Sakar to Debut New Line of Skylanders Giants(TM) Electronics and Accessories
A licensing deal with Activision sets the stage for an exciting line of consumer electronics and accessories featuring the new Skylanders Giants, the super-powered and super-sized gaming heroes
DALLAS, Oct. 2, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Sakar International, a leading manufacturer of tech, toy and consumer electronics products, today announced a licensing agreement with Activision Publishing, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Activision Blizzard, Inc., (Nasdaq: ATVI) to create a line of accessories that feature the newest heroes from Skylanders Giants. The accessories will hit the shelves of Toys "R" Us this fall in the United States and Canada.
Launching in October and one of this fall's most hotly anticipated titles, Skylanders Giants is the sequel to Skylanders Spyro's Adventure®, the #1 Selling Console and Handheld Title Of 2012*. Both titles merge the physical and virtual realms with innovative "smart" toys that kids can bring to life in the gaming adventure world of Skylands. Skylanders Giants introduces 16 new characters and a raft of technological and gameplay innovations that create even more opportunities for collaborative and competitive play.
"Activision's Skylanders Spyro's Adventure and Skylanders Giants games are an innovation among video games that melds the online world with real toys that kids can touch and feel. It's that unique experience that's made Skylanders Spyro's Adventure one of the most popular video game titles today, and we are thrilled to be a part of the phenomenon," says Liza Abrams, VP Licensing, Sakar. "Our accessories and electronics toys will give fans another opportunity to have fun with adventurous and mighty heroes in the world of Skylands."
Sakar's new line of Skylanders Giants products include a selection of cases for portable devices, an alarm clock radio with dock, molded earbuds and headphones, walkie talkies, night vision goggles and more.
"We are thrilled to be partnering with Sakar and believe that their strength in the electronics and accessories product categories will be a perfect complement to the exciting world of Skylands," says Ashley Maidy, head of Global Licensing & Partnerships at Activision Publishing, Inc.
*According to NPD, GfK Chartrack, and Activision internal estimates, based on revenue, inclusive of accessory packs and figures, worldwide between January and June 30, 2012.
About Sakar International
Sakar International Inc. designs and manufactures a wide range of technology, toy, and consumer electronic products. Founded in 1977, the company is the manufacturer of Vivitar camera equipment and accessories, a market leader in youth electronics and a producer of licensed products for leading consumer brands. Products range from digital cameras and camcorders with related accessories to computer, iPod, GPS and gaming accessories, binoculars, MP3 players, clock radios, gift and toy electronics. The company is privately held and headquartered in Edison, N.J. For more information, visit http://www.sakar.com.
About Activision Publishing, Inc.
Headquartered in Santa Monica, California, Activision Publishing, Inc. is a leading worldwide developer, publisher and distributor of interactive entertainment and leisure products. Activision maintains operations in the U.S., Canada, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Sweden, Spain, Norway, Denmark, the Netherlands, Australia, China and the region of Taiwan. More information about Activision and its products can be found on the company's website, http://www.activision.com.
ConteXtream Brings Benefits of SDN to Wireless Service Providers with Second-Generation Grid Network Virtualization Software
Innovative Grid Software Extends Benefits of SDN to Carriers' Core Network, Enabling a New Business Model for Network Services while Reducing Costs and Improving Service Delivery
PALO ALTO, Calif., Oct. 2, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- ConteXtream, Inc., a rapidly emerging network virtualization solution provider, today launched its second generation Grid software, a network virtualization solution that brings the benefits of Software-Defined Networking (SDN) to wireless service provider networks. Adding support for Evolved Packet Core (EPC) virtualization, the next-generation Grid software facilitates the elastic provisioning of network capacity and its dynamic allocation to multiple enterprise customers based on their exact needs, much like multi-tenant cloud providers do for other infrastructure services.
"Mobile data consumption is driving demand for wireless services at a pace never before seen. Until now, the only way to deal with increasing bandwidth requirements has been to add physical infrastructure - an expensive, inefficient, and short-term strategy at best," said Craig Mathias, a Principal at the wireless and mobile advisory firm Farpoint Group. "SDN is the key to solving both capacity and scalability challenges. ConteXtream's approach is one of the most significant developments in the history of wireless, driving carrier networks into the modern era of virtualization and commodity hardware. And the benefits don't stop there."
Today, carrier networks are built using vertically scalable custom appliances configured in 1+1 redundancy and provisioned to handle the highest peak of projected traffic load within the region they are installed. This not only results in a severely underutilized network, but also limits the ability of operators to innovate with new enterprise-focused bundled rate plans that are predicated on network-wide control. At the same time, operators are facing rapid declines in revenue-per-bit due to the introduction of data-hungry devices, pressuring profit margins and challenging the entire telecom ecosystem. Unless acted upon immediately, the increase in devices and data traffic on the network will cripple it, and the lower profitability will make it difficult for carriers to update the network to meet future requirements.
ConteXtream's Grid software virtualizes the wireless carriers' core network, enabling them to realize the benefits of SDN within their existing infrastructure to reduce costs and create new revenue opportunities. Leveraging a unique approach, the Grid software controls traffic flows through the carrier network using a distributed controller and virtual switches to efficiently load balance traffic on all EPC resources, whether they are physical or virtual and whether they are hosted within the carrier network or in a third party cloud operator. This allows service providers to control network costs, by cloud-bursting into third-party Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS) providers, allowing for the increase and decrease of network capacity to meet demand. To facilitate this elasticity, the new Grid software supports layer 4-7 switching logic based on protocols commonly used within the 3GPP architecture. The Grid also supports multi-tenancy - the ability to dedicate distributed EPC resources to a group of devices, typically operated by an enterprise customer - enabling new pricing and enforcement mechanisms based on mobility, throughput, and other metrics that are currently not possibly to control at a global level for more than a single device.
"With ConteXtream's Grid software service providers can better serve the enterprise market. It allows carriers to price and enforce bulk network service to all the diverse devices an enterprise may have, while allocating the exact resources required to serve the enterprise and meet their service level agreements," said Joel Brand, vice president of marketing at ConteXtream. "Much like cloud computing vendors have changed the way enterprises consume compute and storage resources, we allow wireless service providers to sell network resources as a service, and change how network resources are consumed."
Benefits of the Grid software for service provider networks include:
-- Conversion of fixed costs associated with infrastructure acquisition,
maintenance, and over-provisioning, to variable costs that can be
charged to network users based on actual usage.
-- High availability and reliability by leveraging cloud architecture and
design principles that aggregate a large number of small processing
elements to build a massive, global, scalable infrastructure.
-- Reduced infrastructure costs by leveraging commodity hardware for all
EPC components and separating software and hardware upgrade and
replacement cycles.
-- Greater utilization of infrastructure by matching capacity with demand,
raising asset utilization from today's sub 20 percent mark to greater
than 80 percent.
-- Ability to layer SDN around current infrastructure solutions, avoiding
the need to rip-and-replace network hardware.
-- Apply network-wide policies that allow new business models and pricing
plans for bulk service offered to enterprise customers.
About ConteXtream
ConteXtream, Inc. is a rapidly emerging network virtualization solution provider that creates a new business model for wireless carriers by allowing them to sell network capacity in the same way cloud computing providers sell compute and storage capacity. Deployed by tier-1 operators, ConteXtream's Grid software is a Software-Defined Networking (SDN) solution that facilitates elastic provisioning of network capacity and its dynamic allocation to multiple enterprise customers based on their exact needs, much like multi-tenant cloud providers do for other infrastructure services. Headquartered in Palo Alto, Calif., ConteXtream is backed by Benhamou Global Ventures, Gemini Israel Funds, Norwest Venture Partners and Sofinnova Ventures as well as Comcast Interactive Capital and Verizon Investments. For additional information, visit http://www.contextream.com.
WPG Americas Inc. Launches Online Store Featuring GainSpan Products
SAN JOSE, Calif., Oct. 2, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- WPG Americas Inc. (WPGA) has launched their online store featuring the Ultra low power Embedded Wi-Fi semiconductor and software solutions from GainSpan. This is the first step in WPGA making their supplier products available in an online web store.
"We are excited to announce availability of GainSpan products through our new online products store. It's an easy and secure way for purchasing and design engineering groups to review and make product selections to fit their needs," said Rich Davis, Vice President, Sales and Engineering Solutions.
"We are thrilled that WPGA has chosen GainSpan to be featured as the inaugural supplier in its new online store. Our experience shows that today designers want to be able to order at anytime and providing that flexibility is important to secure first and subsequent orders," said Bernard Aboussouan, Vice President of Marketing, GainSpan. "This additional, efficient distribution channel will be of tremendous benefit in bringing our low-power embedded Wi-Fi solutions to WPGA's customer base, as well as to many new, prospective customers."
About WPG Americas Inc.
Headquartered in San Jose, CA, WPG Americas Inc. is a member of WPG Holdings, a $12B worldwide distributor of semiconductors, passive, electro-mechanical and display products. Founded in November 2007, WPGA is a franchised partner for leading technology suppliers. As a member of WPG Holdings, WPGA is uniquely positioned to offer total solutions to its diverse customer base. WPGA continues to introduce new leading edge technologies, quality service and design-in focus through its superior engineering programs. For more information, visit http://www.wpgamericas.com.
About GainSpan
GainSpan is the leading semiconductor solutions company in low power Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi connectivity for the Internet of Things. It's easy-to-use chips, modules and software, let customers leverage the large base of Wi-Fi access points and smart phones to create connected products for healthcare, smart energy and control/monitoring in industrial, commercial and residential markets. The solutions feature an ultra-low power SoC that consumes just a few µA of standby current and goes from standby to active mode in a few ms, ideal for battery operated devices requiring long life. The Wi-Fi chip handles all Wi-Fi functionalities, networking and security stacks. http://www.gainspan.com
Dodilio: A Social Network For The Professional Investment Community To Access Custom Research, Launched Oct. 1
NEW YORK, Oct. 2, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Dodilio, the first global network allowing investment professionals to generate, consume, and collaboratively develop customized research products and services on demand, announced that its site, http://www.dodilio.com, has gone live.
Dodilio is a virtual auction platform that instantly matches research producers with research consumers. This market bridges the existing push-pull research delivery gap, allowing pre-qualified members to create and share better information and optimize investment decisions.
The Dodilio network serves the needs of the four primary stakeholders in the broader investment community:
-- Investors overloaded with low- (or no-) value research -- often
standardized information repackaged by dozens of different sources --
compromising investors' ability to access the best research and wasting
their time and money.
Solution: Dodilio allows investors to quickly and efficiently access the specific information they need, on select social networks and forums that will help them satisfy their investment objectives, improving the quality of research received.
-- Research providers finding it increasingly difficult to identify timely,
value-added topics of research, as well as to identify and target
customers willing to pay for their expertise and services.
Solution: Dodilio helps research providers better monetize their knowledge and time by identifying potential clients that are willing to pay for specific types of research.
-- Investor relations professionals finding it difficult to satisfy ongoing
demands for lead generation in the professional investment community and
the facilitating of high-quality corporate access events, while
maintaining corporate transparency.
Solution: Dodilio helps investor relations professionals identify key influencers of their client's stock, and facilitates higher quality research.
-- Professional service providers such as lawyers, doctors and scientists
needing an independent and efficient channel of access to distribute
expertise to the investment community.
Solution: Dodilio's lead generation tool helps these professionals monetize their expertise with clients that are willing to pay.
Upon logging onto Dodilio, users are directed to a dashboard that allows them to filter noise from the broader social networks and focus on only investment-worthy posts as well as relevant interactions that occur over the Dodilio platform. At the heart of Dodilio is an auction exchange where users can request custom research, such as a tour to visit Chinese coal companies. Dodilio's auction exchange will identify the optimal provider(s) to conduct this research for you.
In addition, Dodilio is the only median of distribution that enables consumers of custom research to remain anonymous.
"The traditional sell-side research market has been in secular decline for over a decade," said Dodilio founder, Peter Wright. "Two segments in the research market, however, have continued to grow over the past decade - corporate access services and custom research - the two major niches on which we intend to focus."
Dodilio is led by a highly experienced management team, including:
Peter Wright, Founder. A top-rated analyst at both Fidelity (buy-side) and CIBC (sell-side). A Director of Research at Tradition, where he managed the company's research and research sales department.
Robert McDermott, President of Enterprise Sales. Twenty-five years experience selling document solutions; founder of $20M+ document solutions business, and top salesman at Xerox.
David Parrella, Chief Technology Officer. Twenty-five years multi-national experience in IT strategy, systems architecture and project management. Led successful IPO of Proteon, a high-tech networking company; a founding member of Benchmarking Partners.
John Schneller, Chief Operational Officer. Twenty years in various investment capacities: research, fund management, investment banking, as well as multiple entrepreneurial ventures.
