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By editorial@silicon.com, 1 January 2002 00:00

NEWS 2.5G
See GPRS 2.75G
See EDGE 2G
See GSM 3G
3G is an abbreviation for third generation wireless and refers to near-future developments in mobile phone technology, especially mobile communications. 3G networks will have greater bandwidth and allow greater volumes of information at faster rates of transfer (up to 2Mbps) than EDGE, GPRS or GSM. A2A (Application to Application)
Application to Application solutions or application integration is the process of bringing data or a function from one application program together with that of another. A2A is also associated with EAI (enterprise application integration) which is a business term for the methods designed to migrate, consolidate and co-ordinate existing (eg legacy) and new computer applications. Accelerator
Hardware used to accelerate the speed of software running on the standard (micro)processor within a computer, eg a graphics accelerator will speed up screen drawing and is typically required for applications such as computer aided design. Access Provider
Company acting as intermediary to provide access to the internet and possibly additional information services and also referred to as ISPs (see Internet Service Providers). Active X
Set of Component Object Model (COM) technologies developed by Microsoft to implement sophisticated graphics and sound within Windows. The definition 'Active X controls' is more commonly used, representing a specific way of implementing Active X technologies. Active X controls are an interface that allow programmers to communicate with an operating system or application. Ad Serving
Online campaign management system, allowing adverts to be shown to predetermined target groups on sites. Ad Views
An ad view is a web page delivered in a way that guarantees that the receiving viewer will actually see the ad (in the form of a banner or graphic image). ADSL
Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line is a technology for transmitting digital information at high speed. ADSL enables always-on connectivity. The technology is asymmetric in that it uses most of its bandwidth capacity to download information and only a small part to receive uploaded information from the user. The technology operates over standard telephone lines. See DSL Agent Software
Software that enables configuration of an agent to search the internet for certain types of information (see Agent). Agent
Computer program providing services to search on (a part of) the internet for requested information presented to customers on a regular basis. Services may include comparing prices or keeping a user up to date on news on specific topics. Analog
A term used to describe the signal sent to TVs or telephones which is not digitally encoded. An analog (also written analogue) signal itself is a continuous wave, unlike a digital signal which is compressed into a series of 1s and 0s. Analog TV
Analog TVs can only receive analog (continuous waveform) signals. The strength of the waveform affects the quality of picture and sound. Analog TVs are susceptible to interference caused by physical features (hills, buildings etc) distorting the signal. Analogue
See Analog. Application
Software program containing a user interface. API (Application Program Interface)
Specific method that enables programmers of application programs to communicate with an operating system or application program. ASCII
American Standard Code for Information Interchange, the 'original' format for standard text files on a computer now beginning to be replaced by Unicode. Attachment
File or hyperlink enclosed in or 'attached to' an email. Auction Website
Electronic version of an auction where lots can be placed or purchased on a website. Audience Fragmentation
Digital TV has enabled many new channels to be born as a result of the increased bandwidth available. New channels increase viewer choice and thereby competition for audience share. Mass audiences enjoyed by the terrestrial channels such as the BBC and ITV fragment as a result. Click here for the full index: http://www.silicon.com/a55850