Unicorn OnceLIVE(TM) Allows Publishers and Broadcasters To Monetize Live Video Content on Mobile and OTT Devices
Patented Unicorn OnceVOD(TM) and OnceLIVE(TM) Technologies Provide Dynamic Ad Insertion for VOD and Live Content
TEMPE, Ariz., Oct. 2, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Unicorn Media today announced the commercial availability of Unicorn OnceLIVE(TM), a patented, server-side technology that enables publishers and broadcasters to deliver and monetize live content to any IP-enabled device. OnceLIVE(TM) provides live content publishers with the ability to strip broadcast ads in real time and dynamically replace them with targeted ads on a per-user basis.
Unicorn Media, the market leader in mobile monetization, allows the world's largest publishers to dynamically serve video ads to IP-enabled devices. The company's flagship service, OnceVOD(TM), has revolutionized mobile monetization by delivering, from the cloud, video ads to any IP-enabled device on a single URL. OnceLIVE(TM) delivers similar monetization capabilities, but in a live video streaming environment. The service allows for the ability to deliver targeted ads, inserted anywhere in the stream, from the cloud, with no SDK or plug-in required. A sample of the devices that can be targeted includes iPhones, iPads, Androids, Blackberry devices, Roku, Boxee, TiVO, game consoles and Smart TVs.
OnceVOD(TM) and OnceLIVE(TM) easily integrate with all 3(rd)-party ad networks and in-house solutions without requiring complex APIs or any client-side code. Both products provide real-time analytics on video and ad performance as well as business intelligence that enables agile ad operations and supports mid-roll ad insertion in long-form content, making it possible for ad operations to deliver custom ads to users based on current inventory on any device.
"OnceLIVE(TM) is a game-changer for publishers and broadcasters, allowing them to capitalize on revenue opportunities with live content by enabling them to strip broadcast ads in real time and dynamically replace them with targeted ads on a per-user basis," said Bill Rinehart, Founder, Chairman and CEO of Unicorn Media. "With our patented technology, content owners can quickly and easily monetize live content for any screen."
The ability to stream live video to smartphones, tablets, Smart TVs, game consoles and other devices gives publishers and broadcasters new ways to reach potential viewers, which should in turn generate additional ad revenue. OnceLIVE(TM) resolves live content formatting issues and difficulties with ad insertion on multiple operating systems, removing obstacles for publishers and broadcasters looking to take advantage of these new opportunities.
Unicorn Media currently works with a variety of major global broadcasters and publishers to optimize their live content workflow and support monetization across all devices. Learn more at http://www.unicornmedia.com.
About Unicorn Media, Inc.
Unicorn Media, Inc. is the leading provider of Internet video solutions that enable companies to maximize IP video profitability for live and VOD content. Our patented technology, Unicorn OnceVOD(TM), allows customers to ingest video content one time and deliver it to every Internet-connected device via a single URL. OnceVOD(TM) and OnceLIVE(TM) allow content owners to monetize their content on any device by dynamically inserting targeted ads and analyzing content and ad performance in real-time on every platform, allowing for on-the-fly changes to maximize profitability.
SOURCE Unicorn Media, Inc.
Unicorn Media, Inc.
CONTACT: Dan Palumbo, SSPR, +1-609-750-9115, dpalumbo@sspr.com
Phone.com Introduces Communicator: Desktop and Laptop softphone for Virtual Office business solutions
Phone.com's Communicator "softphone" turns computers into phone extensions for Virtual Office
Provides all expected phone functions plus access to the inbox, address book and call logs
LIVINGSTON, N.J., Oct. 2, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Understanding that today's businesses require multiple vehicles for communication, Phone.com has expanded the features available via its Virtual Office cloud-based business phone services to include the Communicator "softphone." The Communicator is a Windows and Mac OS X application that is installed on a computer and emulates a traditional phone dialer.
With Communicator, businesspeople can now easily place or receive calls just as they would through any desk or mobile phone by using a laptop or desktop computer with a microphone, headset or speakers.
Communicator works equally as effective in voice only mode or can be used to create desktop-to-desktop video sessions. "Video calling is going to become more and more important to businesses in the near future," said Ari Rabban, Phone.com co-founder and CEO. "Communicator allows Phone.com customers to quickly and easily add real-time video calling to their communications tools without the need for expensive telephones or video systems."
In addition to voicemail, Communicator also includes contacts, favorites, history, an address book and call logs. Contacts can easily be imported or exported from or to other applications. Communicator was developed based on CounterPath's Bria softphone application. CounterPath is a leading developer of desktop and mobile VoIP software applications that enable service providers and enterprises to cost-effectively integrate unified communication services into their VoIP offerings across both fixed and mobile networks.
According to Todd Carothers, Executive Vice President of Sales and Marketing at CounterPath, "By adding our desktop- and laptop-ready softphone to their service, Phone.com is empowering its enterprise customers with a new way to communicate using voice, video and messaging across multiple platforms and devices. Our Bria softphone technology allows users to enjoy an exemplary communications experience only at a fraction of the cost of traditional telecommunication services."
To use Communicator, businesses must have a Phone.com Virtual Office account and will need to add a Communicator extension to their service. Communicator is a free download for Phone.com customers.
Phone.com is a cloud-based phone company offering a variety of innovative and economical business and home phone services for entrepreneurs, home offices, small businesses and individuals. Powered by advanced VoIP technologies, the company offers Phone.com Virtual Office for small businesses, Phone.com Virtual Number for individuals on the go, Phone.com Home Phone Plus for consumers and Phone.com Mobile Office and Mobile VoIP. Please visit http://www.Phone.com or call 1-800-998-7087 for more information.
MICROS First to Integrate and Implement Isis SmartTap(TM) Mobile Commerce Application in the Hospitality Industry
Consumers to shop, pay and save with Isis Mobile Wallet at MICROS merchants; ARAMARK first restaurant to deploy
COLUMBIA, Md., Oct. 2, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- MICROS Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ: MCRS), a leading provider of information technology solutions for the hospitality and retail industries, is pleased to announce the integration of the Isis SmartTap(TM) mobile commerce application into the MICROS Simphony(TM) point of service (POS) platform, allowing consumers to make purchases, redeem offers and present loyalty cards with the single tap of their smartphone. MICROS pioneered the integration of Isis SmartTap at ARAMARK restaurant locations in Basking Ridge, NJ.
The seamless two-way integration of Isis SmartTap into the cloud-based MICROS Simphony POS platform offers restaurant operators the opportunity to engage patrons and build customer loyalty with cutting-edge payment options. Using intelligent processing, existing loyalty, offers, and promotional programs can be mobilized by utilizing the Isis Mobile Wallet(TM) without the need for further infrastructure from the restaurateur, providing restaurant patrons' access on-the-go.
ARAMARK's Basking Ridge location was the first food and beverage environment to implement the Isis SmartTap mobile commerce application. The mobile solution was integrated and put into production with MICROS's state-of-the-art Simphony(TM) cloud-based POS solution. The installation includes a MICROS Workstation 5A (WS5A) equipped with an NFC enabled reader at each of the 10 lanes to facilitate tap and pay mobile payments, increasing speed of service.
"ARAMARK Business and Industry is excited to pioneer this new method of accepting payments, coupons, and loyalty offerings," said Stephen Erickson, Chief Information Officer, ARAMARK Business and Industry. "We and our customers are pleased to embrace this innovative technology and enjoy its benefits."
"Through our work with Isis, MICROS is able to provide our Simphony POS users with a new avenue to engage customers and cater to changes in transactions at the point of service," said Michael L. Russo, Chief Technology Officer, MICROS Systems, Inc. "We welcome integrations that drive additional business for our restaurant customers, and are pleased to be the first POS software provider to integrate Isis SmartTap, allowing for a contactless environment by the restaurant patron."
"Mobile commerce provides a significant opportunity for merchants and restaurateurs to engage with consumers and build customer loyalty through payments, loyalty and offers," said Jim Stapleton, chief sales officer, Isis. "The integration of Isis SmartTap into the MICROS Simphony POS platform provides MICROS customers with a seamless way to integrate mobile commerce at the point of service."
About Isis(TM)
The joint venture is between AT&T Mobility LLC, T-Mobile USA and Verizon Wireless and is based in New York City. The venture is chartered with building Isis(TM), a national mobile commerce venture that will fundamentally transform how people shop, pay and save. The Isis(TM) mobile commerce network will be available to all merchants, banks, payment networks and mobile carriers. For more information, please visit http://www.paywithisis.com/.
About MICROS Systems, Inc.
MICROS Systems, Inc. provides enterprise applications for the hospitality and retail industries worldwide. Over 330,000 MICROS systems are currently installed in table and quick service restaurants, hotels, motels, casinos, leisure and entertainment, and retail operations in more than 180 countries, and on all seven continents. In addition, MICROS provides property management systems, central reservation and customer information solutions under the brand MICROS-Fidelio for more than 26,000 hotels worldwide, as well as point-of-sale, loss prevention, and cross-channel functionality through its MICROS-Retail division for more than 100,000 retail stores worldwide. MICROS stock is traded through NASDAQ under the symbol MCRS.
For more information on MICROS and its advanced information technology solutions for the hospitality and retail industries, please contact Louise Casamento, Vice President of Marketing at (443) 285-8144 or (866) 287-4736. You can also visit the MICROS website at http://www.micros.com or send an email to info@micros.com. Follow MICROS on Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, and the MICROS Blog.
The MICROS logo is a registered trademark of MICROS Systems, Inc.
All other product and brand names are the property of their respective owners.
Contact: Louise Casamento
443-285-8144
lcasamento@micros.com
The pad also gives gamers the opportunity to connect their device to a television or
large screen display and play their games in a much more immersive environment. The Duo
Gamer control pad is described as a "game-changer" by Duo Games' CEO, Mike Sievert, and
will be on sale in Apple stores by the end of the week.
BASHmobile will allow universities and colleges to implement a streamlined and fully
integrated mobile strategy throughout their facilities, and provide students, parents and
staff with real-time information about their courses and news bulletins from the
management staff.
According to ENTAP Chief Operating Officer Joey Harpist, "the BASHmobile solution
delivers a truly mobile, comprehensive, intuitive tool" for participating institutions,
with the company hoping to encourage a number of prestigious educational establishments
from across the world to adopt its services.
The campaign was sparked by an Environmental Protection Agency study, which revealed
that just 18% of the total number of recyclable devices in the US were recycled, whilst
the other 82% were left in landfills. Drop-off points will be created in several locations
across the State, with any functioning equipment donated to deprived schools and pupils.
According to Arizona Technology Council CEO Steven Zylstra, "Electronic equipment is one
of the fastest growing types of waste", and encouraging safe disposal lies at the heart of
the program.
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BENTON HARBOR, Mich., Oct. 2, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- What to get for those on your gift list can be easily solved by looking to the room widely acknowledged as the hub of the home for ideas and inspiration. KitchenAid has several new offerings this holiday season that are sure to be a welcome addition to any kitchen.
"Regardless of whether those on your list are passionate cooks or simply enjoy making the perfect cup of coffee, the kitchen is a space enjoyed by all, so it's a great source of inspiration for gift ideas," notes Beth Robinson, senior brand experience manager for KitchenAid. "Those on the receiving end of a KitchenAid product will be getting a gift that keeps on giving."
KitchenAid® Pro Line® Toaster
While toasting may be one of the most basic kitchen tasks, the new Pro Line® toaster is far from ordinary in its design and function.
"This is a top-of-the-line toaster that will be appreciated for its ability to perfectly toast as well as a bold design that makes a statement on the countertop," says Robinson.
Designed to ensure consistent results, the Pro Line® toaster features seven shade settings ranging from light to dark, and self-centering racks that adjust based on the thickness of breads. An Auto Sensor automatically lowers when bread is placed in the toaster slot, and an LED timer light indicates toasting progress. A soft chime signals when the toast cycle is complete and bread is automatically lifted to the top of the toaster. For times when the toast may be ready before you are, a convenient Keep Warm cycle automatically lowers the toast if not removed in 45 seconds to keep it warm for up to three minutes. When you want your toast just slightly darker, the thoughtful A Little Longer function automatically toasts bread one shade darker preventing it from getting too dark or burnt in a longer cycle.
Additional features on the toaster include a Bagel function and a Frozen function to gently defrost frozen breads before toasting. Extra-wide and long slots accommodate a variety of breads up to 1-1/8" thick. All models have an aluminum die cast body with premium chrome accents and are available in Candy Apple Red, Medallion Silver and Onyx Black in 2- and 4-slice options at suggested retail prices of $399.99 and $499.99 respectively.
KitchenAid® Personal Coffee Maker
Engineered to brew great tasting coffee in a compact unit, the personal coffee make is a great gift idea for any coffee lover who likes to have a cup in hand on the way out the door or has limited counter space.
"While compact, these coffee makers were engineered without compromise to deliver great taste," says Robinson. "Since they don't use pods, coffee drinkers have the freedom of using their favorite coffee grinds to get the results and taste they prefer."
To improve coffee extraction and taste, these models have been designed with a heating element positioned vertically near the brew head to provide hotter, more consistent water temperature. A removable, top load water tank allows for easy filling of fresh water from any angle, while a uniquely designed carafe lid quickly transforms the carafe into a travel mug. New personal 18-oz. coffee makers will be offered in Contour Silver, Empire Red, Onyx Black and Espresso at a suggested retail price of $99.99.
KitchenAid® Hand Blender
An indispensable kitchen tool that offers great versatility, an upright hand blender, also referred to as an immersion blender, is a smart gift idea for a favorite cook. The KitchenAid® hand blender can reach into deep pots, bowls and containers and take on tasks from chopping frozen foods and blending soups and smoothies to whisking homemade vinaigrette and whipped cream.
KitchenAid offers 2-, 3- and 5-speed models carrying suggested retail prices of $59.99, $79.99 and $129.99, respectively. All models are available in Onyx Black and Contour Silver with 2-speed models available in additional colors including Crystal Blue, Green Apple, Tangerine, Empire Red, Onyx Black and White.
