Microsoft, Avon and Radiohead Among the Finalists for 2011 UK.COM Awards
LONDON, February 8, 2011/PRNewswire/ -- Global leaders Microsoft, Avon, and Radiohead are among the finalists
chosen for the 2011 UK.COM Awards (http://www.uk.com). The Awards, which
recognize websites using domain names with the ending .UK.COM, also
acknowledged well-known British-based companies including Pineapple Dance
Studios, the Michelin starred restaurant Sketch, and live music venue Koko.
The 24 finalists in four categories represent some of the most inventive
business and creative endeavours that 2011 had to offer. The overall winner
will be revealed at the end of the month, receiving a GBP5000 prize for
either the business or the business's charity of choice.
An elite panel of technology, media and entertainment experts will judge
the finalists, including TV Presenter and Internet Entrepreneur, Sarah Beeny,
MyVoucherCodes Founder, Mark Pearson, BBC Click's website guru, Kate Russell,
and Managing Editor of Vitesse Media, Nick Britton.
Ben Crawford, CEO of CentralNic, a London-based domain name registry and
parent company of UK.COM, said: "We are delighted that such esteemed
organizations have selected UK.COM domain names as the web addresses for
their smartest ideas and most creative executions. Judging from the quality
of the applicants, it seems more likely than ever that the facebooks and
twitters of the future may be germinating right here in the UK."
Launched fifteen years ago, .UK.COM domains (http://www.uk.com) are
continually gaining in popularity as they offer the desirable .COM ending
combined with the national identifier, UK. Currently sold through over 1500
registrars, .UK.COM is the preferred British domain extension and can be
purchased from leading registrars such as Blacknight Solutions, Daily
Internet, Domainmonster.com, GetDotted.com, GlobalGold, Hostroute, InterNetX,
Namesco and Networking4All.
About CentralNic
The only registry to launch two new domain extensions in 2010, CentralNic
(http://www.centralnic.com) manages a growing number of domain extensions,
including .UK.COM in the United Kingdom, .US.COM and .LA in the United
States, .EU.COM in Europe, and .CN.COM in China. The longest-running global
domain registry in the world, CentralNic is the Registry Service Provider of
choice for new TLDs requiring proven secure and stable technology, global
distribution, expertise in domain sales and marketing, and even financing -
with special programs for .brand domains, IDN domains, and not-for profits,
as well as a joint venture with Network Solutions to enable new TLDs.
Contact:
Lexi Lavranos
Marketing Director
CentralNic
+44(0)8700-170-900
lexi@centralnic.com
iSend Worldwide Payment Services Offers New Elektra International Gift Card to US-based Mexicans for Friends and Family Back Home
WATERTOWN, Conn., Feb. 8, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Worldwide payment services leader iSend LLC has partnered with Mexican retail group Elektra to offer international gift cards to US-based Mexicans. Individuals purchase the Elektra Gift Card in the United States and their families pick it up in Mexico, making gift giving easier and more accessible than ever before. The new Elektra Gift Card is available now at stores throughout the US.
The safe and secure Elektra Gift Card creates a new, simple way to send a gift to Mexico for any occasion and eliminates the need for families to physically transport gift cards from the US to Mexico. Individuals simply purchase the Elektra Gift Card at any participating retail location in the US and family members can pick up the cards for use at any of the over 800 Elektra stores in Mexico.
"This new relationship between iSend and Elektra allows people to safely and instantaneously send gift cards instead of cash," said Steve LaBella, President and CEO of iSend. "Families can use the gift cards to purchase electronics, appliances, computers, furniture and more in a location convenient for them. It's yet another way that iSend works to help families who are living apart."
iSend retail partners are excited to be the first to offer this unique product as it complements their current product offerings and allows them to both strengthen their relationships with current customers and establish new relationships. International gift cards are a new and growing segment of the over $70 billion gift card market.
"We are pleased to offer the first broadly distributed cross-border gift card for a major Mexican retail chain," said David Kirtman, Vice-President of Business Development for iSend. "The iSend / Elektra partnership provides a simple, gift-giving solution for the millions of Mexicans in the United States who until now had no easy way to deliver gifts to friends and family back home."
About Elektra
Grupo Elektra is the leading financial services and specialty retailer in Latin America. Its market power is rooted in the nearly six decades of experience it has increasing the purchasing power and improving the quality of life of millions of families by giving them access to high quality products and services.
Key factors contributing to Grupo Elektra's success include its extensive, sophisticated, and modern distribution network, cutting-edge technology, which supports the group's sound administrative practices, and aggressive marketing campaigns. Grupo Elektra currently operates approximately 1,900 points of sale in eight countries in Latin America and plans to continue its expansion throughout the region. For more information visit http://www.grupoelektra.com.mx
About iSend
iSend LLC is a leading provider of international electronic payments from the United States to over twenty different countries including; Barbados, Brazil, Colombia, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Montserrat, Nicaragua, the Philippines, Puerto Rico, St. Kitts, St. Lucia, St. Vincent ,Trinidad & Tobago and Turks & Caicos. iSend services provide US based consumers a secure, convenient and economical solution to directly pay bills, recharge cellular phones and purchase gift cards for family members in their home countries through more than 40,000 retail partner locations. For more information, please visit http://www.isendworldwide.com.
CONTACT:
David Kirtman
(973) 951-6401
dkirtman@isendonline.com
SOURCE iSend LLC
iSend LLC
CONTACT: David Kirtman of iSend LLC, +1-973-951-6401, dkirtman@isendonline.com
Myriad Announces 'Alien Dalvik', Enables Android Apps to Run on Non-Android Phones
- Alien Dalvik allows operators, OEMs and application store owners to create new revenue opportunities from Android ecosystem
- To be demonstrated for the first time next week at Mobile World Congress 2011 in Barcelona, Myriad Suite AV91
DUEBENDORF-ZURICH, Switzerland, Feb. 8, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Myriad Group AG (SIX: MYRN), a global leader in mobile technology having shipped over 3.7 billion software applications on more than 2.2 billion phones, today announced the launch of Myriad Alien Dalvik, enabling Android apps to run on non-Android platforms. The launch opens up the Android experience to new audiences, generating new revenue opportunities for mobile operators, OEMs and app store owners.
Building on the launch of Dalvik Turbo, Alien Dalvik signifies Myriad's latest Android innovation by enabling Android apps to operate on a much wider range of platforms and devices. As a result, operators, OEMs and application store owners can now easily access the Android ecosystem and deploy Android applications across multiple device operating systems, all without compromising performance.
Alien Dalvik enables the majority of Android applications to run unmodified, allowing application store owners to quickly kick start Android application store services by simply repackaging Android Package (APK) files.
From a user perspective, Alien Dalvik is completely transparent. Alien Dalvik applications appear as native and can be seamlessly installed on device without user disruption. All the user sees is that he now has access to a wider range of applications, thus encouraging a higher frequency of downloads and increased ARPU.
"The proliferation of Android has been staggering, but there is still room for growth. By extending Android to other platforms, we are opening up the market even further, creating new audiences and revenue opportunities," said Simon Wilkinson, Chief Executive Officer, Myriad Group.
From application components to complete device integration, Myriad provides best-in-class Android solutions. As a founding member of the Open Handset Alliance (OHA), Myriad has been playing a key role in Android solutions since its early days. When partnering with Myriad for Android application development or porting, operators, OEMs and application store owners will benefit from Myriad's rich heritage in Java technology and unique Android expertise.
Myriad Alien Dalvik will be commercially available later this year on the MeeGo platform. Other platform support will be announced in the coming months. Alien Dalvik will be demonstrated for the first time on the Nokia N900 at this year's Mobile World Congress in Barcelona from February 14th-17th at the Myriad hospitality suite located at The Avenue, Stand AV91.
About Myriad
Myriad Group AG is a global leader in mobile technology and has shipped over 3.7 billion software applications in more than 2.2 billion mobile phones. Its comprehensive portfolio includes browsers, messaging, Java, social networking, user interfaces and middleware for all types of mobile phones, from ultra-low cost handsets to advanced smartphones.
The company provides both individual components and complete solutions, which enable handset manufacturers and operators to deliver amazing experiences on mobile phones. Myriad also develops USSD-based customer self-care platforms that deliver over 10 billion messages a year to 220 million mobile users across more than 35 mobile operators worldwide.
Myriad was created from the combination of industry leading companies, Esmertec and Purple Labs. It operates worldwide, with offices in Switzerland, France, UK, USA, Mexico, China, South Korea, Taiwan, Japan and Australia. Headquartered in Duebendorf-Zurich, Switzerland, Myriad is listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange (SIX Symbol: MYRN). For more information, please visit http://www.myriadgroup.com.
Adform and YouGov Enter Into Innovative Partnership
COPENHAGEN, Denmark, February 8, 2011/PRNewswire/ -- The market research institute YouGov has announced a technology
integration with digital marketing company Adform's platform of the same
name. The exclusive partnership means that by using Adform, customers can now
test how one or more banner ads are received by the target group before a
campaign is launched. In addition to providing valuable input for optimising
the campaign material, it is also possible to map new attitudes amongst
target groups.
The tool, which is called AdSurvey, does not focus on click rates, but
provides qualitative answers to whether a given online campaign strikes a
chord with the consumer. Unlike focus group surveys, for example, the test
can be implemented immediately, with an answer after just two to three days.
It involves an automatic process, where it is possible to conduct tests on
the basis of parameters such as the target group's age and gender. The
answers are collected from 150 selected respondents via YouGov's global panel
of more than two million people.
"Unfortunately there are many examples of online campaigns which fail to
strike home correctly because of factors such as confusing communication or
poor knowledge about a target group. With AdSurvey, online campaigns can be
tested prior to launching or while they are running so the banner message can
be tailored specifically, resulting in better reception. At the same time,
this close user involvement can provide valuable inspiration for new
initiatives vis-a-vis the target group," says Lars Anthonisen, Marketing
Director at Adform.
AdSurvey functions as a testing tool where the respondents give their
views on a banner on the basis of various statements and questions. The
feedback will quickly reveal whether the message appeals to the target group,
whether the layout of the banner is too confusing or whether there are, for
example, any misleading elements. In addition, all the results are
benchmarked so that advertisers can see whether the responses deviate from
industry norms allowing them to act on the basis of qualified data.
"We are always on the lookout for new and innovative business
initiatives, and we are delighted with the new collaboration with Adform. The
partnership agreement has opened up the possibility of having an integrated,
qualitative tool which advertisers will be able to use to optimise their
online campaigns in a completely new way," says Niels Hasager, Sales Director
at YouGov.
AdSurvey is a supplementary service supplied by Adform in collaboration
with YouGov, where 'liking' and awareness of a banner message are tested. The
product will initially be launched in Scandinavia and then offered to
customers worldwide during 2011.
About Adform
Adform is a leading supplier of products and services within digital
marketing. The company was founded in 2002 and offers a digital universal
solution consisting of campaign planning, ad serving, search machine
marketing, web analytics and reporting. More than 2,700 customers have run
campaigns in more than 4,900 global media in more than 25 countries via
Adform in 2010, and today, Adform has offices in London, Hamburg, Stockholm,
Oslo, Milan, Wroclaw, Vilnius and Copenhagen. Visit http://www.adform.com for
more information.
