BANK tech-trends News
 

 December 8 - December 12, 2008

• Hardware News
• Software Updates
• ATMs/Kiosks
• Biometric Digest Highlights
• Wireless World
• Security Section
• Leaders Roundtable
• Technology and Marketing
• Online Banking/E-Commerce/
  Website Design
• Internet Access
• Call Centers

Hardware News

De La Rue, the world's largest commercial security printer and cash sorting company, unveiled its new DLR7000, high-speed banknote sorter. The unit features software enhancements, and improved note path and detection. The feeder has been designed to handle very poor quality notes and has a 4,000 note capacity, upgrading to 6,000 if necessary. The DLR7000 is also equipped with the option for biometric access control. This will replace password entry and work in conjunction with a smart card. 

Adtran offers a line of Gigabit Ethernet switches with built-in cable diagnostics and reporting. They have several models, but one popular model is the NetVanta 1534. Not only does the NetVanta 1534 support wireline speeds for all connections in and out, it includes a cable diagnostics mode that identifies problem cables, tells you if the line is open or shorted and lists the distance away from the switch where the problem is.

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ATMs/Kiosks

Select-A-Branch ATM Network is partnering with TRM Corp.’s Access To Money network. The agreement gives Select-A-Branch potential access to about 3,000 ATMs in convenience stores and other retail locations throughout the country. ATMs with SAB's technology have a generic screen, but when consumers of a client financial institution insert their ATM cards, the screen changes to display the logo of the user's FI. 

Nashville-based ACE Machine has come out with a Diamond Virtual Technician that comes as an option with their Diamond Kiosks and Surround products. The Diamond Virtual Technician automates the process of switching the ATM enclosure's air conditioner off and turning the heater on. The firm says that the system reduces utility costs, cuts first- and second-line maintenance calls, eliminates human error as well as man hours, eliminates equipment damage and failure, and extends the life of ATMs, camera systems and alarms.

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Dell Industry Solutions Group announced an alliance to work with Voice Transact, the global voice signature financial transaction processing network, to configure and distribute Voice Management Hubs to financial institutions deploying the Voice Transact biometric voice authentication solution. Voice Management Hubs enable multi-factor transaction approvals for payments and other financial transactions and can store millions of encrypted voice signatures locally. They are specifically designed to enable financial institutions to respond to increased industry and regulatory interest in the role of voice signatures.

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According to a survey from Boston-based consultancy Aite Group, American small business owners are showing a growing interest in mobile banking, with around a third saying they are likely to use such services. 35% said they would check account balances via their mobile if the service was offered by their financial institution, while 25% said they would make intrabank fund transfers with their phone if it was available. A further quarter say they would make bill payments with their mobile device if they could.

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Trusteer is offering banks a free malware search tool that gives them visibility into attacks targeting their websites. The New York-based company says that their Trusteer Attack Trace search engine allows banks to input their Web address and see a list of malware configuration files that are designed to commit fraud against their brand. IT admins can view a cross section of malware that is specifically aimed at their site and what the code is written to accomplish. 

The latest vulnerability patching statistics culled from 20,000 users of Secunia’s PSI (Personal Software Inspector) show that about 98% of all installed/detected applications are vulnerable to a known security flaw. Secunia defines an “insecure program” as a piece of software for which there is a newer version of the program available from the vendor that corrects one or more vulnerabilities, but the user have yet to install the secure version.  

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Core Systems:

Core Systems – Collaborating to Better Serve Customers

COCC - http://www.cocc.com Read Joe Trafton's comments: http://www.banktt.com/roundtable/COCC.pdf

Fidelity Information Services - http://www.fidelityinfoservices.com Read John Schooler's comments: http://www.banktt.com/roundtable/FIS.pdf

Open Solutions - http://www.opensolutions.com Read Michael Nicastro's comments: http://www.banktt.com/roundtable/OSI.pdf

Software and Management Associates - http://www.smausa.com Read Michael W. Taylor's comments: http://www.banktt.com/roundtable/SMA.pdf

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Atlanta-based LEVEL5 is rolling out a new diagnostic tool for banks that compiles and analyzes market data. The program helps banks make strategic decisions about geographic expansion, and includes trend analysis and forecasting. The Financial Institution Tool creates a predictive assessment of market opportunities and identifies areas where business opportunities are rising, peaked, or declining.

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Officials at 8x8, Inc. say they are cutting charges for their “Virtual Office Business Phone Service” by 50% for subscribers who enroll before year’s end. Normally a $49.99 per month service, the hosted IP-PBX service will cost $24.99 per month for those who sign up by Dec. 31. In an even less expensive alternative, 8x8 is offering a $250 per extension fee for an entire year of service for new subscribers. New customers must purchase their IP phones and agree to keep service for a minimum of one year in order to be eligible for the promotion. The company says that the system installs in minutes and comes with standard features like auto-attendants, unlimited conference calling, music on hold, ring groups, one number dialing and more.

CounterPath has added a new softphone for Microsoft Outlook and Outlook Exchange to its Bria softphone application. Bria is designed to make VoIP and video-over-IP calls easier by allowing users to see when contacts are available and send instant messages. The new “Bria Add-In” brings client capability for Microsoft Outlook without the need for Microsoft’s Office Communications Server (OCS). 

BlueG has launched its new Visual Explorer browser as a free download. Visual Explorer is a full-featured Internet Explorer-friendly web browser that comes with advanced privacy and security features, one-click Google searches, support for Internet Explorer's browsing history and favorites, as well as an advanced download manager.

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Internet Access

C4 IP is a hosted VoIP and unified communications solution from Cypress Communications. It includes integrated voice and data access, desktop phones, PC-based phones and unified messaging. The firm recently introduced new multiple failover solutions for C4 IP: VoIP failover, VoIP and public data network failover, and VoIP and private data network failover. They say that in the event of a voice access disruption on the network, the VoIP failover solution will redirect voice traffic to a separate data access line, without active calls dropping.

Sipera Systems VIPER Lab released UCSniff, a free application that allows organizations to determine if their VoIP networks are vulnerable to targeted eavesdropping. The UCSniff tool is available now for SIP and SCCP signaling protocols, while the company has plans to release a new version for testing VoIP Video calls on Windows in the future.

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Call Centers

OrecX LLC, a leading provider of open source voice recording applications, announced two major innovations for its Oreka Total Recorder (TR) software product:

• Open Application Programming Interface (API) — The new Oreka TR API enables software companies to enhance their solutions and strengthen their customer base by integrating Oreka TR advanced functionality directly with their applications.
• Speech Analytics — This new capability allows customers to make Oreka TR speech analytics ready for most commercially available speech analytics engines, thereby increasing overall ability to process call data and uncover hidden value.

Oreka TR, a companion product for OrecX’s free Oreka GPL open source call recorder, organizes and catalogues phone calls over a standard SIP-based VoIP interface. Oreka TR allows users to store and retrieve calls according to timestamp, duration, direction, as well as by remote or local party, among other features. Access to recorded calls is made available via a standard browser.

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