Features found on all models include a sturdy yet lightweight design, a "soft touch" handle, a BPA-free blender jar and lid, and an 8-inch metal shaft. Variable speeds accommodate a number of cooking, food preparation and other tasks, from crushing ice to chopping nuts. All parts except the corded handle are dishwasher safe for easy cleaning.
The 5-speed model features three removable and interchangeable bell blades with covers, a removable pan guard, and a storage container. The interchangeable bells can perform a range of tasks from crushing, blending and chopping to whipping and frothing. The frother beater blade, which can be used for frothing milk for cappuccino or children's milk drinks, adds another level of flexibility to this versatile kitchen tool.
KitchenAid® Glass Stand Mixer Bowls
An extra bowl for the KitchenAid® Stand Mixer eliminates the need to stop and wash the bowl when making multiple dishes or mixing separate components of a single recipe. KitchenAid now offers three stylish glass bowl options - hammered, frosted and clear - each with a five- quart capacity.
"Both practical and beautiful, these unique glass bowls are sure to bring a smile to the face of those who already own a tilt-head stand mixer model," said Robinson.
Designed to fit on virtually all KitchenAid® tilt-head mixers, the glass bowls include a comfort handle, a pour spout and an included lid for easy ingredient storage. Both the frosted and clear glass bowls have measurement markings for easy, precise measurement. The suggested retail price on all glass bowl styles is $79.99.
Jacques Pepin Designed Platter for "Pass the Plate"
For a gift that literally keeps on giving, consider presenting a friend or family member with a homemade culinary creation on a serving plate that can be "re-gifted" to further support Cook for the Cure®, a partnership between KitchenAid and Susan G. Komen for the Cure® that has raised more than $8 million for the fight against breast cancer. The plate, featuring artwork by PBS cooking show host Jacques Pepin, carries a suggested retail price of $24.95 and is available at ShopKitchenAid.com and Villeroy & Boch stores.
Every time these specially designed, individually numbered Villeroy & Boch serving plates are passed on and registered at CookfortheCure.com/passtheplatea $5 dollar donation is generated. Using the unique registration code, participants can track the status and travels of their platter by visiting CookfortheCure.com and clicking on the "Get Passing" tab on the lower left.
Since the introduction of its legendary stand mixer in 1919 and first dishwasher in 1949, KitchenAid has built on the legacy of these icons to create a complete line of products designed for cooks. Today, the KitchenAid brand offers virtually every essential for the well-equipped kitchen with a collection that includes everything from countertop appliances to cookware, ranges to refrigerators, and whisks to wine cellars. Cook for the Cure®, the brand's partnership with Susan G. Komen for the Cure®( )is now in its eleventh year and has raised over $8 million to help find a cure for breast cancer. To learn why chefs choose KitchenAid for their homes more than any other brand*, visit http://www.KitchenAid.com or join us at http://facebook.com/KitchenAid and http://twitter.com/KitchenAidUSA.
About Susan G. Komen for the Cure: Nancy G. Brinker promised her dying sister, Susan G. Komen, she would do everything in her power to end breast cancer forever. In 1982, that promise became Susan G. Komen for the Cure®, which is now the world's largest breast cancer organization and the largest source of nonprofit funds dedicated to the fight against breast cancer with more than $1.9 billion invested to date. For more information about Susan G. Komen for the Cure, breast health or breast cancer, visit http://www.komen.org or call 1-877 GO KOMEN.
Trademark information: Cook for the Cure® is a registered trademark of Susan G. Komen for the Cure.
* Based on a 2012 survey, KitchenAid was found to be the home kitchen appliance brand chosen most often by members of the International Association of Culinary Professionals.
EXFO Pushes the Limits of Field-Testing Cost-Efficiency by Introducing Floating Test Licenses to Its FTB Ecosystem
FTB Anywhere(TM) floating licenses enable technicians - wherever they are -
to share a pool of cloud-hosted test licenses, providing each user with
the required functionalities, without the major CAPEX impact of
upgrading each test unit
QUEBEC CITY, Oct. 2, 2012 /PRNewswire/ - EXFO Inc. (NASDAQ: EXFO) (TSX:
EXF) announced today the launch of FTB Anywhere(TM), a shared test license
capability for the award-winning FTB platform ecosystem. This unique,
innovative approach to delivering advanced test applications enables
network operators to purchase a certain number of cloud-hosted licenses
that can be shared by their technicians, whenever and wherever they are
located.
FTB Anywhere is the latest application available for EXFO Connect, a
cloud-based solution designed around the specific needs of installation
and maintenance teams who are looking to significantly reduce the
operational costs of managing their test equipment, as well as to
maximize the value of their test results. The EXFO Connect solution
enables operators to leverage their investment of EXFO's FTB platforms
(FTB-1, FTB-200, FTB-500) by automating software upgrades, distribution
of test configurations, asset inventory and reporting to ensure process
compliance and that all platforms and configurations are up-to-date and
consistent throughout the entire test equipment pool.
With the introduction of FTB Anywhere, operators can now profitably
scale the test capabilities of their FTB ecosystem platforms in just
minutes, avoiding the time and expense of traditional factory-based
upgrades. This innovative approach provides operators with the
flexibility to purchase any number of cloud-hosted, floating test
licenses, which can be made available to any FTB platform on an at-need
basis when and where required.
Traditionally, test software licenses are dedicated to a specific test
device, and cannot be shared across other devices. As a result,
operators are forced to purchase test functionality that they may only
use occasionally. With the ability to quickly and efficiently activate
and deactivate FTB Anywhere floating test licenses on any FTB platform,
operators can now equip their technicians with the required
functionality at a fraction of the cost of upgrading their entire fleet
of test equipment. In addition, any floating test license can be easily
activated from the FTB platform itself, which maximizes the
productivity of field technicians and avoids costly delays by ensuring
they will always have the proper feature set to complete the job.
"By adding FTB Anywhere to the EXFO Connect solution, EXFO is showing
its commitment to expanding a unique solution that is fully dedicated
to helping carriers improve their operational efficiency as they deploy
and maintain their networks," said Étienne Gagnon, Vice-President of
EXFO's Test and Measurement Division. "The FTB Anywhere cloud-based,
shared-license approach is an industry first which brings unprecedented
automation and intelligence to the test and measurement process of our
customers' operations."
Visit our website for more on FTB Anywhere floating licenses.
About EXFO
Listed on the NASDAQ and TSX stock exchanges, EXFO is among the leading
providers of next-generation test and service assurance solutions for wireline and wireless network operators and equipment manufacturers
in the global telecommunications industry. The company offers
innovative solutions for the development, installation, management and
maintenance of converged, IP fixed and mobile networks--from the core to
the edge. Key technologies supported include 3G, 4G/LTE, IMS, Ethernet,
OTN, FTTx, VDSL2, ADSL2+ and various optical technologies (accounting
for an estimated 35% of the portable fiber-optic test market). EXFO has
a staff of approximately 1800 people in 25 countries, supporting more
than 2000 telecom customers worldwide. For more information, visit http://www.EXFO.com.
EXFO Brand Name
The corporate name of the company is EXFO Inc. The company requests that
all media outlets and publications use the corporate name ("EXFO Inc.")
or abbreviated name ("EXFO") in capital letters for branding purposes.
EXFO would like to thank all parties in advance for their cooperation.
SOURCE EXFO INC.
EXFO INC.
CONTACT: Marie-Anne Grondin
Media and Public Relations Specialist
(418) 683-0913, Ext. 23417
marie-anne.grondin@EXFO.com Vance Oliver
Manager, Investor Relations
(418) 683-0913, Ext. 23733
vance.oliver@EXFO.com
Merger with Mobile Marketing Firm Ad Shark Full Speed Ahead
Monster Offers Merger with Ad Shark Pending Final Audit
LAGUNA NIGUEL, Calif., Oct. 2, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Monster Offers (OTCBB: MONT), a leading Daily Deal analytics provider and aggregator, today announced that its proposed merger with Ad Shark, Inc., a mobile marketing firm specializing in the sales and management of innovative marketing services to Smartphone app developers, remains on track for completion, as previously reported on August 28th, 2012.
The parties to the proposed merger have been waiting for the completion of an audit of the Ad Shark company financials. Management for each of the companies is now is the process of completing the final merger documents, which will be disclosed in a Current Report on Form 8-K to be filed on the EDGAR system with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. The Company expects to file the Form 8-K regarding within the next week.
Upon consummation of the merger, Ad Shark's executive management team would assume control of, and work to integrate the two companies' respective core businesses and product/service offerings, into the merged entity.
About Monster Offers(TM):
Monster Offers is a leading Daily Deal analytics provider and aggregator collecting daily deals from multiple sites in local communities across the U.S. and Canada. Focused on providing innovation and utility for Daily Deal consumers and providers, the company collects and publishes thousands of daily deals and allows consumers to organize these deals by geography or product categories, or to personalize the results using keyword search. More information can be found by visiting the company's websites located at monsteroffers.com and at monsterdailydeals.com.
About Ad Shark(TM):
Ad Shark organizes advertising sales efforts by constructing a media and advertising delivery systems for Smartphone and Tablet app developers. Ad Shark's corporate mission is to capitalize on the explosive growth of the mobile marketing industry, which some analysts have estimated to be increasing at an annual rate of about 100% per year and which by some estimates will reach $47 Billion Dollars in worldwide annual revenues by 2013.
Ad Shark's approach to integrating traditional internet advertising with optimized media and cutting edge ad delivery methods, all tailored specifically for the applicable Smart Device, OS or screen resolution platform, puts the company in an ideal position to compete for engagements involving advertising campaigns for mobile marketing services and products.
At present, Ad Shark has more than 2000 clients, including its relationship with Trick or Tracker® "killer app" developer Iconosys, Inc.
For more information on Ad Shark, Inc., see adshark.mobi.
Any statements contained in this press release that relate to future plans, events or performance are forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties, including, but not limited to, the risks associated with the management appointment described in this press release, and other risks identified in the filings by Monster Offers (MONT), with the U. S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Further information on risks faced by MONT are detailed in the Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2011, and in its subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q. These filings are or will become available on a website maintained by the U. S. Securities and Exchange Commission at http://www.sec.gov. The information contained in this press release is accurate as of the date indicated. Actual results, events or performance may differ materially. Monster Offers does not undertake any obligation to publicly release the result of any revision to these forward-looking statements that may be made to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.
For Iconosys/Ad Shark
Max Borges Agency
Andrew Felix
Max Borges Agency
80 SW 8th St, Floor 27
Miami, FL 33130
305-347-4404 x136
andrewfelix@maxborgesagency.com
Synaptics ClearPad Series 3 Drives the First Signature HTC Windows Phone 8 Smartphones
Industry leading ClearPad(TM) solutions chosen for HTC 8X and HTC 8S Windows Phone 8 smartphones
SANTA CLARA, Calif., Oct. 2, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Synaptics Inc. (NASDAQ: SYNA), a leading developer of human interface solutions, today announced that the signature HTC 8X and the HTC 8S Windows Phone 8 smartphones, which both feature high resolution screens in thin and light designs, are driven by Synaptics ClearPad Series 3 solutions.
The HTC 8X features a 4.3-inch super LCD 2 touch screen, with HD 720p resolution Gorilla Glass 2, as well as an ultra-wide-angle front camera lens with a vivid touchscreen that displays brilliant colors, even in bright sunlight. The HTC 8S features a 4-inch super LCD touch screen with WVGA resolution and Gorilla Glass. Both models include Beats Audio, and will be available through 150+ carriers in 50+ countries later this year.
"Synaptics ClearPad Series 3 continues to deliver the highest performance and proved to be the ideal solution for our new smartphones," said a spokesperson for the HTC Corporation. "Their long history of innovation, engineering support, and wide range of solution options helped make Synaptics the clear choice for us."
ClearPad Series 3, the premier mobile touch solution for premium high end smartphones, offers up to 10 finger full-time tracking and fast refresh rates, with industry leading signal-to-noise-ratio (SNR), delivering high performance to the most demanding smartphones across leading platforms. The ClearPad family is supported by SignalClarity(TM) technology which improves tracking accuracy, finger separation, and environmental and electrical noise robustness for an unmatched user experience. ClearPad is also supported by Design Studio(TM)4 (DS4), Synaptics sensor evaluation tool which enables efficient sensor solution implementation.
"With the broadest product portfolio and unmatched system level engineering experience, Synaptics continues to be the premier touch provider for high-end smartphone partners that desire unparalleled performance," said Kevin Barber, senior vice president and general manager of Synaptics Handheld Division. "We will continue to partner with industry leaders such as HTC to develop innovative new products across a variety of platforms."
For up-to-the-minute Synaptics news, follow @SynaCorp on Twitter. For more information on Synaptics' products and solutions, please visit http://www.synaptics.com.
About Synaptics
As a leading developer of human interface solutions which enhance the user experience, Synaptics provides the broadest touch solutions portfolio in the industry. The ClearPad(TM) family supports touchscreen solutions for devices ranging from entry-level mobile phones to flagship premium smartphones, tablets and notebook PCs. The TouchPad(TM) family, including ClickPad(TM) and ForcePad(TM), is integrated into the majority of today's notebook PCs. Synaptics' wide portfolio also includes ThinTouch(TM) supporting thin and light keyboard solutions, as well as key technologies for next generation touch-enabled video and display applications.
Synaptics, ClearPad, SignalClarity, Design Studio, TouchPad, ClickPad, ForcePad, ThinTouch, and the Synaptics logo are trademarks of Synaptics in the United States and/or other countries. All other marks are the property of their respective owners.
For further information, please contact:
Nick Rottler
Synaptics
408-454-5388
nrottler@synaptics.com
Document Security Systems, Inc. and Lexington Technology Group, Inc. Sign Definitive Merger Agreement
Merger Expected to Enhance Technology Leadership and Portfolio of Intellectual Property
Combined Company to be Led by Lexington CEO Will Rosellini
NEW YORK, Oct. 2, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Document Security Systems, Inc. (NYSE MKT: DSS), a leader in anti-counterfeit, authentication, and mass-serialization technologies, and Lexington Technology Group, Inc., a privately-owned company that owns and manages intellectual property assets, today announced they have signed a definitive merger agreement. Upon receipt of shareholder approval from each company, the combined company will continue to be known as Document Security Systems, Inc. and will be led by current Lexington Technology Group CEO Will Rosellini, who will replace Patrick White as CEO of DSS.
