As Tom Wolfe put it (in his chronicle of the ’60’s, The Electric Kool Aid Acid Tests) way back when, “You’re either on the bus, or off the bus.” I’m on the bus – to Baltimore, that is traveling with The Roadshow, as it has come to be known. The Roadshow, sponsored by The Trendlines Group, is an unprecedented (as in first-time-ever) gathering of over a dozen Israeli early stage hi-tech companies (many in the biotech area, but with others as well) who are in the U.S. for a week to meet with investors across the country.
Monday we were in Manhattan, so if this is Tuesday, it must be Baltimore (which the aforementioned bus is now on the way to). Then it’s on to Chicago on Wednesday, and L.A. on Thursday, before breaking up and returning home.
I was invited by Trendlines to check out the process, and see what really goes on in these investor meetings. Everyone in Israel (and the U.S., for that matter) knows that Israeli companies seeking startup money are frequent visitors to the U.S., trying to raise funds in their “first round” or “second round,” etc. For most of us, the process by which this money is raised – what goes into the selling of Israeli hi-tech ideas to American investors – is a deep mystery. What’s the motivation for the investors? Why does one company make it big, while another languishes (assuming it has a valid technology and would pass due diligence)? How do Israelis overcome the language barrier? How do they find investors, what do they promise them, and why do the investors believe them? There’s a whole subculture here of Israeli tech folk who go on the road seeking funding – a story that will unfold here and elsewhere (including in the Jpost) in the coming weeks.
I know I haven’t posted for awhile – been busy with another big project (PLEASE check out and like this Facebook page, if you can – http://on.fb.me/sentigo). But here’s some REALLY big news: The device that arguably started the modern tablet revolution – the Kindle – is largely the result of Israeli technology!
Not very well known until now, I heard about this from some friends of mine who work(ed) at SunIsrael, now owned by Oracle. After nearly 8 months of efforts, requests, permissions, etc., I got an opportunity to interview the team at Oracle Israel responsible for the implementation of Java that makes the Kindle go. It’s a very cool story, one that you willbe able to can read in whole at the Israel21c site.
Basically, Java had to be adjusted significantly to accommodate the Kindle’s needs, and it proves the versatility of Java as a platform, as far as Oracle/Sun are concerned. But for the rest of us, the big news is that the most revolutionary (non-Apple) device of the past few years – and, probably, the device that pushed Apple to speed up development of the iPad, which led to the tablet revolution now unfolding – is a made in Israel innovation! And, I am VERY proud to have been the one to break the story (thanks Eddie and Gordon!).
Kind of brings a tear to the eye – I will never look at the Kindle the same again!
“Peace in our time,” or an underhanded Arab attempt to embarrass Israel? A spokesperson for Microsoft’s offices in Saudi Arabia announced Tuesday that the company would be releasing its Project Natal 3D controller in October – in time for the winter gifting season. According to this,
Speaking in an interview, Microsoft Saudi’s Marketing Manager, Syed Bilal Tariq, has confirmed that Project Natal will be releasing worldwide sometime in October… Tariq goes on to say that more information will be coming at E3 (Electronic Entertainment Expo, June 15-17).
Note, btw, that the interview is being broadcast on KSA2, Saudi Arabia’s English languageTV service, which I actually receive here in Israel, thanks to my non-YES satellite dish. Unfortunately, I missed the Saudi morning news today, so I’m glad someone recorded it
So what’s so weird? Just this: The Natal 3D controller, which is the key of the system, is 100% made in Israel, by a company called PrimeSense (look for my upcoming great interview with PrimeSense boss Inon Beracha, coming to an internet near you this week!).
PrimeSense has developed a wandless 3D technology that tracks tens of thousands of points in space at one time (as compared to the two points Nintendo Wii trackers can follow), and extrapolates the information to capture every move of anyone or anything that ventures into the sensor’s field of vision. “It’s like wearing a suit with tens of thousands of Wii points,” Beracha told me. Besides being far more effective, the PrimeSense box is extremely inexpensive to produce, meaning that prices on xBoxes could actually come down (or at least not go up!). Note that the video below is from an MS press conference in Tel Aviv last month demonstrating the PrimeSense technology.
One thought that occurred to me was that Tariq was hoping to embarrass PrimeSense by giving an unrealistic date for the system to be on the market, one that would be too early – thus making the Israeli company look bad, either by failing to supply the sensors on time, or by rushing them out to market and mucking up Natal. Fortunately, PrimeSense completed development on the sensor awhile ago, and they are all ready for market, Beracha told me.