About YouGov
YouGov is a professional market research institute and consultancy
organisation which has been a frontrunner in using the Internet as a
data-gathering medium for market surveys. YouGov has built up a Nordic panel
with 150,000 members who represent all age groups, socioeconomic strata and
other demographic groups. YouGov has six offices in Scandinavia and is based
in Copenhagen. Worldwide, the YouGov group has more than two million panel
members with an international head office in London.
TVU Networks Announces Distribution With Al Hareer in the Kuwait Mobile Broadcasting Market
MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., Feb. 7, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- TVU Networks, the leader in IP-based video delivery technology, announced today that it has signed a distribution agreement with Al Hareer, a Kuwait-based media company. The agreement will allow Al Hareer to integrate TVU Networks' best-in-class news gathering backpack, the TVUPack, into their operation, as well as resell the TVUPack in the Kuwaiti and Iraq market.
The broadcast industry is facing constantly growing demand for live coverage in difficult conditions, and TV stations are being challenged to deliver this coverage in HD quality and in a flexible and moving environment. Today's SNG van incurs extraordinary expenses, which can now be avoided by replacing or supplementing the van with a mobile broadcasting unit. This new wave of technology in the broadcast industry has global media companies, including all major TV networks in the US, deploying TVUPacks.
"We have seen a lot of market demand for TVUPacks, from our customers as well as in our own operation. We are pleased to be able to offer the 'gold-standard' solution, the TVUPack," stated Hussain Mosawi, CEO of Al Hareer. "We have placed TVUPacks into many challenging environments. We are so glad to see the technology enable us to deliver a picture quality that matches the high demands of broadcasters."
The compact TVUPack is packed with advanced networking and compression technologies. The high-powered H.264 video encoding engine delivers a vivid HD signal, even with limited bandwidth. TVU's VBR, Variable Bit-Rate, technology automatically adjusts the bit-rate according to the total available aggregated bandwidth. TVU's Inverse StatMux technology allows the TVUPack to fully utilize the available bandwidth of multiple 3G/4G data connections. The combination of these technologies ensures that the TVUPack is able to deliver the best and most stable picture in the industry. TVUPack stands as the chosen top-tier product for next-generation mobile news gathering.
"It is a great tribute to the performance of the TVUPack that it has been chosen by Al Hareer," said Paul Shen, CEO of TVU Networks. "We look forward to leveraging Al Hareer's market leadership and technical strength to better serve TVUPack customers in the Middle East, which is a key market for us."
Visitors to the CABSAT & Satellite MENA 2011 in Dubai (February 8 - 10) will be able to view a live demonstration in both Al Hareer's stand (S-F21) and TVU Networks' stand (S1-H13).
About TVU Networks:
TVU Networks is the technology leader in live TV over Internet. The company's products and services allow both broadcasters and viewers to get the full advantage of using the Internet as a broadcast and transmission medium. The company's TVUPack is the perfect tool for un-tethered broadcasting.
TVU's TV platform empowers any size broadcaster to effectively monetize their content through a live Internet TV platform that reaches the entire world, has unlimited channel capacity, and allows for very low broadcasting costs. The TVU platform also offers cross platform support, including Windows, Mac, and a best-selling iPhone app. The TVUPlayer applications have been downloaded over 50 million times. TVU Networks was founded in 2005 and has headquarters in Silicon Valley, California, and offices in New York, Boston, and Shanghai.
For more information about the TVUPack:
Please visit http://www.tvupack.com
Email us tvupack@tvunetworks.com
For more information about the Al Hareer Satellite Service:
Please visit http://www.alhareer.com
Email us hussein.alashwak@alhareer.com
SOURCE TVU Networks
TVU Networks
CONTACT: Genevieve Waldron of TVU Networks, +1-650-969-6732, gwaldron@tvunetworks.com
Announces Customer Beta Program for Enhanced VMware View Client Support
REDWOOD CITY, California, February 7, 2011/PRNewswire/ -- NComputing, a global leader in desktop virtualization, today announced
the launch of a beta program for customers deploying its flagship virtual
desktop solution, NComputing L300, in VMware environments. Participants in
the beta program will experience greater integration and connectivity between
NComputing virtual desktops and servers hosted in VMware vSphere and View
environments. Additionally, by providing client access to NComputing vSpace
virtualization hosts through the View Connection Server, it will enhance and
simplify virtual desktop management in highly complex virtualized
environments. NComputing's VMware View client support will be demonstrated in
Booth #409 at VMware Partner Exchange, Orlando, FL, February 8 - 11; and will
be available in beta at the end of February.
Said Bill Platt, NComputing SVP Engineering, "By integrating VMware View
client APIs with vSpace virtualization client software, NComputing allows
customers to extend and more easily manage complex VMware Sphere and View
deployments while still reaping all the on-going ROI benefits of our virtual
desktop devices such as 75% reduction in maintenance and support, and up to
90% lower energy costs."
Said NComputing customer, Rick Marx, Information Services Manager, Travis
Unified School District, "This expanded product integration gives us improved
and centralized management of our current NComputing vSpace desktop
virtualization solution running on the VMware vSphere platform. As well as
extending the benefits of our existing installation, any expansion of the
deployment will be a simple and easy to manage initiative."
The NComputing L300 is based on the NComputing Numo(TM) SoC (System on a
Chip). When combined with NComputing vSpace virtualization software it
delivers Windows and Linux virtual desktops and integrates into Citrix and
VMware VDI installations. The L300 Virtual Desktop costs less than any other
thin or zero client option in the market and is a quarter of the cost of a
desktop PC. The L300 Virtual Desktop provides rich, full screen, full motion
multimedia playback up to 1920x1080 resolution, transparent USB redirection,
and simple but powerful deployment and management tools. Set up is simple,
seamless and scalable from the deployment of 4 workstations in a remote
branch office to several thousand virtual desktops in a corporate setup.
NComputing, Inc. is the fastest growing desktop virtualization company in
the world with over 20 million daily users in 140 countries. The company's
award-winning, patented technology lowers desktop computing costs, improves
manageability, and reduces both energy consumption and e-waste. It is the
perfect solution for leveraging the power and potential of PCs and cloud
computing. To learn more about NComputing, visit http://www.ncomputing.com
Source: NComputing
Media contact: -- Ana Tackett, ana@rainemakers.com, +1-415-848-2626
ioBridge Releases Professional Internet of Things Platform
MARLBOROUGH, Mass., Feb. 7, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- ioBridge, Inc. (http://www.iobridge.com) releases a platform for professional "Internet of Things" applications, such as interactive devices, power monitoring, smart appliances, industrial automation, and Machine-to-Machine (M2M) processes. The integrated platform of embedded technology and cloud services connects devices and Web services together for remote monitoring and control. CEA included ioBridge in their "5 Technology Trends to Watch in 2010" for integrating social networking Web services with home automation products.
Features of the platform include real-time streaming, data logging, alerts, expressions, process control, automation, location-awareness, time-based control, and Web feed integration. Customers are able to get started today with the ioBridge IO-204-PRO module, the gateway to ioBridge cloud-services for sensors and actuators.
With ioBridge, customers are able to leverage an end-to-end application platform to create Web applications, mobile apps, and Web services. Customers are able to get their Internet-connected products and services to market faster and at a lower-cost by utilizing the ioBridge platform. These products are also able to connect to social networking sites, location-based services, and weather feeds such as Twitter, ThingSpeak, Google Latitude, Foursquare, and WeatherBug.
"When devices are connected, you can create some really interesting products and gain a competitive advantage," said Dr. Robert Mawrey, Chief Executive Officer of ioBridge. "For example, you can take a thermostat and enable it to automatically control itself based on your phone's location."
Using the ioBridge platform, designers Passi and Ripatti created an interactive toy that allows toddlers to communicate by placing blocks and lighting up shapes. CNN featured this product and Fast Company's Co. Design listed it as one of the "12 of the Year's Best Ideas in Interface Design."
OEMs and professionals are able to license and customize ioBridge's Internet of Things platform for their own products and services in the cloud or on private networks. The technology behind the Web gateway hardware is available for integration as a drop-in module or embedded software at a low-cost.
"It's exciting that you don't have to start from scratch if you're building a Web-connected product," said Mawrey. "We have a running start and have gained a lot of experience since we launched in 2008."
About ioBridge, Inc.
ioBridge, Inc. (http://www.iobridge.com) offers technology and services that enable almost anything to be Web-enabled and monitored and controlled over the Internet. ioBridge's technology includes a Web services platform that customers can use to extend the technology for many applications. ioBridge provides OEM and commercial integration services and licensing of core, patent-pending technologies.
CONTACT:
Hans Scharler
ioBridge, Inc.
Phone: 508-630-2165
Email: press@iobridge.com
This press release was issued through eReleases(R). For more information, visit eReleases Press Release Distribution at http://www.ereleases.com.
SOURCE ioBridge, Inc.
ioBridge, Inc.
CONTACT: Hans Scharler, ioBridge, Inc., +1-508-630-2165, press@iobridge.com
Fairfax Cryobank Announces Fairfax FaceMatch(TM) for Sperm Donors: Similar to System Used by the FBI, Computer Program Compares Photos to Find Resemblance
Fairfax Cryobank announces a new and exciting computer program to help patients "match" a photo of their partner or some other individual to find their perfect sperm donor
FAIRFAX, Va., Feb. 7, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- "Patients choosing donor sperm often wonder if they can find a donor who resembles their partner or someone else. Fairfax Cryobank's new Fairfax FaceMatch(TM) program allows patients to upload a photo of their spouse or partner, themselves, a family member or even a celebrity to identify donors with similar facial characteristics," says Fairfax Cryobank Director of Operations Dr. Michelle Ottey. "Like a program used by the FBI, Fairfax FaceMatch((TM)) uses sophisticated mathematical formulas to analyze the shape of facial features to find a resemblance between a photo uploaded by a client and the adult photos of our many extraordinary sperm donors. It uses 44 points on the face to match resemblances and is not a subjective estimation of the resemblance."
The free Fairfax FaceMatch((TM)) generates a list of donors whom the program identifies as most closely resembling the photo uploaded by the patient. Using the list and detailed physical, educational and other information available from Fairfax Cryobank about each donor, including audio interviews, essays, childhood photos and more, the patient can choose the donor they prefer and order sperm online.
Fairfax FaceMatch((TM)) was created in response to requests from patients for information about who the donors resemble. Individual consultations with Fairfax Cryobank staff are also available to help patients select their donor via phone or in person.
"Fairfax FaceMatch((TM)) is a fun, interactive way to help you select a donor. We know that this can be a very exciting process and we believe that Fairfax FaceMatch((TM)) will enhance the experience," Dr. Ottey says.
Based in Fairfax, VA, Fairfax Cryobank is one of the world's largest and most experienced sperm banks. Fairfax Cryobank offers exceptional donor sperm, sperm storage and embryo storage services. Fairfax Cryobank meets the highest stands of screening and testing and is fully compliant with all FDA regulations.
Fairfax Cryobank is a division of Genetics & IVF Institute (GIVF). Together, Fairfax Cryobank and GIVF offer an extensive donor program that includes not only donor sperm, but fresh and frozen donor eggs from GIVF's large pool of fully screened, immediately available egg donors.
AnywhereCommerce Announces PCI PED 2.1 Certification for its New Rover POS
MONTREAL, Feb 7, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- AnywhereCommerce, a division of HomeATM, a leading provider of innovative payment solutions, announces that its handheld Rover POS is now PCI PED 2.1 certified. Ensuring the highest level of security, Rover offers end-to-end encryption.