The strategic combination with Lexington Technology Group will enable DSS to substantially increase its intellectual property portfolio, add significant talent with a proven record in technological innovation, and be positioned to enhance its revenue through the monetization of the combined company's intellectual property assets.
"The combination of DSS and Lexington will yield a company with both a wealth of intellectual property and industrial assets that we believe can generate revenues from commercial application of these and other technologies," says DSS Chairman Robert Fagenson. "The broadened management team has the depth and experience needed to capitalize on the patent portfolio and a balance sheet with significantly increased working capital to operate the company. We trust our shareholders will share our enthusiasm for the prospects for the combined company going forward."
Lexington Technology Group owns patent assets acquired from Thomas L. Bascom, president of LinkSpace, LLC. These patents are fundamental to important areas of technology that are currently widely in use and growing at significant rates. Lexington Technology Group and LinkSpace, LLC are collaborating through Lexington Technology Group's wholly-owned, Virginia-based subsidiary Bascom Research, which invests both expertise and capital in the development of RFID medical technology. Bascom Research intends to integrate its technology with LinkSpace's enterprise-level software framework and DSS's digital security and RFID technology for electronic health records (EHR) in an effort to improve throughput and patient safety in hospitals.
"We believe this merger will enhance the existing efforts of both entities to broaden revenue generation through the pursuit of market opportunities, and the licensing and protection of our combined intellectual property portfolio," Rosellini says. "We expect to file an IDE with the FDA to begin clinical trials at Virginia-area hospitals with our integrated suite of next-generation patient-centric software in 2013. We expect that this development will be financed with the proceeds from a licensing campaign managed by the patent monetization firm IPNav."
"We expect that licensing at fair and reasonable rates could provide steady base revenue, while strategic litigation has the potential to produce significant benefits for investors," Rosellini says. "Because our model is supported by stable, ongoing licensing revenue, we won't have to make investment decisions based on quarterly earnings--which we believe could be a tremendous advantage for our investors."
Exceptional Experience on Post-Merger Management Team and Board
Following the completion of the merger, the combined company will be led by a premier management team with a proven track record of technological innovation and maximizing the value of intellectual property assets, including:
CEO Will Rosellini -- Before joining Lexington Technology Group, Rosellini was CEO of MicroTransponder, Inc. a development stage medical device company, and scientific advisor for the patent monetization firm IP Navigation Group (IPNav). He was named a 2010 Entrepreneur of the Year, a 2011 Tech Titan and is a 2012 finalist for the O'Donnell Award given by the Academy of Medicine, Engineering and Science. Previously, he played professional baseball for the Arizona Diamondbacks.
CIO Peter Hardigan -- Currently Chief Operating Officer at Lexington Technology Group, Hardigan will become DSS's chief investment officer. Previously, he served as CFO and head of investment management at IPNav, where he was responsible for financial assessment of all IPNav portfolio acquisitions, and aided activist investors in the bid for control of AOL and in other high-value IP transactions. Prior to IPNav, he was a principal in charge of IP transactions at Charles River Associates in New York and Frankfurt, where he represented a range of Fortune 500 Companies and institutional investors involved in IP monetization, including the management of a EUR100 million EU patent investment fund.
CTO Tom Bascom -- The inventor of the pivotal LinkSpace technology, Bascom will serve as chief technology officer of Bascom Research.
Following the merger, the DSS board of directors will possess expertise in finance, technology and value extraction, and a particular focus on startups and fast-growth companies. Members of the board will include CEO Will Rosellini, CIO Peter Hardigan and:
Warren Hurwitz --In 2005, Hurwitz co-founded Altitude Capital Partners, a private investment fund focused on investing in, enforcing and protecting the rights of intellectual property assets. He managed Altitude's key investment portfolio companies, including: Visto, Saxon, DeepNines, MercExchange, Digitude and Software Rights Archive. Prior to co-founding Altitude Capital Partners, Hurwitz was a Sr. Vice President at HSBC Capital (USA), the U.S. Private Equity arm of HSBC Group.
Jeff Ronaldi -- Ronaldi has 25 years of experience driving revenues, market growth, and profitability for start-up and high-growth companies such as Turtle Bay Technologies, SPX Corporation, XO Communications and Verizon. As CEO of Turtle Bay, Jeff was responsible for defining overall strategy for the company and managing the company's approximate $50 million investment in various patent portfolios.
Robert Fagenson -- Fagenson, current Chairman of DSS, is also Chairman of National Holdings, parent of broker-dealer national securities, with more than 700 registered representatives around the United States and overseas. Fagenson's career at the New York Stock Exchange began in 1973. He served as a Governor on the trading floor and served for eight years on the NYSE Board of Directors, and as Vice Chairman in 1998 and 1999.
Robert Bzdick - President and chief operating officer of DSS, Bzdick joined the company in 2010 following the company's acquisition of Premier Packaging Corp., where he served as CEO. As COO, Bob uses his 29 years of experience in manufacturing operations management to integrate and strengthen DSS's three production divisions to service DSS's growing worldwide, Fortune 1000 customer-base.
Ira Greenstein - An independent director of DSS since 2004, Greenstein is president of IDT Corp., a provider of wholesale and retail telecommunication services. He was previously a partner at the law firm Morrison & Foerster and general counsel of Net2Phone Inc.
David Klein - Since 2009, Kleinhas served as senior vice president and treasurer of Constellation Brands, Inc. From 2004 to 2009, he served in the capacities of vice president, business development and chief financial officer of Constellation Europe, for Constellation Brands. In his current role, Klein is responsible for the quantitative management of risk, improving company-wide cash flow generation and the management of capital structure. Before joining Constellation Brands, he was chief financial officer at Montana Mills Bread Co.
Details on the Merger Agreement
Pursuant to the terms of the Merger Agreement, a wholly-owned subsidiary of DSS will merge with and into Lexington Technology Group, with Lexington Technology Group being the surviving corporation as a wholly-owned subsidiary of DSS through an exchange of capital stock of Lexington Technology Group for capital stock and warrants of DSS. Upon completion of the merger and subject to the Beneficial Ownership Condition (as defined below), each share of then-issued and outstanding Lexington Technology Group Common Stock and Series A Convertible Preferred Stock will be automatically converted into (i) the right to receive shares of DSS Common Stock, (ii) five-year warrants to purchase DSS Common Stock at an exercise price of $4.80 per share, (iii) shares of DSS Common Stock to be held in escrow and to be released upon the achievement of certain milestones and, as applicable, shares of DSS's Series A Convertible Preferred Stock, determined by multiplying each of (x) 17,250,000 plus (i) the number of additional shares of DSS Common Stock calculated by dividing any cash held by Lexington Technology Group at closing in excess of $7,500,000 (up to $1,500,000) by $3.00 and (ii) the number of shares of DSS held by Lexington Technology Group prior to closing, (y) 4,859,894, and (z) 7,100,000 by a fraction, the numerator of which shall be one and the denominator of which shall be the sum of (A) the number of shares of Lexington Technology Group Common Stock plus (B) the number of Lexington Technology Group Preferred Stock, in each case issued and outstanding immediately prior to the effective time.
Upon the consummation of the merger, only the holders of Lexington Technology Group Preferred Stock who would, after giving effect to the merger and receipt of the merger consideration, beneficially own more than 9.99% of DSS Common Stock (the "Beneficial Ownership Condition") shall receive for each share of Lexington Technology Group Preferred Stock they hold the same merger consideration as outlined above except that such holders shall receive a combination of DSS Common Stock and DSS Preferred Stock that is convertible into (or if the proposal to authorize DSS Preferred Stock is not approved, $.02 Warrants exercisable for) that number of shares of DSS Common Stock they would have received if they had been a holder of Lexington Technology Group Common Stock immediately prior to the Effective Time in such amounts that would enable such holders, after giving effect to the merger, to beneficially own no more than 9.99% of DSS Common Stock upon consummation of the Merger. Each $.02 Warrant shall have an exercise price of $.02 per share and will be exercisable at any time after the date of issuance for a period of ten years. The DSS Preferred Stock will have the powers, preferences and privileges and other rights as will be set forth in a Certificate of Amendment to the Certificate of Incorporation of DSS to be filed immediately following the closing of the merger.
Immediately following the completion of the merger, the former stockholders of Lexington Technology Group are expected to own approximately 55% of the outstanding common stock of the combined company (on a fully-diluted basis) and the current stockholders of DSS are expected to own approximately 45% of the outstanding common stock of the combined company (on a fully-diluted basis) (without taking into account any shares of DSS Common Stock held by Lexington Technology Group's stockholders prior to the completion of the merger).
Private Placement
Simultaneously with the execution of the Merger Agreement, on October 1, 2012, DSS entered into subscription agreements with certain accredited investors, pursuant to which DSS agreed to issue and sell to such investors in a private placement an aggregate of 833,651 shares of its common stock, at a purchase price of $3.30 per share, for an aggregate purchase price of $2,751,048. The Private Placement was completed on October 1, 2012. Lexington Technology Group participated in the private placement and purchased an aggregate of 218,675 shares of DSS common stock, at a purchase price of $3.30 per share, for an aggregate purchase price of $721,628.
Dawson James Securities, Inc. acted as the sole placement agent in connection with the Private Placement. Palladium Capital Advisors, LLC advised DSS on the merger and the private placement.
The shares of DSS common stock being sold in the Private Placement have not been registered under the Securities Act or any state securities laws and, until so registered, may not be offered or sold in the United States or any state absent registration or an applicable exemption from registration requirements.
Completion of the merger, which is expected to occur in the first quarter of 2013, will be subject to approval by the stockholders of DSS and Lexington Technology Group and customary closing conditions.
Document Security Systems and Lexington Technology Group, Inc. will host a conference call on Thursday, October 4 at 4:00 PM to discuss the merger.
-- Time: 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time
-- Date: Thursday, October 4th, 2012
-- Investor Dial In (Toll Free): 877-407-9205
-- Investor Dial In (International): 201-689-8054
-- Live Webcast URL: : http://www.investorcalendar.com/IC/CEPage.asp?ID=169854
A replay of the teleconference will be available until October 24, 2012, which can be accessed by dialing (877) 660-6853 if calling within the U.S. or (201) 612-7415 if calling internationally. Please enter account #286 and conference ID # 4013037 to access the replay.
ABOUT DOCUMENT SECURITY SYSTEMS:
Document Security Systems, Inc. (NYSE MKT: DSS) is a leader in anti-counterfeit, authentication, and mass-serialization technologies, providing security solutions to corporations, governments, and financial institutions. DSS security programs are designed to protect against product diversion, counterfeit, theft, and other costly and damaging occurrences. From risk analysis and vulnerability assessment, to systems integration and monitoring, DSS offers the advanced tools and knowledge base needed to protect the world's most valuable and at-risk brands. More information can be found at their website, http://www.dsssecure.com .
ABOUT LEXINGTON TECHNOLOGY GROUP:
Lexington Technology Group invests both expertise and capital in the development and monetization of pioneering technologies. Lexington's goal is to catalyze technology development within its investments and to reward those who take on the risks of innovation. The enterprise invests in companies that have developed important innovations but have not been fairly rewarded by the marketplace, where shareholder value depends on the company's ability to successfully monetize patented technologies. Its efforts contribute to an intellectual property market in which inventors are better able to profit from their inventions. More information is available at http://www.lex-tg.com.
Important Additional Information Will Be Filed with the SEC
This communication does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities of Document Security Systems, Inc. ("DSS") or Lexington Technology Group, Inc. ("Lexington Technology Group") or the solicitation of any vote or approval. In connection with the proposed transaction, DSS will file with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") a Registration Statement on Form S-4 containing a proxy statement/prospectus. The proxy statement/prospectus will contain important information about DSS, Lexington Technology Group, the transaction and related matters. DSS will mail or otherwise deliver the proxy statement/prospectus to its stockholders and the stockholders of Lexington Technology Group when it becomes available. Investors and security holders of DSS and Lexington Technology Group are urged to read carefully the proxy statement/prospectus relating to the merger (including any amendments or supplements thereto) in its entirety when it is available, because it will contain important information about the proposed transaction.
Investors and security holders of DSS will be able to obtain free copies of the proxy statement/prospectus for the proposed merger (when it is available) and other documents filed with the SEC by DSS through the website maintained by the SEC at http://www.sec.gov. In addition, investors and security holders of DSS and Lexington Technology Group will be able to obtain free copies of the proxy statement/prospectus for the proposed merger (when it is available) by contacting DSS, Inc., Attn.: Century Media Group, at 60 East 42(nd) Street, Suite 1701, or by e-mail at info@centuryir.com. Investors and security holders of Lexington Technology Group will also be able to obtain free copies of the proxy statement/prospectus for the merger by contacting Lexington Technology Group, Attn.: Investor Relations, 375 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10152, or by e-mail at info@lex-tg.com.
DSS and Lexington Technology Group, and their respective directors and certain of their executive officers, may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies in respect of the transactions contemplated by the agreement between DSS and Lexington Technology Group. Information regarding DSS's directors and executive officers is contained in DSS's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2011, which was filed with the SEC on March 19, 2012, and in its proxy statement prepared in connection with its 2012 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, which was filed with the SEC on April 18, 2012. Information regarding Lexington Technology Group's directors and officers and a more complete description of the interests of DSS's directors and officers in the proposed transaction will be available in the proxy statement/prospectus that will be filed by DSS with the SEC in connection with the proposed transaction.