In addition, Dodilio has a seasoned Board of Advisors including:
Kevin Carroll, Founder of Pulse Trading
Jeff Forbes, Director of Research at State Street Global Markets
Paul Jackson, Former Fidelity Global Technology Money Manager
Mike McCarthy, Director, National Investor Relations Institute (NIRI), Boston Chapter
Marc Paley, Former Head of Global Equities at Lehman Brothers
Paul Scura, Former Head of Investment Banking at Prudential Securities
Dodilio is a subscription-based model designed solely for professional participants in the research market. Dodilio is not a direct toll-taker and no research transaction costs occur on the Dodilio site.
To watch a 90 SECOND VIDEO OVERVIEW of Dodilio, please visit our website http://www.dodilio.com and click Watch Video. For information on becoming a Dodilio member, please email support@dodilio.com or call 855-DODILIO (855-363-4546).
Bold New Player Launches in Nonprofit CRM Market Led by 30-Year Industry Veteran Jay Love
Bloomerang Provides Innovative Donor Management Tool for Small- to Mid-Sized Nonprofits; Selected Beta Users in all 50 States to Sample the Product at No Cost
INDIANAPOLIS, Oct. 2, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- There's an exciting new entrant to the nonprofit fundraising software market providing a simple, easy-to-use interface.
Bloomerang, led by former eTapestry founder and current Avectra Senior Vice President Jay Love, is launching its online management system to help small- and mid-size nonprofits reach, engage and most importantly, retain the commitment of the people who share their vision.
"Bloomerang is a revolutionary product focused on donor retention and loyalty, the lifeblood of any smaller nonprofit," Love said. "The scariest metric in this sector is that far too many nonprofits average a 60 percent or less donor retention rate year over year. Bloomerang is designed to address this problem."
Bloomerang offers exciting features, including:
-- A unique, friendly interface designed not by a programmer, but by a
graphic artist, to mirror what people like on the Web; no more multiple
rows of tabs.
-- It's designed to integrate easily with existing applications via a free
API.
-- Unlimited User pricing.
-- It incorporates the concepts of Building Donor Loyalty, the definitive
guide to donor retention and loyalty, written by Bloomerang advisor Dr.
Adrian Sargeant.
In a special arrangement, Avectra will be the marketing partner and world-wide reseller of Bloomerang while Jay Love continues to lead the nonprofit practice of Avectra, the leader in association and nonprofit social constituent relationship management (CRM) software. Bloomerang will directly serve smaller nonprofits and share leads with Avectra who will sell to the mid-market. Larger non-profits, seeking the flexibility and strength typically associated with enterprise software, will be served by Avectra's Social CRM Enterprise. Avectra's family of products is in use by more than 1,400 organizations daily and like Bloomerang is built upon Microsoft.Net technology.
"Jay Love has a proven track record of delivering software to meet the diverse needs of the non-profit community," said Richard Davis, chairman and CEO of Avectra. "In light of recent market consolidation, I anticipate today's announcement will be welcomed by hundreds, if not thousands, of organizations who feel stuck with the lack of viable solutions to help them build donor loyalty and achieve fundraising success. Avectra is excited to partner with Bloomerang to provide yet another fresh innovative solution to the non-profit community."
"Bloomerang injects donor retention expertise and an exciting new ease-of-use interface for smaller nonprofits that are looking for an intuitive solution to improve donor engagement," Love said. "My experience in working with over 10,000 charities crystallizes the sad truth that many fundraising systems are only being utilized at fraction of their capabilities due to complexity involved. Bloomerang is so intuitive we will offer every potential customer a free 60-day trial, so they can truly experience the difference. We want every small- to mid-size charity possible to experience this new breed of nonprofit CRM!"
As part of its launch, Bloomerang is looking for the first qualified 50 nonprofits - one from each state - to beta test the software for FREE. Interested parties can visit http://www.bloomerang.co\beta to learn more and to register for this offer.
Bloomerang is headquartered in Indianapolis and counts Chief Technology Officer Rob Signorelli among its employees. Signorelli is formerly of eTapestry and most recently Fifth Gear.
"Being able to invest in a new business led by a proven leader, which is intentionally not being built to sell to the highest bidder, but to generate long term dividends, exemplary customer service and employment for our region was critical to me," said Todd Katz, former CEO at Bell-Horn and a Bloomerang investor.
Teleflora Increases Work-At-Home Positions For The Christmas Season
500 Additional Work-From-Home Positions will help Deliver Exceptional Service to Teleflora Customers
LOS ANGELES, Oct. 2, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- With the busy holiday shopping season right around the corner, Teleflora, the world's leading flower delivery service has announced that it will be filling 500 seasonal work-at-home Consumer Sales Professional positions due to anticipated holiday order growth. Seasonal work-at-home agents for Teleflora will help customers choose and order the perfect flower arrangements to celebrate milestones like birthdays or anniversaries or assist customers with choosing the perfect holiday floral gift for loved ones and friends.
"As Teleflora's business continues to grow, our work-from-home program allows us to grow with it while at the same time reducing our dependence on outsourced call centers in the U.S. and abroad," said Danielle Ezell, Vice President, Administration Teleflora. "Utilizing work-at-home agents also lets us expand our workforce without geographical restrictions and gives us more flexibility to handle calls regardless of the time zone."
The work-at-home phenomenon is rapidly growing as both employees and employers alike continue to discover the many advantages of telecommuting. Employees who work from home face fewer distractions than their typical office counterparts, and they eliminate some of the less desirable facets of office life such as long commutes and dress codes. Many employees find that working from home also allows for an easier balance of work and family time. Agents can enjoy the flexibility Teleflora offers to pick a work schedule that best fits their personal and family needs.
Applications for the Consumer Sales Professional positions are currently being accepted through November 1. Interested applicants can find more information by going to teleflora.com and searching the careers section or by clicking Teleflora work-at-home positions.
About Teleflora
Teleflora is the world's leading flower delivery service connecting customers with the nation's best local florists for more than 75 years. All of Teleflora's flower arrangements are artistically arranged and hand-delivered in keepsake vases using only the freshest flowers available through its member florist network. Headquartered in Los Angeles, California, Teleflora has over 15,000 member florists throughout the U.S. and Canada, with an additional 20,000 affiliated florists outside North America. Through its extensive member florist network, Web sites including http://www.teleflora.com and http://www.findaflorist.com, and its toll-free line 1-800-TELEFLORA, the company offers consumers fast, convenient and high-quality flowers and keepsake products.
As Industry Confronts 'Do Not Track,' Startup Announces Mobile Behavioral Ad Targeting Without Cookies
Pretarget Changes Name to Sequential Media
NEW YORK, Oct. 2, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Do Not Track" initiative, (a proposed HTTP header field that would request a web application to disable either their tracking or their cross-site tracking of a user) is picking up steam. Microsoft intends to enable Do Not Track by default within Internet Explorer 10 while Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox and Apple Safari currently include the Do Not Track setting, though disabled by default. Behavioral targeter 33Across has already made a plea to offset Do Not Track momentum. Specifically in the mobile space, iOS/Safari browser already disables third party cookies.
Pretarget, which today announced that it is changing its name to Sequential Media, is abandoning the cookie and other common tracking mechanisms such as IP address and fingerprinting and is unveiling patented behavioral ad targeting called "Crowd Targeting(TM)" on the PC and mobile devices.
Crowd Targeting uses HTTP-Referrers which is data passed between web pages in the header and indicate to the destination site where a user is coming from. The most common use of the Referrer today is for web site analytics, which use the Referrer to report on referring SEO keywords and referring sites (backlinks). Because there are billions of web pages on the internet, the referrer makes an effective proxy for audience based targeting without the drawbacks of cookies.
Sequential Media referrer based ad targeting offers many advantages over cookies:
-- Reach the entire audience - not just the 40 percent who accept cookies
-- Real time behavior - not a historical profile
-- Cross-channel in Mobile and PC - Crowd Targeting works across devices
simultaneously
-- Anonymous - it's not user based and there is no tracking or personal
data collection
Sequential Media crawls the internet, indexing and scoring relationships and crowd patterns between web pages. Page relationships are defined by a weighted keyword which can be targeted by advertisers.
"Finding the equivalent of the PC cookie is key to unlocking the potential of mobile advertising," Brian Monahan said, Managing Partner of Intelligence Practice at IPG's Magna Global.
A survey of 500 internet users by Sequential Media finds that 63 percent of people block, disable or delete browser cookies, significantly more than previously thought. This key finding highlights the inherent flaw in using browser cookies as the standard mechanism for online advertising targeting, measurement and tracking: cookies only reach about 1/3 of a given audience.
Dating back to 2005, numerous third parties have reported that 39 to 56 percent of users delete cookies each month. However, what these studies have overlooked is the number of users who have simply disabled cookies or have browser plugins and software to block cookies. The Sequential Media survey finds that in addition to 32 percent of users who delete cookies, an additional 25 percent of users block or disable cookies.
Disable, Block or Delete Total
------------------------ -----
No 37.30%
--- -----
Yes, Blocking 11.35%
------------- -----
Yes, Delete 32.25%
----------- -----
Yes, Disabling 14.77%
-------------- -----
Yes, Other 4.32%
---------- ----
Source: Sequential Media, 2012, nP0
-------------------------------------
"These findings should have huge implications in an industry where the 'cookie' is the sacred cow," Sequential Media Founder & CXO Keith Pieper said. "Cookies have always been the 'dirty little secret' among those in the know - cookies are terrible mechanisms for targeting, tracking and reporting. From frequency capping to behavioral segmentation - the cookie is dead."
Sequential Media did not find a significant difference between users based on location (Home or Work) or device type (Mobile vs PC). However, the method of deleting, blocking or disabling cookies did vary by device type. Findings of the survey are found in the white paper entitled "Cookies Are Out, Crowds Are In" which is available for download at http://www.sequentialmedia.com/about/resources/
Sequential Media is currently offering limited beta testing opportunities for publishers and advertisers in the fourth quarter. Please contact Sequential Media at 415-894-0482 or http://www.SequentialMedia.com to learn more.
About Sequential Media
Sequential Media provides scalable behavioral ad targeting in the mobile web without the use of cookies. We use patented and patent-pending algorithms to crawl the internet, index relationships and score patterns between web pages and enable advertisers to reach users on these paths with keyword targeting. Advertisers reach more users based on real time behaviors - including the 60 percent of users without cookies. Publishers see incremental revenue without audience data leakage. Sequential Media preserves privacy as no user data is targeted, collected or tracked.
Espial Joins DASH Industry Forum, Optimizes Espial MediaBase for MPEG-DASH Streaming
OTTAWA, Oct. 2, 2012 /CNW/ - Espial, a leader in on-demand TV software and solutions, today announced that
the company's Espial MediaBase on-demand video platform now supports MPEG-DASH, a new adaptive
streaming protocol that is being rapidly adopted across the pay-TV
industry. Espial has also confirmed its affiliation with the DASH
Industry Forum, an organization that encourages mass adoption of the
MPEG-DASH standard, through a formal membership.
"Pay-TV service providers are challenged to choose among different
protocols for streaming HTTP video," said Kirk Edwardson, director of
marketing at Espial. "We believe the MPEG-DASH standard will continue
to gather momentum with its support for on-demand, time-shift and live
TV applications, multiple DRM formats, and selectable streams. By
adding support for MPEG-DASH to our Espial MediaBase solution, we're
enabling service providers to provide a richer user experience for live
and VOD content on any screen."
Espial MediaBase is a high-performance multimedia delivery system that
leverages commercial-off-the-shelf hardware for industry-leading
streaming density for the management and distribution of video content
to any screen, including Smart TVs, PCs, tablets, and smartphones. By
supporting a universal HTTP delivery format, Espial MediaBase enables
cable, IPTV, and satellite providers to deliver a wide range of
on-demand services more efficiently, including VOD, time-shift TV,
network PVR, and live TV, while maximizing network resources.
As one of the newest members of the DASH Industry Forum, Espial will
partner with many of the industry's leading technology providers and
media organizations to accelerate the acceptance and deployment of
MPEG-DASH. The DASH Industry Forum members believe that using an open
international standard for multimedia delivery over the Internet will
accelerate market growth; enable interoperability between content
preparation tools, servers, CDNs, and end devices; and reduce the cost
of video delivery.
More information about Espial MediaBase and the company's other products
is available at http://www.espial.com. More information about the DASH
Industry Forum is available at http://dashif.org.
About DASH Industry Forum
The DASH Industry Forum is a group of interested parties collaborating
on promotion of MPEG's DASH specification (ISO/IEC 23009) in the
industry and other standards organizations and consortia. DASH Industry
Forum is not a standardization group and will not develop any specific
technical output that can be referenced by industry. To learn more
about the DASH Industry Forum, visit dashif.org.