This major certification is specifically targeted for AnywhereCommerce's line-busting, mCommerce and field service merchants who want to accept "card present" credit card and PIN debit transactions. AnywhereCommerce offers a bundled suite of hardware, software apps and processing capability for merchants and direct sellers.
Rover was designed and built as a universal and ubiquitous payment instrument which seamlessly interfaces with multiple devices including; Apple (iPad, iTouch, and iPhone), Samsung (Galaxy, Tab), BlackBerry, Motorola and all tablet products. Rover crosses a full breadth of operating systems including; iOS, Android, RIM, Symbian, Windows, and Linux. Rover is compact, measuring 3.5 inches long x 1.5 inches wide, and includes a USB to audio port cable.
First shipments are set to begin in March 2011 to a national retailer and ISO channels.
About AnywhereCommerce-HomeATM
AnywhereCommerce-HomeATM is a global eCommerce and mCommerce payments technology engineering and solutions provider with patented and proprietary suites of hardware and software services for secure online and mobile card present credit card and PIN debittransactions. HomeATM's universal "aCommerce" platform is ideal for eCommerce, mCommerce, P2P, retail line-busting as well as traditional field services such as repairman, delivery or taxi services. HomeATM's PCI 2.1 certified PED and bank grade secure end-to-end ecosystem provides greater security, reliability, convenience and return on investment for consumers, merchants, networks, issuers and acquirers.
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., Feb. 7, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- The Poynter Institute's News University announced today the launch of a new training package designed to help individuals enhance their writing skills throughout the year. Beginning in February and running through December, the Poynter Writing Webinar Series will deliver training on 10 of the most requested writing topics.
"The Poynter Institute has a long and rich history of teaching the craft of writing," said Stephen Buckley, Poynter's dean of faculty. "With this training package, we're covering the topics that never go out of style - from how to write profiles to how to polish your prose."
The Webinar Writing Series kicks off on Wednesday, February 9. Each month (except August) NewsU will offer a Webinar that addresses a featured writing topic. These training events will be 75 minutes - 15 minutes longer than the standard Poynter NewsU Webinar - and feature handouts, tips sheets, readings and other materials. The lineup includes:
-- February 9: Write with Voice and Tone with Kelly McBride
-- March 9: Short Narrative Bursts: Social Media Writing with David
Folkenflik
-- April 20: Making Words, Pictures and Sound Work Together with Al
Tompkins
-- May 5: How to Use Detail in Your Writing with Steve Gray
-- June 8: Mastering Revision: Polish Your Writing like a Pro with Chip
Scanlan
-- July 20: Adding Verbs with Verve and Volume to Your Writing with Jacqui
Banaszynski
-- September 15: Writing Successful Profiles with Kelley Benham
-- October 12: Reporting and Writing Scenes with Tom Huang
-- November 2: Writing for your Website: How to Make Readers Stick with
Mike Schwartz
-- December 7: The Secret of Making Complicated Facts Easy Reading with Roy
Peter Clark
Each Webinar can be purchased individually for $29.95, but Poynter is also introducing a special Webinar Writing Pass that offers significant savings on purchases of three, five or all ten in the series.
-- A three-Webinar pass is $74.85, a 15 percent savings
-- A five-Webinar pass is $119.95, a 25 percent savings
-- A 10-Webinars pass is $195.00, a 30 percent savings
The Writing Webinar Series is just one of several unique training events offered by Poynter in 2011. On February 16, News University will celebrate its 100th Webinar by bringing together the entire Poynter faculty in a single, virtual classroom. 100 Ideas to Make Your Journalism Better will deliver more than 100 practical tips on writing, design, video, leadership, social media and more from the Poynter experts who know these topics best.
The Poynter NewsU Webinar library has more than 85 replays of these very successful training events. "We are excited about adding additional writing courses to our e-learning curriculum of self-directed courses, online group seminars and Webinars," said Howard Finberg, director of interactive learning at Poynter. "And this is the first time we have offered a series of such depth."
Poynter's News University (http://www.newsu.org) offers training to journalists, journalism students, teachers and the public through more than 200 interactive e-learning modules and other forms of training. It has more than 170,000 registered users in 225 countries.
The Poynter Institute trains journalism practitioners, media leaders, educators and citizens in the areas of online and multimedia, leadership and management, reporting, writing and editing, TV and radio, ethics and diversity, journalism education and visual journalism. Poynter's Web site, (http://www.poynter.org) is the dominant provider of journalism news, with a focus on business analysis and the opportunities and implications of technology.
CONTACT
Howard Finberg, Director of Interactive Learning
hfinberg@poynter.org, 727-821-9494
Jessica Sandler, Director of Marketing
jsandler@poynter.org, 727-821-9494
SOURCE The Poynter Institute
The Poynter Institute
CONTACT: Howard Finberg, Director of Interactive Learning, hfinberg@poynter.org, +1-727-821-9494, or Jessica Sandler, Director of Marketing, jsandler@poynter.org, +1-727-821-9494
Cox Business Adds Managed Equipment to Voice Service Options
Cox is First MSO to Earn Cisco Managed Services Certification
ATLANTA, Feb. 7, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Cox Business announced today that its voice services now include a managed IP PBX solution based on Cisco's Small Business Communications System.
Cox recently became the first cable operator to achieve the Cisco Managed Services Channel Partner Express Certification and has launched the Cox Managed IP PBX+ service in Oklahoma and Las Vegas.
The new Cox Managed IP PBX+ service provides an integrated, feature-rich, premise-based, IP-PBX communications system. Small business customers with limited or no internal IT department are equipped with a telecommunications system that is monitored and managed by Cox Business, 24/7. Any indications of "trouble" are resolved by Cox Business immediately, often before the customer recognizes the problem. Businesses can share features between up to five networked locations, including four-digit dialing, without incurring long-distance toll charges. Productivity-enhancing applications such as a PC-integrated toolbar and soft phone allow secure access to communications features for employees working remotely.
The service is designed specifically to address small and medium businesses with less than 100 employees, many of which have limited in-house IT resources. Cox Business plans to extend the Managed IP PBX+ service to additional Cox markets in 2011.
"Managed IP PBX+ provides advanced communications capabilities to small businesses that prefer onsite telecom equipment and frees them to more strategically allocate resources to core business activities," said Kristine Faulkner, vice president of product development and management, Cox Business. "Cisco is a recognized data networking and VoIP leader and validates Cox's commitment to partner with best-in-class technology organizations to expand the business product portfolio to meet diverse customer needs."
The Cisco certification recognizes a solution provider's investment in the processes, practices and tools necessary to provide high-quality managed services. As a Cisco Managed Services certified partner, Cox Business has demonstrated the ability to deliver sophisticated solutions and has met stringent requirements that reflect a depth of capabilities.
Cox Business has a long-standing commitment to voice innovation. It was one of the early adopters of Voice over IP technology and, in 2007, Cox became the first cable provider in North America to deploy a fully-owned and managed IP telephony service for businesses, Cox Business VoiceManager. In addition to the new Managed IP PBX+ service, Cox Business is expected to launch SIP Trunking in 2011, allowing customers to more efficiently route voice traffic over Internet Protocol.
Cox Business provides voice, data and video services for more than 260,000 small and regional businesses, including healthcare providers, K-12 and higher education, financial institutions and federal, state and local government organizations. According to Vertical Systems Group, Cox Business is the fourth largest provider of business Ethernet services in the U.S. based on customer ports and the company ranked highest among small/midsize business data service providers in J.D. Power and Associates 2010 U.S. Major Provider Business Telecommunications Study(SM). Cox is currently the seventh largest voice service provider in the U.S. and supports more than 800,000 business phone lines. For more information about Cox Business, Click Here or call 1-800-396-1609.
About Cox Communications
Cox Communications is a broadband communications and entertainment company, providing advanced digital video, Internet, telephone and wireless services over its own nationwide IP network. The third-largest U.S. cable TV company, Cox serves more than 6 million residences and businesses. Cox Business is a facilities-based provider of voice, video and data solutions for commercial customers, and Cox Media is a full-service provider of national and local cable spot and new media advertising.
Cox is known for its pioneering efforts in cable telephone and commercial services, industry-leading customer care and its outstanding workplaces. For seven years, Cox has been recognized as the top operator for women by Women in Cable Telecommunications; for five years, Cox has ranked among DiversityInc's Top 50 Companies for Diversity, and the company holds a perfect score in the Human Rights Campaign's Corporate Equality Index. More information about Cox Communications, a wholly owned subsidiary of Cox Enterprises, is available at http://www.cox.com and http://www.coxmedia.com.
Paramount Pictures Joins Livestream to Present the 'JUSTIN BIEBER: NEVER SAY NEVER' Live Movie Premiere Event Tomorrow
Fans Across the Globe Can Tune In Online for the Interactive Justin Bieber Experience
Movie Opens in RealD 3D, Digital 3D and 2D Nationwide on February 11, 2011
HOLLYWOOD, Calif., Feb. 7, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Paramount Pictures has teamed with Livestream to present the live movie premiere of JUSTIN BIEBER: NEVER SAY NEVER. The live 2 1/2-hour purple carpet event, which will begin airing online tomorrow, February 8th, at 5:00 p.m. PT, marks the first time Paramount will stream a movie premiere exclusively on Livestream. For a truly communal experience, fans worldwide can watch together as the purple carpet event is streamed free at http://www.livestream.com/bieberpremiere and http://www.facebook.com/JustinBieber. Twitter users will also be able to view the live stream's minute-by-minute coverage on Twitter.com by going to http://twitter.com/justinbieber.
In addition, fans can tune in early, beginning at 4:00 p.m. PT, for an exclusive behind the scenes look at Justin - with special celebrity appearances and never before seen clips - as the countdown begins for his movie's premiere at L.A. Live in Los Angeles, while also being able to participate in real time via Twitter and Facebook. Fans will also be able to watch live wherever they are on mobile devices.
The Livestream ON Demand functionality will also provide fans tuning in from different time zones around the globe the chance to relive the event highlights throughout the following day.
"I'm so grateful for everything that I get to experience, and I know I couldn't do any of this without my fans," said Justin Bieber. "What a cool way for them to experience my movie's premiere with me!"
JUSTIN BIEBER: NEVER SAY NEVER is the inspiring true story and rare inside look at the rise of Justin from street performer in the small town of Stratford, Ontario to internet phenomenon to global super star culminating with a dream sold out show at the famed Madison Square Garden in 3D. It is directed by Jon M. Chu and produced by Scooter Braun, Justin Bieber, Antonio "L.A." Reid, Usher Raymond IV, Dan Cutforth and Jane Lipsitz.
JUSTIN BIEBER: NEVER SAY NEVER in 3D will open nationwide on Friday, February 11th.
Paramount Pictures Corporation (PPC), a global producer and distributor of filmed entertainment, is a unit of Viacom (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B), a leading content company with prominent and respected film, television and digital entertainment brands. The company's labels include Paramount Pictures, Paramount Vantage, Paramount Classics, Insurge Pictures, MTV Films, and Nickelodeon Movies. PPC operations also include Paramount Digital Entertainment, Paramount Famous Productions, Paramount Home Entertainment, Paramount Pictures International, Paramount Licensing Inc., Paramount Studio Group, and Worldwide Television Distribution.