So what’s the head of MS Saudi Arabia doing touting a great piece of Israeli technology? Does he have more loyalty to the corporation than to the “ummah?” And considering what an “Israeli outfit” Microsoft is (it’s home to the third largest MS dev team in the world), should a good Israel-hating Saudi even be working for the company?? And how is it that MS isn’t on the Arab boycott list??? Mr. Tariq, if you’re out there – the (Israeli) people want to know!
Over the past few days, Intel has been showing its new Xeon (Westmere) processor, which the company says has 40 percent better performance and 30 percent better energy efficiency. The processor features a chip that supports six cores each. Meant for use in servers, the Xeon is also the first processor to use Intel’s 32 nanometer manufacturing process, which results in processors with features as little as 32 nanometers wide. All of which means the Xeon – built on Intel’s familiar x86 architecture – can get much more done with less power, and is likely to find its way into new hardware. Already, IBM has announced a new line of servers that are faster and cooler running, all running on the Xeon.
Given Intel’s history in Israel, you always have to suspect that much of the work done on any new piece of hardware the company comes out with was largely developed in Israel. Alas, that is not the case for the Xeon (a derivative of the Nehalem processor). So I have been told by “informed sources” in Intel. Note, however, that the Next Big Thing from Intel – processors that use the Sandy Bridge (aka Gesher) architecture, with many improvements to the Nehalem series of processors. Sandy Bridge processor technology was largely developed in Israel – the project will be remembered for having its name changed from Gesher, the Hebrew word for “bridge,” after a political party (now defunct) emerged in Israel with the same name. Sandy Bridge-based processors will only be released in 2011, after the “life cycle” of the Westmere/Nehalem line peters out.
Although Israel can’t take direct credit for the speed and efficiency of the Xeon, it can take credit for an important security feature built into the processor: Included in all new Intel processors is the Intel Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) Instructions Set. Tests showed that encryption/decryption of files was 400% faster with AES, and whole disks can be encrypted with barely any impact on performance (anyone who has ever tried to encrypt even a single file with a “regular” processor will understand the benefit).
Remember that old commercial, “Is it live, or is it Memorex?” That’s a question we will soon be asking about what we see, not just what we hear, thanks to the development of a technology called Augmented Reality. Using a device’s camera, GPS, Bluetooth, digital compass, wifi, and other networking and input capabilities, you can turn reality into a video game, run through “what if” scenarios, or get a text or video overlay on something that they are looking at.
Example: You’re checking out what movie to see at the multiplex, and you forgot to check out the reviews. With an AR app on your phone, you could point your phone at a movie poster, and then get reviews displayed on the screen, without having to press any buttons! More sophisticated versions would let you see a trailer, or even buy tickets. It’s not at all science fiction – actually, an application like this exists for some Nokia smartphones, and there are already a slew of AR apps for Androids and cellphones (I could have used this onewhen I installed my non-YES satellite dish a couple of months ago!)
As it turns out, an Israeli company called Ogmento, is deeply involved in developing AR applications, especially for the iPhone. If you want to try it on the web, check out the application they developed for Vampire Academy. Scary!
We hear a lot about business “giving back to the community,” but everyone knows it’s BS. There are no free lunches, and everything has strings attached. It’s always all about the money. Everyone knows it.
But maybe what everyone knows isn’t always right. It certainly wasn’t at the “startup roundtable” meeting I went to, hosted by Israeliinvestment adviser and social media expert Sharon Weshler. Sharon and his buddy Aviad of the Termiks startup investment center ran a “roundtable” for fledgling Israeli startups, where entrepreneurs with great ideas could get some help in getting their idea ready for presentation to investors.
The ideas were really creative, ranging from a system to improve management of nursing homes to a home entertainment gadget, and a better way to grow food! Presenters gave the group their core idea and “elevator pitch,” and attendees could comment, question, or give constructive criticism on ideas and presentations.
The startup roundtable idea isn’t a new one, and I’ve been to a number myself. But most of them are sponsored by advisors for their clients, prepping them for presentations to investors. In other words, the sponsors of the roundtable have a financial interest in ensuring that their candidates present well, so they can bring in the bucks
Not so at Sharon and Aviad’s roundtable – from what I could tell, there was no financial or contractual relationship between the presenters and the sponsors. That said, I’m sure Sharon and Aviad would be happy to find a company to work with, but you have to figure there are better ways to track down companies interesting enough to invest in without spending upwards of four hours listening to ideas that they had no idea in advance would be worth listening to! That is what I call really giving back to the community!
If a criteria of Apple fanboydom is how much money one has given to Apple, I definitely have done my share to support the company. Here are my Apple credentials: I own an iMac, two Mac Minis, two Macbooks, two iPod Touches, and varied and sundry iPods.
With that said, here are my first impressions of the iPad.