Statements in this press release regarding the proposed transaction between DSS and Lexington Technology Group; the expected timetable for completing the transaction; the potential value created by the proposed Merger for DSS's and Lexington Technology Group's stockholders; the potential of the combined companies' technology platform; our respective or combined ability to raise capital to fund our combined operations and business plan; the continued listing of DSS's or the combined company's securities on the NYSE MKT; market acceptance of DSS products and services; our collective ability to maintain or protect our intellectual property rights through litigation or otherwise; Lexington Technology Group's limited operating history, competition from other industry competitors with greater market presence and financial resources than those of DSS's; our ability to license and monetize the patents owned by Lexington Technology Group; potential new legislation or regulation related to enforcing patents; the complexity and costly nature of acquiring patent or other intellectual property assets; the combined company's management and board of directors; and any other statements about DSS' or Lexington Technology Group's management teams' future expectations, beliefs, goals, plans or prospects constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Any statements that are not statements of historical fact (including statements containing the words "believes," "plans," "could," "anticipates," "expects," "estimates," "plans," "should," "target," "will," "would" and similar expressions) should also be considered to be forward-looking statements. There are a number of important factors that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements, including: the risk that DSS and Lexington Technology Group may not be able to complete the proposed transaction; the inability to realize the potential value created by the proposed Merger for DSS's and Lexington Technology Group's stockholders; our respective or combined inability to raise capital to fund our combined operations and business plan; DSS's or the combined company's inability to maintain the listing of our securities on the NYSE MKT; the potential lack of market acceptance of DSS's products and services; our collective inability to protect our intellectual property rights through litigation or otherwise; competition from other industry competitors with greater market presence and financial resources than those of DSS's; our inability to license and monetize the patents owned by Lexington Technology Group; and other risks and uncertainties more fully described in DSS's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2011 and its Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the quarters ended March 31, 2012 and June 30, 2012, each as filed with the SEC, as well as the other filings that DSS makes with the SEC. Investors and stockholders are also urged to read the risk factors set forth in the proxy statement/prospectus carefully when they are available.
In addition, the statements in this press release reflect our expectations and beliefs as of the date of this release. We anticipate that subsequent events and developments will cause our expectations and beliefs to change. However, while we may elect to update these forward-looking statements publicly at some point in the future, we specifically disclaim any obligation to do so, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. These forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as representing our views as of any date after the date of this release.
New Platform Liberates Interests; Take Charge of Your Experiences and Make them More Personal, Relevant and Engaging with Xen's Portable "Interest Graph"
LOS ANGELES, Oct. 2, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- They say "you can't take it with you" but now you can with Xen Inc.'s new interest exchange that launches in beta today. Additionally, Xen is unveiling a suite of products including its online site (xen.com) and three apps (Interesting, Meedar and TalkTopic), to illustrate how fluidly your interest graph can travel with you. Xen enables you to take control of your online persona and take it wherever you go online.
Interests connect everybody and everything across the open web. Today's announcement is the first of a multi-part strategy to turn interests into a currency that engages people, developers, publishers and brands. By creating a standard for expressing interests and a platform to take ownership of them, the Xen interest exchange becomes a standard for personalization across applications, sites and social networks.
Xen gathers your existing online preferences from social networks and across the open web, allowing you to build a custom interest graph to reflect who you truly are. Xen's semantic powered search can be used to fine-tune your profile - what you like and what you don't (i.e. you love Justin Bieber, BBQ, bulldogs and your alma mater, but you can do without sushi, rollerblades and Lady Gaga). The resulting interest graph becomes an accurate and up-to-date expression of your persona that's portable, for the first time.
Armed with your Xen interest graph, you can now share interests with whomever you want, whether on Xen's site, across the open web and via mobile, to enhance your ability to identify and connect with people who share your interests. Xen was built so that you can also use your Xen interest graph to give publishers and brands the opportunity to customize their content to you, for a more targeted, meaningful and engaging relationship.
The first three Xen powered mobile apps, "Interesting", "Meedar" and "TalkTopic," demonstrate the interoperability of the Xen account, and how it seamlessly personalizes any associated experience.
-- "Interesting" is a 30-seconds-or-less "insight experience" for
discovering new topics based on recent or trending topics, and adding
them to your account.
-- "Meedar" uses your Xen account in conjunction with your smartphone's GPS
to discover fascinating people around you with shared interests.
-- "TalkTopic" uses voice recognition to search and quickly gauge the Xen
community's pulse on a topic.
"Most of us are surprised to find what their favorite sites actually know about them, they are often surprised that it's not an accurate reflection of who they really are," said Brooks Martin, Co-Founder of Xen. "We've found that only a fraction of the information aggregated from social networks is accurate and ends up being added to a Xen user's profile."
Once signed up, Xen users can immediately take an active role in "curating" their interest data, to ensure that it's a more accurate representation of their persona. Then they can share their persona directly with others, or on other apps, sites and services they already use.
By leveraging insights about its communities, without divulging any personally identifiable information including aggregated affinity on interest topics, Xen becomes a valuable, multifaceted and actionable resource for brands, publishers and ecommerce sites seeking to increase, enhance and monetize engagement with their users.
"We're creating something quite different from a social network; we've created an interest exchange. In a world where identity is becoming a commodity, we wanted to give people a chance to own theirs and to interact with brands securely and responsibly", said Martin. At launch, Xen connects with Facebook and GetGlue, with many more connections to popular platforms and services coming soon and new features every week.
Next month Xen plans to open up its platform to third-party developers globally and also intends to reveal details of projects already underway with partners, publishers and charter developers.
Please visit http://www.xen.com to sign up and take the first step towards Making You, Yours.
About Xen:
Xen is a technology platform that simplifies, standardizes and facilitates understanding between people and brands through a global "interest exchange". Using a Xen account, people can liberate their interests and take charge of experiences, making them more personal, relevant and engaging. Xen's portable interest graph and semantic engine allows users to efficiently communicate their interests and context with whomever they choose including publishers, brands and other Xen users, ensuring that every experience is unique to them.
Xen is a privately funded company based in Los Angeles, California. For more information, please visit us at http://www.xen.com, or visit us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/socialxen and Twitter @socialxen.
SOURCE Xen
Xen
CONTACT: Jay Kolbe, +1-646-499-1059, jay@sparkpr.com
-- Powerful And Portable Chinese Phone Analysis System Tackles Latest Phones; and Acquires More Data --
SANTA BARBARA, Calif., Oct. 2, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- EDEC Digital Forensics, (http://www.edecdf.com), an innovator in the field of mobile forensics, has released a beta of its latest version of the company's Tarantula Chinese Cell Phone Analysis Tool. Tarantula 2.0 beta is a significant advance which affirms EDEC's position as the industry leader in Chinese phone forensics.
"In an industry where technology advances at the speed of light, it is our responsibility to provide investigators with the most advanced technology to address their needs," says Ryan Judy, Sales Manager for EDEC. "Tarantula 2.0 offers our customers vastly more capability in a, light, compact kit, and powered by USB making it highly portable."
Tarantula 2.0 is an update of both Tarantula's hardware and software, including a new compact tip kit and USB-powered hardware unit as well as vastly improved analysis software that provides full file system analysis, acquires PIN codes and multiple IMEI numbers, highlights deleted data, acquires media files; decodes Android MTK phones; and has excellent reporting features.
Tarantula is a field-ready analysis kit. A new USB-powered hardware unit, lighter kit weight (2.5 pounds) and smaller profile (7.5" x 9" x 4") make it highly desirable for use in the field by law enforcement and the military.
"Mobile forensic investigations are frequently done outside a lab environment. Our customers have been asking for these improvements from us and Tarantula 2.0 delivers," comments Mr. Judy, "Law enforcement, military and civilian examiners are often in the field, under difficult conditions, working to perform forensics or acquire intelligence on problematic devices."
About Tarantula:
First introduced in October of 2011, Tarantula targets the problematic mobile devices based on Chinese manufactured chipsets, a rapidly expanding segment of mobile phones worldwide. These devices have historically been off-brand phones or illegitimate phones - also known as "white-box," "clone-phones" or "Shanzhai" (Chinese) and are characterized by the absence of normal industry standards, making them extremely difficult to analyze. Increasingly, Chinese chip sets have been adopted by major brand phones, including smart phones.
The Tarantula 2.0 system greatly simplifies and speeds up the analysis of these devices. Tarantula is the only forensic cell phone analysis system that supports physical extraction and decoding from all major Chinese manufactured chipsets -- Mediatek, Spreadtrum, and Infineon, whether or not the phone is PIN-locked. Using full physical analysis, Tarantula 2.0 extracts and decodes low-level data including deleted data, decodes the phone file system and presents data such as call logs, SMS, phone book, media files, passwords, and IMEIs.
Following an industry trend toward the use of Chinese chips in smart phones, Tarantula 2.0 is capable of analyzing Android phones with additional smartphone analysis in future software releases.
EDEC employs a research team in China dedicated to monitoring industry trends and targeting new chipsets and devices so that Tarantula stays current and relevant in a constantly changing industry landscape For more information about Tarantula, visit http://www.edecdf.com or contact EDEC at 805-962-3080
About EDEC Digital Forensics:
EDEC Digital Forensics was created in 2009 with the goal of providing solutions that simplify the job of the digital forensics investigator. EDEC is committed to developing and distributing innovative digital forensics technology to law enforcement, military, and private forensic investigators worldwide. EDEC has established a solid platform for product innovation and has become the world leader in the analysis of mobile phones based on Chinese chipsets.
Synology Releases the DiskStation DS2413+, Optimized for Photographers
BELLEVUE, Wash., Oct. 2, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Synology America Corp. is pleased to announce the release of its newest twelve-bay DiskStation, the DS2413+. Along with the DX1211 expansion module, it can scale up to 24 drives for up to 96TB storage in your choice of Synology Hybrid RAID (SHR) or classic RAID, making it an ideal answer to the growing data storage needs of today's photographers. The DS2413+ is Synology's first 12-bay system to incorporate USB 3.0 for improved transfer speeds to and from external disks.
"The DS2413+ can easily scale its storage to keep pace with even the most prolific photographers," said Marivel Espinoza, Product Marketing Manager at Synology America Corp. "Unlike other storage solutions aimed at photographers, this one offers excellent performance with Synology's well-known reliability, while remaining network attached, so there are no issues with proprietary connectors."
Sheer storage capacity aside, the DS2413+ ships with Synology's DiskStation Manager (DSM) 4.1. DSM 4.1 brings a number of photographer-friendly features to the table.
-- Shared Folder Sync allows keeping folders in sync between DiskStations
to minimize downtime
-- Support for both Mac and Windows backups
-- Photo Station allows for easily sharing photos
-- The Media Server package allows for streaming photos, videos, and music
to DLNA-compliant televisions or media players
-- Synology's new Web Assistant makes it easier than ever to get started
Additionally, the DS2413+ is well-suited for business environments:
-- VAAI support for improved VMware support
-- LUN backup software included at no additional cost
-- ADS support for domains up to 100,000 users/groups
-- Time Backup package allows for point-in-time backups
For more information, please see here: http://www.synology.com/us/solutions/photo_video/index.php
About Synology
Founded in April of 2000, Synology Inc. is a leader in next-generation Network Attached Storage (NAS) servers for the home and small to medium-sized business markets. Specializing in both hardware and software for network attached storage devices, Synology products are feature-rich, easy-to-use, energy-efficient, reliable and affordable. All Synology product investments are enhanced with product warranties, free software upgrades and 24/7 online support. Visit http://www.synology.com for more information.
Synology has a global presence with regional offices in the US (Bellevue, Washington), and the UK (London, England), Germany (Düsseldorf), and Taiwan (Taipei).
Press Contact
Jason Bonoan
marketing.us@synology.com
Synology America Corp.
This press release was issued through eReleases® Press Release Distribution. For more information, visit http://www.ereleases.com.
SOURCE Synology America Corp.
Synology America Corp.
CONTACT: Jason Bonoan, Synology America Corp, +1-425-818-1587, marketing.us@synology.com
Arkeia Replaces Symantec Backup Exec as Choice of Backup Solution for Nashville Wire Products
Welded wire product manufacturer declares Arkeia appliance top shelf; Makes it a fixture of physical, virtual storage environments
SAN DIEGO, Oct. 2, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Arkeia Software, a leading provider of fast, easy-to-use, and affordable network backup solutions, today announced that Nashville Wire Products (NWP) has chosen the Arkeia R220 appliance as a replacement for its Symantec Backup Exec application to protect both its physical and virtual environments.
NWP is a diverse organization serving multiple markets and thousands of customers worldwide. Its primary product categories include wire mesh, retail displays, store fixtures and wire products for the materials handling applications. NWP also addresses markets for wire mesh and sells component products to a variety of manufacturers. Cutting-edge technology, quality products and unparalleled service have earned NWP a leadership position in all of the markets that it serves.
Data Protection for Virtual and Physical Machines
The company revisited its choice of Symantec Backup Exec as its backup solution after deciding to expand its platforms to embrace VMware virtualization technologies and enjoy the hardware efficiencies of server consolidation. It also wanted to move from a tape-only environment to a mix of tape and disk storage as its backup storage targets to benefit from the rapid random access of disk, as well as deploy its backup server as an appliance to simplify management and improve security of the solution. After narrowing its decision between Arkeia and Veeam, NWP selected the Arkeia R220 appliance as a direct-attached backup solution to its existing Exabyte T24 tape library and Windows Server 2008 media server.
"Arkeia gave us everything you would expect from an enterprise-class solution, including support for tapes, deployment as a hardware appliance and protection of both physical and virtual environments," said Robert Miller, NWP System Administrator. "Arkeia is easy to use. We value the intuitive web user interface that permits administration from anywhere, and requires a minimum of training. The recovery wizard makes restores easy. Finally, we especially value the Arkeia solution because it operates entirely independently of our production systems - increasing the robustness and reliability of our data protection infrastructure."
The NWP backup infrastructure protects 300 workstations and 12 servers, primarily a combination of VMware hypervisors and Windows servers. Windows servers include Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows 2003 SP2 and Windows 2008 Enterprise. The VMware environment is distributed across three hosts and is used to deploy a dozen production virtual machines. Applications that require regular backups include Microsoft Exchange with 145GB of data, as well as two Microsoft SQL Server databases. The backup strategy is to perform weekly full and daily incremental backups with monthly replication to tape at end of retention period.
Easy-to-Use, All-in-One Solution
"For companies looking to move from traditional backup to an all-encompassing solution that covers both physical and virtual environments, Arkeia appliances combine hardware and software to deliver maximum performance and reliability," said Bill Evans, Arkeia Software's CEO. "We are pleased that Nashville Wire Products could see the value that we deliver in ease of installation and deployment, maintenance and support, and security and performance to provide an all-in-one solution that meet their specific needs. Arkeia appliances are ideally suited to provide organizations with the speedy recovery, centralized management and ease-of-use that they require."