Espial is a leading supplier of digital TV and IPTV software and
solutions to cable MSOs and telecommunications operators as well as
consumer electronics manufacturers. Espial's middleware,
video-on-demand, and browser products power a diverse range of pay-TV
and Internet TV business models. Over 10 million licenses of its
patented software are in use across the world. Espial is headquartered
in Ottawa, Canada and has offices in the United States, Europe, and
Asia. Visit http://www.espial.com or contact via phone at +1 613 230 4770.
Commtouch Completes Acquisition of FRISK Software Antivirus Business
Acquisition allows Commtouch to accelerate delivery of advanced antivirus solutions featuring industry-leading detection capabilities
MCLEAN, Virginia, October 2, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --
Commtouch(R) (NASDAQ: CTCH), a leading provider of cloud-based solutions for security
companies and service providers, today announced it has closed the purchase of
Iceland-based FRISK Software International's antivirus business, as of October 1, 2012.
The acquisition dramatically accelerates Commtouch's antivirus roadmap and enables the
company to more quickly provide the most advanced antivirus technology utilizing the
combined resources of both organizations. It also helps support the launch of private
label antivirus solutions for the OEM and service provider markets while also enhancing
the company's SaaS capabilities.
Additionally, it also allows both companies to combine resources and support the
upcoming launch of version 7 of the F-PROT Antivirus product that features unrivaled
heuristic detection capabilities. The latest version of F-PROT Antivirus is set to feature
new capabilities that harness the specialties of both FRISK Software and Commtouch,
resulting in F-PROT's most advanced solution to date. It will also include rebranding
capabilities and multilingual support in eight languages.
"We're extremely pleased to announce the completion of our acquisition of FRISK
Software's antivirus business," said Shlomi Yanai, CEO at Commtouch. "This acquisition
illustrates our commitment to offering the latest protection technologies and the best
detection on the market. The operational synergies and key intellectual property that
FRISK Software brings allow Commtouch to accelerate its antivirus strategy and offer an
industry-leading private label antivirus application that both vendors and service
providers can use to differentiate themselves from competition. The acquisition of FRISK
Software is yet another example of how we're building an even stronger Commtouch with
unmatched expertise and clear growth prospects."
For more information on Commtouch, FRISK Software and the acquisition, visit http://www.commtouch.com.
About Commtouch
Commtouch(R) (NASDAQ: CTCH) safeguards the world's leading security companies and
service providers with cloud-based Internet security services. Real-time threat
intelligence from Commtouch's GlobalView(TM) Cloud powers its Web filtering, email
security and antivirus solutions, protecting thousands of organizations and hundreds of
millions of users worldwide. Visit http://www.commtouch.com.
Recurrent Pattern Detection, RPD, Zero-Hour and GlobalView are trademarks, and
Commtouch is a registered trademark of Commtouch. U.S. Patent No. 6,330,590 is owned by
Commtouch. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
This press release contains forward-looking statements, including projections about
our business, within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section
21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. For example, statements in the future tense,
and statements including words such as "expect," "plan," "estimate," "anticipate," or
"believe" are forward-looking statements. These statements are based on information
available to us at the time of the release; we assume no obligation to update any of them.
The statements in this release, including those relating to a) the acceleration of
Commtouch's launch of an expanded range of antivirus solutions for the OEM market, and b)
the effect the transaction will have on Commtouch's SaaS capabilities, are not guarantees
of future performance and actual results could differ materially from our current
expectations as a result of numerous factors, including business conditions and growth or
deterioration in the Internet market, commerce and the general economy, both domestic as
well as international; fewer than expected new-partner relationships; competitive factors,
including pricing pressures; technological developments, and products offered by
competitors; the ability of our OEM partners to successfully penetrate markets with
products integrated with Commtouch technology; a slower than expected acceptance rate for
our newer product offerings; availability of qualified staff; and technological
difficulties and resource constraints encountered in developing new products, as well as
those risks described in the text of this press release and the company's Annual Reports
on Form 20-F and reports on Form 6-K, which are available through http://www.sec.gov.
Company Contact:
Ron Ela
Commtouch
650-864-2291
+972-9-8636813 (Int'l)
ron.ela@commtouch.com
Israel Investor Relations Contact:
Iris Lubitch
EffectiveIR
+972-3-5664007
Iris@EffectiveIR.co.il
ron.ela@commtouch.com
U.S. Investor Contact:
Christopher Chu
Grayling
+1-646-284-9400
commtouch@grayling.com
Commtouch Media Contact:
Matthew Zintel
Zintel Public Relations
+1-281-444-1590
matthew.zintel@zintelpr.com
Epiphanies, Inc. Opens the 2012 A-Ha! Social Business Summit to Attendees Worldwide
The 4th Annual "A-Ha!" Social Business Summit, an energetic, bold, award-winning social media conference, opens its doors to national and global attendees via livestream and video on-demand for entrepreneurs, passionate professionals, trailblazers, and biz dynamos worldwide.
GILFORD, N.H., Oct. 2, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- To help passionate professionals, entrepreneurs, and brand champions from around the world, Epiphanies, Inc. will host the 2012 "A-Ha!" Social Business Summit on Friday, November 16th, 2012. Produced in partnership with Southern New Hampshire University, the theme this year is "Discover. Align. EVOLVE." The award-winning social media conference is open to national and global attendees for the first time via livestream and video on demand, as well as local live attendees at SNHU's state-of-the-art Conference and Dining Center. Early-bird pricing is available for a limited time. For more details, and to register or sponsor, go to http://www.AhaSummit.com.
Lani and Allen Voivod, Allies in Possibility at Epiphanies, Inc. and founders of the 4th Annual Summit, design and serve as emcees for the day-long event. Speakers, Panelists, and Livestream Hosts include business leaders, executives, managers, and directors from:
Constant Contact
Dyn, Inc.
Epiphanies, Inc.
Hubspot
Human Business Works
Meltwater Group
Flock Marketing
Flyte New Media
Southern New Hampshire University
Stay Work Play
The Common Man
The Moore Center
The Pulse Network
"This year's speakers are tackling the most important social media topics of the coming year," says Lani Voivod. "Mobile marketing, online branding, social networking, reputation management, Pinterest, social storytelling, and inbound marketing are all on tap." Panel discussions explore "The Future of Digital Engagement," and "Facebook Success Stories: Tales From the Social Trenches."
Continental breakfast, lunch, and refreshments are included for live event attendees. Digital Ticketholders get access to bonus video content on demand, in addition to the livestream and recording of all "A-Ha!" Summit Speaker and Panel sessions. To learn more, go to http://www.AhaSummit.com.
About Epiphanies, Inc.
Hailed as ''visionary'' and ''two of the most creative thinkers in the industry'' by the NH Division of Economic Development, Lani and Allen Voivod share powerful social marketing strategies through speaking, events, workshops, and their online channels. Their company, Epiphanies, Inc., engages leaders, inspires entrepreneurs, and helps redefine what's possible for bold brands, innovative businesses, and mission-driven organizations. Connect with them at http://www.EpiphaniesInc.com.
Attunity Continues its Expansion Into the Big Data Market With Support for Oracle Exadata
Attunity Replicate for Exadata to be unveiled at Oracle Open World, Oct 1-4, in San Francisco, CA
BURLINGTON, Massachusetts, October 2, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --
Attunity Ltd. (NASDAQ: ATTU), a leading provider of information availability software
solutions, announced today the availability of Attunity Replicate for Exadata
[http://www.attunity.com/products/attunity-replicate-for-exadata ], a new data replication
solution designed to enable quick loading of Big Data into and out of Oracle Exadata. The
solution further expands Attunity's reach into the Big Data Market and features targeted
optimizations that result in high performance and rapid implementation. Attunity Replicate
for Exadata enables organizations to deliver initiatives such as Big Data business
intelligence (BI) and enterprise analytics, and will be unveiled at Attunity Booth #3220
during the Oracle Open World event in San Francisco, CA, from October 1-4, 2012.
Attunity Replicate for Exadata is designed to empower Oracle customers to quickly load
data from heterogeneous data sources and maintain the changed data continuously and
efficiently. The latter function is facilitated via log-based change data capture (CDC)
technology; streaming changes captured from the source databases to the data warehouse
with very low impact on the source.
Attunity Replicate for Exadata features:
- High-performance full loads and continuous change data capture
- Support for a wide range of data sources including relational databases & legacy systems
- Drag-and-drop graphical user interface for designing and monitoring replication tasks
- Automatic schema generation and implementation of metadata changes on the target
- Transparent data type transformations between source and target
"Attunity is pleased to add support for Oracle Exadata, one of the most widely-used
data warehouses in the world, as well as continue to expand on our ever-growing market,"
explained Matt Benati, VP Global Marketing at Attunity. "Increasingly, we meet customers
that are challenged to load Big Data quickly into highly parallelized data warehouses due
to the Big Data transfer bottleneck. It's gratifying to know that we've been able to
respond swiftly to this industry need and assist customers to use Big Data for enterprise
BI and analytics."
Attunity has supplied innovative software solutions to its enterprise-class customers
for nearly 20 years and has successful deployments at thousands of organizations
worldwide. Attunity provides software directly and indirectly through a number of partners
such as Microsoft, Oracle, IBM and HP. Headquartered in Boston, Attunity serves its
customers via offices in North America, Europe, and Asia Pacific and through a network of
local partners. For more information, visit http://www.attunity.com or our In Tune
blog [http://www.attunity.com/blog ] and join our community on Twitter
[http://www.twitter.com/attunity ], Facebook [http://www.facebook.com/attunity ], LinkedIn
[http://linkd.in/attunity ] and YouTube [http://www.youtube.com/attunity ].
Safe Harbor Statement
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the "safe
harbor" provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and other
Federal Securities laws. Statements preceded by, followed by, or that otherwise include
the words "believes", "expects", "anticipates", "intends", "estimates", "plans", and
similar expressions or future or conditional verbs such as "will", "should", "would",
"may" and "could" are generally forward-looking in nature and not historical facts.
Because such statements deal with future events, they are subject to various risks and
uncertainties and actual results could differ materially from Attunity's current
expectations.
Factors that could cause or contribute to such differences include, but are not
limited to: risks and uncertainties relating to the acquisition of RepliWeb, including
costs and difficulties related to integration of acquired businesses, the combined
companies' financial results and performance, and ability to repay debt and timing
thereof; our liquidity challenges and the need to raise additional capital in the future;
market acceptance of the Attunity Replicate and the development of a market for such
product; timely availability and customer acceptance of Attunity's new and existing
products; any unforeseen developmental or technological difficulties with regard to
Attunity's products; changes in the competitive landscape, including new competitors or
the impact of competitive pricing and products; a shift in demand for products such as
Attunity's products; unknown factors affecting third parties with which Attunity has
formed business alliances; the impact on revenues of economic and political uncertainties
and weaknesses in various regions of the world, including the commencement or escalation
of hostilities or acts of terrorism; and other factors and risks on which Attunity may
have little or no control. This list is intended to identify only certain of the principal
factors that could cause actual results to differ.
For a more detailed description of the risks and uncertainties affecting Attunity,
reference is made to Attunity's latest Annual Report on Form 20-F/A, which is on file with
the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the other risk factors discussed from
time to time by Attunity in reports filed or furnished to the SEC. Except as otherwise
required by law, Attunity undertakes no obligation to publicly release any revisions to
these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof
or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.
(c) Attunity 2012. All Rights Reserved. Attunity is a registered trademark of Attunity
Inc. All other product and company names herein may be trademarks of their respective
owners.
Press contact:
Melissa Kolodziej, Director of Marketing Communications, Attunity
melissa.kolodziej@attunity.com
Tel: +1-781-730-4073
Allot's Tier 1 APAC Customer Adds New Allot Caching Solution
Large order from existing customer demonstrates need for effective caching solutions to meet video demands
HOD HASHARON, Israel, October 2, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --
Allot Communications Ltd [http://www.allot.com ]. (NASDAQ, TASE: ALLT
[http://www.irconnect.com/allt/pages/stock-quote.html ]), a leading supplier of service
optimization and revenue generation solutions for fixed and mobile broadband service
providers worldwide, announced today the receipt of a large order for the new Allot
MediaSwift-E caching solution. The solution incorporates the caching technology from the
recently acquired Oversi Networks together with Allot Service Gateway to deliver a
high-performance caching product that accelerates media delivery and significantly
improves customer quality of experience (QoE). The order is from an existing multi-million
dollar APAC fixed operator customer.
Through transparent caching, Allot MediaSwift-E makes video delivery more efficient
and affordable. The solution provides 4 to 10 times faster delivery of over-the-top video,
saving operators up to 30% on core, transit and backhaul bandwidth required. Its
out-of-band deployment architecture enables broadband operators to scale and keep pace
with the ever-growing volume of rich-media traffic. Allot MediaSwift-E is designed to
complement any Content Delivery Network, paving the way for broadband operators to become
an indispensable link in the Internet video value chain.