ABOUT LIVESTREAM
Livestream's mission is to build a next-generation live cable operator: one that is global, social, user friendly, reaches all devices and is accessible to anyone interested in broadcasting an interactive live video experience - for free. Event organizers, content owners, celebrities and artists around the world use Livestream's social broadcasting tools to engage and grow their audiences on the web, mobile devices, and connected TVs. More than one billion video minutes are streamed each month to a growing community of 20 million monthly viewers. Notable content partners include Facebook, The New York Times, ABC News, CBS News, and the Associated Press. Livestream offers a unique commitment to protecting the rights of its producers through a 'Zero Tolerance on Piracy' policy. The company operates with over 100 full-time staff members in 3 offices - in New York, Los Angeles and Bangalore.
CONTACT: Katie Martin Kelley of Paramount Pictures, +1-323-956-2051, KMK@Paramount.com; or Jennifer Levine of Livestream, +1-646-495-9707, jennifer.levine@livestream.com, for Paramount Pictures
SharedBook Inc. Announces Pilot Release of AcademicPub(TM) to U.S. Colleges and Universities
Educators can now create high quality custom course materials more easily, quickly, and affordably, in both digital and print formats, from multiple sources of content
NEW YORK, Feb. 7, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- SharedBook Inc., a provider of content transformation technologies has introduced AcademicPub (http://www.academicpub.com) to seven colleges and universities: Boise State University, Bowdoin College, Dartmouth's Tuck School of Business, Santa Monica College, Simon Fraser University, University of Texas-Austin, and Villanova University.
AcademicPub allows educators to build custom course packs in real time, add content from a wide variety of resources, and obtain copyright clearances in a matter of seconds. Educators choose from an almost unlimited number of sources, as the platform can extract web page content with only a few clicks. AcademicPub's constantly expanding content library presents educators with additional sources of learning materials in a wide variety of disciplines. Available today are research articles from MIT Sloan Management Review, business cases from Darden Business Publishing and Ivey Publishing, workplace-related content from Berrett-Koehler, math content from Content on Demand, and science content from CABI.
"Our customers want complete flexibility when selecting content and format delivery options as well as managing costs for their students while always complying with copyright requirements," said Caroline Vanderlip, CEO of SharedBook. "There's no markup on items from our content library and no manual copyright research so these costs aren't passed through to students."
"We're excited to be part of the AcademicPub pilot program," said Albert DeSalles, Media Manager at Santa Monica College. "Several of our faculty members will use the platform to create course materials that will hopefully be more current and less expensive for our students. The ease of use, flexibility, real time delivery, and immediate copyright clearance is what attracted us to AcademicPub. This new digital content assembly/distribution model seemingly represents a huge step in the right direction for instructors and students in higher education."
About SharedBook and AcademicPub:
SharedBook's technology platform assembles, composes, prices and delivers custom books for educators, consumers, online publishers and enterprises. AcademicPub, built specifically for educators, allows for immediate creation of custom course materials and features real-time copyright clearance, and the ability to include materials from anywhere - web articles, professor-authored material, or AcademicPub library content. Headquartered in New York since 2004, SharedBook is privately held and can be found at http://www.sharedbook.com.
SOURCE SharedBook Inc.
SharedBook Inc.
CONTACT: Richard Hunt, AcademicPub/SharedBook, +1-646-442-8831, rhunt@sharedbook.com
ZAGAT for Android(TM) Features Foodspotting Photos, Foursquare Tips and In-App Review Capabilities
NEW YORK, Feb. 7, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Zagat Survey, the world's leading provider of consumer survey-based leisure information, and Handmark®, a leading developer and distributor of mobile applications and services, announced the release of the newly updated ZAGAT for Android(TM) today. The application boasts a complete visual overhaul with new features that make it even easier to find the right restaurant and share dining experiences.
With access to Zagat's premium ratings and reviews for thousands of restaurants worldwide, ZAGAT for Android is designed to help people make smart decisions about where to eat. Users can find restaurants with Advanced Search or find "Nearby" places with one touch. The app now integrates thousands of Foodspotting dish photos and Foursquare meal tips based on other like-minded diners' menu choices.
"Zagat is based on the shared opinions of large groups of avid people," said Nina S. Zagat, Co-Chair, Zagat Survey. "By adding Foodspotting photos and Foursquare tips, we're further enhancing this already very social experience."
After the meal, diners can instantly review the restaurant right on their mobile device - before they even get up from the table.
ZAGAT for Android is available for $9.99 in the Android Market. For more information about this or any of Zagat's mobile products, please visit http://www.zagat.com/mobile.
ABOUT ZAGAT SURVEY, LLC
Known as the "burgundy bible," Zagat Survey is the world's most trusted source for consumer-generated survey information. With a worldwide network of surveyors, Zagat rates and reviews restaurants, hotels, nightlife, movies, music, golf, shopping and a range of other entertainment categories and is lauded as the "most up-to-date," "comprehensive" and "reliable" guide ever published. Zagat content is available to consumers wherever and whenever they need it: on ZAGAT.com, ZAGAT.mobi, ZAGAT TO GO for smartphones and in book form.
ABOUT HANDMARK
Handmark is a world-leading developer and distributor of mobile applications. With more than 10 years of experience, the company has a rich history in creating many of the industry's top downloaded apps including TweetCaster and Pocket Express. Handmark also specializes in full service mobile solutions for hundreds of the world's largest media brands like Zagat, Oxford University Press, Thomson Reuters, London Evening Standard and others. Follow Handmark on Twitter and Facebook or for more information visit http://www.handmark.com.
SOURCE Zagat Survey, LLC
Zagat Survey, LLC
CONTACT: Tiffany Herklots, +1-212-404-6416, therklots@zagat.com; or Erica Cohen, +1-816-268-2956, ecohen@handmark.com
'Video On Demand powered by Qriocity(TM)' Makes Canadian Debut
Hundreds Of Popular Movies Now Available On Sony's 2010 And 2011 Network-Enabled Devices In English And French
TORONTO, Feb. 7, 2011 /PRNewswire/ --Sony of Canada ("Sony") today announced the Canadian launch of "Video On Demand powered by Qriocity(TM)."
"Video On Demand powered by Qriocity(TM)" is a premium streaming video service that allows film fans to rent from a growing library of hundreds of Hollywood blockbusters from NBC Universal Television Distribution, Paramount Pictures, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment, The Walt Disney Studios, Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment LLC and Warner Bros. Digital Distribution, as well as films from local studios, straight to their Sony 2010 and 2011 network-enabled BRAVIA® TV, Blu-ray Disc(TM) player, or Blu-ray Disc Home Theatre system.
Notable titles available at launch include "A-Team," "Get Him to the Greek," "Inception," "The Last Airbender," "Salt," and Disney-Pixar's "Toy Story 3."
Rental prices for High-Definition content will range from CA$4.99-5.99 while those for Standard-Definition content will range from CA$3.99-4.99. After renting a film, consumers have up to 30 days to start watching their movie, and once playback is started, they have up to 24 or 48 hours to watch the film as many times as they like.
"Video On Demand powered by Qriocity" started in Japan on January 26 and is already available in the U.S., France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the U.K.
Qriocity is an entertainment network service platform that connects many of Sony's network-enabled devices and allows consumers to enjoy high quality entertainment across multiple devices. Via Qriocity, Sony will deliver a variety of digital entertainment content and services that are "powered by Qriocity", including video, music, game applications, and e-books over time. Through these services, and in combination with its networked devices, Sony aims to bring new and exciting entertainment experiences to customers.
"Qriocity(TM)" is a trademark of Sony Corporation
"BRAVIA®" is a registered trademark of Sony Corporation
About Sony of Canada Ltd.
Established in 1955, Sony of Canada Ltd. is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Sony Corporation, of Tokyo, Japan, a world leader in High Definition. Sony provides end-to-end solutions through products that include the market-leading Blu-ray Disc(TM) players, BRAVIA® televisions, Cyber-shot® digital cameras, Handycam® Camcorders, VAIO® computers, broadcast cameras, IPELA security cameras and video conferencing and many more products that deliver the true entertainment experience. Sony is one of the most comprehensive entertainment companies in the world with a portfolio that includes electronics, music, movies, games and online businesses.
With headquarters in Toronto, sales offices in Vancouver and Montreal and distribution centres in Coquitlam, British Columbia, and Whitby, Ontario, approximately 1,000 employees support a network of more than 500 authorized dealers and 57 Sony Style retail locations across Canada.
Sony Canada is devoted to the betterment of children, the environment, and the community. Through the Sony Canada Charitable Foundation (SCCF), Sony Canada aims to maximize its support of charitable and philanthropic organizations, including Make-A-Wish® Canada, the United Way of Canada and Earth Day Canada.
SOURCE Sony of Canada Ltd.
Sony of Canada Ltd.
CONTACT: Christina Stefanski, Public Relations Specialist of Sony of Canada Ltd., +1-647-502-8063, christina_stefanski@sony.ca
LONDON, NEW YORK and BORDEAUX, France, Feb. 7, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- What is news? From late breaking updates on the troubles in Egypt to the latest tech gadgets from Macworld, the definition of important news is like that of beauty - it's in the eye of the beholder. With tens of thousands of news stories every day from thousands of sources, sorting through the noise to find news that is of personal interest to you the reader has always been a tedious task - until now.
Mobiles Republic CEO, Gilles Raymond, commented, "In a world of information overload people want to receive timely and accurate information on subjects that specifically interest them. News Republic does all of that and addresses the natural need for users to have full and complete access to information on the subjects they really like, instantly."
Overall, News Republic aims to be the premiere news app for the smart and savvy reader because it portrays the international, "big picture" perspective of a story through its numerous, high quality sources, including the Associated Press, Reuters, and Agence France-Presse, and much more.
News Republic At-A-Glance
- Fresh, global content: updates from the most respected newswires worldwide provide 1'000s of daily top stories in US News, International, Business, Sports, Technology, Entertainment and more.
- Your personalized news channel: endless customization options with your myNews channel as you pick the topics, people, or events that you want to read about.
- News Encyclopaedia: whatever the topic, you also have the option to go deeper and search and discover more.With over 30,000 topics covered, you can search and reference related articles and themes across the entire web to discover more on any topic you choose in an instant.
Pricing and Availability
News Republic is free and available worldwide through the iTunes App Store, Android Market and independent stores (GetJar, Appbrain, Androlib ...) in the News section.
About Mobiles Republic
Mobiles Republic is an innovative provider of turnkey mobile media solutions and applications for both feature phones and smartphones.
Mobiles Republic empowers content publishers, device manufacturers and mobile operators. In just a few months, the company has managed to sign strategic deals with media companies such as Lagardere / Hachette Filipacchi (Elle, Virgin Radio, Premiere, etc.), Amaury Group, Gameloft, and several news agencies including AP, AFP, Reuters and PR Newswire. In addition Mobiles Republic applications are now preloaded on Samsung Mobile, LG and Sony Ericsson handsets in several regions.
NEWS REPUBLIC(TM), an innovative application available on Smartphones in the USA, the UK and France is already used by over 200,000 people to catch up with breaking news.
CONTACT: Mike O'Brien, Director of Global Marketing, Draka Industry & Specialty | Offshore & Elevator, +1-952-232-5383, or M, +1-952-212-3380, mike.obrien@draka.com
Removes subjectivity from used car valuations and replaces it with objective, accurate, comprehensive data
SANTA MONICA, Calif., Feb. 7, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- In a development that will change how consumers answer the fundamental question, "What's My Car Really Worth?", TrueCar, Inc., a leading automotive market innovator, introduces ClearBook.com, the first used car vehicle index which analyzes the complete used car market and presents an analytical snapshot of how the entire market is behaving - finally removing the subjectivity of brand based editorialized guidance and replacing it with clear, indisputable pricing analysis based on actual market data.