1. It’s too big. Yes, I know it’s not a Kindle, but still.
2. The screen looks like it would be easy to scratch.
3 .64 GB memory is nice, but it would need an expansion slot to really be useful. Yes, I know it’s not supposed to be a laptop, but still. Steve says it’s “way better than a laptop,” but still – what would really be nice is if they would put that touch-screentechnology into a Macbook-type device.
4. It appears that Apple is positioning the iPad for use as a video entertainment device. When would you use it? Not at home, where you would probably want a big screen. On the road? But wouldn’t it be better to take a laptop or netbook, so you could get other stuff done besides watching video?
5. That said, it will probably be a big seller. Nothing Apple has ever made has been a bomb (except maybe the Newton, depending on whom you ask.)
The above is not to exclude the possibility that I will buy one myself.
On Saturday – Shabbat – Hareidim will be protesting the fact that Intel’s brand new Jerusalem fabrication plant will be operating on the holy day. And come Saturday night, Israel’s media is going to be all agog. I can already picture the headlines and the stories in papers like Ha’aretz, the Jerusalem Post, Yedi’ot, etc. – each paper has its own style, or if you prefer, slant. But they are all going to get the story wrong. You want to know what’s really going on? Keep reading!
Over the past several years, the intensity of “Shabbos protests” has increased, most recently with the ugly scenes in the center of Jerusalem over the opening of a parking lot by the city. But Intel is no local parking lot or supermarket, and the story, as it will be portrayed by all the mainstream media in Israel, will portray “fanatic Hareidim” pitted against the essence of modernity – the computer chip. Editors should have a field day with that one!
Then there will be the stories about how the Hareidim, who “don’t work,” aren’t just satisfied to sit around themselves, but have no problem jeopardizing the jobs of other Jerusalem residents, by trying to drive Intel out of town – and maybe out of Israel altogether! And, of course, there will be the take on how the Hareidim just want to throw their weight around, and are doing this just to get back at the city for electing a secular mayor – because after all, it’s located in Har Hotzvim, an industrial zone where no religious people (or people of any sort) actually live – so the plant is not going to directly damage anyone’s “Sabbath peace.”
It’s just too easy a story not to be stereotyped, but in this case, things may not be so simple. The anti-Intel protests are being organized by Knesset members from United Torah Judaism (UTJ) – the issue was pushed by UTJ Knesset member Uri Maklev. Although the epitome of what is called “ultra-Orthodox,” UTJ was very reticent when it came to the Karta mess (those protests were organized by a private group, and was steered by “ultra-Hareidi” Hassidic groups). UTJ represents Hareidi “yeshivish” circles, of course, but it also represents the average working Hareidi family, and engages with all the institutions of the state, and much of its Knesset activity involves getting tax breaks and benefits for large families, etc. They’re frequently accused of being “non-Zionist,” but they’re certainly no less (and probably a lot more) Zionist than groups like Peace Now. And while the secular media often disagrees with their positions, no one would consider them to be “fanatics.”
So if there’s any group you would think would not be leading this – who would understand that a fab plant needs to operate 24/7 – it would be these guys. Despite the stereotype, many Hareidim are “plugged in” to some extent, using the internet, e-mail, cellphones, etc. And they certainly understand what’s at stake in this battle. Even more: Considering that the old Intel plant in Jerusalem also operated on Shabbat and nobody seemed to care, and that other Intel plants around the country are open Saturday as well without anyone complaining – and that nightclubs and restaurants even in the center of town, much less in places like Talpiot, are open on Shabbat, without anyone protesting – you have to wonder exactly what is going on here.
Like I said, taking on Intel is not like taking on a parking lot, and the UTJ Knesset members who are leading this have to know that they are going to have a very hard time defending their position to the secular public. Ergo, we can take them at their word – that the reason they are doing this is, besides defending the “honor of the Sabbath,” they are worried that other businesses will take their cue from Intel and open on Shabbat as well (this is one of the top reasons mentioned by the organizers).
However, I believe something else is going on here; we’ve been handed a hot potato from the One Above, who wants to see how we are going to manage.
In this issue, we’re faced with a stark choice, it seems – the sanctity of the Sabbath versus the pull of modernity, the essence of modernity; the world’s biggest manufacturer of computer chips! But in this battle, the side that “wins” loses, too; if Intel packs up because of this, no one will be happy – including the Hareidim, because members of their community (mostly female) work at good jobs at Intel, supporting their husbands in Yeshiva. Without those jobs, the financial situation of dozens of Yeshiva families will be very precarious.