"By deploying Allot MediaSwift-E, operators benefit from an effective caching system
designed to grow with their business and to provide the quality of experience that video
consumers demand," said Andrei Elefant, Allot VP Product Management & Marketing. "We are
proud that this existing customer has recognized the value of the Oversi Networks caching
technology now available through MediaSwift-E and we look forward to further helping them
plan and implement strategic video solutions."
About Allot
Allot Communications Ltd. (NASDAQ, TASE: ALLT) is a leading global provider of
intelligent solutions to optimize and monetize over-the-top Internet traffic in fixed and
mobile broadband networks and large enterprises. Allot Service Gateway offers service
providers a broad range of value-added services in a single platform, which include the
analytics, policy control, video optimization, video caching and charging that are vital
to managing fixed and mobile data, enhancing user experience, containing operating costs,
and enabling service providers to generate revenues from their broadband networks. Allot's
rich portfolio of solutions leverages dynamic actionable recognition technology (DART) to
transform broadband pipes into smart networks that can rapidly and efficiently deploy
value added Internet services. For more information, please visit http://www.allot.com.
Safe Harbor Statement
Information provided in this press release may contain statements relating to current
expectations, estimates, forecasts and projections about future events that are
"forward-looking statements" as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of
1995. These forward-looking statements generally relate to the Company's plans, objectives
and expectations for future operations. These forward-looking statements are based upon
management's current estimates and projections of future results or trends. Actual results
may differ materially from those projected as a result of certain risks and uncertainties.
These factors include, but are not limited to: our ability to increase the breadth and
functionality of the Service Gateway platform, changes in general economic and business
conditions; the Company's inability to develop and introduce new technologies, products
and applications; loss of market; and other factors discussed under the heading "Risk
Factors" in the Company's annual report on Form 20-F filed with the Securities and
Exchange Commission. These forward-looking statements are made only as of the date hereof,
and the Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise the forward-looking
statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
For further information please contact:
Maya Lustig
Director of Corporate Communications
Allot Communications Ltd.
International access code +972-9-761-6851
International access code +972-54-677-8100
mlustig@allot.com
HTC Introduces The HTC One(TM) X+. More Speed, More Storage And More Battery Life Make HTC's Best Rated Android Phone, Even Better
HTC also announces Sense(TM) 4+ with Android Jelly Bean upgrades for HTC One X and HTC One S coming soon
TAIPEI, Taiwan, Oct. 2, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- HTC, a global leader in mobile innovation and design, today unveiled the HTC One(TM) X+, a refreshed version of its award winning HTC One(TM) X smartphone, running the HTC Sense(TM) 4+ experience on Android(TM) Jelly Bean. The HTC One(TM) X+ combines the iconic design, amazing camera and authentic audio experience of the HTC One series, with increased performance, longer battery life and expanded internal storage.
"We are taking the HTC One(TM) X to a new level with the introduction of the new HTC One(TM) X+," said Peter Chou, CEO of HTC Corporation. "Our customers will have super-fast browsing, an even better camera and more immersive entertainment with Beats Audio."
Performance, Endurance and Storage
Featuring a 1.7 GHz quad-core NVIDIA(®) Tegra(®) 3 AP37 processor and 64GB of internal storage, the HTC One(TM) X+ LTE version is up to 67% faster than the HTC One(TM) X[1] LTE, making the HTC One(TM) X+ the best rated Android phone on the market. Developed to be lightning fast, the HTC One(TM) X+ enables quicker web browsing, fluid gaming and graphic rendering, and speedy downloads, providing effortless usage on the go.
In addition to its increased performance speeds, the HTC One(TM) X+ introduces extended performance with the inclusion of a 2100 mAh battery, giving you up to 50% (6 hours) more talk time, and longer to browse the web and enjoy your favorite music and videos[2].
Imaging, Music and Movies
Combining the amazing camera capabilities of its predecessor[3]* with a series of intelligent features, powered by Sense(TM) 4+, the HTC One(TM) X+ has been designed to deliver the most premium mobile experience. The newly launched Self Portrait mode on the front camera helps you capture high quality photos by intuitively detecting the human face at various angles and applying subtle enhancements to skin and eyes. Sightseeing mode makes sure you'll always be ready to capture the moment - one touch of the power button bypasses the lock screen and launches directly into the camera. Two new views in the Gallery display images and videos and group them according to where and when they were taken.
Exclusively available on HTC smartphones, Beats Audio(TM) provides authentic, studio-quality sound that delivers the most immersive sound experience with an enhanced audio profile, crisper vocals and detailed high notes for your music, games, movies and videos. Making it easier to listen to music out loud, and through Sense(TM) 4+, the HTC One(TM) X+ introduces a new Tap and Go function, which allows you to connect the phone and your music to Beats speakers[4] when you tap them. To disconnect, it is just another quick tap.
Providing exclusive access to thousands of movies through HTC Watch 2.0, the HTC One(TM) X+ will appeal to both the avid film fan and the casual movie-goer. Combined with the introduction of video hub, another benefit of Sense(TM) 4+, for the first time you will be able to put all your video entertainment in a single place.
Easy Set Up
A new feature in the HTC One(TM) X+ is HTC Get Started, a new web service that guides the user painlessly through the set-up and personalisation process from a desktop web browser. Designed to enhance the experience of setting up a phone for the first time, this feature ensures that users will get the most out of their new phone from the beginning. With the touch of a button, the user's phone will reflect the settings and apps that were chosen on the Web. Visit start.htc.com for more details.
Availability
The HTC One(TM) X+ will be available in Europe and North Asia from October and in South Asia from November 2012. North America will make a separate announcement regarding availability of the HTC One(TM) X+. The Android Jelly Bean with HTC(TM) Sense 4+ update is scheduled to begin rolling out for the HTC One(TM) S and HTC One(TM) X from October.
About HTC
Founded in 1997, HTC Corp. (HTC) is the creator of many award-winning mobile devices and industry firsts. By putting people at the center of everything it does, HTC pushes the boundaries of design and technology to create innovative and personal experiences for consumers around the globe. HTC's portfolio includes smartphones and tablets powered by HTC Sense(®), a multilayered graphical user interface that vastly improves user experience. HTC is listed on the Taiwan Stock Exchange (TWSE: 2498). For more information, please visit http://www.htc.com.
The names of companies and products mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners.
[1] HTC One(TM) X+ (non LTE) is up to 27% faster than the HTC One(TM)X (non LTE). Source: HTC internal testing
[2] HTC One(TM) X+ has up to 37% more talk time than the HTC One(TM) X (up to 50% for LTE version). 6 hours more talk time (LTE version) and 4.7 hours more talk time (non LTE) when compared to the HTC One(TM) X. Source: HTC internal testing
[3] 8MP camera with an f/2.0 wide aperture lens, backside-illuminated (BSI) sensor, Video Pic, HDR and one-press Continuous Shooting
[4] Tap and Go only works on selected Beats speakers, which are sold separately to the handset
/K I L L K I L L K I L L -- RS Components: RS Components First to Bring New Open-Source Arduino Starter Kit to Market/
We are advised by RS Components that journalists and other readers should disregard the news release "RS Components First to Bring New Open-Source Arduino Starter Kit to Market", issued earlier today over PR Newswire.
RS Components First to Bring New Open-Source Arduino Starter Kit to Market
LONDON, October 2, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --
Based on the open-source Arduino Uno board, this new educational kit,
currently available only from RS, aids entry-level electronics design
RS Components [http://uk.rs-online.com/web ] (RS), the trading brand of
Electrocomponents plc [http://www.electrocomponents.com ] (LSE:ECM), the world's leading
high service distributor of electronics and maintenance products, has announced exclusive
stock availability of a new starter kit for Uno, the well-known Arduino
[http://uk.rs-online.com/web/generalDisplay.html?id=arduino ] low-cost and open-source
electronics prototyping board for professional embedded system engineers, students, and
enthusiasts.
The new starter kit has been developed together with a series of ten video tutorials
[http://uk.rs-online.com/web/generalDisplay.html?id=videos/arduino ] hosted by Arduino
co-founder Massimo Banzi. Ideally used in conjunction with the videos, the kit provides an
open-source electronics prototyping platform based on flexible, easy-to-use hardware and
software. It contains all of the essential components required to start programming with
the Arduino Uno board, and a guidebook featuring 15 different projects, which are designed
to evolve the user from beginner to professional level. Comprising a motor, servomotor and
driver, the kit also offers particular benefits to users wishing to apply mechatronics to
their designs.
The Arduino Uno is based on the Atmel ATmega328 32-bit microcontroller, with 32KB of
Flash memory, 2KB of SRAM and 1KB of EEPROM. It supports Windows, OS X and Linux operating
systems, in common with the open-source IDE, which can be downloaded free-of-charge. The
Uno has 14 digital input/output pins (of which 6 can be used as PWM outputs), 6 analogue
inputs, a 16 MHz crystal oscillator, a USB connection, a power jack, an ICSP header, and a
reset button. There are 3 different options to power the board: via a USB cable, an AC-DC
adapter or a battery.
A series of peripheral boards, known as shields, are available to plug into the top of
the main Arduino PCB, providing an interface to components for a gamut of applications,
including the Motor Shield, which enables the control of DC motors and read encoders, and
the Ethernet Shield for connectivity.
"Arduino has been a pioneer in low-cost open-source development, creating an
accessible environment for both skilled and budding electronics engineers," said Glenn
Jarrett, Head of Product Marketing, RS. "This new kit, along with the practical and
instructive video series, is set to enthuse and inform a whole raft of users, from
qualified engineers to those just embarking on their first taste of electronics design."
Massimo Banzi, Arduino Co-Founder, commented, "RS has clearly demonstrated, through
initiatives like DesignSpark [http://www.designspark.com ], that supporting today's and
tomorrow's engineers is at the core of their business ethos. This commitment to
electronics design, along with their global presence, service excellence and ongoing
projects to ease the online sourcing and ordering process, makes them the ideal
distribution partner to take our new Arduino kit to users worldwide."
The new Arduino starter kit is available exclusively from RS Components until October
16th, 2012, with continued RS stock availability after this date. To order the
competitively priced kit from RS for same-day despatch, visit the RS Components Arduino
[http://uk.rs-online.com/web/generalDisplay.html?id=arduino ] page online.
Video Synopses:
Video 1 Learning the Tool
Difficulty level: Beginner
You'll make a simple circuit with some switches, an LED, and a resistor. In doing so,
you'll learn about the basics of electricity and how to wire up components on a
breadboard.
Video 2 Spaceship Interface
Difficulty level: Beginner
Your Arduino is going to act as the backdrop to a science fiction movie. You'll get a
couple of lights to blink, only to be interrupted by a switch that will turn a
different light on
Video 3 Love-o-meter
Difficulty level: Beginner
Turning the Arduino into a love machine! Using an analog input, you're going to
register just how hot you really are!
Video 4 Light Theremin
Difficulty level: Intermediate/Advanced
Using a photoresistor and a piezo element, you're going to make a light-based theremin.
Video 5 Keyboard
Difficulty level: Intermediate/Advanced
Time to make some noise! With a couple resistors and buttons you're going to build a
small musical instrument.
Video 6 Motorized Pinwheel
Difficulty level: Intermediate
Getting the Arduino to spin a colorful pinwheel using a motor.
Video 7 Crystal Ball
Difficulty level: Advanced
Create a crystal ball to tell your future.
Video 8 Touch Sensor Lamp
Difficulty level: Intermediate/Advanced
Using a third party library, you will create a lamp that turns a light on and off just
by touching some conductive material, no buttons required!
Video 9 Tweak the Arduino Logo
Difficulty level: Advanced
You've done a lot of cool stuff with the physical world, now it's toe to control your
computer with your Arduino.
Video 10 Twitter-controlled Mood Lamp
Difficulty level: Advanced
Let's control the color of a rgb led with a peculiar hashtag. With Arduino, a wifi
shield, an rgb led and 3 220 ohm resistors we will learn how to parse twitter looking
for #arduinoRGB and an hex of the color.
About RS Components
RS Components and Allied Electronics are the trading brands of Electrocomponents plc,
the world's leading high service distributor of electronics and maintenance products. With
operations in 32 countries, we offer more than 550,000 products through the internet,
catalogues and at trade counters to over one million customers, shipping more than 46,000
parcels on the same day the orders are received. Our products, sourced from 2,500 leading
suppliers, include electronics, automation and control, test and measurement, electrical
and mechanical components.
Electrocomponents is listed on the London Stock Exchange and in the last financial
year ended 31 March 2012 had revenues of GBP1.27bn.
Good Technology Signs Agreement to Acquire AppCentral, Inc.
