Bigpoint Doubles San Francisco Team With Talent Acquisition From Planet Moon Studios
Worldwide Online Game Leader Adds Additional Console and PC Game Expertise; Team to Focus on High-Quality Browser Games
SAN FRANCISCO, January 11, 2011/PRNewswire/ -- Bigpoint Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Bigpoint GmbH ( http://www.bigpoint.com) - the worldwide leader in online video games with
over 165 million users - today announced that it has added 37 former Planet
Moon Studios video game developers and artists to its San Francisco studio.
"Less than a year ago we opened our San Francisco office to better
address the unique needs of the North American video game market," said Heiko
Hubertz, CEO and Founder, Bigpoint. "The addition of talented staff from
Planet Moon to our team, specifically their experience across many platforms,
will bolster our efforts as we continue to expand our business and portfolio
of online titles to gamers here and around the world."
Planet Moon Studios, founded in 1997 by the team from Shiny Entertainment
who developed MDK, is best known for a number of critically-acclaimed games,
including Giants: Citizen Kabuto, Armed & Dangerous, INFECTED, Smarty Pants,
After Burner: Black Falcon, Battle of the Bands, Drawn to Life: the Next
Chapter, and the recently released Sims 3(TM): Life Moments for the Wii and
Disney's Tangled on the Wii and DS.
Planet Moon's veteran team hails from many of the most-successful video
game companies in the world, including Electronic Arts, Big Fish Games,
Microsoft, Lucas Arts, Accolade, Sega, Sierra, id Software, Disney
Interactive, and Factor 5.
"We were very happy to work with our colleagues and Heiko's team over the
holidays to affect this transition," said Aaron Loeb, CEO, Planet Moon
Studios. "The Planet Moonies joining Bigpoint are world class talents.
Together with the existing Bigpoint team, they form a particularly formidable
studio."
Already integrated and working together on several titles - including the
soon-to-launch Ruined Online (http://www.ruined.com) - the now just under
100-strong Bigpoint team will soon move to a new Bigpoint office. The new
South of Market San Francisco office will accommodate up to 250 employees and
is scheduled to open in February.
Bigpoint continues to search for great talent in San Francisco.
Prospective candidates are encouraged to check the company's career page at http://www.bigpoint.net for current openings.
Alan Dunton
Bigpoint Inc.
a.dunton@bigpoint.net
+1-415-821-8107
Source: Bigpoint Inc.
Alan Dunton, Bigpoint Inc., a.dunton@bigpoint.net , +1-415-821-8107
Monsoon Multimedia Launches Vulkano Flow Mobile Accessory for TV Anywhere
Vulkano Flow Streams Live TV to Smartphones, PCs, Macs, iPads and Tablets for Only $99
SAN MATEO, Calif., Jan. 11, 2011/PRNewswire/ -- Monsoon Multimedia, a leading provider of video convergence products, today launched the consumer mobile accessory Vulkano Flow. When connected to any set-top box the new Vulkano Flow can stream high quality TV content to mobile devices inside or outside of the home. While many products today are limited by content providers or geographic location, the Flow can stream video from any set-top box, located anywhere in the world, for a one time purchase of the Flow.
The Flow has a seamless installation process making set up very easy and allows TV content viewing of any channel the consumer gets at home on BlackBerry and Android smartphones and tablets, iPhones, iPads, Macs, PCs and soon Windows 7 and Symbian devices. The Vulkano Flow will soon be sold as a mobile accessory for $99 by leading retailers, etailers, strategic OEM's and through Monsoon's http://www.myvulkano.com website.
"With over 270 million smartphones and tablets sold worldwide in 2010, analysts are calling 2011 the year of the smartphone and expect smartphones to make up 50 percent of all phones in use by the end of 2011," said Colin Stiles, EVP of sales and marketing at Monsoon. "We have seen an amazing response to the full-featured Vulkanos, but many customers wanted an affordable TV streaming accessory for their smartphones and tablets. The Vulkano Flow enables them to watch their television programming during their commute, a business trip, family vacation or wherever they are regardless of their TV service provider."
After a simple set up, Flow owners download Vulkano apps onto their devices from http://www.myvulkano.com or from the respective device app store. Consumers can then select channels from the integrated electronic programming guide (EPG) to watch and control their home TV service through a wired Ethernet, Wi-Fi or 3G connection from anywhere in the world. Software players for PCs/Macs, iPhone and iPad devices also come with Pause/Live functions to provide users with the option to fast-forward and rewind the content they are viewing.
Today Monsoon Multimedia also announced the full-featured Vulkano Blast, which integrates DVR, web video, place shifting, Universal Plug and Play streaming (UPnP), Mobile Video Recording and 160 GB internal storage for $199.99. Both devices included free PC and Mac players, while iPad, iPhone, BlackBerry, Android, tablet and additional smartphone applications can be purchased the low price of $9.99 each in the respective app stores.
Summary of Vulkano Flow Features:
-- Place shift television programming and view on smartphones, Android
Tablets, iPads, PCs and Macs
-- Pause, fast-forward or rewind live TV
-- Browse EPG for shows and episode descriptions
-- Mark channels as Favorite for quick access
-- Watch and control your live TV on the go via Wi-Fi or 3G
-- Connect to all major TV sources - cable, DVD, satellite, DVR, TiVo
-- Stream video at H.264 and MPEG-4 standards at rates as low as 150kbps
-- Connects wirelessly through Vulkano's on board .11n WiFi to home router
-- TV content is passed from the set-top box's analog output (component,
composite) to Vulkano; using resolutions up to 1080i
Pricing and Availability
Both Vulkano Flow and Vulkano Blast will be available in January at http://www.myvulkano.com and at leading etailers and retailers. The Vulkano Flow, $99, and Vulkano Blast, $199, come pre-loaded with PC and Mac players, while iPad, iPhone, BlackBerry, Android, tablet and additional smartphone applications can be purchased for $9.99 each in the respective app stores.
About Monsoon Multimedia
Monsoon Multimedia provides advanced, standards-based multimedia products and convergence technologies for the PC, Mac, iPad, tablets and major smartphones. Founded by the founders of Dazzle and Emuzed, the company has offices in California, India, Russia and Singapore. For more information, please visit http://www.monsoonmultimedia.com.
Monsoon's Universal Video Entertainment Box with DVR, Web TV, TV Anywhere and Mobile DVR at $199
SAN MATEO, Calif., Jan. 11, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Monsoon Multimedia, a leading provider of video convergence products, today launched the Vulkano Blast, which is very easy to set up and integrates DVR, web video, TV Anywhere, Universal Plug and Play streaming (UPnP), Mobile Video Recording and 160 GB internal storage for just $199.99.
The Vulkano Blast is the most versatile and powerful TV video platform today. It gives consumers the freedom to watch TV and web video content from anywhere in the world, as well as view personal content on the TV from smartphones, tablets, computers or video cameras. The Vulkano Blast can replace multiple boxes such as TiVo, Slingbox and Roku, while providing a complete video, photo and music experience across smartphones and tablets (iPhone, iPad, Android, BlackBerry), PCs, Macs, televisions and soon on Windows 7 and Symbian phones.
"The Vulkano Blast allows consumers to access their live, recorded or archived content anytime, anywhere. Today's consumers want access to their content instantly and we are dedicated to bringing this to them at an affordable price," said Colin Stiles, EVP Sales and Marketing at Monsoon.
After moving through the simplified set up process, users can watch and control all TV channels through a wired Ethernet, Wi-Fi or 3G connection by installing a Vulkano Blast and downloading the appropriate software application onto the supported devices from http://www.myvulkano.com or from the respective app stores. Then schedule a recording through the Vulkano Blast EPG (electronic program guide) to transfer, watch and control the recordings at any time from the device.
The Vulkano Blast lets users watch YouTube on the TV and by leveraging UPnP they can stream video and photos from their smartphones, computers, NAS drives and cameras wirelessly on to their living room TV. In the near future, Vulkano will offer free service upgrades such as Amazon, Yahoo! Widgets, Netflix and others.
Today Monsoon Multimedia also announced the Vulkano Flow, a smartphone accessory that enables television content to be viewed anywhere on BlackBerry and Android smartphones and tablets, iPhones, iPads, Macs, PCs and soon Windows 7 and Symbian devices, available for just $99. Both devices come pre-loaded with PC and Mac players, while iPad, iPhone, BlackBerry, Android, tablet and additional smartphone applications can be purchased at the low price of $9.99 each in the respective app stores.
Summary of Vulkano Blast Features:
-- Transforms smartphones, tablets, iPod touches, PCs and Macs into Mobile
Video Recorders
-- Recorded programs play back on smartphones, tablets, PCs and Macs
-- Direct record mode allows for Pause, Fast Forward/Rewind
-- Schedule TV recording by show, channel or date and time
-- Browse EPG for shows and episode descriptions
-- Mark channels as Favorite for quick access
-- Watch and control your live TV on the go via Wi-Fi or 3G
-- Watch at home on tablets and computers in near HD resolution
-- Change channels just like at home
-- Search and watch YouTube videos on your home television
-- Enjoy photos, video and music on home TV from UPnP supported devices,
such as smartphones, PCs/Macs, NAS drives and cameras
-- Multiple users can have recordings on Vulkano hard-drive and access
independently
-- Control Vulkano features and settings through intuitive television menu
-- Connect to all major TV sources - cable, DVD, satellite, DVR, TiVo
-- Stream video at H.264 and MPEG-4 standards at rates as low as 150kbps
-- Includes 160 GB internal storage drive
-- Connects wirelessly through Vulkano's on board .11n WiFi to home router
-- TV content is passed from the set-top box's analog output (component,
composite) to Vulkano; using resolutions up to 1080i
Pricing and Availability
Both Vulkano Flow and Vulkano Blast will be available in January at http://www.myvulkano.com and at leading etailers and retailers. The Vulkano Flow, $99, and Vulkano Blast, $199, come pre-loaded with PC and Mac players, while iPad, iPhone, BlackBerry, Android, tablet and additional smartphone applications can be purchased for $9.99 each in the respective app stores.
About Monsoon Multimedia
Monsoon Multimedia provides advanced, standards-based multimedia products and convergence technologies for the PC, Mac, iPad and major smartphones. Founded by the founders of Dazzle and Emuzed, the company has offices in California, India, Russia and Singapore. For more information, please visit http://www.monsoonmultimedia.com.
Start Your New Year with the New Birthday Calendar Application on Facebook
CLEVELAND, Jan. 11, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- As we begin the New Year the first thing many of us will do is pull out our calendars and begin organizing ourselves for the months ahead. In fact, the tool has become so integral to our lifestyles that it can be found on refrigerator doors, sprawled across our desks, and in convenient locations such as Blackberries and other portable devices. This year, those looking to coordinate important dates and celebrations can even do so on Facebook with the popular Birthday Calendar application, recently named one of the top 10 Facebook apps by Techprone.com, from American Greetings Corporation (NYSE: AM).
The application provides birthday reminders for all your friends and family as well as any important events you want to add, such as weddings or anniversaries. Adding to its convenience, the new Birthday Calendar application lets you commemorate any important date with American Greetings best-in-class e-cards, fun virtual gifts, and a Daily Stamp feature that is updated every day with new content that can be passed along to anyone.
The newest e-cards on the application allow you to import friends' Facebook profiles and pictures right into the greeting for a completely original experience. Additionally, the fun virtual gifts let people share a little celebratory feeling with everything from cakes and margaritas to balloons and gifts. Whether sharing an e-card or virtual gift you can post immediately or schedule it for a future delivery so you can be sure to never forget someone on their special day.
With the year just underway now is the perfect time to install the app for yourself. Visit the Birthday Calendar application page today to ensure you don't miss a single important occasion in 2011!
For more than 100 years, American Greetings Corporation (NYSE: AM) has been a creator and manufacturer of innovative social expression products that assist consumers in enhancing their relationships. The Company's major greeting card lines are American Greetings, Carlton Cards, Gibson, Recycled Paper Greetings and Papyrus, and other paper product offerings include DesignWare party goods and American Greetings and Plus Mark gift-wrap and boxed cards. American Greetings also has one of the largest collections of electronic greetings on the Web, including cards available at AmericanGreetings.com through AG Interactive, Inc. (the Company's online division). AG Interactive also offers digital photo sharing and personal publishing at PhotoWorks.com and Webshots.com and provides a one-stop source for online graphics and animations at Kiwee.com. In addition to its product lines, American Greetings also creates and licenses popular character brands through the American Greetings Properties group. Headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, American Greetings generates annual revenue of approximately $1.6 billion, and its products can be found in retail outlets worldwide. For more information on the Company, visit http://corporate.americangreetings.com.