And if Intel “wins,” the Jewish people as a whole lose; the Sabbath is not an institution to be regarded lightly, as Jewish history tells us. Religious Jews believe they have an obligation to protest against desecration of the Sabbath, and there are plenty of sources in Jewish writings that mention this. As an observant individual, I take Shabbat seriously, and personally I believe that figuring out how to integrate the modern world with Shabbat – and vice versa – is one of the major challenges G-d has given our generation.
It’s been said that G-d often does things with an “ironic” twist – as in, “you wanted X to happen so badly, well let’s see how you handle it when it does.” Seen in that light, the Intel story is a challenge to both “sides”. While the Hareidi leadership has an obligation to lead battle to preserve the Sabbath (if they don’t, who will?), they’re also a part of the Jewish people, and the modern State of Israel. So, apparently, it’s been decided on High that the time has come to work out a balance between the two. The same goes for Intel; for years, it’s been profiting off the genius of Israel, the Holy Land – a place where the Sabbath means something. The time has come for it to figure out how to respect the moral Law of that land, even with a fab plant that has to operate 24.7.
So that’s our choice – coming together or oblivion, one way or another. The latter is too painful to picture, regardless of who “wins.” The fact that this showdown is being waged by those who are considered the “safekeepers” of Shabbat in Israel, and the epitome of modern computer technology, is so rife with symbolism and meaning that you have to be blind not to get it. But imagine if both sides manage to pull it off – if they do figure out a way to preserve the Sabbath, and keep the plant going! Imagine being able to meet that G-d given challenge successfully! Who could imagine the benefits – the “blessings” – that would emerge?
Chalk up another successful export industry Israel is a player in: Satellites. Earlier this year, Israel’s first communication satellite, Amos-1, was sold to Intelsat, one of the largest operators of communication satellites in the world. Amos 1 will now be known as Intelsat 24, and will be used for communications in East Asia – meaning that Iranians watching channels like India’s Star TV may be getting their shows from an Israeli-made satellite!
According Amitzur Rosenfeld, director of MicroSat Israel (a joint venture between IAI and Rafael to build micro-satellites), Intelsat is directing eastward Amos-1, which is still in orbit. Speaking recently at a scientific conference in Tel Aviv, Rosenfeld said the original plan had been to use whatever fuel was left on the old Amos-1 (launched in 1996) and fire it out of the earth’s orbit, to make room for new satellites. By doing so, Israel was being a good world citizen; according to NASA, there are over 9,000 (!) satellites and/or other “artificial objects” orbiting the earth, so things can get crowded up there!
Israel, it turns out, is one of the most advanced countries in satellite technology anywhere, because of the launching technology it has developed, along with breakthroughs in imaging. Most of the country’s communication satellites (like the Amoses) have been launched from outside the country (France, India, Russia, etc.), because of the need to fire satellites in an eastward direction, the direction of the earth’s rotation. That works fine in Florida or Texas, but in this part of the world, an eastbound launch might be construed as an attack by Jordan or further neighbors.
And, in addition, Israel’s new TecSAR satellite provides superior imaging capabilities, enabling sensors to pick up what is going on down below even during cloudy weather. Israel and France are developing a satellite that will enable farmers, fishermen and governments to better keep track of the land and sea environment, and according to “informed sources,” NASA is set to build a satellite in Israel using TecSAR technology to be used to map the usually very cloudy planet Venus. Nowadays, here in Israel, “space cadet” is a compliment, not an insult!
After many months, the Modu phones finally go on sale in Israel this week. The Modu, for those not familiar with it (informative article about it right here) is the modular phone that changes its functions, depending on the “sleeve” you put it in. They have, for example, a sports module, which lets the phone record steps, running speed, distance, etc. Another module turns the phone into a mini-boombox, which plays great stereo music. Yet another module turns the device into a full screen video system, letting you watch movies anytime, anywhere.
At 43 grams, the Modu is the lightest cellphone in the world, all by itself (you don’t need a sleeve for the basic phone functions). At NIS 500 (about $130), the Modu is a bargain, considering the usual cost of phones here. Unfortunately, it’s only available for Cellcom customers right now. It is also to go on sale soon in the Philippines, Central and South America, India.
The Modu was supposed to have been released months ago, but according to Modu CEO Dov Moran, the project suffered unforeseen delays, with investors getting cold feet and supply issues (Texas Instruments, which Modu relied on for the phone’s chips, announced it was getting out of the cellphone business, and the Chinese company that manufactured the unit and the sleeves shut down). All’s well that ends well, though, and Moran finally has fulfilled the Modu dream of developing a phone with advanced functions that won’t strain users’ budgets.
Israel is the world leader in hi-tech innovations. So many of the internet, cellphone, and gadget inventions that make our lives easier and more fun are born right here in Israel! Get the inside track on the newest ideas and innovations in our bi-weekly Digital Israel Newsletter. Sign up right here!
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