The Arkeia R220 Series backup appliance provides simple, reliable and affordable data protection for remote offices and small / mid-sized businesses. The backup appliance is a complete backup solution that delivers Arkeia Network Backup software, integrated RAID for disk backup, connectivity for cloud replication, and an optional embedded ape drive. The backup appliance is ideal for offices without full-time IT resources, or for those that simply wish to simplify deployment and management. See http://www.arkeia.com/products/arkeia-network-backup/backup-server/physical-appliance for the full list of available backup and recovery server appliances.
About Arkeia Software
Arkeia delivers data backup and recovery solutions to protect more than 100,000 networks in 70 countries. The Arkeia Network Backup Suite is designed for mid-sized organizations that require fast, easy-to-use, and affordable data protection. The company's appliances, virtual appliances, and software back up critical data to disk, tape, and cloud storage. Arkeia protects all major virtual platforms including VMware, Hyper-V, XenServer, and more than 200 physical platforms including Windows, Mac, Linux, Netware, Solaris, AIX, BSD, and HP-UX. The company's patented source-side Progressive Deduplication(TM) technology helps users realize better performance at a lower cost by reducing data volumes. Arkeia's deduplication is crucial to accelerating replication of on-premise backups to private or public clouds.Products are sold through resellers and managed service providers worldwide. The company was founded in1996 and is headquartered in San Diego, California.
Arkeia and Arkeia Network Backup are trademarks or registered trademarks of Arkeia Software, Inc. All other trademarks or registered trademarks are the properties of their respective owners.
AffiliateTraction Canada & AvantLink.com Partner for AvantLink.ca Launch
First Exclusively Canadian Affiliate Network Features Programs Managed By AffiliateTraction Canada
MARKHAM, Ontario, Oct. 2, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- AffiliateTraction Canada, the largest Canadian affiliate program management firm, has partnered with AvantLink.com for the launch of AvantLink.ca, the first exclusively Canadian affiliate marketing network. After almost a year of market testing and launch preparation, AvantLink Canada is live and launching with four of AffiliateTraction Canada's clients.
AffiliateTraction Canada has over twenty large brand equity retailers and AvantLink offers a level of transaction tracking, product datafeed support and a solid following of publishers that can drive incremental revenue to AffiliateTraction managed merchants. Greg Shepard, CEO of AffiliateTraction, stated, "This partnership is a synergy of two firms who complement each other. We are building on our long-standing and successful relationship in the US and can now offer Canada an affiliate channel worthy of its reputable brands and fast growing online commerce sector."
Canada is becoming a new frontier market for agencies like AffiliateTraction and networks like AvantLink due to year-over-year double-digit growth in online commerce. Canada's retailers are hungry for sales and Canadian consumers are purchasing more from online sources. Having already opened a dedicated office in Canada, AffiliateTraction was well suited to helping AvantLink launch their Canadian based affiliate network. "AffiliateTraction has been instrumental in helping us take AvantLink.ca from the drawing board to a reality," says Scott Chaplin, Director of Business Development for AvantLink.com. "We're thrilled that we can continue to grow our partnership with AffiliateTraction and create a truly unique product for the Canadian affiliate scene. Our unique datafeed technology, coupled with our amazing affiliates is a great combination to help AffiliateTraction Canada best serve their clients."
About AffiliateTraction Canada
AffiliateTraction Canada is a full-service affiliate marketing agency with a dedicated office in Markham, Ontario that specializes in incubating, managing, growing, and promoting affiliate programs for top internet retailers and is the largest affiliate marketing agency of its kind. Founded in 2000 by Greg Shepard, CEO, AffiliateTraction is retained by mid-market to enterprise-level organizations to expand their presence in the affiliate marketing channel through active management of multiple networks and direct publisher relationships. AffiliateTraction advocates itself as an all-inclusive affiliate management company that provides clients with the tools, support, and technology needed to successfully grow their affiliate programs.
About AvantLink.ca
The AvantLink affiliate network is an affiliate referral tracking, analytics and technology platform for top tier affiliates and web retailers. AvantLink.com was founded in 2005 on the ideas of innovation, quality and service, AvantLink offers an array of industry leading affiliate marketing tools and scripts integrated into their network platform. AvantLink.ca was launched to answer the demand for a Canadian-based affiliate marketing network to suit the needs of both merchants and affiliates alike while offering the same benefits of participation on the AvantLink.com network.
Software Solutions Provider Prosperoware Upgrades Flagship Platform, Milan
Milan 2.5 adds web-based applications proven to increase user satisfaction
PHILADELPHIA, Oct. 2, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --
Company news
Prosperoware today announced a major upgrade to its Milan product suite, which includes a growing number of web-based applications for improving user adoption of the electronic file, automatically mitigating risk for every matter, and simplifying administration of iManage WorkSite, a document management system commonly deployed by law firms and other professional services organizations.
The Milan 2.5 Release provides a web-based alternative to the database administration application, 'DBAdmin', significantly improving user, group, and metadata administration. This release also provides a long-sought-after capability that no other product offers: the ability to perform ad-hoc bulk re-filing without tying up the desktop for hours at a time.
Supporting quote
"The complexity and time required to re-file and manage security and attributes of workspaces, folders, and documents places a burden on WorkSite administrators," said Keith Lipman, president and co-founder of Prosperoware. "Professional teams may find their work stalled for hours and sometimes days because of steps that require IT support such as granting access to new users to private workspaces. Milan removes these bottlenecks by enabling functions to be delegated to the help desk or even end users."
Product detail
Highlights of the Milan 2.5 Release:
-- Full Help Desk control over user, group, and metadata administration
-- Ability to bulk re-file workspaces and folders without tying up the
desktop
-- Support for multiple provisioning services
-- Forensically sound export for eDiscovery that includes the time as well
as the date
-- Integration with IntApp WallBuilder, third-party security software,
which means that when ethical walls are created or updated in IntApp
WallBuilder, the changes are reflected in the Milan platform
-- Improved import capabilities with a new Excel add-in
Resources and links
For more information about the Milan product suite and other Prosperoware products, visit their website http://www.prosperoware.com.
About Prosperoware
Prosperoware designs and delivers software solutions to help professionals operate with the greatest degree of latitude possible without sacrificing governance, security, or privacy. Prosperoware platforms infuse rich web-based functionalityinto iManage WorkSite and Microsoft SharePoint to help firms automate and digitize core processes, securely collaborate, and work remotely on the device of their choice. Prosperoware clients include Baker Hostetler, Berwin Leighton Paisner LLP, Cravath Swaine & Moore LLP, DLA Piper, Hill Dickinson, Hughes Hubbard & Reed LLP, Duane Morris LLP, Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton LLP, and White & Case. Prosperoware has offices in Europe, Asia, and the U.S. To learn more about Prosperoware solutions, go to prosperoware.com.
Media contact
Scott Baran
Business Development Manager
Prosperoware LLC
484-434-2994
scott@prosperoware.com
This press release was issued through eReleases® Press Release Distribution. For more information, visit http://www.ereleases.com.
BranchServ Acquires CheckView Banking Security Systems
BETHEL, Conn., Oct. 2, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- BranchServ (http://www.branchserv.com), a division of Custom Vault Corporation and a leading supplier of physical and electronic security equipment and service solutions for bank branches across the United States, has announced its acquisition of CheckView Banking Security Solutions, a division of Checkpoint Systems.
CheckView Banking Security Systems, currently based in Richmond, VA, targets financial institutions with security equipment sales and service. Its emphasis on electronic security supports BranchServ's strategy for growth. An expanded portfolio of product offerings and an elevated level of electronics expertise will allow BranchServ to better assist its clients with the design, installation and integration of electronic security elements.
In addition, CheckView shares a common geographic footprint with BranchServ. It has a client base in Maryland, DC, Virginia, North Carolina, and South Carolina, and an enhanced presence in Alabama, Georgia and Tennessee. In acquiring this company, BranchServ seeks to increase the depth of its East Coast business, and support growth in the South Central US.
Thomas Brennan, BranchServ President and CEO, states, "All around, CheckView is an excellent fit with BranchServ. We look forward to leveraging their position in electronic security and their client base to move toward an even stronger position of leadership in both physical and electronic security solutions."
BranchServ will add approximately 50 employees to its current roster of 120, and all reorganization efforts are expected to be complete by the end of 2012. Regional offices will be maintained in New Hampshire, North Carolina, Virginia and Alabama, reporting into headquarters in Connecticut.
North Sea Partners LLC acted as M&A and Financing advisor to Custom Vault Corporation, and Imperial Capital LLC acted as M&A advisor to Checkpoint Systems in this transaction.
Founded in 1999 as a division of Custom Vault Corporation, BranchServ provides physical and electronic security equipment and service solutions to more than 7,500 bank branches and credit unions nationwide, including three of the ten largest branch banking networks in the United States. The fastest growing provider in the industry, BranchServ combines a client-driven service focus with unparalleled experience; empowering branch networks to improve operational efficiencies, lower costs, enhance the end-customer experience and maintain the highest levels of security.
Vitalizing the emerging TV white space market, Texas Instruments delivers new multicore-based cognitive radio solutions
DALLAS, Oct. 2, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Texas Instruments Incorporated (TI) (NASDAQ: TXN) is offering developers a comprehensive portfolio of cognitive radio solutions, based on its TMS320C66x DSP generation. Cognitive radio, a collective term referring to Super Wi-Fi, Wi-Far, Wireless Regional Area Networks (WRAN), IEEE 802.11af, 802.22 and TV white spaces, is geared towards optimizing the use of available spectrum and expanding global access to the Internet. Azcom Technology, a member of TI's Design Network, is also designing LTE and IEEE 802.22 standard boards based on TI's wireless infrastructure SoCs, enabling faster and easier development of cognitive radio applications. For more information on TI's cognitive radio solutions, please visit TI's multicore page.
TI's KeyStone-based TMS320TCI6614 and TMS320TCI6612 System-on-Chips (SoCs), which encompass a mix of radio accelerators, network and security coprocessors, as well as fixed-and floating-point digital signal processors (DSPs) and an ARM® RISC processor, provide the ideal foundation for layers 1, 2 and 3 and transport processing for cognitive radio. TI's new TMS320C665x processors are also well suited for cognitive radio and consist of three fully pin compatible low-cost, power optimized solutions for developers migrating from single core to multicore. The TMS320C6657 features two 1.25-GHz DSP cores, delivering up to 80 GMACs and 40 GFLOPs, while the C6655 and C6654 single core solutions deliver up to 40 GMACs and 20 GLOPs and 27.2 GMACs and 13.6 GFLOPs, respectively. Under normal operating conditions, the C6657, C6655 and C6654 power numbers are at 3.5W, 2.5W and 2W, respectively.
Azcom Technology, a leading provider of services and solutions in the wireless communications domain, announced that they are developing a high-performance platform designed to meet the WhiteSpace Alliance's(TM) Wi-Far specification for cognitive radio applications. The platform comprises of a hardware board based on TI's power and cost-efficient TMS320TCI6614 wireless infrastructure SoC and complete PHY / MAC layer stacks. Azcom's platform enables the TV white space market to support devices from a distance of over 10 kilometers, a major upgrade from current Wi-Fi spots that support devices from a distance of up to 10 meters. And with built-in PHY and MAC layer stacks, developers no longer need to worry about DSP processing as it is all taken care of in the layer 1, making the design process easier and quicker for developers of cognitive radio applications.
"We have been developing solutions for the cellular base station market for more than 16 years, making our involvement in the TV white space market a natural extension of our existing business," said Ajit Singh, managing director, Azcom Technology. "Working together with TI, we are among the few solutions providers that are equipped with the right skill sets to do a complete system development covering baseband, RF, PHY and higher layer stacks."
Reducing the digital divide, TI and Azcom join the WhiteSpace Alliance(TM)
TI and Azcom recently joined the WhiteSpace Alliance to further promote the development, deployment and use of standards-based products which extend broadband capabilities via TV band spectrum. The evolution and success of using whitespace spectrum is heavily contingent on the global standardization of IEEE, 3GPP and IETF standards. Through the implementation of these standards, the WhiteSpace Alliance is helping make Wi-Far a reality, which will enable consumers to enjoy the benefits of using a stronger network than existing Wi-Fi spots, especially in rural areas where broadband wireless isn't available. For more information, visit http://www.whitespacealliance.org.
Visit with the WhiteSpace Alliance @ Super Wi-Fi Summit
While at the Summit, visit the WSA display in thedemo pavilionto learn more about the alliance and its members.
Do MORE with MULTICORE:
-- Learn more about TI's multicore solutions
-- Engage with engineers and TI experts on the TI E2E(TM) Community and
Multicore Mix blog
-- Follow TI on Twitter and become a fan of TI on Facebook
About TI's KeyStone multicore architecture
TI's KeyStone multicore architecture is the platform for true multicore innovation, offering developers a robust portfolio of high performance, low-power multicore devices. Unleashing breakthrough performance, the KeyStone architecture is the foundation upon which TI's new TMS320C66x DSP generation was developed. KeyStone differs from any other multicore architecture as it has the capacity to provide full processing capability to every core in a multicore device. KeyStone-based devices are optimized for high performance markets including wireless base stations, mission critical, test and automation, medical imaging and high performance computing. Learn more at http://www.ti.com/multicore.
About Texas Instruments
Texas Instruments semiconductor innovations help 90,000 customers unlock the possibilities of the world as it could be - smarter, safer, greener, healthier and more fun. Our commitment to building a better future is ingrained in everything we do - from the responsible manufacturing of our semiconductors, to caring for our employees, to giving back inside our communities. This is just the beginning of our story. Learn more at http://www.ti.com.
Trademarks
All trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
CONTACT: Sarika Patel, GolinHarris, +1-972-341-2504, spatel@golinharris.com; or Debbie Shemony, Texas Instruments, +1-301-407-9338, dshemony@ti.com (Please do not publish these numbers or email addresses.)