SOURCE American Greetings Corporation
American Greetings Corporation
CONTACT: Frank Cirillo of American Greetings Corporation, +1-216-252-7300 x4806, frank.cirillo@amgreetings.com
Get all the latest info on Audrina with her new, free iPhone App.
LOS ANGELES, Jan. 11, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Celebrity Apps announced today the availability of the Official Audrina Patridge iPhone App in the Apple App store http://smal.la/7j. The app provides easy access to Audrina's behind-the-scenes videos, exclusive pictures, her tweets, blog and merchandise.
After starring on the hit MTV series "The Hills" and ABC's "Dancing With The Stars," Audrina Patridge has joined the ranks of young Hollywood as one of the most sought-after and talked about talents on television. She recently announced a reality series entitled "Audrina" to be produced by Mark Burnett that will air this spring on VH1. Now fans can take Audrina with them wherever they go with the new, free Audrina Patridge iPhone app.
"I'm excited to have my own iPhone app," said Audrina. "It's a great way for me to reach out to my fans and share behind-the-scenes photos and videos that they can't get anywhere else."
"I'm a big fan of Audrina, loved her on The Hills and Dancing With The Stars," said Nicole Adams, CEO of Celebrity Apps. "We're proud to be producing her app and I especially like the 'Get my Look' feature."
About Celebrity Apps
Celebrity Apps is an entertainment software company, capitalizing on the fast growing $5 billion mobile app market. They deliver world class mobile apps to some of the world's most famous celebrities and have dozens of projects under development with major celebrities in television, movies, music and sports. The company was founded by Nikki and Randy Adams who were responsible for the creation of more than seven venture backed technology companies, the first Internet e-commerce web site, Adobe Acrobat, initial funding of Yahoo, Inc. and co-founding Will Ferrell's comedy site, FunnyOrDie.com.
Contact:
CELEBRITY APPS:
Randy Adams
650-862-0870
randy@celebrityapps.com http://celebrityapps.com
New Social Commerce Tool Moontoast Impulse Gives Music Artists New Selling Options on Facebook
Fans Can Play, Share, and Buy Music
NASHVILLE, Tenn., Jan. 11, 2011 /PRNewswire/ --New music application lets fans listen, share, and buy without leaving Facebook. Unlike other applications that connect fans to iTunes or another mass distributor, Moontoast Impulse(TM) allows fans to complete the entire purchase transaction without leaving Facebook. This creates a seamless experience for the fan, gives the artist more control, and puts more profits in the artist's pocket.
The application, with no sign-up or subscription costs, lives on an artist's Facebook page and lets fans play, share, and buy music tracks and albums from an easy-to-use interface customizable for each artist. Based on Moontoast's successful Distributed Store used by Big Machine Label Group artists Taylor Swift, Rascal Flatts, and Reba to boost their online sales, Moontoast Impulse was created to provide artists with a simple yet powerful, DIY social commerce solution.
Moontoast CEO Blair Heavey says, "We believe social commerce - selling through social sites like Facebook - represents a huge opportunity for artists to take commercial control of their music. We designed Moontoast Impulse to help musicians leverage the power of these communities so they can get their songs heard, connect with new fans, and sell their music in the most profitable way possible."
Digital technologies have challenged the music industry, but companies like Big Machine Label Group, are rising to meet the changing tide. Most recently Reba's Moontoast-powered All The Women I Am store on her Facebook page has boosted fan engagement and generated new revenue through direct sales of the digital album.
Moontoast Impulse gives forward-thinking artists a simple and effective way to not only participate, but to maximize and monetize their social presence. It gives both established and up-and-coming artists an easy entry into social commerce, and will prove to be a game-changer for artists who see the potential of engaging with and selling to their fans direct.
About Moontoast
Moontoast is a social commerce company based in Boston and Nashville. Today, our tools, which include distributed stores, commerce communities, and private sales clubs, empower artists, brands and individuals to open the doors to a world of new audience-building and revenue-generating opportunities. Moontoast Impulse(TM) empowers artists and their fans to interact and transact directly, eliminating the middlemen and increasing profits for the artist. For more information, visit us at http://www.moontoast.com, or check out Moontoast Impulse at http://www.fanimpulse.com.
SOURCE Moontoast
Moontoast
CONTACT: Amy Bonetti, Big Mouth PR, +1-415-407-9008, amy@bigmouthpr.com
Tadawul FX Launches French Language Website for Forex Traders
LIMASSOL, Cyprus, Jan. 11, 2011 /PRNewswire/ --
Tadawul FX the online forex and commodity trading broker, recently launched its French website in response to its growing base of global clients who speak the language. Increasing the availability of multilingual options for Tadawul FX's services in order to better service clients is a priority strategy, and the rollout of the French language option is another project milestone following the recent introduction of the Hungarian language, as the company continues to grow.
Online forex and commodity trading broker Tadawul FX today announced the availability of its official French website, allowing traders to browse the company site entirely in French. French language support has been available for a while through the Support Team via Live Chat, telephone and email, however this now gives both existing and potential clients who speak it, the ability to find information easily on the website in their native language.
Tadawul FX is a licensed online forex investment firm, authorized and regulated by the Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission.
Offering competitive trading conditions including fixed low spreads and the well known MetaTrader 4 trading platform, Tadawul FX has enjoyed immense growth in the last year as the online forex industry continues to grow exponentially. Tadawul FX has always placed huge importance on providing superior customer support and ensuring that each trader has a dedicated Account manager from the moment they sign up for a free no-risk demo account.
Clients have always been very pleased with the level of service provided at Tadawul FX and the company understands the importance of native language assistance as it can encourage those who are slightly hesitant due to language barriers. All the major sections of the Tadawul FX website including information on the various trading account types available, account and support services and all information on the company are now immediately available online in French. Key account opening services and account documentation will remain in English due to regulatory requirements.
Thomas Papantoniou, Sales Manager & Partner of Tadawul FX is pleased with the developments. "Tadawul FX is currently enjoying high growth in areas with many French speaking clients as well as other languages, so we have been working on providing our services, and in particular our website, in the languages that our traders request. We are already offering support in several languages through our team, including telephone, 24 hour live chat and email client support, but the website is a key initial point of contact for clients, and also allows them to read more about Tadawul FX services and keep up to date with our latest news and announcements. The French website now allows us to offer a complete service to French speakers from their initial interest in our company all the way through to ongoing account support, in line with Tadawul FX values of superior service for all traders."
Further language options are already in development, with Arabic currently being implemented, in order to cater to the large number of clients based in the Middle East and Arab speaking nations with high demand for Islamic forex trading, of which Tadawul FX is a leading provider.
For support or any further information about Tadawul FX or the new French website, traders can contact Tadawul FX Support team directly at support@tadawulfx.com or telephone +357 25200920.
About Tadawul FX:
Tadawul FX, also known as TDFX, is an online forex broker. TDFX is licensed and regulated by the Cyprus Securities & Exchange Commission (license number 103/09) and is also registered with the UK Financial Services Authority (FSA) with registration number 516667, as well as the German regulators BAFIN (Reg 123252).
For more information, visit http://www.tadawulfx.com or contact Tadawul FX at support@tadawulfx.com or telephone: +357 25 200 920.
Ultratech Introduces Latest Generation Laser Annealing System for 28-nm Node and Beyond
LSA101's State-of-the-art Optical Design Provides 65 Percent Reduction in COO and Extended Dwell Time Capability
SAN JOSE, Calif., Jan. 11, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Ultratech, Inc. (Nasdaq: UTEK), a leading supplier of lithography and laser-processing systems used to manufacture semiconductor devices and high-brightness LEDs (HB-LEDs), today announced the release of its new field-tested LSA101 laser spike annealing (LSA) system, which enables critical millisecond annealing applications for the 28-nm node and beyond. The LSA101 features a new, state-of-the-art design of coherent optics, which generates a longer, more focused laser beam at the wafer plane, providing the capability to increase throughput by approximately 200 percent compared to its predecessor, the LSA100A. This dramatic improvement in throughput gives a corresponding approximate 65 percent reduction in cost of ownership. The LSA101 also extends the ability to decrease the annealing time by approximately a factor of two compared to the LSA100A, which has been demonstrated to be critical for stress reduction in advanced technology nodes where many IC manufacturers are using aggressive strain engineering. Currently, the LSA101 is being qualified for 28-nm production by a customer in Asia.
"The LSA101 is based on the same field-proven, long-wavelength technology as its predecessor, the LSA100A, and it delivers the same inherent advantages for advanced CMOS manufacturing, such as superior within-die uniformity, layout-independent process results, and closed-loop wafer temperature control," noted Jeff Hebb, Ph.D., vice president of laser product marketing at Ultratech. "With the LSA101, we are able to deliver this performance at a much lower cost of ownership. With the improvements in beam length and dwell time reduction, the system delivers a standard throughput of 35wph. In addition, the LSA101 can also be operated in "optimal throughput" mode, where the wafer is annealed with half as many laser scans with only a modest impact on within-wafer uniformity. In this mode, the tool delivers an enhanced throughput of 60wph, the highest in the industry for millisecond annealing tools."
The LSA101 also has a wider operating range for annealing time, or dwell time, which is critical for stress management in advanced devices. The LSA101 has a minimum dwell time of 200 microseconds compared to 400 microseconds of the LSA100A. Hebb explained, "It is a well-established phenomenon that wafer warpage and lithography overlay errors are reduced at shorter dwell times. As device dimensions shrink, overlay requirements are getting more stringent and customers are getting more aggressive with strain engineering to enable high channel mobility. The reduced dwell time capability allows our customers to maintain high processing temperatures for such devices without suffering yield loss due to overlay errors. As a result, this capability provides improved device performance and lower leakage. The LSA101 process matches the device performance of the previous LSA models. Overall, the LSA101 system is an example of Ultratech's commitment to continue to develop advanced technology systems that provide competitive and economic advantages for its global customers."
Certain of the statements contained herein, which are not historical facts and which can generally be identified by words such as "anticipates," "expects," "thinks," "intends," "will," "could," "believes," "estimates," "continue," and similar expressions, are forward-looking statements under Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, that involve risks and uncertainties, such as risks related to timing, delays, deferrals and cancellations of orders by customers, including as a result of semiconductor manufacturing capacity as well as our customers' financial condition and demand for semiconductors; demand for consumer devices; industry growth within the company's served markets; continued delivery of financial performance and value; cyclicality in the semiconductor and nanotechnology industries; general economic and financial market conditions including impact on capital spending, as well as difficulty in predicting changes in such conditions; rapid technological change and the importance of timely product introductions; customer concentration; our dependence on new product introductions and market acceptance of new products and enhanced versions of our existing products; lengthy sales cycles, including the timing of system installations and acceptances; lengthy and costly development cycles for laser-processing and lithography technologies and applications; integration, development and associated expenses of the laser processing operation; pricing pressures and product discounts; high degree of industry competition; intellectual property matters; changes in pricing by us, our competitors or suppliers; international sales and operations; timing of new product announcements and releases by us or our competitors; ability to volume produce systems and meet customer requirements; sole or limited sources of supply; effect of capital market fluctuations on our investment portfolio; ability and resulting costs to attract or retain sufficient personnel to achieve our targets for a particular period; dilutive effect of employee stock option grants on net income per share, which is largely dependent upon our achieving and maintaining profitability and the market price of our stock; mix of products sold; outcome of litigation; manufacturing variances and production levels; timing and degree of success of technologies licensed to outside parties; product concentration and lack of product revenue diversification; inventory obsolescence; asset impairment; changes to financial accounting standards; effects of certain anti-takeover provisions; future acquisitions; volatility of stock price; foreign government regulations and restrictions; business interruptions due to natural disasters or utility failures; environmental regulations; and any adverse effects of terrorist attacks in the United States or elsewhere, or government responses thereto, or military actions in Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere, on the economy, in general, or on our business in particular. Such risks and uncertainties are described in Ultratech's SEC reports including its Annual Report on Form 10-K filed for the year ended December 31, 2009 and Quarterly Report on Form 10Q for the quarter ended October 2, 2010. Due to these and additional factors, the statements, historical results and percentage relationships set forth herein are not necessarily indicative of the results of operations for any future period. These forward-looking statements are based on management's current beliefs and expectations, some or all of which may prove to be inaccurate, and which may change. We undertake no obligation to revise or update any forward-looking statements to affect any event or circumstance that may arise after the date of this release.
About Ultratech: Ultratech, Inc. (Nasdaq: UTEK) designs, manufactures and markets photolithography and laser processing equipment. Founded in 1979, the company's market-leading advanced lithography products deliver high throughput and production yields at a low, overall cost of ownership for bump packaging of integrated circuits and high-brightness LEDs (HB-LEDs). A pioneer of laser processing, Ultratech developed laser spike anneal technology, which increases device yield, improves transistor performance and enables the progression of Moore's Law for 45-nm and below production of state-of-the-art consumer electronics. Visit Ultratech online at: http://www.ultratech.com.