Acquisition Enhances Mobile Application Management, 'Wrapping' and Distribution Capabilities of the Good Dynamics® Platform
SUNNYVALE, Calif. and SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 2, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Good Technology(TM), the leader in secure enterprise mobility solutions, today announced it has signed an agreement to acquire AppCentral Inc., a privately-held innovator in Mobile Application Management ("MAM") and application 'wrapping' technology. AppCentral products allow enterprises to easily distribute, manage, and secure mobile enterprise applications. The transaction will extend the capabilities of the Good Dynamics platform with AppCentral's AppGuardian® application wrapping and AppCentral® Mobile Application Management solutions. These additional solutions will enable enterprises to increase mobile worker productivity while protecting data and applications on today's popular mobile devices. The financial terms of the acquisition are not being disclosed.
"Our goal is to help make it easy for our customers to securely mobilize and empower their workforces with a wide range of devices and productivity applications," said King Lee, president and CEO, Good Technology. "Our acquisition of AppCentral will accelerate and enhance our ability to provide enterprises, ISVs and systems integrators with the ability to secure and manage mobile apps, helping them maximize the power of mobility."
A report by Forrester Research, Inc., recommends that Security and Risk pros should work with the app dev team to design protection and threat mitigation logic into mobile applications. For native apps, it may involve some form of application wrapping or coding security functions directly into the application itself. The same report also recommends that mobile enterprises should use an enterprise app store as a channel to publish, distribute, and manage applications for its users[1]. The combination of AppCentral's enterprise app storefront and 'app wrapping' capabilities with the Good Dynamics platform will deliver the scalability and control needed to manage mobile apps across iOS, Android, and Windows devices.
AppCentral's 'app wrapping' capability builds upon the application security framework, libraries and services available in the Good Dynamics platform. With the addition of AppCentral, Good Dynamics, provides enterprise developers and Independent Software Vendors (ISVs) with the option to either add an application security 'wrapper' without code integration, or integrate Good Dynamics security libraries directly into their application code. While both approaches provide enterprise-grade application security, code integration delivers additional benefits, such as enabling developers to define app-specific policies (e.g. controlling file access in collaboration apps based on size, type, or other attributes) and to publish app services that multiple apps can utilize without having to duplicate code across every app (e.g. "directory lookup", "search", etc.).
"Good has a long history of innovating and integrating cutting-edge enterprise mobility technologies, and we are excited to help extend Good's leadership in what will shortly be a multi-billion dollar addressable market[2]," said Richard Greene, CEO of AppCentral. "The AppCentral® solution with AppGuardian(TM) will complement the Good Dynamics platform and further enable enterprises to deploy and manage high-value business applications without compromising security or control."
The transaction closed on October 1, 2012. Effective immediately, all AppCentral personnel will become full-time employees of Good Technology and the AppCentral headquarters in San Francisco, California will become a Good Technology office.
About AppCentral
Headquartered in San Francisco, California and founded in late 2007, AppCentral, Inc. is a venture-backed start-up that is funded by BlueRun Ventures. Through its unique AppGuardian and AppCentral technology, AppCentral allows enterprises to easily deploy secure enterprise apps while ensuring complete management and control throughout the application lifecycle. Enterprises count on AppCentral to deliver enterprise productivity without compromising data security or compliance. For more information about AppCentral and its offerings, please visit: http://www.appcentral.com.
About Good Technology
Good Technology, the leader in secure enterprise mobility solutions, creates a world where employees can securely connect, communicate, and collaborate using their personal iOS, Android, and Windows Phone devices. A world where IT can manage mobile apps, devices and enterprise data simply and safely to increase overall business productivity. A world where business information can travel wherever it needs to go, without putting sensitive enterprise or personal data at risk. Good Technology's customers include more than 4,000 organizations worldwide, including FORTUNE 100(TM) leaders in financial services, healthcare, retail, telecommunications, manufacturing, legal, and government. Learn more at http://www.good.com.
Epson Expands Line of High Performance Business Printing Solutions with New WorkForce All-in-Ones
Designed for Home and Small Offices, the Printers Boast Fast Speeds, Cost-Saving Features and a Durable Product Design
LONG BEACH, Calif., Oct. 2, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Epson America, Inc., a leading provider of superior performing printing solutions, bolsters its robust line of business printers with four new WorkForce(®) all-in-one printers - the Epson(®) WorkForce WF-3540, WorkForce WF-3520, WorkForce WF-2540 and WorkForce WF-2530. Building on the success of Epson's exclusive WorkForce line, the new models continue to deliver business printing at fast speeds and high-quality, professional-looking documents. In addition, these models offer features for increased productivity and affordability including an improved user interface, multiple paper trays, automatic duplex printing/copying/scanning/faxing, and ink savings up to 40 percent less than color laser(1).
The WorkForce all-in-ones also include built-in wireless(2) and Ethernet networking to easily share among multiple computers, allowing for access to the latest in wireless technology, including the ability to print and scan from mobile devices such as an iPad(®), iPhone(®), tablet, or smartphone(3). With Epson Connect((TM)),( )users can conveniently print documents on-the-go, whether from their couch or across the globe.
"The Epson WorkForce WF-3540, WF-3520, WF-2540 and WF-2530 are durable, high performance all-in-ones that ensure small and home office businesses can run at full speed," said Jennifer Liao, product manager, Consumer Ink Jets, Epson America. "Understanding that productivity and cost are critical to these customers, Epson continues to innovate the WorkForce line to deliver affordable business printing with the world's fastest two-sided print speeds(4), robust paper handling, convenient mobile printing, and easy wireless connectivity in a sleek industrial design."
Fast Speeds and High Performance Features in a Robust, Reliable Design
The WorkForce WF-3540 and WF-3520 offer the world's fastest two-sided print speeds(4) - 15 ISO ppm (black) and 9.2 ISO ppm (color)(**) - and printing costs up to 40 percent lower than color laser printers(1). The two models also offer savings up to 50 percent on paper with automatic two-sided printing, scanning, copying and faxing, making them ideal for eco-conscious, high-volume small or home office use. The WorkForce WF-3540 and WF-3520 offer increased productivity features including high page capacity (500 sheets for the WF-3540; 250 for the WF-3520) and extra high capacity ink cartridges(5) for minimal user intervention. Plus, the 30-sheet duplex ADF, sturdy front paper trays, and rear paper feed accommodate a variety of paper types and stock including envelopes, card stock and other specialty media for increased versatility in paper handling.
The models also offer an improved user interface with features that allow businesses to easily navigate their printer's wide range of features. The WorkForce WF-3540's intuitive 3.5" touch LCD is equipped with new gesture navigation so users can easily "swipe" through the printer menu; and the WF-3520 features a 2.5" LCD with smooth backlit touch panel for improved visibility.
Big Savings in a Sleek, Compact Design
The Epson WorkForce WF-2540 and WF-2530 offer affordable, individual ink cartridges and an unprecedented space saving, compact design - the smallest in their class(6) - making them ideal for space-constrained workspaces in both home office and work environments. These powerful all-in-ones save time with fast speeds - 9 ISO ppm (black) and 4.7 ISO ppm (color) and a 30-sheet ADF to quickly copy scan and fax stacks of originals. The models produce laser-quality text and crisp, vibrant color business documents with instant-dry inks that are water, smudge, and fade-resistant. The WorkForce WF-2540 features a 2.5" LCD for easy navigation and comes with both wired and built-in wireless connectivity for easy setup and sharing on a network. The WorkForce WF-2530 includes PC-fax and OCR software to scan and save documents as text-searchable, editable PDFs(7), all adding up to a full-featured business printer that produces high quality, professional-looking results.
Additional WorkForce all-in-one features include:
-- Epson Connect - Easily print from an iPad, iPhone, tablet, or
smartphone
-- Google Cloud Print((TM)) Ready
-- Print more with extra high capacity(5), individual ink cartridges
-- Compatible with DURABrite(®) Ultra ink for instant-dry and smudge, fade
and water resistant prints
-- More robust product design for 2x the durability (WF-3540 and WF-3520
only)
-- Convenient scanning features including OCR software(7) to save documents
as text-searchable, editable PDFs, and high-speed faxing
-- Built-in USB port to easily share files and transfer documents(8)
-- Uses up to 70 percent less energy than a laser printer when printing
daily jobs(9 )
Pricing and Availability
The EPSON WorkForce WF-3540 ($199.99*), WorkForce WF-3520 ($149.99*), WorkForce WF-2540 ($129.99*), and WorkForce WF-2530 ($99.99*), will be available this fall through major computer, office and electronic superstores, mail order, and the Epson Store, http://www.epsonstore.com. For more information and availability, please visit epson.com/workforce.
About Epson
Epson is a global imaging and innovation leader whose product lineup ranges from inkjet printers and 3LCD projectors to sensors and other microdevices. Dedicated to exceeding the vision of its customers worldwide, Epson delivers customer value based on compact, energy-saving, and high-precision technologies in markets spanning enterprise and the home to commerce and industry. Led by the Japan-based Seiko Epson Corporation, the Epson Group comprises more than 75,000 employees in 97 companies around the world, and is proud of its ongoing contributions to the global environment and the communities in which it operates. To learn more about Epson, please visit http://global.epson.com.
Specifications are subject to change without notice. Epson, DURABrite and WorkForce are registered trademarks, Epson Exceed Your Vision is a registered logomark and Epson Connect is a trademark of Seiko Epson Corporation. All other product and brand names are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of their respective companies. Epson disclaims any and all rights in these marks
(*Estimated street price)
(**)( )ISO ppm is based on ISO/IEC 24734. Black and color print speeds are determined in default, letter-size single-side mode, in accordance with ISO/IEC 24734. Black and color two-sided print speeds are determined in letter-size two-sided mode, in accordance with ISO/IEC 24734. Actual print times will vary based on system configuration, software and page complexity. See http://www.epson.com/printspeed for details, including complete ISO reports
(1 )Compared with the best-selling color laser all-in-ones priced at $450 or less, as of February 2012. Calculation based on continuous printing and prices of multi-pack ink cartridges. Actual savings will vary based on print task and user conditions
(2) Wi-Fi CERTIFIED(TM); level of performance subject to the range of the router being used. Visit http://www.wi-fi.org/files/11nbasics_glossary.pdf for more information. Ethernet not available on WorkForce WF-2430.
(3 )Most features require an internet connection to the printer as well as an Internet- and/or email-enabled device. See http://www.epson.com/connect for a list of EPSON Connect enabled printers and compatible devices and apps
( )(4) Applies to WorkForce WF-3540 and WF-3520; fastest in its class; printing black text in default, 2-sided mode, in accordance with ISO/IEC 24734. Compared to inkjet all-in-ones priced at $199 or less, as of December 2011, based on manufacturer's published rated ISO speeds
(5 )Extra high capacity cartridges only available for the WorkForce WF-3540 and WF-3520
(6 )Smallest footprint among color inkjet all-in-ones priced at $129 or less, as of February 2012
(7)Some applications and/or functions may not be supported under Mac OS® X
(8 )Not available with the WorkForce WF-2530
(9) Compared to best-selling color multifunction laser printers priced at $399 or less as of April 2012. Actual power savings will vary by product model and usage
THE UNDISCOVERED JOURNEY: The Novel - Official Press Release
DALLAS, Oct. 2, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Introducing an exciting new sci-fi thriller about humanity's inherent thirst for conquest, dominion, and destruction over itself. The Undiscovered Journey is the debut novel by Teriance Viernion, and is the first novel in the seven part Imperium Crusades series.
Enter into a world where, for more than 3,500 years the Galactic Imperium has reigned supreme over all of humanity. Through it all, there have been conflicts, wars, and rebellion, but the Imperium has always been victorious. However, things changed when the upstart Adanacen Kingdom gained power, support, and prestige through acts of subversion and deceit, which led to The Third Conflict Wars. Now, for nearly 150 years this war has raged on, and the illusion of the Imperium's invincibility has slowly eroded. For the last 50 years, there have been no significant gains by either side, which lends credence to the Kingdom's claim that the Imperium has outlasted its usefulness and should be overthrown.
Get lost in a world where the heraldry, romanticism, and pageantry of old meets the technology and drive of the future, where humanity battles humanity for domination, control, and its ultimate survival. Experience the devotion, pride, and satisfaction of the Imperium's soldiers as they battle for the honor of their beloved Emperor and the ultimate survival of the Galactic Imperium itself. Become immersed in the evil deception, uncontrollable rage, and profound hatred of the Kingdom's agents whose greatest desires are to see the death of the Emperor, the complete destruction of the Imperium, and the Kingdom reigning in its rightful place over all.
Fans of the writing styles of Isaac Asimov, Frank Herbert, L. Ron Hubbard, and George Lucas will enjoy the detailed world, character development, and technical imagination of this book. Available in trade paperback and ebook from http://www.LuLu.com where you can also Download Part 1 in ebook format for free for a limited time at http://bit.ly/Rwk, and coming soon to http://www.Amazon.com.
For more information about the Galactic Imperium Universe, visit http://www.TheGalacticImperium.com. For media inquiries or those who wish to conduct business of a more literary nature, please contact the Irish-Tiger Literary Agency using the information below.