School is in Session: Create Free Online Classes with teachem's "The School of You"
NEW YORK, Oct. 2, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Teachem officially launched the School of You today giving anyone the ability to create unlimited classes from YouTube videos. Never before has such an easy to use teaching and learning platform been integrated so closely with YouTube videos. It is perfect for universities and other learning institutions, teachers, companies, and experts of any kind.Best of all, it's free.
The format is simple: First you create and brand your school, such as the School of Entrepreneurship. Next you create classes using YouTube's wealth of educational videos. Finally, you add an interactive layer on top of the videos with time-stamped flashcards and review questions. What makes this platform so ideal for any organization is that the user can specify who has access to the School of You. It can either be made private (invite only) or public (anyone can enroll).
Teachem is also a huge win for learners as it allows them to create any school of their interest and use YouTube's 700,000+ educational videos as their own classroom. Since teaching is the best form of learning, by creating teachem classes they will not only learn the information but actually retain it.
About teachem
The team at teachem built its online platform based on 4 core beliefs. First off, they do not like waste. For them that means wasting amazing educational videos on YouTube that get lost in its abyss and are never organized into a classroom format. Second, they love organizing information. The simplest way to organize a video is to create time stamped flashcards that follow along with it. Third, they obviously love learning. They created teachem for themselves. They want to learn something new each and every day. The teachem platform allows them to do just that. Fourth, and finally, they love simplicity.
Teachem's parent company is FurtherEd which started as Lawline.com in 1999 and is currently the largest provider of online continuing legal education in the country. Last year it reached 1,000,000 courses viewed by close to 100,000 attorneys. From day one Lawline.com's mission was always more expansive than providing high quality courses to attorneys. It's focus was providing learning based products and services that lead to personal growth. This bigger mission is what led to FurtherEd and now to teachem.
Ohio Mayor/City Gets Mad About Parasitic Economy; Fights Back
Village of Middlefield launches a one-stop interactive website as part of a robust economic development initiative
MIDDLEFIELD, Ohio, Oct. 2, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- The Village of Middlefield launched its new two-pronged website this week, less than four months after Mayor Ben Garlich all but declared war on the area's much-too-long economic slide.
"We will not use the global economic crisis as an excuse for complacency," says Garlich. "We are determined to bring Middlefield to new heights and to do that we simply must up our game."
The redesigned site, http://www.middlefieldmeansbusiness.com, has a double purpose: 1) to showcase the area's rural beauty, unique charm and many attractions and services to residents and future residents, and 2) to make a compelling case to commercial and industry sectors to build or move business to Middlefield. The site is the first visible outcome of Middlefield Means Business, a three-year stimulus plan developed by Garlich and the village's newly formed economic development committee.
"We have to demonstrate to business leaders that we will rally around them and respond to their needs," Garlich maintains. "We have shovel ready-land. We have the tax incentives. We have a wealth of natural resources, good transportation and competitive utilities. And we have an extremely high-performing nonunion workforce. There is no reason we shouldn't have industry forming a line at our door."
The site is designed to be a one-stop resource for anyone wanting to know anything about the Village of Middlefield. It has both a business section and a consumer section, and features a customizable and searchable business directory with benefits to both audiences. From the directory, a user can link to any Middlefield business to access a full description of the company, along with contact information, photographs and a map.
The industry-facing side of the site features content relating to economic incentives, available commercial property, workforce, zoning, utilities, tax, business partners/tools, village stats, maps and an opportunity to sign up for Middlefield's business e-letter.
Elsewhere on the site, residents and future residents can virtually explore the village's schools, churches, community services, government and emergency services, restaurants, and recreational facilities and parks.
Founded in 1799 and situated between the two major urban markets of Cleveland and Pittsburgh, Middlefield Village embraces its rural heritage, Midwestern work ethic, easy lifestyle and welcoming demeanor. For more information, contact bgarlich@middlefieldohio.com or call 440.632.5248.
SOURCE Village of Middlefield
Village of Middlefield
CONTACT: Beth H. Hallisy, +1-216-374-1510, bethhallisy@gmail.com
MetroStar Systems and Huge to Redesign Keystone Website of American Innovation
Bringing USPTO.gov to the 21st Century
RESTON, Va., Oct. 2, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- MetroStar Systems, Inc. (MetroStar) in partnership with Huge has been awarded the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) website redesign.
The USPTO has long protected new ideas, innovation and creativity by granting patents and registering trademarks for inventors across the world. According to USPTO.gov, it attracts 2.9 million visits each month from more than 1.2 million unique users. In 2011, the USPTO granted 247,713 patents and registered 237,586 trademarks with a large portion of those originating on USPTO.gov. MetroStar and Huge will leverage user-centered design to improve the online experience of users, from first-time visitors to experienced patent and trademark attorneys alike.
"The redesign will strengthen their access to the application process and educate them on the role of the USPTO." said MetroStar's Creative Project Manager Val Treshchov.
MetroStar and Huge bring a unique dynamic to this project, providing a blend of creativity, management and technical skills to ensure a successful redesign. Both have a history of successful website redesigns that prove their capabilities: MetroStar's redesign of FCC.gov and Huge's redesign of Energy.gov are examples.
"We're very excited to be able to help re-imagine USPTO.gov," said Adam Slagowski, Vice President, Government Services at Huge's new Washington, D.C. office. "This is a unique opportunity to bring exceptional design and user experience to a public resource so crucially important to America's innovators."
About MetroStar Systems, Inc.
The common thread in all our work is our ability to assemble diverse teams who bring immediate technical, cultural and human values to everyday challenges. Offering services in collaboration, modernization, digital, mobile, web and cybersecurity; we build trusting partnerships with customers and push the boundaries of technology to power change. Visit http://www.metrostarsystems.com to learn more.
About Huge
Huge is responsible for core digital strategy, marketing and implementation for some of the largest companies and brands in the world. Headquartered in Brooklyn, New York, Huge has more than 500 employees operating out of the United States, Europe and Latin America. Visit http://www.hugeinc.com/about for more information.
Oregon Scientific Introduces Innovative, Fully Loaded MEEP! Tablet Designed Just for Kids
Accessories, Cloud-Based Parental Controls & Durability Set MEEP! Apart from the Competition
TUALATIN, Ore., Oct. 2, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Cutting edge technology, durability, interactive content, a design made just for kids and a full line of action-packed accessories. The MEEP! tablet from Oregon Scientific has it all. The new 7-inch, Android 4.0 ('Ice Cream Sandwich') tablet is Wi-Fi enabled and features the most rugged durability of any tablet on the market. With a protective and fun, bright orange silicon bumper, a recessed screen and a cutting-edge zForce(®) touch screen that won't shatter when dropped, MEEP! withstands wear and tear from the backseat or the playground to the schoolyard or the couch. MEEP! ($149.99) is currently available at all major national retailers including Toys "R" Us, Target, Best Buy, RadioShack, Kmart, Meijer, Boscov's, BJ's, Amazon.com, Wal-Mart.com, Kohls.com and QVC.
Every aspect of MEEP! was designed for kids and the way they interact with electronics. From the rugged, horizontal design to the easy-to-use, uncluttered interface laid out to be controlled by kids' thumbs, MEEP! is designed to be a pick-up and play device that kids can take with them anywhere they go. The innovative zForce touch screen powered by Neonode(®) Multisensing(TM) Technology makes it simple for kids to quickly access content with the lightest touch of their thumb, and a scrolling menu system makes apps, games, music, videos and more quickly accessible.
As much as MEEP! was designed for kids, the tablet also appeals to parents with customizable cloud-based settings that parents can control and adjust without having to take the tablet out of their child's hands. By simply visiting the Parents Portal on MEEPTablet.com from any device with a web browser (computer, smart phone, tablet), parents can not only hand-pick ("whitelist") which websites or keywords their kids have or don't have access to, but they can add words to the tablet's built-in "bad word" list so their child will not be able to search for those words or use them in the chat feature. Oregon Scientific also maintains a "blacklist" of inappropriate content that is updated by moderators on an ongoing basis which parents can add to. In addition, parents can actively monitor their child's online activity, limit play time duration and provide a virtual allowance for purchasing apps via MEEP! coins without needing to access the physical tablet.
From the hottest pre-loaded content including Angry Birds, UNO, Toon Goggles, art and learning apps and more to the MEEP! Store, MEEP! provides the rich interactive experience that kids are clamoring for. Games, books, videos and apps available in the MEEP! store have all been cleared for kid-friendliness by Oregon Scientific and are either free or can be purchased with MEEP! coins. Additionally, Google Play can be accessed from the Parents Portal to purchase additional content, and applications are seamlessly downloaded to the tablet with parental permission. Music, movies and e-books that parents or kids have previously purchased on a PC or Mac can also be easily transferred to the MEEP! via the USB cable that is included in the package. The MEEP! tablet has 4GB of internal storage and a micro SD card slot to install additional memory. Kids can also capture favorite moments - still photos or videos - to share with friends and family via the tablet's built-in, front-facing camera and can display content on the tablet to a television through HDMI.
A full suite of accessories is available for MEEP!, allowing kids to rock 'n roll with a portable piano, drum pad, headphones and microphone or master gaming skills with a joystick, steering wheel or dualplay Game-Pro Case. For added customization, additional silicon bumpers are available in Meepadelic Purple and Meepto Pink.
"We wanted to design a tablet that had all of the features and technology that tablets geared toward adults had without being 'dumbed-down' for 6-12 year olds. The challenge was providing them with content they would enjoy and that parents would feel confident was safe," said Bill Fleckner, Vice President of Sales for Oregon Scientific, Inc. "We achieved that and more with MEEP! and are thrilled at the overwhelming response we've had so far from our retailers and content partners alike."
"Oregon Scientific has a long history in creating innovative consumer technology and we've had tremendous success in the electronic learning products category," said David Riley, Product and Marketing Director for Oregon Scientific, Inc. "We are excited to leverage that experience with a natural extension into the kids tablet category."
MEEP! will be supported by dedicated marketing and public relations campaigns that include national TV advertising, parent and kid-directed online ads, a Radio Disney campaign and promotional support of the Ryan Seacrest Foundation featuring Selena Gomez. The national TV advertising plan includes :15 and :30 spots on the Disney Channel, Nickelodeon, Cartoon Network, Disney XD and The Hub.
The MEEP! tablet is geared for kids 6 and up and is currently available at mass market retailers and online stores for a suggested retail price of $149.99. Accessories are each sold separately. MEEP! comes complete with a charger, USB cable and a quick start guide. For more information visit http://www.MeepTablet.com or like MEEP! on Facebook.
About Oregon Scientific
Founded in 1989, Oregon Scientific is headquartered in Tualatin; a quaint suburb of beautiful Portland, Oregon. Oregon Scientific offers six families of products, ranging from youth & learning to sports & fitness. Built from its hallmark of timing and weather devices, Oregon Scientific is expanding to meet the diverse needs of its customers to enhance the way we live, work and play. Consider Oregon Scientific's products to be Innovating the Everyday.
Oregon Scientific is a division of one of the world's premier electronics manufacturers, Integrated Display Technology, Ltd. (IDT), based in Hong Kong. IDT was founded in 1977 and is listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange as IDT Technology. Oregon Scientific's full line of product offerings can be found at: us.oregonscientific.com.
Sakar Secures Exclusive Betty Boop Character License
New Cases, Sleeves, Skins, Speakers, Clock Radios and More Will Add Boop-Oop-a-Doop! to Your Favorite Electronics
DALLAS, Oct. 2, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Consumer electronics manufacturer Sakar International today announced it has secured an exclusive licensing partnership with King Features Syndicate to produce a new line of Betty Boop character-themed mobile device cases, sleeves, skins, accessories and electronics. As the worldwide exclusive licensing agent for Betty Boop, King Features works closely with proprietor Fleischer Studios to keep Betty entertaining millions of fans and collectors. Sakar made the announcement at the annual Toy Industry Association's Fall Toy Preview, which runs Oct. 2-4 at the Dallas Market Center/World Trade Center.
Combining Sakar's legendary attention to detail and design with Betty's adorable, sassy attitude, the new products are expected to add an element of fun, flirtatious style to a wide range of cases, sleeves and skins for virtually any portable device, including still and video cameras, headphones/earbuds, iPad and other tablet devices, iPhone and iPod, laptops and netbooks, cell phones and Nintendo DS gaming units. The new line will also include Betty Boop clock radios available with or without iPod docking stations, as well as speakers and USB Flash drives for all portable devices and computers to add Betty's iconic style to any desktop.
"Betty Boop has been named one of the 50 greatest cartoon characters of all time, and she's considered one of the most popular too," said Sakar President Jeff Saka. "These products will make the perfect gift for the legions of Betty Boop collectors, and anyone who wants to add a little of Betty's signature flirty flair to their everyday devices."
The new Betty Boop line will be available in the U.S., Canada and all U.S. Territories and military installations through Sakar retail partners.
To see the complete lineup of Sakar International licensed products, stop by the Sakar Booth #1201 during the TIA's Fall Toy Preview October 2-4. For more information, visit http://www.Sakar.com.
About Sakar International
Sakar International, Inc. is a leading provider of interactive consumer electronics. Since 1977, the privately held, family-owned company has evolved alongside technology - becoming a global leader in innovative electronics. Sakar is a licensing partner with over forty major entertainment brands and has maintained a diverse portfolio of product offerings, including: digital cameras and video recorders, along with camera, computer, audio, cell phone, and gaming accessories. Sakar acquired the Vivitar brand in 2008 and has since launched a full line of photographic, optic and related accessories.
About Betty Boop and Fleischer Studios
First introduced in 1930, Betty Boop was created by Max Fleischer for his "Talkartoons" series, the first "talkies" of animation, which Max's company, Fleischer Studios, produced for Paramount. Mae Questel provided Betty's distinctive voice. By 1932 Betty, considered to be the first and only female animated screen star, had taken the country by storm. Betty starred in more than 100 cartoons, 90 of which are included in the official "Betty Boop" series, which ended in 1939. Since then, Betty has appeared in dozens of hit movies, television specials and commercials. She was the first cartoon character to be profiled by A&E's "Biography" series. Betty Boop is one of the most popular and successful licensed characters in entertainment history, with nearly 200 licensees in the United States and nearly twice as many internationally that produce quality products bearing Betty's likeness in virtually every category. The official Betty Boop Web site is http://www.bettyboop.com.
