlight.

Doesn’t matter. I am speechless. Life really can be like Star Trek after all. So where can I get this thing and how much does it cost?
I saw one at Digital Mall PJ that sold for RM799. But I’m sure you can find it in Low Yat and other mobile accessories shops.

NsT Tech

Securities Commission to filter out scams on Net

PETALING JAYA: The Securities Commission will block access to websites offering illegal investment schemes beginning June 11.

Investors, the commission said, would not be able to enter their accounts once access to the websites was blocked.

"All existing investors to such schemes via the Internet are urged to withdraw their investments and terminate their accounts immediately," the SC said in a statement on its website yesterday

Despite repeated warnings and investor alerts, people still continued to invest in illegal investment schemes, it said.

"Between April and this month, the SC has received about 720 enquiries and complaints on illegal internet investment schemes with some indicating that had they lost huge sums of money."

The SC said it was working with the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) and CyberSecurity Malaysia to track, identify and block access to local and foreign websites promoting such investment scams.

Log on to www.sc.com.my for the list of companies and individuals licensed by SC and for the list of those not authorised to deal in securities, providing investment advice and related fund management services, among others.

Star-TechCentral

Cameras to monitor traffic throughout NSE

The "eye in the sky" system to catch errant motorists and speeding cars will be installed throughout the length of the North-South Expressway and at selected locations around Kuala Lumpur and Shah Alam, Utusan Malaysia reported.

Road Transport Department enforcement chief Salim Parlan told the paper, however, this would be carried out in phases with the initial stage already imposed during the recent festive period.

He said the automatic enforcement system (AES) would have cameras monitoring the traffic flow and recording the speed of vehicles that use public roads in the areas concerned as well as along the highway.

"The information will be relayed to the parent controlling centre, which will identify vehicles that breach traffic regulations," he said, adding that enforcement officers will then trace the drivers or owners.

"The AES has proven its worth in disciplining motorists and road users and this in turn has reduced road accidents and deaths," he said, adding that it had been in use for a long time in Australia, the United States, Europe, China and South Korea.

Star-TechCentral.