(UTEK-G)
SOURCE Ultratech, Inc.
Ultratech, Inc.
CONTACT: Bruce R. Wright, Senior Vice President & CFO; or Laura Rebouche, Vice President, Investor Relations, lrebouche@ultratech.com, both of Ultratech, Inc., +1-408-321-8835, fax, +1-408-577-3379; or Agency, Angie Kellen, Senior Account Director of MCA, +1-650-968-8900, fax, +1-650-968-8990, akellen@mcapr.com, for Ultratech, Inc.
Guitar Hero®: Warriors of Rock Kicks Off 2011 with New Downloadable Content from Nine Inch Nails, A Day To Remember, Hawthorne Heights, The Used and More
Ten Song Mega Pack Arrives Today for the Guitar Hero® Music Library
SANTA MONICA, Calif., Jan. 11, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Packing a whole lot of rock into one single day, Activision Publishing, Inc.'s (Nasdaq: ATVI) Guitar Hero®: Warriors of Rock is kicking off 2011 in a big way with ten new downloadable tracks for the Guitar Hero® music library. The January Mega Pack delivers Guitar Hero aficionados a full month of downloadable music in one shot and boasts an impressive collection of shredable hits from bands such Nine Inch Nails, A Day To Remember, Hawthorne Heights, The Used and more. The track pack is the perfect encore to a holiday purchase of Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock.
After their on disc appearance with "Wish" in Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock, industrial rock band Nine Inch Nails, are adding their unique sound to the Guitar Hero music library this month with the inclusion of three songs in the January Mega Pack. The pack contains "Head Like A Hole," the band's first major single off their debut album, Pretty Hate Machine, "The Hand That Feeds," the lead single off their 2005 album With Teeth and "Closer," the second single from their 1994 album, The Downward Spiral.
Also appearing in the January Mega Pack are three tracks from American rock band A Day To Remember. The pack includes "All I Want" and "2nd Sucks" off the bands fourth studio album, What Separates Me from You, and "The Downfall Of Us All" from their third studio album, Homesick.
Rounding out this month's mega pack are select singles from four shredtastic bands, The Damned Things, Hawthorne Heights, HIM and The Used. "We've Got A Situation Here," the lead single off The Damned Things debut album, Ironiclast, joins "Rescue Me" from Hawthorne Heights' third studio album, Fragile Future, "Wings Of A Butterfly," by HIM and "Buried Myself Alive," off The Used 2002 self titled debut album.
The January Mega Pack is available on Xbox LIVE® Marketplace for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft for 1440 Microsoft Points, on the PlayStation®Store for PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system for $17.99 and for Wii(TM) for 1800 Wii Points(TM). All songs in the January Mega Pack are also available as downloadable singles for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft for 160 Microsoft Points, PlayStation 3 system for $1.99 and Wii for 200 Wii Points each. In addition to the in-game music store and Xbox LIVE Marketplace for Xbox 360, Xbox 360 owners can expand their Guitar Hero music library using the Guitar Hero VIP Pass Music Store, available exclusively on Xbox LIVE® online entertainment network.
Headquartered in Santa Monica, California, Activision Publishing, Inc. is a leading worldwide developer, publisher and distributor of interactive entertainment and leisure products.
Activision maintains operations in the U.S., Canada, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Sweden, Spain, Norway, Denmark, the Netherlands, Australia, South Korea, China and the region of Taiwan. More information about Activision and its products can be found on the company's website, http://www.activision.com.
Guitar Hero and Activision are registered trademarks of Activision Publishing, Inc. All other trademarks and trade names are the properties of their respective owners. All rights reserved.
"PlayStation" is a registered trademark of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. Microsoft, Xbox, Xbox 360, Xbox LIVE, and the Xbox logos are trademarks of the Microsoft group of companies. Wii is a trademark of Nintendo. All rights reserved.
On Deck Delivers Over $100 Million to Main Street Businesses
Innovative Technology Platform Fundamentally Changes Small Business Lending; Helps Fuel Economic Recovery
NEW YORK, Jan. 11, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- On Deck, the first technology platform to connect Main Street businesses directly to capital, announced today that the On Deck system has delivered over $100,000,000 in loans to thousands of Main Street small businesses nationwide. At a critical time in the Nation's recovery, this milestone demonstrates that the millions of U.S. pizza places, flower shops, salons, pharmacies, auto repair shops and other local retail and service businesses are, contrary to the general perception of the financial system, top performing borrowers worthy of capital to grow and expand their businesses.
Until now, the personal credit score has been the underpinning of small business lending in the United States, preventing millions of healthy Main Street businesses from accessing the capital they need to hire new employees, operate and expand. In delivering this $100 million to Main Street, the fundamental difference introduced by On Deck was to use technology to automate the evaluation of the financial health of Main Street Businesses - a process that until now has been too costly & time consuming to apply to small borrowers. Now with these results a new generation of tools are available, overturning the ubiquitous practice of using the business owners' personal credit score to judge Main Street businesses
"We started On Deck with the goal of fundamentally changing small business lending in America, and reaching this milestone underscores how the On Deck technology identifies healthy businesses hidden behind misleading personal credit scores," stated Mitch Jacobs, CEO, who founded On Deck in 2006. "Banks have never had cost effective tools to evaluate Main Street businesses like restaurants, salons, auto repair shops and small retailers based on anything other than their personal credit scores. The On Deck team has done an incredible job in a very difficult environment solving this classic automation challenge and now a highly efficient, proven technology is available to deliver Main Street businesses much needed capital"
Thousands of Main Street businesses that were wrongly turned away due to their personal credit score have been able to purchase equipment, launch marketing campaigns, hire employees and further invest in growing their businesses through On Deck's technology. Of the $100M On Deck has delivered, Main street retailers and restaurants have each have received more than $20M; Automotive and Healthcare practices have seen over $10M each; and millions more has been delivered to businesses ranging from salons and spas to dry cleaners and small manufacturers.
On Deck evaluates the creditworthiness of these businesses based on factors reflecting the true health of a business, including cash flow and business credit data. This is a significant breakthrough for small business lending, with a major credit bureau recently confirming the system is 10 times more effective at predicting successful repayment of short term business loans than using the personal credit score alone.
"On Deck provided me with the capital I needed to help grow my business," says Jonathan Golden, owner of Land of a Thousand Hills Coffee Company, an Atlanta area coffee company that includes three retail locations. "Our sales were up 40% in 2010, yet the banks wouldn't focus on our true financial health when evaluating us; the On Deck system did."
The typical On Deck customer is a "Main Street" business (retailer, restaurant, dentist, florist, etc.) that has been in business more than one year and who has between $300,000 and $3,000,000 in revenue.
To learn more about On Deck, please visit http://www.ondeckcapital.com. If you are interested in speaking with Founder and CEO Mitch Jacobs, please contact jonathan@verseinc.com.
About On Deck
Launched in 2006, On Deck uses data aggregation and electronic payment technology to evaluate the financial health of small businesses and to efficiently deliver capital to a market previously treated as consumer borrowers. The On Deck platform, connects millions of small businesses to affordable loans to meet their daily operating and long term goals. The company's proprietary platform looks deeper into the health of small businesses, focusing on the overall business performance, rather than the owner's personal credit history. The On Deck system also provides a critically needed mechanism for commercial institutions to efficiently reach and serve the historically Main Street small businesses market.
On Deck is financed by some of the nation's leading venture capital firms, including Contour Venture Partners, First Round Capital, Khosla Ventures, RRE Ventures and Village Ventures. For more information, please visit: http://www.ondeckcapital.com.
SOURCE On Deck
On Deck
CONTACT: Jonathan Cutler of Verse Communications, +1-818-981-3023, jonathan@verseinc.com
ARMONK, N.Y., Jan. 11, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- IBM (NYSE: IBM) today announced a retail solution that is uniquely designed to provide consumers a smarter, faster checkout experience. Its sleek, first-of-a-kind modular design could literally change the way shoppers view self checkout.
According to a 2011 IBM Institute of Business Value study on capitalizing on the smarter consumer, "retailers need to empower customers by making it as easy as possible for them to complete the shopping process, which includes providing the right services and letting consumers choose how they interact." The study stated that 40 percent of shoppers want to check prices wherever they are and get promotions based on the items they scan, while 50% are willing to use personal mobile devices to avoid checkout lanes.
The IBM Self Checkout System 6 was built for flexibility. It allows retailers to deploy modular scanning, payment and bagging units that suit any size retail environment, from large hypermarkets to very small convenience stores. Using the System 6, retailers can choose to set up a totally integrated system, separate scanning from payment, or deploy distinct "pay stations" to complement cashless lanes, which allows them to provide shoppers choices in how they complete the shopping process. Retailers can also accommodate mobile shoppers using hand-held devices such as a cell phone or personal shopper device.
"Our customers are looking for a pleasant and convenient checkout experience, and many look toward our self checkout lanes to find that," said Russ Ross, Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer at Giant Eagle. "We continually evaluate opportunities to improve the shopping experience for our customers, and look forward to piloting System 6. We rely on proven retail technology providers like IBM to continually innovate and deliver products like System 6 that are capable of helping differentiate us in the supermarket space."
IBM Self Checkout System 6's revolutionary design offers retailers the shortest scan to bag distance of any existing self-checkout solution, which helps make the checkout experience not only faster but easier for the shopper as well. The scan-to-bag distance has been reduced by as much as 36 percent compared to other offerings, greatly minimizing the time it takes for a consumer to scan and bag items in the shopping cart.
The new self checkout system also has been optimized to leverage IBM's powerful Checkout Environment for Consumer-Service (CHEC) software that offers retailers a comprehensive solution that effectively manages and helps lower total ownership costs. CHEC allows retailer-unique, custom extensions to run on a global base application, along with open, reliable point-of-sale integration and remote systems management capability. It also has a newly-designed graphical user interface to help improve the consumer experience.
"I am convinced that in today's market, modular self checkout solutions have become the new black. Tough economic times make it even more imperative that we deploy reliable, sustainable front-end technology that is flexible, and capable of providing the greatest possible return on investment," said Mr. Heinz Hermann Cassens, CIO at Metro real in Germany. "IBM has taken great pains to design new self checkout systems with the customer in mind, enabling us to start slow and grow fast -- from cashless to cash, and to any other future option, at our pace, without having to rip out our entire initial investment."
Smaller footprint for optimized store space
These modular units were designed to enhance the customer experience while taking up less floor space, an important factor for retailers looking to offer a self checkout option in smaller locations such as convenience, independent grocery and specialty stores.The smallerdesign can also free up valuable floor space for revenue-generating front-end merchandising. In addition, due to the innovative modularity,retailers now have the ability to offer a cashless scanning system without the payment module, taking up less space, reducing unnecessary costs, and streamlining the self-checkout experience.
Improved Cash Management and Security
The modularly-designed System 6 also offers choice for cash recycling and greater security, as well as the ability for retailers to do real-time cash tracking and reporting. Cash continues to be an attractive payment choice globally, so the need to offer a cash payment choice is critical. System 6 now offers the option of cash recycling for bills/notes and coins as an effective way to minimize cash management operational costs.
Regardless of whether you recycle cash or not, the IBM System 6 design provides retailers with greater control over cash access. With the IBM payment module, retailers can have separate key access to cash, ensuring greater security and lowering cash shrink.
Intuitive User Experience
IBM remains committed to providing an intuitive user experience, with 100 percent of interaction remaining above-the-counter, making scanning, bagging and payment fast, easy and convenient. With System 6, IBM has added additional "follow me" lighting on all inputs so that consumers have a clear understanding of next steps and where they are in the self checkout process.
IBM Self Checkout systems continue to be designed around American Disabilities Act (ADA) guidelines to ensure easy access to the display and all devices during transactions. Now, the CHEC user interface has a disability access button on all screens that allows instant access to all information on the bottom half of the display.
Enhanced investment protection
Modularity offers retailers flexibility in checkout configuration that can be changed over time to suit changing requirements and needs, translating into greater investment protection.
The modular IBM Self Checkout System 6 is available for order immediately with general availability planned for May 27, 2011.
Pixable Photofeed Brings Order to the Chaos of 100 Billion Facebook Photos
Breakthrough approach uses smart technology to discover, organize and explore social photos; Pixable Photofeed lets you follow both friends and their photos
NEW YORK, Jan. 11, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Pixable (http://www.pixable.com) the leader in online photo aggregation, today introduces Pixable Photofeed, the first application of its kind to help Facebook users better explore and interact with the growing number of photos they have access to. Pixable Photofeed is the only solution to browse, search, and keep track of friends' photos, while providing a tailored experience that learns users' preferences and gets better with every visit.