About King Features Syndicate
King Features Syndicate is a member of Hearst Entertainment and Syndication Group, which combines Hearst Corporation's cable network partnerships, TV programming activities, newspaper syndication and merchandise licensing operations. King Features is the world's premier distributor of comics, columns, editorial cartoons, puzzles and games, distributing in print and online some 150 features to nearly 5,000 newspapers and other outlets around the globe. It is one of the largest and most experienced organizations in merchandise licensing and entertainment. It represents some of the most recognizable global brands, including Betty Boop, Popeye the Sailor Man and Olive Oyl. For more information, please visit http://www.kingfeatures.com. Follow us on Twitter @King_Features. Like us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/king-features.
Virtual PBX Launches Free Android Application with Exclusive Feature That Enables Mobile Management of Hosted PBX System on Smartphones
New application provides access to all of the most-used functions of users' phone systems, directly from their Android smartphones
SAN JOSE, Calif., Oct. 2, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Virtual PBX, the pioneer and leader in hosted PBX phone systems,announced today that it has released an extension management application for the Android operating system. The application allows Virtual PBX customers to have access to all of the popular functions of their phone system directly from their Android smartphones, including call routing, follow-me calling and ACD queue logins. The announcement comes just one month after Virtual PBX made the application available for iPhone users.
"With today's workforce becoming more mobile, businesses executives and employees need to be able to access their phone networks remotely," said Paul Hammond, CEO of Virtual PBX. "By providing an Android app in addition to our recently released iPhone app, we're ensuring that our customers can easily access their award-winning Virtual PBX service from practically any smartphone."
The new Android application, along with the iPhone version, allows Virtual PBX customers to remotely manage their office PBX extensions and certain system functions from nearly any smartphone. In addition, the most popular functions can be customized and updated automatically.
The features of the new Virtual PBX Android application, which are also available to iPhone users through the iPhone app, include:
-- ACD Queue Presence Management (Exclusive to Virtual PBX)The Virtual PBX
Extension Manager App makes presence management available through the
Android smartphone. Users can log in and out of queues and, through the
use of intelligent algorithms, Virtual PBX then reduces caller hold
times by not forcing calls to extensions where no one will answer. This
means happier callers and better efficiency.
-- Do Not Disturb Users who are in meetings or away from the office
sometimes don't want to receive calls at all. In most systems, the
phone rings whether the user wants it to or not, forcing the caller to
wait for voicemail to pick up and potentially embarrassing the extension
owner. Virtual PBX's Android app eliminates this problem by allowing
users to mark their extensions as unavailable, so incoming calls go
directly to voicemail with no waiting or client interruptions.
-- Follow-me, Find-me App users accessing this function of their Virtual
PBX system can redirect incoming business calls to up to four different
phones, such as the VoIP phone in their office, their smartphone or
another remote location. They'll also be notified that incoming calls
are business calls and can answer appropriately.
The Virtual PBX Android application is now available and can be downloaded for free at the Android Play Store.
About Virtual PBX
Virtual PBX believes that all businesses, large and small, deserve the benefits of a world-class phone system that saves money and is easy to install and use. Our hosted PBX phone service gives businesses a professional, fully automated call answering and routing solution that can be up and running in a matter of minutes. Forget the hassles and costs of buying and maintaining your own PBX hardware. With Virtual PBX, your employees, whether in one location or far-flung, can focus on serving your customers while we provide the advanced features and responsiveness that give you a competitive edge. For more information on how your business can benefit from our innovation and passionate commitment to great customer service, visit us on the Web at http://www.virtualpbx.com.
New HipHopBistro(TM) iPad App Provides Real Time News, Videos and Trends in Hot Hip Hop Culture
App includes integration of Radioio Hip Hop Channels easily streaming your favorite music on your iPad
SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 2, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- HipHopBistro(TM), the popular Facebook page devoted to all things Hip Hop, has gone mobile with a new iPad app. Available free on the iTunes store, HipHopBistro(TM) aggregates all news, videos and trends on artists into a single convenient space for fans of hot Hip Hop music and culture. The new iPad app is a partnership between social application developer IT Agility and music streaming pioneer Radioio. Download the iPad app here (http://hiphopbistro.com/get-the-ipad-app).
"The HipHopBistro(TM) iPad application innovates a new level of Hip Hop experience enabling people to listen to their favorite music while reading trending hip hop news or searching for content on their favorite artist," said Steve Wick, chief executive officer of IT Agility. "We are excited to partner with Radioio to provide Hip Hop fans a great mobile music listening experience with the hottest Hip Hop content."
HipHopBistro(TM) aggregates news from such popular sites as Hip Hop DX, All Hip Hop, Hip Hop Wired and MTV. The site's Trending feature highlights the most popular news items in rank order so fan can quickly see what other fans are finding most intriguing in real time. The News feature is a running post of breaking news within the Hip Hop culture, while the Video feature ranks the hottest videos in order of popularity. The HipHopBistro(TM) Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/HipHopBistro) has 277,000 fans. HipHopBistro(TM) also offers a website at (HipHopBistro.com).
IT Agility's proprietary SocialRank score shows what Hip Hop content is getting the most user engagement across the global internet and social media sites like Facebook, Google+, Twitter, Pinterest, and YouTube.
The Radioio feature on the HipHopBistro(TM) iPad app integrates the Hip Hop section of the online radio station where fans can select live streaming of their favorite music from six channels, including RnB HipHop, Classic Hip Hop, Nu Soul, RnB Mix, Classic RnB and Blues. There's even a button that streams Billboard magazine's top 100 songs real time and all for free.
About IT Agility
IT Agility is a leading developer of social applications for creating communities of interest on Facebook. Our technology streams high volume content and search services into Facebook custom tabs for any subject. Brands use our service to attract more Facebook fans and increase their "like" rate.
The company operates several Facebook pages, with notable examples being CelebBistro(TM) (http://www.facebook.com/CelebBistro ) that aggregates celebrity news, Hip Hop Bistro(TM) (http://www.facebook.com/HipHopBistro ) that aggregates Hip Hop news. Each Facebook site is a leading generator of "likes" with more than two million fans across IT Agility Facebook pages. IT Agility's proprietary SocialRank shows the hottest trending content by measuring user engagement across the global internet and social media sites like Facebook, Google+, Twitter, Pinterest, LinkedIn and YouTube. For more information, visit our website at http://itagility.biz.
About Radioio
Streaming pioneer, Radioio, has been streaming internet radio made for individuals, by individuals since 1998. Each channel is an independent, original creation, featuring handpicked music sets crafted by stream hosts - not computers. Radioio currently delivers in excess of 15,000,000 monthly stream initiations across all distribution platforms. Channels provide users a variety of listening choices from Classical, Jazz, Rock, and Pop to Hip Hop, R & B, Country, Electronic, Dance and many more specialty niches. For more information, visit our website at http://www.Radioio.com.
Contact: Rob Doughty
305-495-3311
rob@robdoughtycommunications.com
HipHopBistro(TM) and CelebBistro(TM) are trademarks of IT Agility.
Online Design Concept Store to be Featured on Ground-Breaking WiO App
NATICK, Mass., Oct. 2, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Online retailer Erie Drive (ErieDrive.com) and WiOffer (WiO®) announced a strategic alliance to feature Erie Drive on WiO, the new mobile app platform which is set to revolutionize the TV watching experience by allowing customers to immediately get information about the products and services they see advertised on television and radio.
"We're excited to be involved with the launch of the WiO app. Its technology aligns perfectly with our audience - smart, forward thinking, on-the-move, and above all, technology-savvy," said Erie Drive CEO John Gavin. " We see the importance and growth of the smartphone and tablet market, and WiO gives us a key to tapping into that emerging audience."
Matthew Greene, Co-Founder of WiO added that "even though Erie Drive is not yet a TV advertiser, we've been able to accommodate these great brands by delivering their unique offers, promotions and relevant information via our Hero Page which we think will interest and excite our users."
Creative Director Alexandra Grenham concurs. "We always want to bring our customers closer to the Erie Drive experience, and apps like WiO help us achieve that goal. Our hand-selected inventory comes from the famous street markets of London and Paris, in addition to our finds from American markets. The WiO app brings us closer to the people who can't necessarily get to these markets, but who want to find quality gifts and home items at their fingertips."
About Erie Drive:
Founded by three business partners and led by Creative Director Alexandra Grenham, Erie Drive specializes in unique gifts, quality home accents and home accessories.
The design-driven online boutique is the realization of Founder and Managing Partner Dr. Marcia Stone's lifelong dream. Stone's former company, Hybrivet Systems Inc., invented, manufactured and commercially sold the first EPA recognized lead-detection kits. Hybrivet Systems was acquired by 3M in 2011.
Alexandra Grenham, an accomplished artist, boutique manager and creative director, serves as the Creative Director for Erie Drive. Grenham is an expert in identifying and promoting emerging artists and design trends.
About WiOffer, LLC (WiO)
WiO is a leading interactive 2(nd) Screen application technology that allows audiences to interact with television and radio commercials from well-known brands across multiple mobile devices. Using both audio-recognition and voice-recognition technologies, WiO provides its users with the opportunity for immediate dialogue with brands and ads that offer relevant savings, promotional incentives and hyper-localized information via smartphones and tablets. Based in New York City, WiO was established in 2011 by advertising industry veterans, Andrew S. Pakula, who serves as CEO, and Matthew Greene, as President. For more information visit: http://www.wioffer.com.
VIZIO Unveils New Large Screen, LED HDTV Models Available Now
NEW, SLIM FRAME 60" CLASS RAZOR LED(TM) SMART TV HEADLINES VIZIO'S EXTRA-LARGE HOLIDAY LINE-UP
IRVINE, Calif., Oct. 2, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- VIZIO, Inc., having recently received J.D. Power and Associates' "Highest in Customer Satisfaction with HDTVs" ranking*, announced today a new, sleek and slim line-up of large-size HDTVs. Highlighted by the E-Series 60" Class Razor LED(TM) Smart TV (E601i), which is priced at $999.99 and available now, the large collection also includes a stunning E-Series 70" Class unit and M-Series 55" and 65" Class (2D and 3D) units. The newly designed E-Series 60" Razor LED Smart TV gives consumers an ultra-thin, slim-frame design, brilliant 1080p Full HD LED quality, and VIZIO Internet Apps® at an unbeatable sub-$1000 value. In advance of the holiday season, the 60" is currently available online and on select shelves at Costco Wholesale, Sam's Club, Walmart, Amazon.com, Target, BJ's Wholesale, ebay.com, VIZIO.com and other retailers.
"The new E-Series units, which are the first of many large-size VIZIO models, give consumers access to great technology on an even bigger scale," said Matt McRae, Chief Technology Officer, VIZIO. "The larger units provide more screen space with a narrower border around the picture, allowing consumers to get the most out of the crystal-clear Razor LED picture for a more immersive, WIFI enabled experience."
Perfect for the sports fan, movie enthusiast or family looking to upgrade their entertainment centerpiece for the holidays, the E-Series 60" Razor LED HDTV is packed with the latest technologies like VIZIO Internet Apps® with WIFI, giving consumers instant access to apps like Netflix, Amazon Instant Video, VUDU(TM), Hulu Plus, YouTube®, Pandora®, Facebook® and Twitter®, all with the push of a button on the smart remote with keyboard.** The bigger picture of the large-size HDTVs is enhanced by crisp, high-quality LED, 1080p Full HD resolution and a 120Hz refresh rate for remarkable detail and clarity, ideal when watching a fast moving sporting event or action movie. The large 60" and 70" units also auto-adjust the picture to room lighting, feature SRS StudioSound HD(TM) for clear audio and use less energy than conventional LCD HDTVs.***
"VIZIO's 60" (E601i) is a Smart TV with the thin LED design that consumers prefer, at a price that would have only bought you a 42" CCFL TV in October 2009," said Tamaryn Pratt, Principal, Quixel Research. "VIZIO has been able to drive the price down for consumers, allowing them to enjoy the latest features and a slim design on a larger screen, at a great value. With a 60" TV offering more than twice the screen viewing area of a 42" TV, now is the perfect time for consumers to trade up."
An unmatched value for consumers heading into the holiday season, the E-Series 60" and 70" Razor LED Smart TVs and M-Series 55" and 2D and 3D 65" units will be available in-store and online. The E-Series 60" and 70" models retail for $999.99 and $1,999.99 respectively with the M-Series 55" available for $949.99 and 65" starting at $1,499.99 for 2D and $1,699.99 for 3D.
"For years, VIZIO has proven they're committed to providing HDTV customers with the best technology at a great value," said Tim Farmer, VP/GMM Merchandising Costco. "We are excited to offer these new large screen models to our members in advance of the holiday season."
Committed to helping consumers go big this holiday season, the following large screen models will also be new for the anticipated release for Q4:
-- VIZIO 55" Class Razor LED(TM) Smart TV (M550VSE) - $949.99
-- VIZIO 60" Class Razor LED(TM) Smart TV (E601i-A3) - $999.99
-- VIZIO 65" Class Razor LED(TM) Smart TV (M650VSE) - $1,499.99
-- VIZIO 65" Class Razor LED(TM) Smart TV with Theater 3D (M3D651SV) -
$1,699.99
-- VIZIO 70" Class Razor LED(TM) Smart TV (E701i-A3) - $1,999.99
-- VIZIO 58" 21:9 Cinemawide Class LED Smart TV with Theater 3 D
(XVT3D580CM - $1,999)
* J.D. Power and Associates 2012 High Definition Television (HDTV) Satisfaction Report(SM). Report based on responses from 1,009 consumers measuring 8 brands and measures opinions of consumers who purchased an HDTV in the last 12 months. Proprietary study results are based on experiences and perceptions of consumers surveyed August 2012. Your experiences may vary. Visit http://www.jdpower.com.
** High-speed/broadband Internet service and access equipment are required and not provided by VIZIO, Inc. Additional fees and/or subscriptions may be required for certain content and services. VIZIO, Inc. makes no warranties, representations, or assurances of any kind as to the content, availability, or functionality of third party content or services.