For additional information:
Contact: Media Relations
Company: Irish-Tiger Literary Agency
Website: http://www.IrishTigerLiterary.com
Tel. 214-716-2140 x75030
Email: pr@irishtigertliterary.com
More Content to Travel With Angry Birds Activity Parks
HELSINKI, Finland, October 2, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --
Finland based Holiday Club will build Angry Birds(TM) Activity Parks in connection
with three of its spa hotels. The first year-round indoor activity park will be completed
in Kuusamon Tropiikki for Christmas 2012. In February the Angry Birds will land in
Saariselka and next autumn in Saimaa, in Lappeenranta. The largest Angry Birds Activity
Park investment in Finland is a display of the creative cooperation of the market leaders
of their own fields, Rovio, Holiday Club and Lappset.
"The development of Finnish travel should concentrate on the content. Often the
concentration is on the walls and beds, from which there already is oversupply", says Vesa
Tengman, the CEO of Holiday Club Resorts Oy and continues: "Active holiday is at the
center in Holiday Club. Angry Birds Activity Parks will complement our concept, which
offers besides high quality holiday accommodation and services also year-round activity
possibilities under one roof."
Another challenge of Finnish travel is internationalization: "Compared to the supply,
there are simply too few Finns. We need more travelers besides from the neighboring areas
Russia, Sweden and Norway also from the Central Europe and Asia such as China and Japan.
Currently we are able, by using only Finnish power, to produce experiences, which attract
not only local but also international travelers", emphasizes Mr. Tengman.
Thanks to the success of Rovio, Holiday Club believes to increase the amount of its
international customers. Especially in Saimaa and seasonally in Kuusamo as well the amount
of Russian travelers is already significant. In Saariselka holidaymakers arrive from
Norway and Russian and also from the Central Europe. Whole new international clientele is
expected now also from China, for example.
"We are glad, that the internationalization through our brand happens two-way. The
investments of Holiday Club will increase the stream of travelers to Finland. It is also
great that the world conquest of the Angry Birds Activity Parks will start from Finland,
the home land of the birds", states Peter Vesterbacka, the Chief Marketing Officer of
Rovio Entertainment Ltd.
"For Lappset the investment of Holiday Club is the largest domestic order so far. It
will employ us and our subcontractors significantly during the end of autumn and in early
winter. In this investment project we will operate as the contractor in full, from the
planning to the execution. This will confirm the company's position as a supplier of large
entities", says Tero Ylinenpaa, the Deputy CEO of Lappset Group Ltd.
All three operators are also involved in the largest year-round activity park, which
is currently under construction in Vuokatti. The indoor park which will be built in a
8,700-square-metre industrial estate will include besides the Angry Birds themed section
also a diverse sports world, where visitors can try out different sports, and a freestyle
area suitable for skateboarding and BMX biking. The indoor activity park further increases
the year-round service offering that Vuokatti provides for families. It will confirm
Vuokatti's position as an attractive and versatile resort in both domestic and
international tourism market. The Angry Birds Park in Vuokatti is will be completed in
December this year.
Illustrations and pictures of Angry Birds Activity Parks and Holiday Club resorts
behind the link:
Rovio Entertainment Ltd is an industry-changing entertainment media company
headquartered in Finland, and the creator of the globally successful Angry Birds
franchise. Angry Birds, a casual puzzle game, became an international phenomenon within a
few months of its release, and is now the number one paid app of all time. Angry Birds
have expanded rapidly in entertainment, publishing, and licensing to become a beloved
international brand. Following this success, Rovio published Amazing Alex and Bad Piggies.
For more information, check www [http://www.rovio.com ] . [http://www.rovio.com ] rovio
[http://www.rovio.com ] . [http://www.rovio.com ] com [http://www.rovio.com ]
Holiday Club Resorts Oy is the leading weekly timeshare company in Europe and a
significant operator in the fields of holiday housing and tourism. The company is owned by
the acting management, Varma Mutual Pension Insurance Company, Finnish Industry Investment
Ltd and a group of Finnish private investors. Holiday Club Resorts Oy has 32 resorts and
1,300 holiday homes. Seven of the resorts feature not only holiday homes but also a spa
hotel. Nine resorts are located outside Finland, in Sweden, on the Costa del Sol in Spain
and in the Canary Islands. In addition to the Holiday Club Saimaa built in Rauha,
Lappeenranta, Holiday Club acquired the spa hotel in Yllas Saaga in December 2011. During
the financial year 2011-2012, the group recorded a turnover of EUR121 million and employed
773 people. For more information http://www.holidayclubresorts.com
Lappset Group Ltd from Rovaniemi, Finland is one of the leading playground and
exercise equipment producers in Europe. Besides playground equipment for children of
different ages the company's product portfolio also includes equipment that activates to
exercise for people of all ages. For example parkour parks for teenagers, outdoor exercise
equipment for adults and Senior Sport outdoor exercise products to support everyday
welfare for especially elderly people. Lappset is currently the only supplier of Angry
Birds Activity Parks in the world. During the year 2011, the group recorded a turnover of
EUR46,5 million and it employs approximately 400 people in seven countries. All Angry
Birds Activity Parks and other playground equipment manufactured by Lappset are produced
in the Rovaniemi factory. For more information http://www.lappset.com
Lappset Group Ltd
CONTACT: Additional information: Ville Heijari, Communications Director, Rovio Entertainment Ltd, tel. +358-44-537-0522, firstname.lastname@rovio.com. Vesa Tengman, CEO, Holiday Club Resorts Oy, tel. +358-500-421-515, firstname.lastname@holidayclub.fi. Tero Ylinenpää, Deputy CEO, Lappset Group Ltd, tel. +358-400-290-234, firstname.lastname@lappset.com
Rdio Introduces New Way for Artists to Make Money from Streaming Music
Artists will earn revenue from online fan engagement through Rdio Artist Program
SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 2, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Rdio (http://www.rdio.com), the digital music service founded by Janus Friis, one of the creators of Skype, today announced the launch of the Rdio Artist Program. This first of a kind program offers a new way for artists to directly earn money from streaming music.
Using Rdio, artists can easily share their own music and their music recommendations with fans. Fans will be able to instantly listen along with their favorite artists directly on the service and via Twitter, Facebook or other online properties. Artists will earn 10 USD for each new subscriber they attract to Rdio through social sharing - effectively rewarding them for fan engagement.
"There is no art without artists," said Rdio's founder Janus Friis. "As part of this industry, we know a business that doesn't reward its most important contributors is a business that has to change. The innovation of the Internet should not be a barrier to the success of music artists; it should allow them to be even more successful."
"All sorts of talented and innovative artists have found an audience for their music online," said Drew Larner, CEO of Rdio. "But it's incredibly hard to make a living doing it. The Artist Program offers artists a way to supplement their existing revenue streams by doing what they do naturally - connecting with fans. We're aligning our focus on social music discovery with our fundamental belief that artists deserve to get paid for their work. We view it as a significant step forward for artists, fans and streaming music."
The Rdio Artist Program is active in all 14 countries where Rdio is available and any artist with an existing artist page is eligible to join. This program complements the licensing deals Rdio already has in place with labels and distributors for access to music on the service, adding an additional direct revenue channel to artists and providing a new element of transparency around the streaming music model.
International recording artists Scissor Sisters, Snoop Dogg aka Snoop Lion, A-Trak, Chromeo and Brendan Benson - already fans of Rdio - are among the first artists to join the program.
"Up-and-coming artists are the future - they're the lifeblood of the industry," said Snoop Dogg. "I love that any new artist can take advantage of this program. I'm a fan of Rdio already and it's cool to see them supporting artists like this."
"I love Rdio. My wife and I use it all the time at home and on tour," said musician Brendan Benson, co-founder of Readymade Records and member of The Raconteurs. "I like that Rdio is giving back to musicians by compensating them directly through the Artist Program. It's really great that they are helping out the people who create music and I look forward to seeing how it evolves."
Participating artists will receive access to a web-based tool to manage their Artist Program account. Benefits include:
-- 10 USD for every new subscriber brought to the service (for at least one
month)
-- Real-time referral stats on visitors and subscribers
-- Rdio artist page customization options
-- Tools for trackable link creation and embeddable players for any Rdio
music content
-- Access to tips, help documentation and Rdio support
The Rdio Artist Program represents Rdio's commitment to supporting the artist community and the music industry as a whole. Working together with artists, labels and fans, Rdio strives to create a sustaining and engaging model that benefits everyone involved. For more information and to join the program, visit http://www.rdio.com/artistprogram.
About Rdio
Rdio is the groundbreaking digital music service that is reinventing the way people discover, listen to, and share music. With on-demand access to over 18 million songs, Rdio connects people with music and makes it easy to search for and instantly play any song, album, artist or playlist without ever hearing a single ad. Discover what friends, people with similar tastes, recording artists, and more are listening to in real-time and share across Twitter and Facebook. Build a digital music collection that's available everywhere - on the web, in-home or in-car, on tablets or mobile phones, and even offline.
Launched in August 2010, Rdio is headquartered in San Francisco and was founded by Janus Friis, one of the creators of Skype. Currently available in the US, Canada, Brazil, Germany, Australia, New Zealand, Spain, Portugal, Denmark, Great Britain, France, Sweden, Finland and Norway, Rdio is funded by Janus Friis through his investment entities, Atomico, Skype and Mangrove Capital Partners. For more information and to sign up, visit http://www.rdio.com.
Contact:
Joseph Schneider at Rogers & Cowan
jschneider@rogersandcowan.com
1-310-854-8140
Susan Yin at Rogers & Cowan
syin@rogersandcowan.com
TAMPA, Fla., Oct. 1, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Anarchy Enterprises conjures up their new adventure game "Devil's Cove" and invites players to join the development by supporting it through the crowdfunding site Kickstarter. The project is live now and ends October 31st - Halloween Night - under the full moon when devils and monsters are roaming the streets!
Devil's Cove is an old school, classic point-and-click adventure for the PC, MAC, Linux, iOS and Android. The game centers around a sinister Plague Doctor who is wreaking havoc in a cursed harbor town. Players will return to the golden days of adventure gaming as they uncover ghastly horrors and even contribute their own diabolical ideas to the gameplay.
By making a pledge through Kickstarter, players receive the finished game (for ALL platforms!), and get to be a part of the development process. Players will get to help shape the game by playing beta versions and giving direct feedback. They also get a backstage pass to see how Anarchy Enterprises makes games.
For only $15, players get a digital copy of the game along with lots of bonus materials and behind-the-scenes access to the development process. Additional rewards are available at higher tiers that include a bounty of swag - unique game props, signed original game art, limited edition game collectibles, listings in the game credits, and the opportunity to become an actual character in the game!
"Anarchy Enterprises has always been a small, indie studio," said Alex Jamiesonof Anarchy Enterprises. "We've always wanted to be directly connected with the players, and now we have a tremendous opportunity via Kickstarter to make that happen!"
"The new golden age of adventure games is upon us. Adventure games like Double Fine and Broken Sword kicked the door down, and revealed that players are hungry for the kinds of games that us developers have been dying to make again, but that publishers didn't want to take a chance on. Now we're ripping the doors off our walls and welcoming the players into our development process. The making of Devil's Cove will be an amazing experience for everyone involved and we hope that you will join us!"
Voyager Learning Kicks Off 2012-2013 Math Mania Competition Today!
DALLAS, Oct. 1, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Voyager Learning, the nation's most comprehensive provider of preK-12 intervention learning solutions and education services, knows that mathematics fluency and understanding is essential in a child's life. And, we know children and schools enjoy healthy competition and challenges to engage them in this critical learning. That's why the company kicked off its 2012-2013 Math Mania Competition for students in grades 2-8 today! ( )
Powered by the company's award-winning online math program, VmathLive(®)( ), the 2012-2013Math Mania Competition is a fun and exciting math challenge that runs from October 1, 2012 through January 30, 2013, leading up to a one-day, 24-hour math competition. During that time, students will compete by completing math learning activities and attempting to answer the most math questions online, which allows them to earn points toward their school and region totals. Each week, the top school will be recognized for participation and achievement on the Math Mania Leaderboard, receive a celebratory Math Maniac banner, and be recognized in the company's Voyager Connection e-magazine distributed across the U.S.
During the 2012-2013 Math Mania Season, current VmathLive students are automatically enrolled in Math Mania, all they have to do is log in.
On January 30, 2013, students from across the country will have the opportunity to compete in the Math Mania Bowl, a one-day math challenge of mental math skills where students compete to earn the most math points in a 24-hour period. Following the competition, national and local prizes will be awarded to the top districts and schools.
All students can participate in the Math Mania Bowl, here's how:
-- Current VmathLive users will log in to http://www.vmathlive.com with their
regular username and password.
-- Non-VmathLive users will have the opportunity to register for a special
free trial offered exclusively for the Math Mania Bowl. Registration
details coming soon.