"Online photo sharing is exploding -- Facebook alone receives up to six billion uploads every month. But there's no easy way to enjoy all these photos," said Inaki Berenguer, CEO and co-founder of New York-based Pixable. "Let's say you have 250 Facebook friends. That means that you have access to over 100,000 photos. It would take more than eight entire days to view them all. How do you search them? How do you find the ones everyone is talking about? How do you get notified when your best friend is tagged in a photo? You can do all of this through Pixable Photofeed."
Pixable Photofeed is a free application that offers a unique, customized view of photos by sorting them into fun categories such as "top photos of the day," while displaying them in an attractive, full size format. Facebook users are no longer limited to browsing through a single friend's tagged photos or specific albums, or hoping to discover a new photo in the brief moments they appear on the newsfeed.
The heart of Pixable Photofeed is its WonderRank (patent pending) technology, which analyzes dozens of variables associated with a Facebook account and acts as a personal "photobot," scouring Facebook for the photos that users will find most interesting. This targeted experience is enhanced by the ability to "follow" friends and receive notifications when they comment on, are tagged in, or upload new photos. This is key for anyone looking to keep up with happenings in their social circle - for example, parties, weddings, newborn babies, or travel adventures. Paralleling what Google and Yahoo did for the millions of pages on the web in 1994, Pixable is doing the same for the billions of social photos on Facebook and other photo networks in 2011. Pixable's customized feed delivers the photos that matter most. It makes them findable and discoverable, and brings order to the chaos in an exploding web of pictures as yet without an index or directory.
"Consumer photography has quickly moved from digital to mobile to social," said James Joaquin, former CEO of Kodak Gallery/Ofoto, who recently joined the Pixable Board of Directors. "The explosion in social photography has generated close to 100 billion photos on Facebook alone and no way to discover them. Pixable solves this problem."
Beginning today, users can experience Pixable Photofeed though the Facebook application, and soon on the iPad and iPhone. Pixable will incorporate other networks later this year, making Pixable the first intelligent and comprehensive photo aggregator on the web. To access Pixable Photofeed, go to http://apps.facebook.com/pixable or http://www.pixable.com.
ABOUT PIXABLE
Founded in 2009 by three MIT graduates, New York-based Pixable has already enabled over a million users to manage and enjoy their online photos, and was the first online photo service to allow users to print their Facebook photos. It is now the best destination to browse, search, and enjoy photos on social networks. The company has been featured in The New York Times, BBC, Newsweek and CNN, and was recently highlighted as one of the coolest companies to work for by Time Out Magazine. For more information, visit http://www.pixable.com.
SOURCE Pixable
Pixable
CONTACT: Loren Appin of Pixable, +1-646-476-9059, loren@pixable.com
Extreme Networks Demonstrates Data Center Bridging for iSCSI-Based Storage
Lossless Ethernet Standards Enable Convergence of Data and Storage over Ethernet Networks
SANTA CLARA, Calif., Jan .11, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Extreme Networks, Inc., (Nasdaq: EXTR) today announced product support for Data Center Bridging (DCB) protocols in multi-vendor environments. The company recently participated in the Enterprise iSCSI Interoperability Test Event, led by the University of New Hampshire InterOperability Laboratory (UNH-IOL), an independent provider of broad-based testing and standards conformance services for the networking industry.
The test event, which took place at the UNH-IOL, Oct. 25 -29, 2010, demonstrated the continued power of Ethernet and recent extensions to the standard, such as Converged Enhanced Ethernet (CEE), to support high performance storage. Extreme Networks was one of many networking and storage vendors to participate and demonstrate the power of open data center architectures for converged data and storage networks. IEEE standards, including CEE and Data Center Bridging (DCBX), enable the lossless transport of Ethernet-based storage traffic and deliver the reliability and lossless characteristics required for demanding SAN applications.
"UNH-IOL plugfests, such as the Enterprise iSCSI Interoperability Test Event, provide the vendor community with a neutral test environment where interoperability and innovation can be fostered," said Mikkel Hagen, senior engineer for the UNH-IOL. "Companies like Extreme Networks are staying ahead of the curve by identifying and addressing interoperability issues early on, as industry support for enterprise iSCSI continues to grow."
The IEEE and UNH-IOL have contributed to the development of standards-based protocols to improve the overall performance of data and storage over Ethernet networks. At the heart of Extreme Networks architecture and networking product line is the capability to provide lossless, high performance storage networking over multi-vendor Ethernet architectures, as opposed to existing single vendor implementations.
Extreme Networks, as a participating member of the Plugfest, has incorporated CEE and DCBX into existing BlackDiamond® and Summit® switching products to help enhance investment protection for customers. These products enable customers to build networks today that will work in a multi-vendor environment and allow users to add CEE functionality over time - without the need to rip and replace existing infrastructure.
"We value the UNH-IOL's commitment to maintaining an open and interoperable environment where Ethernet-based storage technologies can be tested and evolve," said David Ginsburg, senior vice president of marketing for Extreme Networks. "These enhanced Ethernet capabilities provide a storage platform that is highly cost effective, manageable and open, while ensuring investment protection."
About Extreme Networks, Inc.
Extreme Networks provides converged Ethernet network infrastructures that support data, voice and video for enterprises and service providers. The company's network solutions feature high performance, high availability and scalable switching solutions that enable organizations to address real-world communications challenges and opportunities. Operating in more than 50 countries, Extreme Networks provides wired and wireless secure LANs, data center infrastructure and Service Provider Ethernet transport solutions that are complemented by global, 24x7 service and support. For more information, visit: http://www.extremenetworks.com
Extreme Networks, the Extreme Networks logo, BlackDiamond and Summit are either trademarks or registered trademarks of Extreme Networks, Inc. in the United States and other countries. All other names are the property of their respective owners.
Except for the historical information contained herein, the matters set forth in this press release, including without limitation statements as to features and benefits of Extreme Networks products, are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the "safe harbor" provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date. Because such statements deal with future events, they are subject to risks and uncertainties, including network design and actual results of use of the product in different environments. We undertake no obligation to update the forward-looking information in this release. Other important factors which could cause actual results to differ materially are contained in the Company's 10-Qs and 10-Ks which are on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission. http://www.sec.gov
CONTACT: Greg Cross of Extreme Networks, Inc., +1-408-579-3483
SOURCE Extreme Networks, Inc.
Extreme Networks, Inc.
CONTACT: Greg Cross of Extreme Networks, Inc., +1-408-579-3483
- New line spins three play patterns - construction, social competition and virtual gaming - into one original property to engage children's imaginations -
ENFIELD, Conn., Jan. 11, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- LEGO Systems, Inc. today announced Ninjago, its newest original property that combines the best of LEGO® construction play, action-based competitive play and virtual gaming, all centered on an incredibly rich story inspired by martial arts lore, written by Hollywood heavyweights, Dan and Kevin Hageman.
Ninjago is the first LEGO property to deliver a story-driven universe where traditional LEGO building sets are a backdrop for an innovative buildable spinner that puts LEGO minifigures at the center of a new social competitive game concept that reinforces character and story while also engaging children who are more drawn to social action play than to construction. Virtual gaming at http:ninjago.com, in a new content zone of LEGO Universe, and through a Nintendo DS game furthers engagement and unlocks information and skills that further the physical play.
"Ninjago merges three distinct play patterns into one integrated experience that seamlessly blends physical and virtual play to reinforce character, story, competition and engagement for children," said Soren Torp Laursen, president, LEGO Systems. "We're very excited to put a new spin on LEGO play by opening a new world of creativity that caters perfectly to what today's children expect from their play experiences."
Story
Ninjago tells the story of four young ninja who train under the watchful eye of Sensei Wu to master an ancient martial art - Spinjitzu - to save the world from the evil Lord Garmadon and his skeleton army. Spinjitzu masters are expert spinners - harnessing the power and momentum of spinning to overcome any obstacle.
To launch the story and enhance the building and spinning experience, Cartoon Network will air Ninjago: Masters of Spinjitzu, a one-hour animated special that introduces the characters and conflicts of the Ninjago universe on Friday, January 14 at 6:00 pm EST.
Competitive play
Children can build on their spinners, add their minifigures, use the trading cards to influence the outcome of the battle and choose their battle accessories before starting each Spinjitzu match. Six collectible spinners are available now, with 10 more slated across launches in April and August. Each includes a spinner base, minifigure, accessories and a set of strategy cards for $9.99.
Construction play
Seven richly detailed building sets, centered on the storied locations of the Ninjago legend, are available now, ranging in price from $4.99 to $69.99. Four more play sets launch in August, ranging from $19.99 to $119.99.
Gaming
LEGO Universe, the company's massively-multiplayer online game, will offer more ways to engage in the Ninjago legend by unlocking a new adventure zone, Crux Prime - the largest zone ever discovered in-game. The new zone is filled with fresh challenges and an original Ninjago storyline that will continue to unfold throughout the year and beyond so that LEGO Universeplayers can enjoy the fun of Spinjitzu masters online.
LEGO Universe players will discover over 100 new missions and achievements within the vast Crux Prime zone, as well as over 100 new pieces of gear, decals and weapons to collect and share with friends in-game.
A sneak peek of the exciting Ninjago content, coming soon to LEGO Universe, can be found at:
The LEGO Group is a privately held, family-owned company, based in Billund, Denmark. It was founded in 1932 and today the group is one of the world's leading manufacturers of play materials for children. The company is committed to the development of children's creative and imaginative abilities through its products, which can be purchased in more than 130 countries. Visit http://www.LEGO.com
Streetline and Parkmobile Team to Integrate Parking Guidance and Payment into Mobile Phone Apps
Agreement creates first parking app to offer parking guidance with mobile payments
ATLANTA and SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. 11, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Parkmobile USA, Inc. and Streetline Inc. today announced that they have formed an agreement to integrate their smart parking technologies, including pay by phone and parking guidance, into their mobile phone applications.
Together the companies will create the world's first parking app that integrates motorist guidance with mobile payments for parking, offering drivers the ability to choose the best place to park based on distance and cost, while paying for a parking space from the convenience of their mobile phone in select locations.
According to the agreement, Streetline will integrate Parkmobile's pay by phone option into Parker, Streetline's new parking guidance mobile app that gives drivers an instant, location-based map pinpointing the city blocks with the most available parking spaces. The Streetline Parker app also delivers information about parking space time limits, pricing, and types of payments accepted.
In turn, Parkmobile will integrate Streetline's Parker guidance app into its pay by phone parking service - giving drivers the ability to find available spaces that accept payment by mobile phone. Through its ground breaking payment app, the first of its kind in the market, Parkmobile offers users a simple and convenient way to safely pay for parking with just the touch of a few buttons.
"We are excited to partner with Parkmobile to offer this first of a kind service to motorists who are constantly looking for two things - to find cheap parking fast and pay for it easily," said Zia Yusuf, CEO of Streetline. "Drivers will not only have an app to guide them to the closest open parking spot, but have a convenient mobile payment capability as well."
"We are pleased to integrate Streetline's Parker app with Parkmobile's pay by phone parking solution," said Albert Bogaard, President and CEO of Parkmobile USA. "Parkmobile offers Streetline Parker users a new and better way to pay for parking. It's faster, more convenient and offers a better customer experience, while Parkmobile users can add parking guidance to find the best parking spaces."
Parkmobile is the global market leader in innovative parking solutions for municipalities and off-street parking facilities. Parkmobile's holistic parking solution is currently operational in cities around the world. Recent customer satisfaction surveys indicated that using pay by phone is the preferred method of parking.
Streetline's Parker app is based on Streetline's patented smart parking platform that detects the presence of a car through a network of ultra-low power wireless sensors located in each parking space. This information is then transmitted back to mobile smart phones and web applications that give drivers a live, accurate picture of open parking spaces across a city. The entire system helps cities, airports, universities, transit operators and private organizations reduce costs, increase efficiencies, and alleviate the environmental impact of traffic caused by parking.
About Streetline
Streetline's mission is to make smart cities a reality through the use of sensor-enabled mobile and web applications. As a leading global provider of smart parking solutions to cities, airports, universities and private organizations, Streetline's pioneering technology connects citizens with critical information to improve the way they live and work, while making cities more efficient and lessening their environmental impact. Streetline is a privately held company headquartered in San Francisco, Calif. with smart-parking deployments in cities across California and New York. For more information visit: http://www.streetlinenetworks.com
About Parkmobile
Parkmobile is a leading global provider of seamlessly integrated end-to-end solutions for pay by phone parking and digital parking permits. Parkmobile is now widely used in 100 cities around the world by millions of registered users. Parkmobile USA was founded in Atlanta, Georgia where the company's engineering team and corporate headquarters are located. Parkmobile has become one of the largest providers of cashless parking systems in the United States. For additional information, please visit: http://www.parkmobile.com
SOURCE Streetline Inc.