***When compared to same size LCD HDTVs lighted with CCFL technology.
About VIZIO
VIZIO, Inc. is headquartered in Irvine, California. In Q2 2007, VIZIO skyrocketed to the top by becoming the #1 shipping brand of flat panel HDTVs in North America and in Q3 2007 became the first American brand in over a decade to lead in U.S. LCD HDTV shipments. Since 2007 VIZIO LCD HDTV shipments remain in the top ranks in the U.S. and were #1 for the total year in 2009 and 2010. VIZIO is committed to bringing feature-rich consumer electronics to market at a value through practical innovation. VIZIO offers a broad range of award winning consumer electronics. VIZIO's products are found at Costco Wholesale, Sam's Club, Walmart, Target, BJ's Wholesale, and other retailers nationwide along with authorized online partners. VIZIO has won numerous awards including a #1 ranking in the Inc. 500 for Top Companies in Computers and Electronics, Fast Company's 6th Most Innovative CE Company of 2009, and made the lists of Ad Age's Hottest Brands, CNET's Editor's Choice, CNET Best of CES 2011 - Television, IGN Best of CES - Television, Bluetooth.org Best of CES, Good Housekeeping's Best Big-Screens, PC World's Best Buy, Popular Mechanics Editor's Choice and OC Metro's 10 Most Trustworthy Brands among many other prestigious honors. For more information, please call 888-VIZIOCE or visit on the web at http://www.VIZIO.com.
CheapAir.com First to Let Travelers Search for Flights using Natural Language
Innovative Air Fare Shopping Engine Makes it Easier than Ever to Find Cheap, Comfortable Flights Using Semantic Search
CALABASAS, Calif., Oct. 2, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Now finding cheap airline tickets on CheapAir.com is even easier, thanks to an innovative semantic search feature being rolled out on the travel deal website. Easy Search(TM) from CheapAir lets travelers type a simple sentence or phrase describing the flight they want into the search field and quickly returns the best results. CheapAir.com is the first consumer travel website to use this cutting-edge, natural language translation technology.
Now, instead of having to click through a tedious travel search form with its numerous fields, cumbersome calendars and confusing airport codes, CheapAir.com customers can simply type a query like, "L.A. to Newark on July 3(rd), back on the 10th" and Easy Search will do all the work for them. Savvy travelers will appreciate that this intuitive search box accepts city and airport codes, too, and allows users to enter the date in any format they want. For instance, you can do a search from Miami to Chicago on April 10(th) through April 15(th) just by typing "mia chi 410 415" instead of filling out a whole form, individually inputting each piece of information. Such capabilities make Easy Search a huge time saver, and a fast, convenient way to find the lowest airfares on the already user-friendly CheapAir site.
"Easy Search is one more thing we're doing differently than the competition to make it easier to book travel arrangements," said Jeff Klee, Chief Executive Officer of CheapAir.com. "We were the first consumer travel website to list flight amenities to help customers find comfortable flights, and now we're the first to use natural language searching to make booking a flight much faster."
Founded in 1989 with a mission of radically simplifying the way people shop for travel deals, CheapAir.com uses powerful, sophisticated technology and proprietary trip planning tools to create a simple flight search experience not available on other travel websites. CheapAir.com is the only online travel agency in the U.S. to provide travelers with a comprehensive listing of onboard flight amenities like Wi-Fi, live TV and personal video monitors. They also offer Price Drop Payback, Mix & Match Fares, top-flight picks and the ability to search for deals using an interactive map showing the lowest fares to all major destinations in the world.
"We will continue to innovate so customers can plan trips in any way that is comfortable for them," notes Klee. "We're crunching more than 25 million fares a day to help customers find the lowest fares out there, quickly and painlessly."
About CheapAir.com
Headquartered in Calabasas, CA, CheapAir.com is powered by a team of 50 travel enthusiasts who use cutting edge technology and superior customer service to radically simplify the way people shop for travel deals. Our proprietary air fare shopping engine does all the work for you, using a patented algorithm that scours the web for the lowest prices on the planet. We show you fares and flight options in a simple, easy to navigate site with all the best flight amenities to bring some joy to your trip planning.
CEO Jeff Klee started CheapAir.com in 1989 from his college dorm room after getting a crash course in the airline industry while planning a backpacking trip through Europe on a student's budget. CheapAir.com still takes a creative approach to fare finding that has helped over three million people buy plane tickets with confidence.
SOURCE CheapAir.com
CheapAir.com
CONTACT: Nikki Nardick, SS | PR, +1-847-415-9307, nnardick@sspr.com
New KIDZ BOP Karaoke Gear by Sakar Lets You be the Star
Rock Out with New Party Karaoke Machines, Mic with Stand, MP3 Mic and Wireless Speakers Available This Fall At Toys R Us
DALLAS, Oct. 2, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Sakar International and KIDZ BOP, the #1 music brand for kids ages 5-12 in the U.S., are set to debut a new line of KIDZ BOP audio/video youth electronics at Toys R Us across the country this month. Sakar gave a sneak peek of the new products at the annual Toy Industry Association's Fall Toy Preview Oct. 2-4 at the Dallas Market Center/World Trade Center.
Inspired by the best-selling KIDZ BOP music series, featuring today's biggest hits sung by kids for kids, the new licensed KIDZ BOP karaoke gear is perfect for budding young pop stars to sing along to their favorite songs.
Get the party started with these new KIDZ BOP products:
-- The KIDZ BOP Karaoke Machine is a portable CD/CD+G and iPod/MP3
plug-and-play compatible player that displays song lyrics onto any TV
with the included AUX cable. One microphone is included, but dual mic
inputs make it easy to add a second mic and share the fun with a duet.
The machine comes with a free KIDZ BOP Karaoke CD, A/C adapter and user
manual, all for $69 MSRP.
-- The KIDZ BOP Karaoke Microphone & Stand connects directly to any iPod or
MP3 player and features built-in flashing light show to accent any live
performance. The adjustable stand and microphone come with an AUX cable
and user manual for just $29.99 MSRP.
-- The KIDZ BOP MP3 Karaoke Microphone connects to any iPod/MP3 player and
automatically removes the vocals to any song to let you be the star of
the show, complete with built-in sounds of the roaring crowd. Connecting
cable is included for just $19.99 MSRP.
-- Pump up the volume with the wireless KIDZ BOP MP3 Panel Speaker system
featuring a contemporary flat panel design and high-definition sound
quality for just $29.99 MSRP.
"Kids of all ages--and even their parents--love KIDZ BOP for its fun, family-friendly approach to today's hottest music," said Sakar President Jeff Saka. "These new karaoke products make it easy and exciting for everyone to get in on the action and be their own pop star."
Perfect for holiday gift giving, the new KIDZ BOP karaoke products go on sale this month at all Toys R Us locations in the U.S. To see the complete lineup of Sakar International licensed products, stop by the Sakar Booth #1201 during the TIA's Fall Toy Preview October 2-4. For more information, visit http://www.Sakar.com
About Sakar International
Sakar International, Inc. is a leading provider of interactive consumer electronics. Since 1977, the privately held, family-owned company has evolved alongside technology - becoming a global leader in innovative electronics. Sakar is a licensing partner with over forty major entertainment brands and has maintained a diverse portfolio of product offerings, including: digital cameras and video recorders, along with camera, computer, audio, cell phone, and gaming accessories. Sakar acquired the Vivitar brand in 2008 and has since launched a full line of photographic, optic and related accessories.
About KIDZ BOP LLC
KIDZ BOP is the #1 music brand for kids ages 5-12 in the U.S., featuring today's most popular songs, sung by kids for kids. KIDZ BOP celebrates the authentic voice of kids across the entire brand--through music, videos, live appearances, licensed merchandise and its popular social networking and content sharing website, KIDZBOP.com. KIDZ BOP CD titles have earned one Platinum® and nine Gold® certifications since their debut in 2001. KIDZ BOP's last release, KIDZ BOP 22 debuted at #3 on the Billboard Top 200 chart where it spent 4 consecutive weeks in the Billboard Top 10. Check out KIDZ BOP's new weekly radio show, KIDZ BOP Block Party!, a new two-hour weekly radio show on Kids Place Live, every Friday at 6PM EST.
The Search Agency Unveils h(SEO) to Address Modern Day Search Behavior
Holistic Earned Media Solution for Online Marketers Addresses the Evolution of Search and User Behavior
LOS ANGELES, Oct. 2, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- The Search Agency, a global online marketing firm and the largest independent U.S. search marketing agency, today announced the launch of h(SEO) for performance-driven online marketers. h(SEO) is a new holistic approach to search engine optimization (SEO) that accounts for today's broad web search landscape, including updated search engine algorithms and growing social engagement on the web. With a growing percentage of search now taking place outside of search engines, effective SEO must consider the intertwined search universe--spanning traditional search sites, social media, review sites, mobile and other niche publishers. The Search Agency's h(SEO) approach drives meaningful results through multi-platform tactics, engaging content strategies, and goal-based analytics to measure, inform and justify ongoing SEO campaigns.
"Search no longer just happens within the engine walls, and marketers need to keep up with the shift or they'll miss the chance to engage with a large portion of their audience," said Grant Simmons, Director, SEO & Social Product at The Search Agency. "Its crucial that we fully understand search intent to drive content development and deployment that will keep audiences engaged and informed, regardless of where they look for information on the web."
h(SEO) optimizes the reach and engagement of brands online by improving brand visibility, user engagement, and optimizing conversions toward goals. The approach addresses the following:
-- Relevance - Today, relevance is defined by user intent, necessitating a
better understanding of search behavior to ensure that site structure
and content development aligns with user goals and search engine
indexing methodologies, creating a better overall user search
experience.
-- Authority - To truly drive authority, marketers must think "beyond the
link" and create crucial brand and topic associations, citations,
affiliations, connections and mentions within social media, review
sites, blogs, vertical publishers and other relevant authority venues.
-- Engagement - While SEO gets users to the click, h(SEO) views the
post-click experience as critical to deliver user satisfaction and
provide signals to both search engines and other users, that user intent
was satisfied.
-- Analytics - h(SEO) goes beyond traditional SEO analytics by measuring
and tracking the metrics that are most important to clients' businesses
- including social, onsite engagement, site performance and keyword
visibility - and then justifies strategies and tactics based on hard
evidence from each campaign.
Schumacher Homes, America's largest custom homebuilder, has implemented The Search Agency's h(SEO) approach, driving greater visibility and customer engagement around the custom homebuilder's products. Within six months of using the h(SEO) approach, the company's flagship site ranked in the top 10 on Google for 80 percent of their top 50 keywords. Additionally, Schumacher Homes received a 76 percent increase in organic traffic year over year.
"Building authority on the web isn't just about link structure anymore, and it's crucial that SEO fill the gap between search behavior and activity elsewhere on the web. The Search Agency understands how search has evolved, and has executed on new strategies to help us reach customers online," said Chris Anderson, CIO of Schumacher Homes. "As a result, Schumacher Homes was able to more effectively target traffic, get people to notice us, and drive a record number of leads on the web."
More information on The Search Agency's h(SEO) product can be found at http://www.hseo.com.
About The Search Agency
The Search Agency is a global online marketing firm that combines high-tech and high-touch strategies to help clients engage their customers online and measure ROI beyond a reasonable doubt. With a deep-rooted history in paid search and SEO, The Search Agency understands how activity on the web intersects at search, and executes smart digital marketing strategies that drive measurable results across multiple platforms. Services include Paid Search, SEO, Landing Page Optimization, Display Media, Social Media and Comparison Shopping Management, which are strategically leveraged to maximize the efficacy of clients' integrated marketing campaigns. The company is one of the nation's largest and fastest growing search marketing firms - named the largest independent U.S. search marketing agency by Advertising Age and among Deloitte's 2011 Technology Fast 500(TM). Founded in 2002, The Search Agency has grown to more than 180 employees worldwide with headquarters in Los Angeles, CA, and additional offices in San Francisco, East Greenwich, Baltimore, Tampa, London, Sydney, Toronto and Bangalore. For more information, go to http://www.thesearchagency.com.
SOURCE The Search Agency
The Search Agency
CONTACT: Jennifer Conway, +1-978-463-0289, jennifer@dottedlinecomm.com
Global Payments Completes Acquisition of Accelerated Payment Technologies
ATLANTA, Oct. 2, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Global Payments Inc. (NYSE: GPN), a leading, worldwide provider of electronic transaction processing solutions, announced today that it has completed the acquisition of Accelerated Payment Technologies (APT), an innovative provider of fully-integrated payment technology solutions for small to medium sized merchants. APT markets its products and services primarily through a network of 700 value-added resellers (VARs) covering over 30 different vertical markets.
Under the terms of the agreement, Global Payments paid $413 million in cash, funded by the company's new unsecured term loan facility, to acquire APT from Great Hill Partners.
About Global Payments
Global Payments Inc. (NYSE: GPN) is a leading provider of electronic transaction processing services for merchants, Independent Sales Organizations (ISOs), financial institutions, government agencies and multi-national corporations located throughout the United States, Canada, Europe and the Asia-Pacific region. Global Payments, a Fortune 1000 company, offers a comprehensive line of processing solutions for credit and debit cards, business-to-business purchasing cards, gift cards, electronic check conversion and check guarantee, verification and recovery including electronic check services, as well as terminal management. Visit http://www.globalpaymentsinc.com for more information about the company and its services.
About Great Hill Partners
Great Hill Partners is a private equity firm that manages more than $2.5 billion in capital to finance the expansion, recapitalization or acquisition of growth companies in a wide range of sectors within the business and consumer services, media, communications and software industries. Great Hill targets investments of $25 million to $150 million. For more information, please visit http://www.greathillpartners.com.
Investor
contact: investor.relations@globalpay.com Media contact: media.relations@globalpay.com
Jane
Elliott Kay Sharpton Amy Corn
770-829-8234 770-829-8870 770-829-8755
SOURCE Global Payments Inc.
Photo:http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20010221/ATW031LOGO http://photoarchive.ap.org/
Global Payments Inc.