Get your students math battle ready now! For more information about VmathLive, the 2012-2013 Math Mania Competition and the Math Mania Bowl, visit: http://www.vmathlive.com and click on the Math Mania flag to check it out.
About Voyager Learning
Dedicated to the success of every student, Voyager Learning is the nation's most comprehensive provider of research-based intervention and online learning solutions--including curriculum products, personalized professional development, and school improvement/turnaround services. With the ultimate goal of advancing student achievement, Voyager Learning partners with preK-12 schools to build teaching and leadership capacity, keep their students on track, and accelerate struggling students to grade-level proficiency. Voyager Learning is a member of Cambium Learning® Group (Nasdaq: ABCD). For more information, visit http://www.voyagerlearning.com.
Discount Hotel Website Takatrip.com Launches Today
New and unique discount hotel website, Takatrip.com offers something new
DETROIT, Oct. 1, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Many hotel and travel websites out there offer discounts, but at times don't allow their customers the choice of where they'll stay after shopping with them. In fact, these same hotel websites can also make it difficult for the end customers to alter their reservations made through a website if any possible change in plans or emergency occurs. With Takatrip.com these worries are over.
Takatrip.com provides a free membership to its customers which then grants them exclusive access to their Takatrip hotel network where they can take advantage of exclusive discounts on many big name hotels and brands, but at a cheap hotel price.
Once a part of Takatrip network, members search for a hotel deal for their destination point and purchase a Takatrip club voucher, which they in turn use to reserve their hotel of choice at the rate purchased from the Takatrip website directly, eliminating any "middle man" such as a hotel booking website. Takatrip's idea is to put the power back into the hands of the customer during the hotel experience.
One of the most interesting aspects of Takatrip's business model is that they don't just offer hotel discounts in trending popular destination cities like New York, Chicago, Montego Bay or Orlando. They also feature hotel deals of the day in such diverse locales as Santa Fe, N.M, Charleston, S.C., and Detroit, MI amongst others.
In addition, what truly sets Takatrip.com apart from its competitors is that the site also offers discounts on hotels many months in advance. They uniquely offer their members the opportunity to purchase hotel discounts up to six months in advance from the date of their travel time, as long as the member agrees to make their reservation within ninety days from date of purchase on the website.
Leap, Savary Island and T-Mobile USA Close Spectrum Exchanges
~ Leap Adds Spectrum in Phoenix and Houston
~~ Savary Island Wireless, LLC Becomes Wholly Owned Subsidiary of Cricket
SAN DIEGO, Oct. 1, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Leap Wireless International, Inc. (NASDAQ: LEAP), a leading provider of innovative and value-driven wireless communications services, announced today that it has completed the previously announced transactions to exchange spectrum in various markets with T-Mobile USA (T-Mobile), Cook Inlet/VS GSM VII PCS LLC, a joint venture between T-Mobile and Cook Inlet in which T-Mobile has a non-controlling majority interest (Cook Inlet), and Leap's non-controlled, majority-owned venture Savary Island Wireless, LLC (Savary Island).
Under the agreements, Leap acquired 10 MHz of additional AWS spectrum in Phoenix, AZ and Houston, Galveston and Bryan-College Station, TX to supplement the spectrum Leap currently operates in those markets, among others. Leap and Savary Island also assigned T-Mobile and Cook Inlet spectrum in various markets in Alabama, Illinois, Missouri, Minnesota and Wisconsin. The transactions also included intra-market exchanges between Leap and T-Mobile in Philadelphia, Wilmington, Atlantic City and various markets in New Mexico and Texas, and between Leap and Cook Inlet in certain markets in Texas.
"The closing of these agreements will allow us to enhance the delivery of our wireless services in key markets through the realignment of spectrum," said Doug Hutcheson, Leap's president and chief executive officer. "In addition, we now have added depth to our spectrum in select markets providing us with longer term flexibility to offer a larger LTE channel."
Financial details were not disclosed.
Leap also announced today that its wholly owned subsidiary, Cricket Communications, Inc. ("Cricket"), completed the acquisition of the remaining 15 percent controlling membership interest that it did not own in Savary Island for approximately $5.3 million in cash. As a result of the acquisition, Savary Island and its subsidiaries became wholly owned subsidiaries of Cricket.
About Leap
Leap provides innovative, high-value wireless services to a young and ethnically diverse customer base. With the value of unlimited wireless services as the foundation of its business, Leap pioneered its Cricket service. Cricket products and services are available nationwide through company-owned stores, dealers, national retailers and at MyCricket.com. Through its affordable, flat-rate service plans, Cricket offers customers a choice of unlimited voice, text, data and mobile Web services. Headquartered in San Diego, Calif., Leap is traded on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the ticker symbol "LEAP." For more information, please visit http://www.leapwireless.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements reflect management's current expectations based on currently available operating, financial and competitive information, but are subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated in or implied by the forward-looking statements. Our forward-looking statements, which include discussions regarding future plans to offer LTE services, are generally identified with words such as "believe," "expect," "intend," "plan," "could," "may" and similar expressions. Risks, uncertainties and assumptions that could affect our forward-looking statements can be found in the section entitled "Risk Factors" included in our periodic reports filed with the SEC, including our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2012 filed with the SEC on August 8, 2012.
All forward-looking statements included in this news release should be considered in the context of these risks. We undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Investors and prospective investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance on our forward-looking statements.
SOURCE Leap Wireless International, Inc.
Photo:http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20101220/MM20546LOGO-a http://photoarchive.ap.org/
Leap Wireless International, Inc.
Glowpoint Completes Acquisition of Affinity VideoNet
Merger Strengthens Global Leadership in Cloud and Managed Services for Videoconferencing
MURRAY HILL, N.J., Oct. 1, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Glowpoint, Inc., (NYSE MKT: GLOW), a leading global provider of cloud and managed video communication services, today announced the completion of its acquisition of privately held Affinity VideoNet ("Affinity"), a leading provider of public videoconferencing rooms and managed videoconferencing services to professional service organizations globally.
"Glowpoint welcomes Affinity's employees and customers, which include many of the world's largest global executive search firms and law firms. The merger further solidifies Glowpoint's dominant position in the cloud based managed video communication services market, delivered through our OpenVideo® platform and our newly acquired installed base of public videoconferencing rooms. The new company is uniquely positioned to deliver superior services, which include an unmatched suite of cloud based services and videoconferencing solutions demanded by our customers," said Joe Laezza, Glowpoint President and CEO.
The integration process will begin immediately and be led by Peter Holst, previously Affinity's President and CEO and now Glowpoint's Senior Vice President of Business Development. The Company reiterates its previous guidance expecting 2013 revenue of $40 million and 20% non-GAAP adjusted EBITDA margins.
"As part of Glowpoint, we now have a much greater opportunity to deliver upon our commitment of unmatched service experiences for our customers along with a full suite of cloud based services that are increasingly in demand," said Peter Holst. "I am excited to be part of the ongoing business and look forward to joining the management team."
Supporting Resources:
-- Glowpoint Investor Information
-- Affinity VideoNet
About Glowpoint
Glowpoint, Inc. (NYSE MKT: GLOW) provides Cloud and Managed Video Services that make video meetings simple, reliable, and the standard for bringing people together for business meetings. Through our OpenVideo® cloud, we make video meetings the replacement for in person and audio conferencing with our suite of cloud and managed services that permit any device to connect across any network, simply and reliably. Glowpoint supports hundreds of clients located in 68 countries and is the trusted partner for leading unified communications providers, telepresence manufacturers, global carriers and A/V integration firms. To learn more please visit http://www.glowpoint.com.
Forward looking and cautionary statements
The information in this release may contain statements that are or may be deemed to be forward-looking statements and involve factors, risks, and uncertainties that may cause actual results in future periods to differ materially from such statements. These factors, risks, and uncertainties include market acceptance and availability of new video communications services; the non-exclusive and terminable-at-will nature of sales agreements; rapid technological change affecting demand for our services; competition from other video communication service providers; and the availability of sufficient financial resources to enable us to expand our operations, as well as other risks detailed from time to time in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. We make no representation or warranty that the information contained herein is complete and accurate; we have no duty to correct or update any information.
MEDIA CONTACT: INVESTOR CONTACT:
Darren Podrabsky Tolga Sakman
Glowpoint, Inc. Glowpoint, Inc.
+1 973-855-3411 +1 973-855-3411
dpodrabsky@glowpoint.com tsakman@glowpoint.com
SOURCE Glowpoint, Inc.
Multi Media Exposure, Inc. Brings A Beauty's Best Bet To HSN
--INNOVATIVE COOLWAY(TM) STRAIGHTENING SYSTEM AVAILABLE ON HSN, HSN.COM AND HSN MOBILE --
BERNARDSVILLE, N.J., Oct. 1, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Multi Media Exposure, Inc. (MME) announces the launch of one of beauty's most exciting and recent launches in 2012 to HSN, inviting millions of new customers to experience the COOLWAY(TM) technique of straightening hair. The Coolway(TM) system can be purchased now on HSN.com and will be launching on-air on HSN on Oct. 9 at 4 a.m., 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. (EDT).
Awarded the highly coveted "Best of Beauty" award from Allure Magazine (September 2012) for technology, Coolway(TM) is an innovative approach in achieving straight hair using their exclusive patented styling system.
Skip Borghese, Owner and President of Multi Media Exposure Inc. (http://www.mmetv.com), immediately saw the potential for an exciting partnership between Coolway(TM) and HSN. His many years of building, developing and strategizing an assortment of brands available on the powerful television retailer sets himself and MME apart from other companies: they offer their unique perspective and advice in selecting, nurturing and building remarkable collections in the beauty, home ambiance, lifestyle and fashion industries that are both enticing for the networks' customers, as they are great values and newsworthy.
"I saw a terrific story in how Coolway (TM)can make women look and feel their personal best," said Borghese, who also represents celebrity manicurist/nail color guru Deborah Lippmann and many other top performing brands on TV. "The Coolway(TM) system impressed me not only because of its innovative features, but also its results - which are unique and truly game-changing. Compared with other products in the market, I am confident that Coolway(TM) stands alone and is a true winner that all customers will fully embrace. It is absolutely a necessary component in today's multi-channel retailing industry."
Applied to the hair in two steps, the Coolway(TM) Transform Spray measures the hair's natural moisture, then the Coolway(TM) Low Heat Styler smoothes and straightens the hair at, low temperatures. Silk proteins, Red Algae extract, and fermented corn ingredients work to strengthen the hair providing long-term results - your hair will be humidity resistant and frizz-free. When used together, the hair becomes healthier, stronger and shinier; the hair is more manageable and blow - drying time is cut in half.
Most importantly, Coolway(TM) implements a new concept in hair straightening, where upon application of the styler, the hair's moisture level is measured and automatically sets an ideal temperature, required to seal in the moisture while styling and protecting the hair. Coolways studies have determined a temperature of 320 F damage the hair - most hot irons are set at 450 F. This makes the hair look smooth, but only temporarily, and eventually creates dry, brittle, unhealthy hair. Coolway(TM) stylers temperature is set to never go above 299 F, and contains moisture at a healthy level - keeping the hair conditioned and frizz-free until your next wash. In a test using the Coolway Boost Cream and Coolway Transformation spray together helps reduce breakage by 75%, reduce frizz by 50% (after 2 hours), increase shine by 22%
For media inquiries, please contact Kerry Kane at kerry@kerrykane.com/917-208-3486. Join the conversation @HSN on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest.
About MME:
Multi Media Exposure is owned by Skip and Lorenzo Borghese, (http://www.mmetv.com) a brand building Partnership Company that provides a unique and strategic direction for its many clients found on television sales channels, infomercials and in other retailers world-wide. Their invaluable experience in capturing a new sales audience via today's growing retail channels are collective of their years spent in-front of and behind the scenes of some of today's biggest brands found on TV.
Amway parent Alticor seeks buyers for intellectual property from eCoupled wireless power business
ADA, Mich., Oct. 1, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Alticor, parent company of Amway, is seeking buyers for its eCoupled(TM) wireless power intellectual property (IP) developed by its subsidiary, Fulton Innovation.
For the past several years, Fulton Innovation has invested in the research, development and commercialization of intelligent wireless power for consumer electronics and automotive applications. The company entered this business after developing wireless power for eSpring®, an innovative water filtration device sold by Amway distributors.
Fulton Innovation developed eCoupled and more than 240 patents worldwide with another 480 patents pending. Fulton Innovation also has played a leading role in establishing the global standard in wireless power (Qi) and the international Wireless Power Consortium that networks more than 100 industry players.
"While the wireless power market is gaining momentum," said Jim Weaver, vice president, Alticor, "Alticor's primary focus is offering business opportunity in the health, wellness and beauty industries. We are seeking a buyer that is well-positioned to accelerate adoption of wireless power and to maximize the potential of eCoupled intellectual property."
Alticor intends to work with the eventual buyer to honor and support existing licensing agreements. Amway plans to retain licensing to intellectual property used in eSpring products sold by Amway distributors.