Streetline Inc.
CONTACT: Annika Jensen, +1-415-516-3530, annika@sparkpr.com, for Streetline Inc.; or Sara Engel of Parkmobile USA, Inc., +1-678-894-3840, sara.engel@parkmobileglobal.com
DYMO/Mimio Interactive Teaching Technologies Goes Global: MimioStudio 7 Software Now Available for Mac and Linux
Provider of Interactive Teaching Technology Will Offer MimioStudio Software to Mac and Linux Communities in 26 Languages
CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Jan. 11, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- DYMO/Mimio, a provider of interactive teaching technologies for educators, is now offering its award-winning MimioStudio® 7 software for Mac users in 26 languages and for Linux users in English. Available for download at http://www.mimio.dymo.com/downloads, MimioStudio 7 software allows teachers using Mac, Linux and Windows operating systems to effortlessly create interactive lessons for use with the MimioClassroom(TM) suite of products.
MimioStudio7 for Linux will premiere at the BETT tradeshow, the largest educational technology conference in Europe, in London tomorrow. Additional language capabilities for Linux users will follow at a later date.
"We are committed to providing teachers around the world using Mac- and Linux-based interactive teaching tools with easy-to-use, high quality, classroom-relevant software, content and hardware," said Laurence Huntley, general manager, DYMO/Mimio. "Now more educators than ever can use our MimioClassroom suite of software and hardware products to quickly and easily create meaningful, interactive lessons in their own language -- no matter which operating system they prefer. Even teachers within the same school who use multiple operating systems can still quickly and easily share work produced in MimioStudio 7."
Languages include Arabic, Bahasa Indonesian, Bahasa Malay, Simplified and Traditional Chinese, Croatian, Danish, Dutch, US and UK English, French, German, Greek, Hebrew, Hindi, Hungarian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Polish, Brazilian and European Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Swedish, Turkish and Vietnamese.
MimioStudio 7 offers users intuitive features with a new class of integration that simplifies whole-class teaching and learning -- giving teachers all the tools they need to create powerful, engaging lessons in one software solution. The software easily integrates with the MimioClassroom product suite, so teachers can focus on teaching and inspiring students, and schools can ensure they get the most out of their classroom technology investments.
Used with the MimioTeach(TM) interactive system, which converts any regular dry erase board into a fully interactive whiteboard, or any combination of elements from the product suite -- the MimioVote(TM) assessment system, MimioView(TM) document camera, MimioPad(TM) wireless tablet and MimioCapture(TM) ink recording system -- teachers can create effective, interactive lessons with easy-to-use technology that allows them to simply teach.
MimioStudio 7 software now includes hundreds of templates, activities and customizable images that can be tailored to students' specific grade levels, as well as required teaching standards. Additionally, teachers can repurpose lessons created in popular programs like Microsoft PowerPoint and Adobe Acrobat, as well as many other software programs. MimioStudio 7 software automatically imports files created with these widely-used applications, maintaining proper formatting, so teachers do not waste time recreating content.
MimioClassroom users can also download MimioStudio-compatible lesson plans from the MimioConnect(TM) community website, an online forum where educators can share content and ideas with their peers, as well as participate in online training in a variety of languages. The MimioConnect community currently has nearly 55,000 members and more than 3,200 lesson plans available and ready for use with the MimioClassroom product suite. Educators are welcome to join the MimioConnect community for free by logging on to http://www.mimioconnect.com.
For more information on DYMO/Mimio ITT, please visit http://www.mimio.dymo.com; you may also follow DYMO/ Mimio ITT on Twitter @MimioTechnology and via Facebook. Download lesson plans and connect with other educators at http://www.mimioconnect.com.
DYMO/Mimio ITT was named Scholastic Administrator's "Best in Tech 2009 & 2010," one of District Administration's "Top 100 products of 2010," Scholastic Instructor's Teacher's Pick "Best of 2009," and the 2009 ECOO Vendor Excellence Award winner in both "Best Education Solution" and "Best Technology Product."
About Newell Rubbermaid Global Business and Technology Solutions
DYMO is the master brand name for the Newell Rubbermaid Global Technology Solutions portfolio. In a world that demands greater productivity and measures it at every opportunity, DYMO provides businesses, educational institutions and consumers with innovative and easy ways to share, manage and organize information with improved efficiency and satisfaction.
Our DYMO global technology brands are organized into four solutions:
-- DYMO® / Labeling Identification Solutions include DYMO hand-held label
makers, PC connected label and postage printers, plus Industrial
labeling tools (http://www.dymo.com).
-- DYMO(TM) / CardScan® Contact Management Solutions include CardScan
business card scanners and contact management software
(http://www.cardscan.com).
-- DYMO(TM) / Endicia® Postage Technologies include Endicia online
shipping and mailing services (http://www.endicia.com), as well as customized
postage (http://www.pictureitpostage.com).
-- DYMO(TM) / Mimio® ITT (Interactive Teaching Technologies) include Mimio
interactive whiteboard technology, digital ink recorders, document
cameras, student response systems and engaging lesson plan content
(http://www.mimio.com).
These global technology brands complement Newell Rubbermaid's strong portfolio of global brands, which also includes Rubbermaid®, Sharpie®, Graco®, Calphalon®, Irwin®, Lenox®, Levolor®, Paper Mate®, Waterman®, Parker®, Goody®, Rubbermaid Commercial Products® and Aprica®.
MEDIA CONTACT:
KRISTIN KELLEY
KETCHUM
404.879.9248
KRISTIN.KELLEY@KETCHUM.COM
Cox Cross Media and Adify Join Forces to Form Cox Digital Solutions
Cox Cross Media, the digital sales arm of Cox Reps and the leading provider of local media content merges with Adify, the premier vertical ad network management and media services company to create Cox Digital Solutions.
NEW YORK, Jan. 11, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Cox Digital Solutions offers the first complete digital media solution that gives national, regional, and local agencies, advertisers and publishers national scale and local engagement, as well as an MRC-accredited, ad delivery and optimization technology designed to maximize revenue.
Cox Digital Solutions, a division of Cox Reps which is owned by Atlanta-based Cox Media Group (CMG), offers local reach and efficient media placement across 1,300 premium local media sites in 145 key markets, as well as efficient media planning technology to enable customers to buy with ease. It also delivers national reach through its partnerships with 7,000+ premium specialty publishers using high volume advertising delivery and optimization technology. The new company will be based in New York City.
"This is a very compelling combination of two growing CMG businesses," said Steve Shaw, President of Cox Digital Solutions. "By combining the best of Cox Cross Media and Adify, we now have one of the largest dedicated digital sales teams in the country and can bring incredible opportunities to all of our publishing partners while offering quality local inventory, national reach, and engaged audiences to advertisers."
For advertisers and agencies, Cox Digital Solutions offers:
-- Breadth of premium national and local inventory.
-- Scalable and large reach for local and contextual placements.
-- Engaged audiences who spend more time with Cox Digital Solutions'
partner content than on other sites.
-- Multiple buying options for premium placements, integrated marketing
campaigns or selective reach, Cox Digital Solutions sales team will
service the agency / advertiser directly. For broad reach campaigns,
advertisers are able to use their trading desks via Cox Digital
Solutions RTB technology.
For our publisher partners, Cox Digital Solutions offers:
-- Ability to maximize revenues by introducing them to quality brands
looking to target both nationally and locally with scale.
-- Efficiency through technology that enables multi-channel campaigns with
a single ad tag and one interface.
-- Exclusive, prominent, and compelling opportunities on quality publisher
sites.
-- A full array of monetization channels. Publishing partners are able to
sell directly, work with vertical ad networks, and leverage digital
media sales or directly access agency trading desks.
About Cox Reps
Part of Cox Media Group, Cox Reps (http://www.coxreps.com) is the top billing television ad-sales company, representing approximately 40 percent of all national spot advertising. Cox Media Group, Inc., a subsidiary of Atlanta-based Cox Enterprises, is an integrated broadcasting, publishing and digital media company. With $1.8 billion in revenues, the company operations include 15 broadcast television stations and one local cable channel, 86 radio stations, four metro newspapers and more than a dozen non-daily publications, and more than 100 digital services. Additionally, CMG owns and operates Valpak, one of the leading direct marketing companies in North America. For more information about Cox Media Group, please check us out online at http://www.coxmediagroup.com.
About Cox Digital Solutions
Cox Digital Solutions provides compelling online advertising solutions that connect advertisers with engaged users and publishers with quality brands. As the only company to offer the largest integrated source of premium national reach and local engagement including 7,000+ specialty content and 1,300 local sites, Cox Digital Solutions delivers results for advertisers, agencies, and publishers. Cox Digital Solutions, a subsidiary of Cox Reps, part of Atlanta-based Cox Media Group, meets the needs of advertisers, agencies, and publishers. The company is headquartered in New York, NY. Learn more at http://www.coxdigitalsolutions.com.
ASCI's ActiveBatch® V8 Now Available, Simplifying Workflow Integration of Applications, Technologies and Databases for Improved Productivity and Reliability
Leading Workload Automation and Job Scheduling Application Also Features New Operations View, Enabling Users to Visually Organize and Review Jobs in a Dynamic Environment
MORRISTOWN, N.J., Jan. 11, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Advanced Systems Concepts, Inc. (ASCI), maker of ActiveBatch® Workload Automation and Job Scheduling Software and other solutions that enhance Windows(TM), Linux, UNIX, z/OS, OpenVMS and many other platforms, today announced the immediate availability of ActiveBatch V8, the latest version of the company's flagship offering. Updated with the continuing goal of keeping ActiveBatch the easiest to use, yet most comprehensive job scheduling application on the market today, Version 8 introduces a number of improvements ranging from a simpler, more powerful Operations View to multiple enhancements, to its Integrated Jobs Library that minimize and/or eliminate scripting altogether.
Among the Jobs Library enhancements that remove complexity, improve service levels and reduce the cost of operations are the following:
-- Greatly improved and integrated support for Java (J2EEE). While
ActiveBatch has always supported the execution of Java applets, V8 now
supports the direct invocation of Java objects and methods as part of
our Jobs Library framework, meaning no Java wrapper is required to
invoke Java methods as part of a workflow.
-- Integrated JMS and JMX support. Built-in JMS (Java Messaging Services)
Job Steps allow for sending/receiving JMS messages; a new trigger event,
JMS Receive, can be used to trigger workflows and pass information
received from a JMS message. JMX (Java Management Extension) is
supported with both Job Step and Event Triggers. JMS and JMX are
provided as part of ActiveBatch and do not require separate licensing.
-- New Informatica PowerCenter and Netezza Job Steps. The Informatica Job
Steps now support tighter cross-platform integration through the use of
Informatica's Workflow Web Services facility. With V8, Netezza support
is enhanced to include integrated support for NZ-PLSQL, NZload and NZ
backup.
-- Object level integrated support for Powershell. ActiveBatch V8 provides
improved integration and execution of Powershell scripts by offering
object passing from one job step to another. In addition, V8 supports
both implicit and explicit remoting for agentless execution of
Powershell scripts within a workflow.
-- Support for Microsoft System Center suite of products including Virtual
Machine Manager and Service Manager in addition to the existing support
for Operations Manager. New Job Steps allow you to create and otherwise
maintain an incident that is registered with the Service Manager; for
Virtual Machine Manager you can improve resource utilization by
provisioning -Hyper-V, VMware and other virtual machine systems within
workflows.
Other Jobs Library additions support tasks involving SSL Certificate management, OpenPGP and Secure Shell (SSH) job steps. OpenPGP support makes it easier to encrypt and decrypt tasks that use open-source OpenPGP technology, while SSH Command support provides another agentless approach to the execution of commands on remote systems.
GUI, Line of Business Improvements
The new Operations View in V8 allows users to visually organize and review jobs dynamically based on their status (recent Past, Present and immediate Future). The new view, which includes filters and search criteria, is perfect for large scale job processing operations. An Alerts/Notification View also lets operators observe as well as interact with alert-able audits; alerts that do not require a response are listed in the Notification pane, while with the new "ActiveBatch Event Request" action, alerts can be placed so that a specific operator can take ownership of the issue and manage it through to completion.
Also important is ActiveBatch V8's support of Microsoft WCF Line Of Business (LOB) adapters that can invoke Microsoft SQL Server or Oracle Stored Procedures or Functions, Microsoft .NET or COM Assemblies that can directly invoke any method without the need for scripting.