"With the current guidance available, it is virtually impossible to truly understand with objective clarity and absolute certainty what your vehicle is really worth at any given time in any specific location," said Scott Painter, Founder and CEO of TrueCar, Inc. "The only way to objectively understand what your car is really worth is by understanding real market behavior. ClearBook solves this problem by aggregating and presenting this data in a way that has never been possible or attempted before."
ClearBook analyzes the entire used car marketplace and scours millions of listings to provide consumers and dealers with asking price guidance for their used car based on year, make, model, mileage, and condition. A used car price report is then dynamically generated, helping consumers and dealers make better sense of the market. For the first time, ClearBook helps objectively identify the parameters of a fair deal for both buyer and seller. Future releases of ClearBook will include transaction and wholesale pricing data.
TrueCar Inc. is an automotive solutions provider focused on changing how cars are sold by providing a significantly better customer experience while helping qualified dealer partners to gain incremental market share and reduce costs. TrueCar.com is a transparent, visual publisher of new car transaction data. TrueCar.com price reports help both dealers and consumers to agree on the parameters of a fair deal by providing an accurate, comprehensive and simple understanding of what others actually paid for the identically equipped new car over the last 30 days both locally and nationally. TrueCar, Inc. works with a national network of nearly 5,000 Certified Dealers that provide up-front, no-haggle, competitive pricing to assist some of the nation's largest and most well respected membership and service organizations to meet the auto buying needs of their members and customers. These partnerships include American Express, AAA, USAA and more than 60 others. Collectively these audiences represent over 1M in-market customers each month. TrueCar, Inc. is headquartered in Santa Monica, CA and has offices in San Francisco. The company was founded in 2005 and has been profitable since 2009. With nearly 200 percent year-over-year growth TrueCar has driven over 200,000 sales and is developing a suite of transaction oriented products and services centered on transparency and radical clarity as a result of comprehensively analyzing market data and information.
Gale Completes AccessMyLibrary Line with Addition of College and School Edition Android Applications
FARMINGTON HILLS, Mich., Feb. 7, 2011 /PRNewswire/ --Gale, part of Cengage Learning, today announced the College and School editions of the AccessMyLibrary Android applications, which join the AccessMyLibrary School Edition application for the iPad that became available in early January. These latest additions complete Gale's extensive line-up of AccessMyLibrary (AML) applications, which make Gale library resources accessible on the go from all major mobile devices.
As with previously announced apps, AML College and School Edition ask students to locate their school and then authenticate for the year. Both editions require a one-time password. College students can enter their school-issued email address to have the password sent to them, while students in grade, middle and high schools will have the password provided by their institution. Rather than sifting through internet sites that aren't always reliable, students can access credible library reference sources in seconds with AML apps.
"Our primary mission is to advocate for libraries by increasing awareness of all the great resources they provide," said Nader Qaimari, senior vice president, marketing, Cengage Learning. "With AccessMyLibrary apps now available for all devices in all markets, we are taking the library directly to users. More than 20,000 people have already downloaded these apps."
In addition, Quick Response (QR) codes are also available for the new AML apps, as well as those previously announced. After downloading a QR code-scanning app, mobile phone users can scan the AML QR code with their barcode reader to be automatically taken to the Gale apps web site.
In December 2009, Gale launched its first AML application for the iPhone. Now the current selection of AML apps includes:
-- AccessMyLibrary Public Edition for all iOS devices (iPhone, iPad and
iTouch) and Android devices
-- AccessMyLibrary School Edition for all iOS and Android devices
-- AccessMyLibrary College Edition for all iOS and Android devices
AML apps for iOS devices can be downloaded from the iTunes store, and apps for Android devices can be downloaded from the Android Marketplace. All AML apps are free and additional information, including QR codes, posters, bookmarks and other library marketing resources can be found at http://www.gale.cengage.com/apps/.
For more information, please contact Kristina Massari at kristina.massari@cengage.com.
About Cengage Learning and Gale
Cengage Learning is a leading provider of innovative teaching, learning and research solutions for the academic, professional and library markets worldwide. Gale, part of Cengage Learning, serves the world's information and education needs through its vast and dynamic content pools, which are used by students and consumers in their libraries, schools and on the Internet. It is best known for the accuracy, breadth and convenience of its data, addressing all types of information needs - from homework help to health questions to business profiles - in a variety of formats. For more information, visit http://www.cengage.com or http://www.gale.com.
Clear Laws on Spatial Tech Needed Globally, Attorney Urges
-At Geospatial World Forum, LeClairRyan attorney Kevin Pomfret cites privacy concerns and more
RICHMOND, Va., Feb. 7, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Across the globe, the rapid evolution of geospatial technologies and applications has led to exciting opportunities for both the public and private sectors. And yet, as attorney Kevin D. Pomfret recently told audiences at the Geospatial World Forum in Hyderabad, India, this sector is advancing so quickly that national governments now face a daunting challenge: keeping pace with emerging law and policy issues that promise to affect everything from personal privacy to national security.
"The time is now for national governments to bring focused attention to matters of spatial law and policy," asserted Pomfret, a Richmond-based partner in LeClairRyan and executive director of the Centre for Spatial Law and Policy. "The goal should be to facilitate the collection, sharing and use of spatial data for commercial and governmental purposes, while simultaneously taking full account of the quite-legitimate legal and policy issues that have emerged."
At the Geospatial World Forum--a major international conference that brings together a wide variety of stakeholders and end-users in the global geospatial community--Pomfret gave two presentations dealing with the law and policy implications of spatial technology. The first was to the heads of national mapping agencies from around the world; the second was to government officials tasked with handling land administration and land management.
"National Mapping Agencies are being asked to help address a number of critical issues, such as economic development, transportation, infrastructure development, and national security," Pomfret said. "New sensors and technologies are making it easier for governments to collect, map and share data with one another. However, many are concerned about the legal and policy implications of doing so. For example, the privacy implications can be confusing and conflicting, particularly internationally.
"The notion of privacy is of particular concern because it is rooted in culture and varies dramatically from one nation to the next," he continued. "Throw in the newness of spatial technology itself, and that complexity is compounded. People want to protect their privacy, but it is still unclear what privacy is from a location standpoint."
By way of illustration, Pomfret noted that Europeans tend to be less troubled by the presence of government-monitored, closed-circuit TVs in their countries than the notion of a private company collecting and using such data. "Google Street View makes many Europeans and their governments quite nervous," Pomfret observed. "By contrast, Americans would be more bothered by the idea of 'Big Brother,' the government, collecting street-level imagery. So there is very much a cultural component that needs to be considered with respect to this issue. Thus, national governments must develop internal policies that are appropriate for their legal systems and cultural mores, even as they sort out how and when to share data with global trade and governmental partners."
Even in the case of land management, issues of spatial law and policy are important. "For example, a decade ago, only a few people were qualified to go out and do a survey and these were subject to governmental regulation," he noted. "But the introduction and broad acceptance of geospatial technology is making it easier for the average person to collect and try to use spatial data. As technology evolves, when does this become appropriate? And how does policy change in response?"
While spatial technology is empowering people in new ways, Pomfret told the conference, what remains unclear is what impact this will have. "Accurate land administration/land management is fundamental to a country's economic growth," he said. "Being able to prove land ownership is often critical, for instance, in order to obtain a loan from a bank. However, in some countries, political and business elites may be benefiting from such uncertainty, so such measures could prove to be disruptive and threatening. Laws and policies must develop to allow such technology to be incorporated into the land administration/land management process."
About LeClairRyan
Founded in 1988, LeClairRyan provides business counsel and client representation in corporate law and high-stakes litigation. With offices in California, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Washington, D.C., the firm has approximately 325 attorneys representing a wide variety of clients throughout the nation. For more information about LeClairRyan, visit http://www.leclairryan.com.
Available Topic Expert(s): For information on the listed expert(s), click appropriate link.
iFoster Goes Viral - Helping Raise 150,000 Children in Foster Care in its First 3 Months
TRUCKEE, Calif., Feb. 7, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- iFoster today announced that its online community (http://www.ifoster.org) is improving the lives of over 150,000 children in foster care across 48 states.
On any day, more than 500,000 children, removed from their homes due to abuse, violence or neglect, are raised in a system that is under-funded and stretched beyond capacity. Placed often outside of their community, subjected to multiple placements, and with more than 20,000 aging-out annually, the lives of these children are too often tragic. Over 80 percent who never find a permanent home end up living in poverty, prison, homeless, or struggling young parents.
iFoster is changing this dynamic through an online community that provides support, information, and leverages the strength of billions of dollars in purchasing power and millions of voices to benefit these children.
Serita Cox, iFoster's co-founder, commented, "iFoster is approaching the issues in foster care from an entirely new direction. Until now, the heroic people raising and supporting these children have been isolated from each other. We are breaking through the barriers and bringing together this large and passionate community to improve the lives and futures for all children in foster care."
In October, 2010, iFoster launched its marketplace to close the funding gap for basic needs in foster care. The government currently provides only 64 percent of the cost of basic needs for each child in foster care. The marketplace leverages the over $3 billion in purchasing power spent on basic needs to negotiate discounts and stretch limited funds farther. As iFoster's membership grows, so does the community's purchasing power.
Later this year, iFoster will launch a knowledge center to aggregate relevant information about the foster care system, raising children and services available regionally. Social media functionality will enable the community to support each other as well as share, recommend and rate information, services and discounts they find most valuable. In aggregate, iFoster enables the development of a vibrant community with a collective voice millions strong to improve the system.
About iFoster
iFoster, a non-profit launched in October 2010, seeks to improve the lives of all children in foster care. http://www.ifoster.org is available for free to the foster care community, from caregivers (foster/guardian/kinship/adoptive families), to the organizations that support foster children, and emancipated foster youth.
2010 Network Spending Supports Business and Consumer Demands
DUBLIN, Ohio, Feb. 7, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Verizon Wireless announced today it invested more than $291 million in 2010 to enhance its network in Ohio. The investment included 27 new cell sites; upgrading equipment on 966 existing cell sites to increase coverage and capacity of the company's voice and 3G high-speed wireless network; and prepping the backbone of the network to deploy 4G LTE across the state.
"Our company is focused on building a reliable 4G network both here in Ohio and nationwide, but we also remain committed to improving our 3G network which millions of customers rely on daily," said Beth Drohan, Midwest Area vice president-network, Verizon Wireless. "Customers may use their wireless devices in different ways, but they all have one need in common -- a reliable network."
Since the company was formed in 2000, Verizon Wireless has invested nearly $1.9 billion on improvements to its network in Ohio, including the following upgrades made in 2010:
-- Twenty-seven new cell sites were activated enabling more customers to
use their phones for social networking, Internet browsing, downloading
apps and music, exchanging email and text, picture and video messages,
watching high-quality videos and making calls.
-- Equipment was installed at 966 cell sites across Ohio to boost capacity
of the company's advanced 3G high-speed wireless network and improve
speed and performance.
-- New equipment was installed across the network in preparation of
deploying 4G LTE, which will increase bandwidth to handle more data
traffic.