Alticor Inc. connects entrepreneurs around the globe with unparalleled opportunity and consumers with premier products. It is the parent company of four distinct and dynamic businesses: Amway, Access Business Group LLC, Alticor Corporate Enterprises and Fulton Innovation. Alticor employs more than 20,000 people worldwide, including more than 800 scientists, engineers, and technicians. Alticor reported 2011 sales of more than $10.9 billion and has operations in more than 100 countries and territories worldwide. http://www.alticor.com
Home Access Health launches educational website for at-home HIV tests
New website http://www.HIVhometestfacts.com provides clarity about all FDA-approved over-the-counter HIV test products on the market
HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill., Oct. 1, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Home Access Health Corporation, manufacturer of at-home laboratory test services, today announced the launch of http://www.HIVhometestfacts.com, a new website providing vital facts about all FDA-approved over-the-counter HIV tests currently on the market.
"We believe HIVhometestfacts.com will be an important resource for those interested in choosing an at-home HIV test," said Mary Vogt, President of Home Access Health Corporation. "At-home testing options increase overall testing rates, add to the body of knowledge surrounding risk factors for HIV, and reduce the rates of transmission of this dangerous virus. But the products on the market differ widely, and the public deserves to know the key distinctions that each offers."
The website is designed to help the public understand the two at-home testing options -and more importantly- their differences, especially as they relate to accuracy, Vogt said.
Two FDA-approved, over-the-counter at-home HIV tests are available to the public today without the need to see a doctor or visit a clinic: the Home Access® Express HIV-1 Test System, on the shelves since 1996, and the OraSure Technologies' OraQuick® In-Home HIV Test, which received FDA approval in July 2012.
http://www.HIVhometestfacts.com provides a clear comparison of the products, offers answers to frequently asked questions, explains how the tests work, and supplies additional resources on HIV/AIDS education and support.
The completely anonymous Home Access ® Express HIV-1 Test System is greater than 99.9 percent accurate, gives users next-day results, provides confirmation of preliminary positive results, and offers counseling by degreed professionals, Vogt said. The Home Access® Express HIV-1 Test System may be purchased through major retailers such as Walgreens, CVS and Rite-Aid, through various online retailers including Drugstore.com and directly from Home Access (http://www.homeaccess.com).
The Home Access® Express HIV-1 Test System uses a self-collected fingerstick blood sample, which is sent to the certified Home Access laboratory via FedEx® overnight delivery. The laboratory tests the sample for presence of antibodies to HIV-1. Results are available the day the sample is received by the testing lab, by telephone, using the anonymous 1-800 number included with the test and referencing the unique PIN associated with the blood sample.
The OraQuick® In-Home HIV Test relies on self-collected oral fluid. The user places the oral fluid sample collection stick in a test tube of developer solution and waits 20 - 40 minutes for results. The test user interprets the test validity and the presence of antibodies to HIV-1 and HIV-2 by reading the lines on the test stick. No control line represents an invalid test. A preliminary positive result must be confirmed, typically requiring a visit to a clinical laboratory or health department.
Medical literature reports that blood-based HIV tests have a shorter "window" period -- the time period that individuals who are positive will test negative, but can still infect others -- than oral fluid tests. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the "window" period can range from 4-6 weeks up to 6 months; most HIV tests can detect antibodies within 2 months. Blood-based testing will detect antibodies earlier than oral fluid testing. If a person tests negative, but the person still has reason to believe he or she has been exposed to HIV, repeat testing is encouraged.
Home Access Health Corporation (HAHC) was founded in 1993 to provide anonymous, direct-to-consumer laboratory test services using self-collected fingerstick blood. Individuals collect, package and send a small fingerstick blood specimen to the Company's CAP-accredited laboratory, using components provided in the Home Access test kits. HAHC received FDA approval for its HIV-1 Test System in 1996 and immediately launched a national consumer awareness campaign.
In 1998, responding to the U.S. Surgeon General's order for public health departments (and other healthcare entities) to combat Hepatitis C (HCV), the company adapted its HIV platform and fast-tracked clinical trials and regulatory filings, resulting in an FDA approval for Home Access® Hepatitis C Check test service in 1999. HAHC markets its HCV test primarily through public health departments.
In 2007, the Company received FDA clearance for its complete Cholesterol Panel, a comprehensive laboratory test system that uses self-collected fingerstick blood to measure total cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, Triglycerides and LDL-cholesterol. The accuracy levels of the Cholesterol Panel achieve the standards established by the National Cholesterol Education Program and the test method has been certified by the CDC-sponsored National Cholesterol Reference Method Laboratory Network. The Cholesterol Panel has been approved by the American Diabetes Association as part of their CheckUp America program.
The Home Access FDA-approved test system for HIV-1 and Hepatitis C are sold directly to consumers without the need for physician intervention. (http://www.fda.gov/consumer/updates/hivtestkit012908.html). These tests are anonymous, include confirmatory testing, and access to the HAHC counseling center for results delivery, counseling, and referrals.
Duo Games and Gameloft Announce New Duo Gamer(TM) Controller for iPad®, iPhone® and iPod touch®
SAN FRANCISCO, October 1, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --
Leading digital game publisher and innovative game accessory maker join forces to
provide consumers with a 'kick back', console-style gaming experience
Gameloft, a leading global publisher of digital and social games, and Duo Games, the
worldwide leader in iOS-exclusive game accessories, today announced the launch and
availability of Duo Gamer(TM), a handheld game controller which allows users to experience
'kick back', console-style gaming on their iPad or big screen TV via iPhone(R), iPad(R) or
iPod touch(R).
Duo Gamer is a Bluetooth-enabled wireless controller that allows gamers to play
fast-paced console-style games on their iOS device, with the familiar controls of a
handheld controller. Simply dock your iOS device in the handy Duo Gamer stand, connect
wirelessly via Bluetooth, launch your favorite Gameloft game, and then game away using Duo
Gamer. In addition, gamers can connect their iPad, iPhone, or iPod touch to a TV for an
even more immersive gameplay experience.
"We've worked closely with Gameloft to ensure that Duo Gamer is optimized to the
fullest extent for their rich, immersive game apps," said Mike Sievert, CEO of Duo Games.
"By providing gamers with the first and only console-style gamepad controller for iOS, we
are giving them the ability to enjoy a 'kick back' experience while still harnessing the
power and graphics capabilities that iPad, iPhone, and iPod touch offer. This will be a
game-changer."
Product features include:
- Dual analog thumb-sticks
- Six buttons plus d-pad
- Bluetooth connectivity
- A handy stand for holding your iPhone, iPad or iPod touch
Duo Gamer works exclusively with a number of popular Gameloft titles currently
including Asphalt 7: Heat, Order & Chaos Online, and N.O.V.A. 3 - Near Orbit Vanguard
Alliance, with more to come soon.
"Gameloft is excited to collaborate with Duo Games to provide iOS gamers with a new
way to enjoy some of our most popular titles," said Alexandre Tan, Business Development
Director at Gameloft.
Duo Gamer is available now for $79.99 and can be found at Apple.com [http://apple.com
] (starting October 5th), Amazon.com [http://amazon.com ] and at Target Stores nationwide.
For more information about Gameloft and their growing lineup of digital titles, please
visit the website at http://www.gameloft.com.
About Gameloft
A leading global publisher of digital and social games, Gameloft(R) has established
itself as one of the top innovators in its field since 2000. Gameloft creates games for
all digital platforms, including mobile phones, smartphones and tablets (including
Apple(R) iOS and Android(R) devices), set-top boxes and connected TVs. Gameloft operates
its own established franchises such as Asphalt(R), Real Football(R), Modern Combat, and
N.O.V.A.: Near Orbit Vanguard Alliance(R), and also partners with major rights holders
including Marvel(R), Hasbro(R), FOX(R), Mattel(R) and Ferrari(R). Gameloft is present on
all continents, distributes its games in over 100 countries and employs over 5,000
developers.
Gameloft is listed on the Paris Stock Exchange (ISIN: FR0000079600, Bloomberg: GFT FP,
Reuters: GLFT.PA). Gameloft's sponsored Level 1 ADR (ticker: GLOFY) is traded OTC in the
US.
About Duo Games
Based in Seattle, Duo Games is a unit of Discovery Bay Games, the worldwide leader in
mobile and tablet gaming accessories and supporting apps. In addition to developing
original content, the company partners with the most recognized content owners in the
world to deliver enhanced tablet play experiences to consumers. Discovery Bay is led by
experienced game developers and professionals from a bevy of high-profile companies
including Microsoft/XBox, AT&T, Cranium, Hasbro, and Screenlife. For more information,
visit Duo Games [http://www.duo-games.com ] or follow the company on Facebook
[http://www.facebook.com/DuoGames ] or Twitter [http://www.twitter.com/duo_games ].
PR Contacts:
Jessica W. Lewinstein
North American PR Manager
+1-415-265-5725
Jessica.Lewinstein@Gameloft.com
Nicole Tiedemann
MWW Group
+1-212-827-3777
NTiedemann@mww.com
McGraw-Hill Education Remote Proctoring Solution Offers Secure Assessment Experience for Online and Blended Courses for Institutions Nationwide
McGraw-Hill Tegrity Remote Proctoring service helps schools ensure integrity of exams administered off campus
SANTA CLARA, Calif., Oct. 1, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Exam halls at colleges and universities across the country have been going virtual thanks to the remote proctoring capabilities contained within McGraw-Hill Tegrity Campus. Today, McGraw-Hill Education launched McGraw-Hill Tegrity Remote Proctoring, a new service providing the growing number of schools offering online and blended courses with a quick path to securely and efficiently administer exams and other assessments over the Internet. Students enrolled in online or blended courses can now take exams from home or any Internet-enabled location, giving colleges and universities true "test anywhere" capabilities.
To meet the needs of today's students, many institutions are offering online programs and degrees as well as blended courses that combine traditional face-to-face classes with online-based discussions and assignments. Despite the compelling and virtual nature of their offerings, when exam time comes around, institutions have been forced to return to physical on-campus halls or off-campus proctoring sites to comply with industry standards. For many online and blended learning students, the distance between these testing sites and their homes means they are required to travel hours and pay hundreds of dollars to complete an exam. These unexpected costs can be a real challenge for many students.
McGraw-Hill Tegrity Remote Proctoring alleviates this burden by enabling schools to securely administer exams in any location. Now, within an end-to-end secure environment, students can log in, authenticate themselves and take and submit their exams from the comfort of their homes, coffee shops or any Internet-connected location. The security and integrity of the testing environment is ensured through Remote Proctoring's proprietary technology and its seamless integration with leading "lock down" browsers such as Respondus LockDown. Thanks to McGraw-Hill Tegrity Remote Proctoring, students are finally liberated from the geographic and economic limitations of traditional proctor sites.
"Remote proctoring offers instructors a new world of possibilities for exams and assessments and we're seeing a number of universities create unique curricula based around web tools like remote proctoring and video-based lecture capture," said Tom Malek, vice president of Learning Solutions and Services for McGraw-Hill Higher Education. "We've heard from deans and faculty alike that remote proctoring also provides students greater flexibility to complete exams on their own schedule without having to travel long distances or worry about fees associated with proctored sites. This is especially important as today's student body includes more and more non-traditional students, balancing work, family and other responsibilities."
Laramie County Community College in Wyoming has used the McGraw-Hill Tegrity Remote Proctoring solution in more than 15 programs including nursing, public speaking, business management and exercise science courses. According to LCCC Nursing Instructor Valerie Millsap, MSN, RN, "Remote Proctoring has provided our students much more flexibility to complete exams on their schedule, without having to travel far distances to proctored class environments, while still maintaining the integrity of course assessments and curriculum."
McGraw-Hill Tegrity Remote Proctoring has also allowed Laramie County Community College to expand its assessment capabilities. Instructors now create more interactive exams allowing students to leverage audio and visual assets in place of generic multiple choice questions. Students are now being assessed beyond standard knowledge regurgitation, focusing on performance, applied learning and comprehension.
McGraw-Hill Tegrity Remote Proctoring continues McGraw-Hill Education's tradition of delivering cutting-edge technology products and services that strengthen learning results. To learn more about McGraw-Hill Tegrity Remote Proctoring, please visit: http://www.tegrity.com/products/remote-proctoring.
About McGraw-Hill Education
McGraw-Hill Education is a content, software and services-based education company that draws on its more than 100 years of educational expertise to offer solutions, which improve learning outcomes around the world. McGraw-Hill is the adaptive education technology leader with the vision for creating a highly personalized learning experience that prepares students of all ages for the world that awaits. The company has offices across North America, India, China, Europe, the Middle East and South America, and makes its learning solutions available in more than 65 languages. For additional information, visit http://www.mheducation.com.
Media Contact:
Gerald Kimber White
(781) 455-8250
mhhighereducation@rfbinder.com