"Job Schedulers continue to move to the center of enterprise IT operations, to improve the service levels and integration of workflows involving the 'hidden' management applications and as highly visible drivers of customer-facing services. Advanced Systems Concepts is determined to help IT specialists simplify their job scheduling duties--which is the impetus behind ActiveBatch V8," said Jim Manias, Vice President of Marketing and Sales for Advanced Systems Concepts. "V8 is a major step forward in simplifying, creating and maintaining complex IT processes. Actually, through its range of powerful job steps, cross-platform support, and useful management features, it reduces complexity by eliminating scripting and introducing integrated context helpers that simplifying a huge number of tasks."
Headquartered in Morristown, New Jersey, Advanced Systems Concepts, Inc. offers many software products and options for users of Windows, UNIX, Linux, HP OpenVMS and NSK systems as well as IBM z/OS, AIX, i5OS and SCO UNIX. These products provide answers to software developers and system managers with improved system efficiency and utilization. Advanced Systems Concepts has a worldwide base of customers in over 40 countries around the world. Advanced Systems Concepts is a Microsoft Gold Certified Partner and a member of the Microsoft System Center Alliance. It is also an SAP software solution partner, an Informatica Partner, a Netezza Technology Partner, an Oracle Gold Partner, an HP Business Partner, an IBM Business Partner, a member of the VMware TAP program, an HP-UX Power Partner, and is certified Red Hat Ready. For more information, see the company's website at http://www.advsyscon.com or call (800) 229-2724 or 1-973-539 2660.
CONTACT: Belinda Rooney of S&S Public Relations, Inc., +1-609-750-9110, brooney@sspr.com, for Advanced Systems Concepts, Inc.; or Jim Manias of Advanced Systems Concepts, Inc., +1-973-539-2660, Ext. 121, jmanias@advsyscon.com
Transform Your Existing File Cabinet or Desk Drawer to Secure Hanging Disc Files
DENVER, Jan. 11, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- ProLine Digital, an American producer of media care, storage and technology accessories, offers an easy-to-use universal disc hanging file system for your file cabinet or desk drawer.
The patented design offers a very familiar storage concept, especially for those who have been using hanging document files over the years. ProLine Digital's indexed storage system is designed for securely organizing and easily retrieving an ever-growing library of valuable disc titles. No tools are required to install four rail clips that snap over the existing hardware in a letter-size file cabinet or in a letter-sized desk drawer. Simply, snap the rail clips in and position two twelve inch long metal support rails that allow the color-coded Disc Hanging Files to slide back and forth along the rails. Specially made disc storage file sleeves that include a protective, soft inner sleeve liner material that prevents disc scratches, snap onto five different color-coded plastic file hangers and make title categorizing effortless. Each hanging file storage sleeve stores two discs: one on the front side of the sleeve and another on the backside. Self-adhesive title labels that adhere to the plastic file hangers are also provided for quick identification of discs.
The universal disc hanging file system includes four rail clips, two metal rails and a 10-pack of Disc Hanging Files that will index and store up to 20 discs. Additional packs of Disc Hanging Files that include storage sleeves, hangers and title labels are available and sold separately for expansion of the storage system as titles in a collection grow. When utilizing a full lateral file cabinet drawer with the system, up to 600 discs can be stored in a single drawer. Since most file cabinets are equipped with locks, security for confidential or very important disc content is secured.
ProLine Digital's universal disc hanging file system saves office space and money by using the same document drawers of a filing cabinet or desk drawer plus offers a complete solution for managing the cataloging of many discs with instant access to all discs. The system, model # RCHF-11, sells for $19.95 and the add-on pack of Disc Hanging Storage Files, model # CDHFS-10, sells for $10.95.
For further information contact:
Tony Marcon
ProLine Digital, A Division of A M I Corporation
303-761-3999
800-325-0853
Email: info@prolinedigital.com http://www.prolinedigital.com
This press release was issued through eReleases(R). For more information, visit eReleases Press Release Distribution at http://www.ereleases.com.
SOURCE ProLine Digital
ProLine Digital
CONTACT: Tony Marcon, ProLine Digital, A Division of A M I Corporation, +1-303-761-3999, 1-800-325-0853, info@prolinedigital.com
HOUSTON, Jan. 11, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- CourthouseDirect.com has launched CourthouseSquare.com, giving real estate and legal professionals the ability to locate and do business with other real estate and legal professionals locally or nationally more effectively.
"Since these types of services are generally provided on a county by county basis we built CourthouseSquare.com so locating a real estate or legal professional can be done much faster," said Paul Cones, President of CourthouseDirect.com.
Advertisers are given a White Page listing which includes their company name, contact information, links to their location, website and social media pages. In addition, subscribers describe their services in greater detail on Profile pages linked from the White Page listings.
"One of the most important features of the site is the 'Order Now' buttons located on the White and Profile pages," said Jennifer Riley, Business Development Manager for CourthouseSquare.com. "Instead of navigating search engines and then navigating company websites visitors can click Order Now and place their orders immediately with the local legal or real estate professional of their choice."
Finding real estate and legal experts through search engines is inefficient particularly if you need a quote for services. CourthouseSquare.com has included a "Request a Quote" button wherein visitors can choose up to five professionals in a particular category and county to obtain several quotes immediately.
Other features include over 40 categories of real estate and legal professionals, historic pictures of over 11,000 county courthouses nationwide, links to county Wikipedia pages and Google Street Views and Marketplace Listings to local media, shops, cafes and other local businesses.
"The ability to receive orders from a website directly to your company's online order form and streamlined communication when quoting services has tremendous added value for advertisers," according to Cones.
CourthouseDirect.com currently has over 30,000 subscribers and 6 million page views per year and will promote CourthouseSquare.com by linking the two website together. CourthouseSquare.com promotions will also include advertising through professional organizations, link exchanges and other media efforts.
CourthouseDirect.com is a Houston, Texas based public records portal providing immediate delivery of Real Property, Grantor Grantee Indexes and Property Reports in over 900 Counties nationwide. CourthouseDirect.com also owns Integrity Title Records, Ltd, LLP which is the leading provider of Title Plant facilities for the title insurance industry and the successor to Courthouse Specialists which has been providing land title research for over 28 years.
Please visit our pages on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn or watch our introductory video on YouTube.
For more information call: Jennifer Riley, 713-683-4083 or Paul Cones, 713-683-4012
SKOKIE, Ill., Jan. 11, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Peapod, the leading online grocer, announced it is now offering its popular app for the iPad. Building on the success of PeapodMobile, which allows customers to create and manage shopping lists and place grocery orders from their smartphones, Peapod developed an iPad app to give tablet users a more convenient way to grocery shop.
The FREE iPad app includes the following features:
-- Search - type in search words or enter a UPC to find exactly what you
need.
-- Weekly Specials - save money with the thousands of items on sale each
week.
-- My Lists and Previous Purchases - easily shop from the items you've
bought before.
-- My Specials - choose from a list of your past purchases on sale this
week.
-- Guess My Order - a speedy way to shop that adds the items you frequently
buy with a single touch.
-- Optimized Views - the ability to view items in a list or grid format
(exclusive to iPad).
"We are excited to expand our technology to the tablet platform," said Thomas Parkinson, Chief Technology Officer for Peapod. "Our customers are tech-savvy and demand smart, engaging and well-made solutions to simplify their lives. We think the Peapod iPad app will satisfy that need."
Smartphone Updates
In addition to the new iPad app, Peapod also announces several updates for smartphone users of PeapodMobile:
-- New Arrivals - View the latest product arrivals on the home page
-- Sorting - Sort by size, unit price, calories and more in My Lists, New
Arrivals and All Specials
-- Display - App will now support both landscape and portrait orientation.
PeapodMobile is available for FREE for iPhone/iPod Touch/iPad, Android and Palm Pre users.
Founded in 1989 as a smart shopping option for busy people, Peapod today stands as the country's leading Internet grocer, serving 23 U.S. markets in communities in the states of Illinois, Wisconsin, Indiana, Maryland, District of Columbia, Virginia, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, New York and New Jersey. The Skokie, Ill.-based company, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Royal Ahold in The Netherlands, has made over 16 million deliveries since its late 1980s inception. For more information on Peapod, call 1.800.5.PEAPOD (573.2763); e-mail service@peapod.com or visit http://www.peapod.com.
SOURCE Peapod
Peapod
CONTACT: Stephanie Shih of 360 Public Relations, +1-617-585-5794, Mobile, +1-858-431-9206, for Peapod
MynaTime Personal Workout Assistant Now Available on the Mac App Store
LOS ALTOS, Calif., Jan. 11, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Vaura announced today that MynaTime, its innovative personal workout software for the Mac, is available from the new Mac App Store. This fitness application offers an innovative new way to exercise by empowering customers to personalize their workout while enjoying the benefits of spoken and timed audio instruction.
"The new Mac App Store is a breakthrough for software developers because it provides a direct path to Mac users," said Joe Klingler, President of Vaura. "We're excited to get MynaTime to more Mac users than ever before."
MynaTime uses Alex, the voice of OS X, to provide step-by-step instruction easily created as plain text. A user can do any exercises, in any order, with whatever instructional cues they wish while Alex talks them through a workout, freeing them from the repetitive cost and generic nature of predefined programs. From weightlifting and yoga to running and physical therapy, with less than a page of text, workouts can be expressed in detail including the sequence of exercises, rest periods, weight, target heart rate and more.
MynaTime allows users to attach iTunes songs to a workout that can then be downloaded to an iPod or iPhone for the gym, jogging trail or hotel. Additionally, the application's ability to record video during a workout helps users achieve proper technique; be it downward dog or a bench press.
For anyone recovering from injury who needs to follow their rehab exercise prescription at home, MynaTime is just what the doctor (or physical therapist) ordered by providing a way to hear therapy spoken, one exercise at a time. MynaTime also provides a workout journal to track progress in iCal, which can be a powerful motivator. Your Workout. Your Way.
Pricing and Availability
MynaTime is available online today on the Mac App Store for $9.99.
About Vaura
Vaura develops software for Mac OS X to help you get off the couch and reach your fitness goals. Our products use the audio and video capabilities of your Mac to empower you to take control of your fitness through precise personal workouts and video feedback.
SOURCE Vaura
Vaura
CONTACT: J. Guzzi of Vaura, +1-650-353-3321, joe@vaura.com
US Dataworks Announces Clearingworks® to Save 20% - 60% on Payment Processing
SUGAR LAND, Texas, Jan. 11, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- US Dataworks (OTC Bulletin Board and OTC Pink Sheets: UDWK), a leader in enterprise payment solutions, announces Clearingworks®, a new on-demand payment processing service that typically will save customers 20% - 60% on their payment processing costs.
"Creating a simpler option for payment processing was our goal, and now we're able to offer an all-encompassing streamlined payment processing service that saves our clients a significant amount of money," says Clearingworks CEO, Charles Ramey.
The payment processing systems of the past and even those currently in use are an expensive, time-consuming, and error-prone necessity that often involves too many manual tasks and lots of manpower.
The Clearingworks difference is in its simplicity. Clearingworks streamlines everything - even paper processing - into a single, easy-to-use service.
Clearingworks focuses on four pillars of payment
processing:
ClearPayments. Comprehensive, integrated, multi-
1. channel payment processing.
Process payments through paper, internet, tele-based,
mail-in, walk-in, lock-box and electronic bill-pay.
Provide convenience to both your internal accounting
operations team as well as your clients, and accelerate
cash forecasting while reducing errors and simplifying
balancing. Coming soon: arranged payments and mobile
capabilities.
ClearDeposits. Easily convert payments into simplified
2. electronic deposits.
Convert payments into working capital faster with cost-
effective electronic deposits instead of expensive,
wasteful, paper-based deposits. Clearingworks(R) allows you
to configure your deposit and payment processing in
multiple ways - all based on the optimal cost structure of
your business and banking relationships. Currently, we
offer Automated Clearing House (ACH), Check21, and
Accounts Receivable Conversion (ARC) deposit channels.
Coming soon: Credit and debit capabilities.
ClearReturns. Process returns and exceptions easily and
3. conveniently.
Cut costly exception processes with Clearingworks'
automated services such as returns matching,
resubmissions, post of final returns, and fee assessments.
No more waiting for paper or IRDs to process returns, and
you'll still be compliant with Check21 rules.
ClearInsight. Easy access to important data and record
4. retention capabilities.
Simplify reporting for compliance audits and other quality
control practices with effortless payment progress
monitoring across multiple platforms, all while adhering
to strict privacy standards. Easily convert information
into charts, graphs, spreadsheets and much more with the
wide range of management reporting tools. Or, use
ClearInsight as a data warehouse to manage the retention
of records for whatever timeframe meets your requirements.