-- Permanent backup generators were installed at 28 cell sites to ensure
the network remains reliable during times of crisis.
-- Temporary cell sites were deployed at high-profile events during the
year that draw large crowds, including The Ohio State University
Buckeye's home football games and the Memorial Tournament held in
Dublin.
For Verizon Wireless Updates on Twitter
Stay in the know about Verizon Wireless news in Ohio by following @merrila on Twitter at http://twitter.com/merrila. For the latest network-related news, information and upgrades, follow @VZWNetwork on Twitter at http://twitter.com/VZWNetwork.
About Verizon Wireless
Verizon Wireless operates the nation's fastest and most advanced 4G network and largest and most reliable 3G network, and serves more than 94 million customers. Headquartered in Basking Ridge, N.J., with 82,000 employees nationwide, Verizon Wireless is a joint venture of Verizon Communications (NYSE, Nasdaq: VZ) and Vodafone (LSE, Nasdaq: VOD). For more information, visit http://www.verizonwireless.com. To preview and request broadcast-quality video footage and high-resolution stills of Verizon Wireless operations, log on to the Verizon Wireless Multimedia Library at http://www.verizonwireless.com/multimedia.
SOURCE Verizon Wireless
Verizon Wireless
CONTACT: Laura Merritt, Verizon Wireless, +1-614-345-3210, laura.merritt@verizonwireless.com, http:/twitter.com/merrila, or Laura Kaster, Verizon Wireless, +1-513-271-7222, ext. 26, lkaster@wordsworthweb.com
Beaulieu of America Engages Definition 6 for Complete Website Redesign to Support Company Growth and Innovation
BlissFlooring.com Offers Improved Online User Experience, Interactive Design Center and Dealer Locator Tools
ATLANTA, Feb. 7, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Definition 6, a unified marketing agency, announced today that its website redesign project for Beaulieu of America, a leading carpet and flooring specialist, has launched at http://www.blissflooring.com. Offering new design solutions, including functionality enhancements, improved usability and interactivity, and a dealer locator tool, the innovative website serves as a carpet and interior design information resource for all its customers, specifically geared towards its female audience.
Beaulieu engaged Definition 6 to revitalize its previous outdated, non-engaging website, to promote its brand for Bliss Flooring, showcasing its feature-rich carpet product line. The new site is more interactive and better aligns with the company's growth strategy, focusing in on the core demographic for its largest decision-makers on flooring - women. Definition 6 created a website that would simplify the buying process and empower its female customers with all the information needed to select the right product for her lifestyle, whether it's with her kids, hosting a party or an evening of luxury. The new site content is rich, search engine friendly and provides Bliss' target customer with valuable insights into the carpet and home design industry.
Definition 6 developed functionality not previously available including:
-- Carpet selection tools specific to function, room, lifestyle, in
addition to color and texture
-- Interactive product support and guidance through "Ask a Bliss Expert"
-- Carpet comparison tool
-- Design and style center including "The Bliss Blog", the Trend Hub and
advice from the style editors
-- Dealer locator tool that allows customers to search for the dealer
closest to their home or office
"We understand the high level of involvement and consideration in buying new carpet and the team at Definition 6 really captured both the emotional and functional considerations in a way that will truly add real value to our customers," says Patricia Flavin, VP Marketing, Beaulieu of America. "We are extremely proud of our new site and enjoyed working with Definition 6 on this project."
"To truly engage customers, Definition 6 utilized a more personalized, user-friendly design approach when creating the website," said Stephen Boyd, Group Account Director, Definition 6.
"The storytelling, online videos were a perfect solution for the homepage to showcase the benefits and features of Bliss' many products, important to its core female customer base. Bliss Flooring is a company dedicated to customer satisfaction and innovation and we strived to create a website that reinforced their customer-focused philosophy."
As the third largest carpet manufacturer in the world, Beaulieu of America has a broad, deep product line designed to fit the needs of a variety of customers - both private and commercial. The improved website provides access to all four brands - Beaulieu, Bliss, Coronet and Hollytex - and feature product benefits and differentiators for each.
ABOUT BEAULIEU OF AMERICA
Beaulieu of America is the largest carpet-only producer in the world, employing over 5,500 associates in over 26 facilities. It is based in Dalton, Georgia and markets carpet branded Bliss by Beaulieu for the residential replacement market, Hollytex for main street commercial installations, Beaulieu Property Management Solutions for multi-family housing and Armstrong FashionSmart for new home construction.
ABOUT DEFINITION 6
Definition 6 is a Unified Marketing Agency that creates brand experiences that unite brands and people in motion. Through imagination, innovation and insight, we execute ideas that deliver continued value across all brand interactions. Since 1997, Definition 6 has been helping clients redefine brand experiences by unifying the disciplines of marketing and technology.
With offices in Atlanta and New York, Definition 6 supports a fast-growing client base that includes The Coca-Cola Company, HBO, La Quinta Inns & Suites, Verifone, Cox Enterprises, Nickelodeon, Mitsubishi and Cinnabon. For more information on Definition 6's Unified Marketing Services, or to learn more about the agency's award-winning work, please visit http://www.definition6.com.
Fred Jager, CEO, Hunter Wise Financial Group, LLC, in National Radio Interview Says 10,000 Public Companies Should Become Private
IRVINE, Calif., Feb. 7, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Hunter Wise Financial Group, LLC, announced today that Fred G. Jager, its CEO and President, in an interview with business journalist Stu Taylor, said more than 10,000 public companies should consider the "reasonably simple thing to do" and become private entities.
Mr. Jager told the audience of "Equity Strategies" on the Business TalkRadio Network that there is "lots of money chasing these deals" and that switching from a public company to the private sector is a "tremendous commercial opportunity."
Hunter Wise, with offices in 16 states, and new international offices in London and Beijing, plus in Vancouver, Canada, is among the firms capable of providing the assistance necessary for a smooth transition from being a public to private entity. Information about the firm, including contact information, is available on its website (http://www.hunterwise.com).
Mr. Jager also explained in the interview that the U.S. business climate has been "extremely challenging since 2008, although there continues to be an abundance of equity capital available, the lack of adequate debt financing has resulted in difficult circumstances in which to grow companies." The Hunter Wise Financial Group CEO said he believes the country is beginning to emerge from this problem and forecast a better growth pattern for business in 2011.
"Business spending today in the U.S. is the same as in 1999. Many businesses have capital that they are sitting on." However, Mr. Jager explained, "businesses have to start spending to replace worn-out equipment, refinance, acquire or be acquired."
Mr. Jager explained that Hunter Wise can find equity sources to finance public and private companies. He told the national radio audience that billions of dollars are now available in non-secured "mezzanine" funds for middle market companies and that the Irvine, California-based Hunter Wise can also assist in helping companies secure this funding.
Mr. Jager is a nationally known figure in investment banking, one of the nation's most successful leaders in middle-market corporate financing. He is also a highly acclaimed business speaker and author of more than 400 published articles.
Hunter Wise Financial Group, LLC, is a specialized investment bank providing the highest quality level of corporate financing, merger, acquisition, divestiture and advisory services. The Company's clients include small to medium-sized public companies, as well as selected middle market privately-held businesses. Hunter Wise has 16 offices in the U.S. and offices in China, Canada and the United Kingdom.
CONTACT:
Fred Jager
CEO and President
Hunter Wise Financial Group, LLC
2361 Campus Dr., Suite 100
Irvine, CA 92612
949.852.1700
fjager@hunterwise.com
SOURCE Hunter Wise Financial Group, LLC
Hunter Wise Financial Group, LLC
CONTACT: Fred Jager, CEO and President of Hunter Wise Financial Group, LLC, +1-949-852-1700, fjager@hunterwise.com
UBM TechWeb's Enterprise Connect Orlando 2011 Announces Featured Session Lineup
Thought- and Market-Leaders to Analyze New Models for Unified Communications & Collaboration, Security, Mobility and the Cloud
SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 7, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Enterprise Connect, formerly VoiceCon, produced by UBM TechWeb, today announced its conference featured session lineup. Enterprise Connect will be held February 28-March 3 at the Gaylord Palms Hotel in Orlando, FL. Registration is now open at http://www.enterpriseconnect.com/orlando/.
In addition to a keynote lineup presenting top executives from Cisco, Microsoft, Avaya, Skype and HP, each day Enterprise Connect will feature panels analyzing the key issues in enterprise communications and collaboration. The featured sessions include:
-- Monday, February 28:
--UC in 2011-Myths, Realities and What Comes Next? Panelists from
Microsoft, Cisco, Avaya, IBM, Siemens and Shoretel.
--What's Next for the Mobile Enterprise? Panelists from RIM, Verizon,
Sprint and Siemens.
-- Tuesday, March 1:
--Is There a New Model for Enterprise Communications & Collaboration?
Panelists from Northrup Grumman, Pfizer and Pearson.
-- Wednesday, March 2:
--Will the Cloud Take Over Enterprise Communications? Panelists from
IBM, Microsoft, Verizon, Yankee Group and Levine, Blaszak, Block &
Boothby, LLP.
-- Thursday, March 3:
--Communications Security-Report to the Industry. Panelists from
National Security Agency (NSA) and Securelogix
"The Enterprise Connect featured sessions will address the linchpin issues facing all of the stakeholders in the communications and collaboration community, said Fred Knight, Enterprise Connect General Manager and Co-Chair. "IT executives and decision-makers get insight into how their peers are evolving their architectures and services," he continued, "the vendors have the opportunity to present their vision and capabilities, and the press and analysts are able to hear from both enterprises and the vendors, and determine whether the two are speaking to - or past - each other."
The featured sessions and keynotes bolster an already-rich Enterprise Connect program that will showcase the full range of platforms, services and applications that comprise modern communications and collaboration systems. The areas of focus for this year's conference are:
-- Unified Communications
-- Mobility
-- The Cloud and Virtualization
-- SIP and SIP Trunking
-- Video and Collaboration
-- The Social Enterprise
-- Planning/Implementing IP Telephony
-- Managing Technology, Costs and People
"We're committed to having customer organizations speak from the podium, and we're delighted with the number and quality we'll present in Orlando," said Eric Krapf, Enterprise Connect Co-Chair and Lead Blogger for its editorial website NoJitter.com. "More than a dozen senior enterprise executives will be either presenting or participating in our panels, from companies like Northrup Grumman, Pfizer, MODEC, Grainger, Pearson, LSU and ESPN."
Rounding out the conference program will be the newly introduced Strategies Summit, which will offer two days of high-level analysis targeted at CIOs/VPs and other high-level decision-makers who are assessing their options for communications and collaboration technologies and business partners. For more information on conference tracks, keynote speakers and the Strategies Summit, please visit the event website: http://www.enterpriseconnect.com/orlando/.
The Enterprise Connect Exhibition will feature more than 100 companies and is the only expo where all of the enterprise communications equipment, software and service suppliers providers are in one location. The list of sponsors and exhibitors currently includes: Diamond Sponsors AVAYA, Cisco and Siemens Enterprise Communications; Platinum Sponsors Aastra, Alcatel-Lucent, Aspect, Extreme Networks, HP, IBM, Interactive Intelligence, Microsoft, NEC Corporation, Polycom, ShoreTel and Verizon; Gold Sponsors 911 Enable, AVST, Axede SA, Blackberry, Carousel Industries, Dimension Data, SecureLogix Corp., Sprint and Vidyo; Silver Sponsors Aceyus, Acme Packet, AudioCodes, Inc., Avtex, Bucher + Suter AG, Calabrio, CosmoCom, EchoPass Corporation, Genesys, Integrated Research, Level 3 Communications, NET, Orange Business Services, Plantronics, Presidio Networked Solutions, Psytechnics, RADVISION, Sipera Systems, Skype, snom technology, Inc., Sonus Networks, XIRRUS, XO Communications and Zeacom.