With over 8 million transactions processed each day, Clearingworks is an enterprise-proven solution for the payment processing needs of companies of all sizes and shapes. The new website, http://www.clearingworks.com, includes the Clearingworks Payment Savings Analyzer(TM) that allows visitors to receive an instant free report showing how much they can save with Clearingworks.
About US Dataworks®
Clearingworks is a service offered by US Dataworks, a publicly traded company processing more than 2 billion payments each year. The Clearingworks team has years of experience working directly with small, medium, and Fortune 50 companies.
Certain statements made in this press release (other than the historical information contained herein) constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended, including, but not limited to, statements regarding our expectations relative to our Clearingworks Cloud Delivery Model. Any forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially, including, but not limited to, the failure of our new solution to perform as anticipated, our ability to provide long-term customer value and agility, our ability to protect our intellectual property, our position in the marketplace, our ability to develop and timely introduce products that address market demand, the impact of alternative technological advances and competitive products, market fluctuations, our ability to repay or refinance our debt, our ability to realize the anticipated benefits from our SaaS, ClearHistory and Mobile Payments initiatives, and other risks detailed from time to time in our SEC reports including our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2010. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date hereof. US Dataworks disclaims any obligation to update these forward-looking statements.
For more information, contact:
CONTACT: Leilani Doyle
EMAIL: leilani.doyle@clearingworks.com
PHONE # 281-504-8092
SOURCE US Dataworks
US Dataworks
CONTACT: Leilani Doyle of US Dataworks, +1-281-504-8092, leilani.doyle@clearingworks.com
Premier Online Social Network Gives Boomer Tennis Players Unique Way to Stay Fit in 2011
First Online Community Dedicated Specifically to Active Adult Tennis Players Offers Virtual Clubhouse Experience
NEWPORT, R.I., Jan. 11, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Often dubbed the "Sport of a Lifetime", tennis has a significant following across the globe and offers the perfect way to stay fit in 2011. BoomerTennis.Net (http://www.boomertennis.net), the premier online tennis social network, provides active adult players a unique virtual clubhouse experience like no other. Members receive exclusive content from leaders in the tennis community and the ability to network with other seasoned tennis players across the country, as well as enjoy rewards from leading tennis-related vendors. These include resorts, travel companies and equipment manufacturers, among others.
Developed by two accomplished tennis players and enthusiastic supporters of the tennis community -- entrepreneur Robert "Bob" Milligan and his wife Lace Milligan, a six-year board member of the International Tennis Hall of Fame & Museum (ITHF) -- BoomerTennis.Net was developed specifically to encourage and inspire boomer tennis players worldwide.
"Becoming a member at BoomerTennis.Net allows members to stay involved in the sport both virtually and physically through our unique online social network and expert columns," CEO Bob Milligan said. "In addition to expert content and exclusive benefits and rewards, BoomerTennis.Net allows members to interact and connect with other tennis players across the globe, ultimately creating an online community of players who provide each other support in getting the most out of the game."
Beyond the tennis-related rewards, members receive insightful feedback from industry experts such as Tony Trabert, five-time major champion, author, International Tennis Hall of Fame President and 1970 Hall of Famer, and past CBS commentator; and Cliff Drysdale, ESPN's leading tennis analyst and former top 10 singles player. Both serve as members of BoomerTennis.Net's Advisory Board. Additionally, other tennis-related experts serving as regular contributors include a nutritionist, psychological coach, physical therapist, orthopedic surgeon, travel advisor, veteran tennis journalist and master teaching professionals. Annual membership dues for BoomerTennis.Net are only $97.
BoomerTennis.Net is an official sponsor of the ITHF and a portion of the proceeds will be donated to the organization to support its work preserving the history of tennis, honoring the game's greatest legends and inspiring future players.
"BoomerTennis.Net strives to engage and encourage baby boomer players through a unique online network, which is in sync with our goals to promote interest in tennis among all ages," said Mark L. Stenning, CEO of the International Tennis Hall of Fame & Museum. "We appreciate BoomerTennis.Net's support of the International Tennis Hall of Fame & Museum."
BoomerTennis.Net (http://www.BoomerTennis.Net) is the premier online tennis club for active, adult tennis players providing exclusive expert content for all skill levels, significant benefits and rewards from leading tennis-related vendors including resorts, travel companies and equipment manufacturers. Additionally, the club offers a unique social media opportunity to network with other seasoned tennis players from around the world. Annual membership dues are only $97, which provide significant value considering the many exclusive financial and personal benefits enjoyed by members. For more information, visit http://www.BoomerTennis.Net or call 1-800-530-1121.
About the International Tennis Hall of Fame & Museum
Established in 1954, the International Tennis Hall of Fame & Museum is a non-profit institution dedicated to preserving the history of tennis, inspiring and encouraging junior tennis development, enshrining tennis heroes and heroines and providing a landmark for tennis enthusiasts worldwide. The International Tennis Hall of Fame & Museum was recognized as the sport's official Hall of Fame in 1986 by the International Tennis Federation, the governing body of tennis. The International Tennis Hall of Fame & Museum is supported by Official Partners, such as BNP Paribas. For information on the International Tennis Hall of Fame & Museum and its programs, call 401-849-3990 or visit us online at http://www.tennisfame.com.
Contact: Andrea Schnorr
(847) 884-0000
andrea@carsonstoga.com
SOURCE BoomerTennis.Net
BoomerTennis.Net
CONTACT: Andrea Schnorr, +1-847-884-0000, andrea@carsonstoga.com, for BoomerTennis.Net
Acquisition solidly positions Altair as a major player in the CFD market and at the forefront of multi-physics simulation
TROY, Mich., Jan. 11, 2011 /PRNewswire/ --Altair Engineering, Inc., a leading global provider of simulation technology and engineering services that empower client innovation and decision-making, today announced it has acquired ACUSIM Software, Inc. (ACUSIM). Founded in 1994 and headquartered in Mountain View, Calif., ACUSIM is a leading developer of massively scalable, high-fidelity computational fluid dynamics (CFD) solver solutions. ACUSIM's CFD technology and staff will be incorporated into Altair's HyperWorks computer-aided engineering (CAE) software portfolio and operations.
ACUSIM's AcuSolve(TM), a general purpose CFD solver, is a premier brand with customers worldwide, including many Fortune 500 companies, such as Bechtel, Chevron, John Deere, Procter & Gamble, Toyota, Vestas, Visteon and Whirlpool. Unlike other commercial CFD applications, AcuSolve is finite-element based, allowing it to be tightly integrated with other FEA-based technologies to solve complex fluid-structure interaction and multi-physics problems - both of which are rapidly emerging trends in the global simulation market.
"The acquisition by Altair is a perfect complement to our CFD product offerings and vision," said Dr. Farzin Shakib, founder and chief executive officer of ACUSIM Software. "Altair's strength as a leader in pre- and post-processing, CAE solvers and optimization technologies opens new opportunities to apply AcuSolve to a broader class of problems and markets. For our valued customers, this acquisition also significantly deepens our development and support resources globally and allows our esteemed CFD technologists to be focused solely on advancing ACUSIM CFD technology."
Altair will significantly ramp up technical and customer support for ACUSIM products throughout its global operations. In addition, Altair and ACUSIM have a number of mutual customers who will benefit from a higher level of technology integration and crossover software applications.
ACUSIM technologies will be made available through Altair's HyperWorks simulation platform and patented units-based licensing system. As a result, customers will be able to immediately access all software titles offered by Altair, further increasing the value of their investment in HyperWorks and ACUSIM.
"With the addition of ACUSIM's CFD technologies and their integration into the HyperWorks product lineup, Altair has the most complete high-end solution offering in the mechanical CAE market," said James R. Scapa, chairman and CEO of Altair Engineering. "We extensively benchmarked many CFD technologies and found AcuSolve to be a best-in-class CFD solution, especially for transient flow and fluid-structure interaction. We are very enthusiastic about this acquisition and the CFD expertise and technology it brings to automate the CFD user experience and broaden the solution scope available to our mutual customers."
Product development roadmaps are already underway to tightly integrate AcuSolve with Altair's RADIOSS solver and optimization tools, OptiStruct and HyperStudy, to increase Altair's leadership in CFD and multi-physics optimization.
ACUSIM will continue to operate from its California facility, while working closely with the HyperWorks development organization at Altair's headquarters in Troy, Mich., on integration roadmaps.
ACUSIM's technologies will be showcased at Altair's 2011 Americas HyperWorks Technology Conference taking place at the Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress Resort in Orlando, Fla., on June 22-23. To register to attend this free event, visit http://www.altairhtc.com.
About ACUSIM Software, Inc.
ACUSIM Software is a leading provider of advanced and powerful computational fluid dynamics (CFD) solver solutions. AcuSolve(TM) is a general-purpose, finite-element based flow solver that is highly differentiated by its robustness, fast speed and accuracy. It can be used by engineers and scientists at all levels of expertise, either on a standalone basis or seamlessly integrated into existing engineering and scientific applications. AcuSolve is used globally in a wide variety of industries, such as automotive, electronics, oil and gas, alternative energy, chemical, bio-medical and consumer products, as well as at national labs and universities. Headquartered in Mountain View, Calif., ACUSIM Software markets its flagship product, AcuSolve(TM), and its associated pre-processor, AcuConsole(TM), globally. Visit http://www.acusim.com for more information.
About Altair
Altair Engineering, Inc. empowers client innovation and decision-making through technology that optimizes the analysis, management and visualization of business and engineering information. Privately held, with more than 1,400 employees, Altair has offices throughout North America, South America, Europe and Asia/Pacific. With a 25-year track record for product design, advanced engineering software, grid computing technologies and enterprise analytics solutions, Altair consistently delivers a competitive advantage to customers in a broad range of industries. To learn more, visit http://www.altair.com.
SOURCE Altair Engineering, Inc.
Altair Engineering, Inc.
CONTACT: Jennifer Ristic, Airfoil Public Relations on behalf of Altair Engineering, +1-248-304-1421, ristic@airfoilpr.com
Getty Images Unveils the New Photos.com: Flexible Purchasing Options and Quality Content for Value-Driven Image Buyers
Photos.com Launches Social Media Campaign Designed to Assist Small Business Owners
NEW YORK, Jan. 11, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Getty Images, Inc., a leading creator and distributor of digital content, from still imagery to footage, graphics, music and more, today unveils the new Photos.com. Developed for value-conscious small business owners, marketers, graphic designers, web designers and other creative professionals, Photos.com offers millions of quality images, a variety of purchase options and prices that are among the most competitive in the industry.
The completely new Photos.com provides customers with an easy way to license stock photos and illustrations for all of their creative needs and budgets. Single images are priced as reasonably as $1.99 and image packs in quantities of 5, 10, 25 or 50 are priced from less than $1 per image. Subscriptions start as low as $19 per week (or $0.19 an image) for 100 downloads per week and can be purchased in 3, 6 or 12 month packages. These subscriptions are ideal for customers who need images on an ongoing basis and at an affordable price. Following the launch, Photos.com plans to feature new exclusive content weekly, offering customers freshly updated material to meet their ever-changing needs.
In conjunction with the launch of the new Photos.com, Getty Images conducted a global survey of more than 7,500 new and established image users, to gain a better understanding of their current needs and address usage patterns, budgets, purchasing habits and roles. Key findings from the survey show that small businesses demonstrate a greater need for more images at a lower price:
-- Demand for reasonably-priced digital content is growing due to the
increased need (26%) for more images and more Web site or new product
development (25%);
-- The majority of image buyers surveyed (64%) are in small businesses
under 100 employees;
-- Image buyers often have immediate needs for digital content. Almost
half (43%) of those surveyed download images on a daily, few times per
week, or weekly basis.
"Recognizing that some of today's customers have limited budgets to bring their creative projects to life, Photos.com is a convenient way to access and license affordable imagery in an instant," says Nick Evans-Lombe, Chief Operating Officer of Getty Images. "Photos.com offers 2.5 million images from a wide range of excellent photographers at substantial savings, enabling small businesses to enhance how they market themselves to their customers."
To support the new Photos.com enhancements, Getty Images has developed a social media campaign designed to assist small business owners wishing to learn more about the use of imagery, in order to communicate their business point-of-view more effectively. On the official Photos.com Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/Photosdotcom, a series of contests will offer small U.S. businesses the chance to win a makeover of their website, landing page, brochure or other marketing elements. To enter the contest series, U.S. business owners are encouraged to become a fan of Photos.com on Facebook. Featured content will also include case studies, a rolling feed of relevant news, informative links and a forum where users can discuss related topics.