About Enterprise Connect®
Enterprise Connect® (formerly VoiceCon) is the leading conference and exhibition for enterprise IP Telephony, Converged Networks and Unified Communications in North America. Enterprise Connect® brings corporate IT decision makers together with the industry's vendors, analysts and consultants to focus on the issues central to enterprise networks and communications. Enterprise Connect® owns and produces No Jitter, (http://www.nojitter.com/), providing daily blogging and analysis of enterprise communications, and it also serves the community with a weekly email newsletter, a Webinar Series and Virtual Events. For more information, visit http://enterpriseconnect.com/.
About UBM TechWeb
UBM TechWeb, the global leader in technology media and professional information, enables people and organizations to harness the transformative power of technology. Through its three core businesses - media solutions, marketing services and paid content - UBM TechWeb produces the most respected and consumed brands and media applications in the technology market. More than 14.5 million business and technology professionals (CIOs and IT managers, Web & Digital professionals, Software Developers, Government decision makers, and Telecom providers) actively engage in UBM TechWeb's communities and information resources monthly. UBM TechWeb brands include: global face-to-face events such as Interop, Web 2.0, Black Hat and Enterprise Connect; award-winning online resources such as InformationWeek, Light Reading, and Network Computing; and market-leading magazines InformationWeek, Wall Street & Technology, and Advanced Trading. UBM TechWeb is a UBM company, a global provider of news distribution and specialist information services with a market capitalization of more than $2.5 billion.
SOURCE UBM TechWeb
UBM TechWeb
CONTACT: Natalia Wodecki, PR Director of UBM TechWeb, +1-415-947-6762, nwodecki@techweb.com
Dasient Raises New Round of Funding Led by Google Ventures
Company to Expand Leadership in Rapidly Emerging Market for Web Anti-Malware Solutions
SUNNYVALE, Calif., Feb. 7, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Dasient Inc., the leading provider of anti-malware solutions for websites and ad networks, today announced it has received a new round of funding from Google Ventures to accelerate the company's future growth plans, extend its reach into new markets, and enhance research and product development efforts. Google Ventures joins Dasient's previous investors including Benhamou Global Ventures, Floodgate and Radar Partners.
"Malware is one of the fastest-growing threats on the Internet today, and Dasient has developed innovative solutions that aggressively tackle this problem head on," said Karim Faris, Partner, Google Ventures. "Now, more than ever, the safety of the Internet is at risk, underscored by the rapidly increasing number of websites and advertisements infected with malware. Dasient enables companies to proactively protect their websites by detecting and identifying a malware infection before it harms their business. We are excited to be working with the Dasient team to help build and grow the company as the worldwide leader in Web anti-malware."
The new round of funding will be used to expand Dasient's research and development team which has developed the market's leading web malware detection solution. The additional funds will also help the company expand its sales and marketing initiatives to further penetrate existing markets and develop new market opportunities. In 2010, Dasient made record sales of its industry-leading solutions in the financial, media, and e-commerce verticals. Dasient also achieved triple-digit customer growth and doubled its team size as it expanded to new headquarters in Sunnyvale, Calif.
"Dasient started with the vision to help secure the world from web-based malware - and two years later, we are proud to report that our technology has helped keep millions of websites malware-free," said Paul Stich, CEO of Dasient. "Dasient is thrilled to receive this new round of funding from Google Ventures to continue our strong growth and contribute new research and future technology innovations that can help curb the spread of sophisticated malware attacks."
In its most recent Quarterly Malware Update, Dasient reported malware on more than 1.2 million websites, more than twice as many as in the same quarter a year before. To address this increasing threat, Dasient provides a complete Web Anti-Malware service that can automatically identify and contain malware on websites, helping businesses avoid losses of traffic, reputation, and revenue. In early 2010, Dasient also set new marks for anti-malware technology innovation, introducing the industry's first Anti-Malvertising Solution which helps publishers and advertising networks quickly monitor and remediate malicious advertising attacks whenever they occur.
"Just about anyone with the malicious knowledge can get in and take down your website and that could potently affect your bottom line," said Dasient customer, Jim Shugarts, Director of Field Support for MediaNews Group interactive. "After looking at multiple vendors, we selected Dasient because of their technology leadership, their breadth of offering and their ability to scale with our business. They're looking at the whole website as well as malvertising and we need both to protect our online business. Dasient is a critical factor to bring on board for any product going out on the Web these days - you need to be protected."
About Google Ventures
Google Ventures seeks to discover and help develop great companies - we believe in the power of entrepreneurs to do amazing things. Our investments range from seed to late stage, across a broad range of industries, including consumer Internet, software, hardware, clean tech, biotechnology and health care. We embrace the challenge of helping young companies grow from the proverbial garage to global relevance. The Google Ventures team includes entrepreneurs, investors and innovators, along with some 24,000+ exceptional Googlers whose breadth of knowledge, experience and creativity constitute perhaps our most valuable resource. For more information, visit http://www.google.com/ventures.
About Dasient
Dasient, the leader in Web anti-malware technology, envisions an Internet that is safe and malware-free for users and online businesses. Dasient protects the websites of leading financial services, e-commerce, media, web hosting and other global enterprises from losses of data, revenue and reputation caused by web-based malware attacks. Furthermore, Dasient's adaptive security intelligence redefines Internet security by scanning the expanses of the Web and harnessing the power of data to mount defenses against future malware attacks. For more information about the company and its services, visit http://www.dasient.com.
Unpublished rights reserved under U.S. copyright laws. Dasient and the Dasient logo are trademarks of Dasient, Inc. or its subsidiaries. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. ® indicates registration in the United States. Specifications are subject to change without notice.
SOURCE Dasient Inc.
Dasient Inc.
CONTACT: Michelle Schafer of Merritt Group for Dasient, Cell: +1-703-403-6377, Schafer@merrittgrp.com
AVerMedia® Previews New W30 and F50 Document Cameras at TCEA 2011
AVerVision W30 is uncompromising wireless mobility and F50 is effortless on-board annotation
MILPITAS, Calif., Feb. 7, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- AVerMedia® Information, Inc., will introduce its first Wireless Document Camera system, a revolutionary mobile device that unleashes the learning environment from a teacher's desk to the classroom and even outside, at TCEA 2011. The sleek new W30 includes a lightweight and portable document camera that communicates seamlessly with its base unit that receives, records, enhances and transmits - all at 30fps. The W30 delivers clear, crisp and consistent content no matter where the document camera is within a 45ft radius of the base unit.
The W30 can operate with or without a MAC/PC. Without a computer, it is the only wireless system that records and sends images to the projector or monitor independently. It even offers presentation tools that help display what's important and cover-up what's not. Add a computer and now you have access to software tools that help make the curriculum easier and more enjoyable. Coupled with battery life that lasts an entire school day, one-touch recording to USB/SD cards and all the specially designed software make the W30 a ground-breaking wireless document camera system that transforms an entire classroom into a digital learning playground.
Also debuting at TCEA is the new F50 document camera with on-board annotation! Now all educators need to do is plug-in a mouse or our AVerPen and that's it. They can add drawings, marks or even write to enhance their image - all without a computer. Add in a 5 MegaPixel camera at 30fps, 80X zoom, 1080p HD output and explaining complex maps, charts, text and more has never been clearer. All this and it comes with one touch audio and video recording to USB/SD cards.
"The W30 and F50 are results of rethinking presentation conventions to produce innovative products that help educators make the greatest impact with their curriculum, says Steve Siegel, Marketing Director for AVerMedia Information, Inc. "For today's modern classrooms, document cameras that incorporate mobility, clarity, ease and work side-by-side with educators to inspire the joy of learning, is a true necessity."
Pricing and Availability
The AVerVision F50 and W30 will be available in late April and May, respectively. For more information and pricing about the AVerVision W30 and F50 or any of AVerMedia's other classroom presentation products, please visit us at http://www.averusa.com/presentation or call Toll-Free at 1-877-528-7824.
About AVerMedia® Information, Inc.:
AVerMedia is the technology leader in Interactive Digital Multimedia Video and Software Technology Development, Manufacturing, Sales and Marketing. Focusing on Corporate, Government and Education markets, AVerMedia designs, manufactures and develops interactive classroom solutions, video communication products and digital surveillance solutions. Product lines include AVerPen Interactive Collaborative Learning Solutions, AVerVision Document Cameras, AVerComm Video Conferencing solutions and AVerDigi Digital Surveillance Solutions. As a leader in innovative manufacturing, software and environmentally friendly products, AVerMedia is also highly involved with community and social responsibilities.
AVerMedia is a registered trademark of AVerMedia Information, Inc. All other trademarks or registered trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
SOURCE AVerMedia Information, Inc.
Photo:http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20050426/SFTU118LOGO http://photoarchive.ap.org/
AVerMedia Information, Inc.
Antenna Software Acquires Mobile Internet Specialist Volantis
JERSEY CITY, New Jersey and GUILDFORD, England, February 7, 2011/PRNewswire/ --
- Combined Company Provides Most Complete Solution for Mobile
Web, Apps and Content on Any Wireless or Internet-Connected Device
Antenna Software (http://www.antennasoftware.com/), Inc., enabling
business transformation and consumer engagement through intelligently
designed mobile applications, today announced it has acquired mobile internet
software company Volantis Systems Ltd (http://www.volantis.com/). The
combination of Antenna's proven mobile apps technology with the ability now
to harness the power of the mobile internet, uniquely positions the company
as a complete, end-to-end mobile solutions provider for enterprises and
carriers. This strategic acquisition makes Antenna the market leader for
mobility solutions that address the needs of all users across all
internet-connected mobile devices - from smartphones and tablets through to
browser-enabled feature phones.
"According to a recent IDC forecast, in 2011 half of all web users are
going to be mobile web users, and by 2014 we estimate they will have
downloaded 76.9 billion apps," said Nick McQuire, IDC's Research Director for
EMEA Enterprise Mobility. "It's clear that no company can afford to have just
a mobile website strategy or just a mobile apps strategy. As such, the
combined experience and capabilities of Antenna and Volantis make them well
positioned to take advantage of the way in which the mobile internet is
developing on a global scale."
Operating under the Antenna brand, the combined company will continue to
provide full support of Volantis' products to its current customers,
prospects and partners through its existing teams in the Volantis offices in
Guildford, Seattle, Krakow, Pune and Hong Kong -strengthening Antenna's
global presence, particularly across Europe and Asia-Pacific.
The addition of Volantis' complementary technology allows Antenna to
immediately offer its customers a significantly broader range of mobile web
solutions, including the underlying architecture for mobile commerce and
enterprise app stores. This adds to Antenna's already robust on-demand (SaaS)
Antenna Mobility Platform(TM) (AMP ( http://www.antennasoftware.com/mobile-platform/amp)) offering, which powers
the company's suite of mobile business and consumer applications.
"This is truly a watershed moment for Antenna that takes us closer to our
vision of being the mobile platform for the Global 1000," said Jim Hemmer,
President and CEO of Antenna. "With Volantis as part of the Antenna family,
our customers can go to a single provider for all their mobility needs. Our
mobile solutions not only manage the complex requirements of the workforce
but also the mobile demands of millions of consumers who want to interact
with a brand on the go across myriad devices. In a highly fragmented channel,
Antenna creates order out of chaos and delivers a consistent and compelling
mobile experience to all."
Volantis brings to Antenna a wealth of carrier and enterprise customers,
including T-Mobile, 3, Telenor, Garanti Bank and Reliance Capital. The
Volantis customer portfolio deepens Antenna's already robust carrier
portfolio and extends the company's vertical offerings across the financial
services, retail, travel, transport, media and entertainment industry
sectors.
"Volantis has spent the past decade developing a best-of-breed solution
for the mobile internet," said Mark Watson, former CEO and Co-Founder of
Volantis. "Our goal has always been to make the mobile web as accessible as
possible to enterprises and consumers, with the most robust technology to
support the solution. Joining with Antenna will allow us to continue to
invest in the development of our technology while co-innovating as part of
the Antenna team to help drive success for the combined company going
forward."
Antenna Software provides a complete solution for mobile web, apps and
content that addresses the needs of all users, across all Internet-connected
devices, from anywhere in the world. Only Antenna?s mobile solutions enable
business transformation by delivering a consistent and compelling experience
for everyone - from employees in the mobile workforce to millions of
consumers on myriad devices. Antenna?s advanced mobile technology makes all
the hard stuff like security, integration, performance, scalability and
management look easy (even though it?s not). That?s why leading Global 1000
companies rely on Antenna to be their trusted mobility partner. Founded in
1998, Antenna is headquartered in Jersey City, N.J., with offices around
the world.
Safe Communications Agrees In Principle to Merge Its Corporate Security Division Into Publically Traded Northsight Capital, Inc.
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., Feb. 7, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- SAFE COMMUNICATIONS, INC, (Pink Sheets: SGTB) announced today that the company has signed a nonbinding agreement in principle with Northsight Capital, Inc.(OTC Bulletin Board: NCAP), under which NCAP would acquire the company's newly formed corporate security division, NCAP Security Systems, Inc. In the proposed deal, Safe would retain an approximate 95% equity interest in NCAP, post acquisition. The company plans to spin a major part of NCAP off to shareholders of Safe as of a future record date, on a one for two basis. (One share of NCAP for each two shares of Safe owned on the record date). Completion of the proposed transaction is subject to, customary conditions, including satisfactory completion of due diligence and board approval.
The new division, which uses the "MaskMail" anonymous reporting technology (http://www.MaskMail.com), will be headed up by international security expert, Chuck Vance. Mr. Vance is also on Safe Communications' Child Cyber Safety Advisory Board. It is contemplated that that new "MaskMail" website will be launched in the very near future.
MaskMail will employ the company's anonymous reporting system to enable its customers to receive anonymous reports of theft and other wrongdoing. A recent National Retail Security Survey showed total retail losses cost businesses $33.5 billion last year. According to the survey, the largest percentage of retail shrinkage last year was due to employee theft, at $14.4 billion, accounting for 43 percent of total losses. In its 2010 Report to the Nations, the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE) said that corporate fraud cost the global economy more than $2.9 trillion in 2009. ACFE surveyed fraud examiners in 106 countries examining 1,843 cases of fraud to reach its conclusions.
EMPLOYEE THEFT A GROWING PROBLEM:
-- The FBI calls employee theft "the fastest growing crime in America!"
-- The U.S. Chamber of Commerce estimates that 75% of employees steal from
the workplace and that most do so repeatedly.
-- One third of all U.S. corporate bankruptcies are directly caused by
employee theft.
-- The American Society of Employers estimates that 20% of every dollar
earned by a U.S. company is lost to employee theft.
The, anonymous reporting system allows subscribers to set up anonymous emails for their employees and for customers to report wrongdoing at the workplace or bad service at their stores. Using its anonymous email capability, considered an advanced anonymous reporting technology, the system gives business owners the ability to set up an email template, address it to themselves or other management personnel, and allow workers to send that email to the management anonymously. The new division's SMS (Short Message Service) system and its anonymous chat rooms afford law enforcement agencies the capability to correspond back and forth with citizens willing to pass on information as long as they are guaranteed anonymity. The anonymous chat rooms allow persons to sign in to a chat with law enforcement or corporate representatives, while remaining completely anonymous.
About Safe Communications, Inc.
Safe Communications, Inc. provides open and secure family communications that are in step with today's advances in the social media. While protecting our most precious asset, our children, our systems are designed to enhance the quality and frequency of day-to-day communications among family members and friends. Early detection devices warn parents of potential abuse and inappropriate content allowing secure, open exchange with loved ones and friends.
We allow users to experience the marvel of advanced technology without fear or danger.
Just as your child is not allowed to enjoy a ride in the car without a seat belt, Safe Communications designs products so that your children can enjoy the electronic ride without being exposed to potential harm or abuse. For more information, contact: info@safecommunications.com.
Financial Institutions Embrace BT's New Collaboration Service
LONDON, Feb. 7, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- BT today announces that following the completion of successful customer trials, its collaboration service for financial markets is now commercially available.
Customer trials showed that BT's collaboration service allowed users to spot opportunities, make faster and more informed decisions, provide advice to clients and move to capture client order-flow ahead of the competition. This allowed them to service their clients better and with greater efficiency.
Market professionals interact with their clients, colleagues and counterparties through an ever increasing mix of communication channels. When interacting, they need to gather growing volumes of information from multiple sources and applications rapidly in order make decisions and share knowledge and advice. BT's collaboration service allows professionals to manage multiple real-time conversations over voice, video and instant messaging and to select and share supporting information quickly and easily at the desktop or on mobile devices.
Larry Tabb, Founder and CEO, Tabb Group, said: "New regulations are changing the market structure for virtually all asset classes in virtually all geographies. As this occurs, it will be imperative for firms to work with their clients around the globe to help them understand these transitions and their impact on liquidity. Being able to integrate both electronic and voice channels into a seamless collaborative environment will become a differentiating feature in a very competitive and changing world."
Howard Boville, head of financial markets and MD trading systems, BT, said: "BT recognizes that the financial services world is often the first to embrace new technologies and is relentlessly looking for new and more efficient ways of working for competitive advantage. BT developed this innovative cloud-based collaboration service to continue to drive the industry towards faster, more informed communication and decision making in a flexible, scalable manner which is adaptable to market or regulatory changes."
Notes to editor:
BT's collaboration service provides a number of key benefits to the trading community. These include:
-- A fully customisable user collaboration panel, support for trading
turrets, phones and instant messaging systems.
-- Its federated identify management capabilities mean that authentication
and collaboration between a firm and its trading partner is faster and
more secure;
-- Users can initiate, track and respond to multiple concurrent
conversations with clients, colleagues and trading partners across a
blend of instant messaging systems, phone and trader voice systems,
video and social media communication systems;
-- Applications such as client management, order management and risk
management applications, as well as news and financial information
systems, and can be integrated via the open standards interface. This
information can be quickly and easily selected and shared to support
verbal or electronic conversations;
-- Users can quickly see internal colleagues and counterparties and their
online presence;
-- Users can quickly switch to a different mode of communication while in a
conversation, for example instant click-to-dial, conference or intercom
while in an instant message;
-- No need for system 'rip-and-replace' as applications can be added at a
later date;
-- Scalable cloud based technology with the option of flexible
"pay-as-you-go" commercial models;
-- Enhanced compliance through an intelligence layer which sits above each
of the communication channels and helps to identify and retrieve
recorded information; and
-- Ability to be embedded into a company's own network environment, as well
as accessed through by the 14,000 member sites available on the BT
Radianz Managed Infrastructure.
Supporting information about what BT offers the global financial services sector:
The world's top exchanges, top global broker-dealers, top global fixed income securities firms, the world's top investment managers and the world's top hedge funds are all part of the BT Radianz managed infrastructure which is made up of 14,000+ members with access to over 450 service providers.
-- One in three traders (68,500 traders) worldwide use a BT turret.
-- Over 25 years' experience of managing delivery to multinational
organisations with over 1,500 highly-specialized financial technology
and business professionals.
-- Global reach which extends to over 60 countries and to many developing
markets, including Russia, Brazil, Korea and Taiwan, with more new
markets to come. Around 300 customers in Russia are on the BT Network.
-- Over 20 million+ card payments worth over 25bn pounds delivered,
authorized, cleared and settled daily over the BT Network every day.
About BT
BT is one of the world's leading providers of communications solutions and services operating in more than 170 countries. Its principal activities include the provision of networked IT services globally; local, national and international telecommunications services to our customers for use at home, at work and on the move; broadband and internet products and services and converged fixed/mobile products and services. BT consists principally of four lines of business: BT Global Services, Openreach, BT Retail and BT Wholesale.
In the year ended 31 March 2010, BT Group's revenue was 20,911 million pounds.
British Telecommunications plc (BT) is a wholly-owned subsidiary of BT Group plc and encompasses virtually all businesses and assets of the BT Group. BT Group plc is listed on stock exchanges in London and New York.
NEW YORK, Feb. 7, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Diversified Agency Services (DAS), a division of Omnicom Group Inc. (NYSE: OMC), announced today that it has acquired Communispace Corporation, the research pioneer of online consumer insight communities for the world's leading brands.
Communispace uses innovative market research practices and proprietary social media tools to build and manage vibrant online communities that marketers use to test ideas, generate feedback and gain insights into consumer attitudes and outlook. Founded in 1999, the rapidly growing company has created and managed more than 400 customer communities for over 100 blue-chip clients who are experiencing the benefits of having a constant connection with consumers.
Communispace is led by Diane Hessan who will continue to serve as president and CEO.
"Communispace's entrepreneurial, innovative and collaborative culture is very much in keeping with that of Omnicom, DAS and our agencies," said Thomas L. Harrison, CEO of DAS. "There is no doubt today that deep, real-time consumer insight is critical, and the company's breakthrough approach, using leading-edge technologies and service capabilities, have made Communispace the dominant player in its space and an extremely valuable and pro-active resource to its clients."
"We are honored to be joining Omnicom Group - one of the most successful global marketing and communications services providers in the world," said Hessan. "Our clients are experiencing the power of having the pulse of the consumer at their fingertips - and Omnicom's vast capabilities and global reach will be instrumental in our future success."
About Communispace
The world's most admired brands turn to Communispace, the leader in generating game-changing insights via private online customer communities. Headquartered in Watertown, Massachusetts, the company has offices in Atlanta, Chicago, London, New York, San Francisco, as well as Imperia, Italy and Sydney, Australia. For more information, please visit: http://www.communispace.com.
Diversified Agency Services
Diversified Agency Services (DAS), a division of Omnicom Group Inc. (NYSE: OMC) (http://www.omnicomgroup.com, manages Omnicom's holdings in a variety of marketing disciplines. DAS includes more than 190 companies, which operate through a combination of networks and regional organizations, serving international and local clients through more than 700 offices in 71 countries.
About Omnicom Group Inc.
Omnicom Group Inc. (NYSE: OMC) (http://www.omnicomgroup.com) is a leading global marketing and corporate communications company. Omnicom's branded networks and numerous specialty firms provide advertising, strategic media planning and buying, digital and interactive marketing, direct and promotional marketing, public relations and other specialty communications services to over 5,000 clients in more than 100 countries.