Getty Images is a leading creator and distributor of still imagery, footage and multimedia products, as well as a recognized provider of other forms of premium digital content, including music. Getty Images serves business customers in more than 100 countries and is the first place creative and media professionals turn to discover, purchase and manage images and other digital content. Its award-winning photographers and imagery help customers produce inspiring work which appears every day in the world's most influential newspapers, magazines, advertising campaigns, films, television programs, books and Web sites. Visit Getty Images at http://www.gettyimages.com to learn more about how the company is advancing the unique role of digital media in communications and business, and enabling creative ideas to come to life.
For further information, please contact:
Michelle Dackis Pulman, M Booth & Associates
T: 212 539 3247 E: michelled@mbooth.com
CONTACT: Michelle Dackis Pulman of M Booth & Associates for Getty Images, Inc., +1-212-539-3247, michelled@mbooth.com; or Jodi Einhorn of Getty Images, +1-646-613-4121, jodi.einhorn@gettyimages.com
Datacastle Partners with MISCO Germany to Bring Cloud-Based Backup and Data Protection to Germany
LANGEN, Germany and SEATTLE, Jan. 11, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Datacastle, a market leader for business resiliency solutions for the mobile workforce, and MISCO Germany Inc., a leading online provider of IT products and services and division of Systemax Inc., announced today that they have partnered to offer commercial users, end users, resellers and system integrators a comprehensive, cloud-based backup and data protection solution.
In 2009 the German Government modified Germany's Federal Data Protection Act (Bundesdatebschutzgesetz) BDSG to require companies to notify victims of data breaches. Germany is also a leader in the EU discussions to protect employee and customer information. "With the possibility of growing media coverage of data breaches and public awareness, German companies will continue to take data privacy very seriously," commented Stefan Schimansky, General Manager of MISCO Germany. "This partnership with Datacastle positions us to address the backup and data protection needs of organizations as well as to provide resellers and system integrators with a service they can offer their customers."
The partnership between Datacastle and MISCO Germany will enable organizations to protect sensitive information and backup critical data on laptops, desktops and tablets with a single easy-to-use agent that is centrally managed from a vault deployed on the Microsoft Windows Azure platform. Datacastle Personal Edition from MISCO Germany will offer automatic online backup and recovery, while Datacastle Enterprise Edition will also include at rest encryption, port access control, remote data deletion and device trace.
MISCO Germany will also give resellers and system integrators an additional service to offer their current customers and open up new revenue streams. Because the Datacastle solution is a hosted service, resellers eliminate infrastructure costs, minimize the strain on IT resources, and can get up and running fast to offer a backup and data protection solution to their customers.
"MISCO Germany has the breadth of customer coverage and quality of service to meet commercial, end user and reseller needs while delivering a high quality service," said Ron Faith, president and CEO of Datacastle. "We are thrilled to be partnering with them to bring the Datacastle cloud-based backup and data protection solution to the German market."
About Datacastle
Datacastle makes an organization's mobile workforce resilient to the unexpected. Listed in Gartner's Hype Cycle for Storage Technologies, 2010, Datacastle RED turns vulnerable business information into a resilient, managed business asset. Datacastle empowers IT to enforce data policies and exceed compliance requirements. To learn more about Datacastle RED, visit http://www.datacastlecorp.com, follow us on Twitter @Datacastle, or call 425-996-9684.
About Systemax Inc.
Systemax Inc. (http://www.systemax.com), a Fortune 1000 company, sells personal computers, computer components and supplies, consumer electronics and industrial products through a system of branded e-Commerce web sites, retail stores, relationship marketers and direct mail catalogs in North America and Europe. The primary brands are TigerDirect, CompUSA, Circuit City, MISCO, WStore and Global Industrial.
About MISCO Germany
Misco Germany, a subsidiary of Systemax Inc., is a leading online provider of IT products and services to the private and public sector. Systemax has operations in the UK, France, Germany, Netherlands, Italy, Spain and Sweden and online presence in Austria, Switzerland, Portugal, Belgium and Ireland and sells under the names Misco, Wstore and inmac-Wstore.
SOURCE Datacastle
Datacastle
CONTACT: Media Contact Systemax Europe: Tracy Lamb, +44 (0) 808 181 6934, tlamb@misco.co.uk; or Media Contact MISCO Germany Inc., Sandro Assenmacher, +49 (0) 6103 / 305-185, sass@misco.de; or Media Contact Datacastle: Karen Sumner, media@datacastlecorp.com, +1 425 996 9684 Ext 704
Clearingworks® Cloud Delivery of Payment Processing
HOUSTON, Jan. 11, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- US Dataworks, Inc. (OTC Bulletin Board and OTC Pink Sheets: UDWK), a leader in enterprise payment solutions, today announced a strategic new direction for the Company with the launch of its Clearingworks® payment processing platform as an on-demand cloud-computing service.
This new Clearingworks solution is a cloud-based payment processing service that positions the company to participate in a fast and rapidly growing market segment. Gartner, a leading information and technology research and advisory company, has identified cloud-based payment processing a major growth sector, expected to be a $2.6 billion market by 2013 with a compound annual growth rate of 54%.
Charles E. Ramey, Chairman and CEO of US Dataworks, commented, "Creating a simpler, cost effective option for payment processing was our goal, and we have delivered with Clearingworks. Using cloud delivery technology we are able to offer an all-encompassing, comprehensive, integrated, multi-channel streamlined payment processing service that saves our clients 20%-60% on their payment processing costs. In addition, by bringing this new service to the market, it strategically positions our Company to pursue and participate in this rapidly growing market segment."
With over 8 million transactions processed each day, Clearingworks is an enterprise-proven solution for the payment processing needs of companies of all sizes and shapes. Our new website, http://www.clearingworks.com includes the Clearingworks Payment Savings Analyzer(TM) that allows visitors to receive an instant free report showing how much they can save with Clearingworks.
Additional information about Clearingworks as well as US Dataworks can be found on the company's website at http://www.usdataworks.com.
About US Dataworks
US Dataworks offers on-demand payment processing services with proven enterprise-class payment, deposit, returns processing, and powerful payment analytic tools. US Dataworks is a trusted payments provider to utilities, telecommunications providers, content providers, financial institutions and government agencies.
Certain statements made in this press release (other than the historical information contained herein) constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended, including, but not limited to, statements regarding our expectations relative to our Clearingworks Cloud Computing Platform . Any forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially, including, but not limited to, the failure of our new solution to perform as anticipated, our ability to provide long-term customer value and agility, our ability to protect our intellectual property, our position in the marketplace, our ability to develop and timely introduce products that address market demand, the impact of alternative technological advances and competitive products, market fluctuations, our ability to repay or refinance our debt, our ability to realize the anticipated benefits from our SaaS, ClearHistory and Mobile Payments initiatives, and other risks detailed from time to time in our SEC reports including our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2010. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date hereof. US Dataworks disclaims any obligation to update these forward-looking statements.
Contact info:
CONTACT: Randy Frapart
EMAIL: rfrapart@usdataworks.com
PHONE # 281-504-8026
SOURCE US Dataworks, Inc.
US Dataworks, Inc.
CONTACT: : Randy Frapart of US Dataworks, Inc., +1-281-504-8026, rfrapart@usdataworks.com
PACKAGE SCIENCE SERVICES WILL BENEFIT TEA CUSTOMERS
SANTA CLARA, Calif., Jan. 11, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Thermal Engineering Associates (TEA) announced today that it is partnering with engineering services firm, Package Science Services (PSS) to provide measurement, modeling and simulation of IC packages for a number of its customers.
"Our mission is to provide best-in-class package engineering services from concept through mass production," said PSS President, Tom Tarter. "Using our extensive inventory of hardware and software tools and over 25 years experience in microelectronic and optical package engineering, PSS can provide a solution for a broad array of electrical design and performance problems."
PSS provides high-frequency electrical measurements to 50GHz coupled to a precision probe station with XYZ accuracy to less than 2um. Electrical modeling and simulation services are available using SPICE, IBIS or frequency dependent behavioral models from the chip to the system board. Full-wave electrical modeling for arbitrary structures is available for high-speed digital and RF/EMI problem solving.
The pooling of TEA and PSS resources provides extensive thermal measurement and modeling capability for IC, diode, transistor, LED, and PV devices and related packaging alternatives. These capabilities extend to heat sink and interface materials, cooling channel design, heat movers such as vapor chambers and heat pipes and optimization of thermal management for 3D packaging and stacked chips.
"I am thrilled with this partnership," said TEA President, Bernie Siegal. "Tom has one of the most complete independent electrical measurement laboratories available. This really differentiates him from most consultants in that he can make the measurements to back up his modeling results."
About Thermal Engineering Associates:
TEA and its president, Bernie Siegal, have been providing thermal test and measurement hardware, software, and consulting services since 1973. Siegal has been chairman of the JEDEC JC15 committee and is the principle author of many MILSTD 750 thermal test methods. All major semiconductor companies, packaging companies, and many system level OEMs have utilized TEA equipment and/or services during its long history. Siegal is a founding member of IEEE SEMI-THERM and has delivered numerous papers and articles on thermal testing, simulation, and evaluation methods and techniques and is frequently sought out as a lecturer and expert in the field. http://www.thermengr.net
About Package Science Services:
PSS provides multidisciplinary electronic package design, modeling, simulation and analysis with expert services from concept to mass manufacturing.
Freecom Launches World's Thinnest Mobile Hard Drive Exclusively for Macs
LONDON, January 11, 2011/PRNewswire/ --
- Lightweight and Durable Magnesium Enclosure Complements Apple's Popular
MacBook
Freecom, a Mitsubishi Kagaku Media company, today unveiled the
Mobile Drive Mg - an elegant mobile hard drive designed specifically for the
Mac market. Encased in an ultra-lightweight and strong magnesium enclosure,
the Mobile Drive Mg is an ideal match for the Apple MacBook - perfect for
those style-conscious Mac users and at just 10mm is also the thinnest mobile
hard drive available in the world, allowing users to reliably expand their
storage capacity with a complementary product that is elegant, portable and
easy to use.
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The drive also features the latest USB 3.0 interface standard, which
offers rapid data transfer speeds of approximately 130 MB/s. Ideal for both
home and professional users who want to transfer large files quickly and
carry their data on the move, the Mobile Drive Mg is significantly faster
than traditional USB 2.0 solutions, enabling users to back up and upload
information in a matter of seconds. The drive is backwards-compatible and
will work with all USB 2.0 enabled computers and notebooks, as well as
forthcoming USB 3.0 models.
"The Mobile Drive Mg's magnesium enclosure has the desirable combination
of sleek aesthetics and functionality that many Mac customers look for in a
product," said Jelle Stalpers, Apple Business Development Manager for
Freecom. "Visually, the colour and wafer-thin profile of the drive make it
the perfect complement to the Apple MacBook, and what's more, it is really
easy to use - by simply plugging the hard drive into a USB port on a computer
or notebook, users can quickly back up important data and share office work,
digital photos, music and movies with colleagues, family and friends. From a
more practical point of view, the incorporation of USB 3.0 technology makes
it possible to transfer filesin the blink of an eye."
The Mobile Drive Mg will only be available through Apple Premium
Resellers in a range of three different models, all of which are future ready
and are an exact colour match with Apple's popular MacBook. The first - the
world's thinnest mobile hard drive - has a height of just 10mm, while
Freecom's other models are both standard-sized mobile hard drives; the
difference between them being that one comes with the added benefit of
FireWire 800 technology.
In addition to being incredibly strong and durable, the magnesium casing
can easily be recycled - making it both practical and
environmentally-friendly. The drives are also Mac formatted, making them
ready for immediate use with a Macbook and 100 percent Time Machine
compatible. All Mobile Drive Mg products come with a two year warranty and
unlimited helpdesk support.
Pricing and availability
The Mobile Drive Mg will be available from mid-January in the following
capacities, with higher capacities to follow at a later date:
- 320GB (10mm in height with a slim line 7mm hard drive inside, USB 3.0).
RRP EUR 79,95/GBP 69.95
- 750GB (with USB 3.0, 12mm in height). RRP EUR 119,95/GBP 109.95
- 750GB (with USB 3.0 & FireWire, 12mm in height). RRP EUR 129,95/GBP
119.95
About Freecom
Founded in 1989, Freecom designs, manufacturers and markets innovative
desktop and mobile HDD storage solutions, network attached storage devices,
flash drives, DVD burners, Professional RDX & tape drives and services.
Freecom serves both PC and Mac users. Established in Germany, Freecom is
headquartered in the Netherlands, with offices in Austria, Belgium, France,
Germany, Hong Kong, Italy, Japan, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan and
United Kingdom. For more information, visit Freecom's website at http://www.freecom.com and select the country of your location.
Source: Freecom Technologies BV
Cas de Heus, +31-(0)703367602, cas.deheus@freecom.com