News

Youku.com Stages 'World Cup Phenomenals Show'

More star-studded World Cup content by Youku coming soon

BEIJING, May 27 -- Youku.com, China's leading Internet video site, has officially launched a nationwide campaign to discover China's top amateur football commentators and most skilled amateur footballers ahead of the FIFA World Cup, which begins next month in South Africa.

The "World Cup Phenomenals Show," conducted in partnership with China Network TV and Anhui Satellite TV, will be Youku's largest online/offline campaign to date.

Victor Koo, founder and CEO of Youku, said, "This year really marks the online video debut of World Cup football."

Four years ago, Koo noted, Internet video was only getting started in China; now, it's sufficiently mature and ubiquitous that it can really leverage the wild popularity of the World Cup. Youku is one of a handful of websites that have been granted online broadcast rights from FIFA and China Central Television (CCTV), and will offer a full range of World Cup broadcasts in China.

Youku's signature for this year's World Cup will be self-produced content, and the World Cup Phenomenals Show will be the most important campaign. Youku will organize online -- as well as offline events in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chengdu, Xiamen, Hangzhou, Xi'an, and Hefei.

In recent years, Youku.com has emerged as China's premiere platform for the discovery of hidden talent. In 2009, Youku produced a national "Phenomenals Tour" as well as two "Youku Top Phenomenals" awards ceremonies, attracting tens of millions of video views. Winners included "Xidan Girl," the Beijing street busker who won the hearts of millions of Chinese with her soulful voice, and Xiao Bao, the four-year-old dance sensation, even gained international attention. Xiao Bao, who dances like the late Michael Jackson, appeared on The Ellen DeGeneres Show in the U.S. to wild applause, and was later featured in length by CNN.

In contrast to previous Phenomenals shows, the World Cup edition will focus on two major categories: skill at football commentating, and abilities on the football pitch. Contestants can either upload videos directly to Youku through the contest page, or participate in offline events in any of the eight host cities. After qualifying rounds, finalists will gather in Beijing on the night of July 11 for the Phenomenals award ceremony - already a tradition and a strong part of the Youku brand.

In addition to the nationwide Phenomenals event, Youku has recently announced other World Cup-related, self-produced content, including the talk show "Big Talk on the World Cup," which brings together football experts, major entertainers, and other celebrities to talk about the games in South Africa.  In the first week following the show's premier on Youku, "Big Talk" received over 6 million views.

Youku is also producing the show "No Interference," which will be co-hosted by celebrity football commentator Dong Lu and recent tabloid darling Ma Nuo. Dong Lu recently joked about this pairing, "She is responsible for eyeballs; I'm responsible for footballs. I believe this match-up can't go wrong."

To facilitate production needs, Youku has built a state-of-the-art studio at its Beijing headquarters.

With daily video views averaging over 200 million and 30 million unique visitors coming to the site every day, Youku has established itself as the leading brand in China's online video market, occupying over half the market by total time spent online.

  For more information, please contact:

   Youku.com, Inc.
   Jean Shao
   Manager of International Public Relations
   Tel: +86-10-5885-1881 x7128

Source: Youku.com, Inc.
   

CONTACT: Jean Shao, Manager of International Public Relations, Youku.com,
Inc. at +86-10-5885-1881 x7128

Web site: http://www.youku.com/

JetBrains YouTrack 2.0 More Customizable yet Amazingly Easy to Use

PRAGUE, Czech Republic, May 27, 2010--

    - Innovative Bug and Issue Tracker Becomes Even More Flexible and Secure
Without Sacrificing Simplicity

    JetBrains(R), creators of intelligent, productivity-enhancing development
tools, today announced the release of YouTrack 2.0, a more customizable
version of its fast and innovative keyboard-centric bug and issue tracking
system.

     (Logo:
http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20070118/JBLOGO )

    YouTrack offers fantastic time savings for both bug submitters and
development teams. Its lightning-fast issue reporting is complemented with
powerful native-language-like search queries and batch operations on multiple
issues from the command window.

    In its second major release, YouTrack 2.0 adds custom issue attributes to
help development teams easily adapt the bug tracker to their specific needs,
and to migrate existing projects from other issue trackers. Concerned about
security, YouTrack also introduces flexible access control by letting users
strengthen permissions for individual issues that contain non-public data,
without limiting access to the whole project. All the while, YouTrack remains
focused on being an intelligent and easy-to-use issue tracker, packing the
majority of its functionality in just two controls - a search box and command
window.

    "Someone once said that a product is well designed when you use it
without thinking about what makes it so good. That's our goal in making
YouTrack, too," said Vadim Gurov, YouTrack Team Lead. "If you want to spend
less time on reporting and processing bugs, YouTrack is probably for you. And
with the latest security and customization enhancements, it not only improves
your performance but also fully adapts to your team's needs."

    With YouTrack 2.0, now you can:

   
    - Create and manage custom attributes, and adjust their
      visibility.
    - Perform batch operations programmatically with YouTrack REST API.
    - Tune visibility for individual issues that might contain
      non-public data.
    - Submit issues from any web page - without even opening YouTrack,
      via the Create Issue bookmarklet.
    - Find and filter issues faster, thanks to enhanced query-based
      search syntax, auto-completion and highlighting.
    - Utilize extended JetBrains TeamCity integration.
    - Import existing projects from Jira 4.1.
    - Handle issues more intuitively, in a redesigned user interface.

    To learn more about the latest additions and enhancements, please visit
our bug tracker What's New page (
http://www.jetbrains.com/youtrack/whatsnew/?utm_source=PR&utm_medium=Link&utm
_campaign=YouTrack_2).

    Download (
http://www.jetbrains.com/youtrack/download/?utm_source=PR&utm_medium=Link&utm
_campaign=YouTrack_2) YouTrack for a free 60-day evaluation.

    YouTrack 2.0 is available in three editions:

   
    - Starter Edition: Best fit for small teams; limited to 10
      projects and 10 user accounts; doesn't support LDAP authentication;
      priced at $149.
    - Professional Edition: Ideal for medium teams; limited to 20
      projects and 20 user accounts; doesn't support LDAP authentication;
      priced at $300.
    - Enterprise Edition: Everything a large team needs; full
      functionality for any number of projects and users; priced at $1,200.

    All editions come with 1 year of free technical support and upgrades.

    JetBrains announces a special summer offer: 25% OFF on all of the above
product editions.

    To learn more about YouTrack, please visit our bug tracker Overview page
(http://www.jetbrains.com/youtrack/?utm_source=PR&utm_medium=Link&utm_campaig
n=YouTrack_2).

    (Due to the length of this URL, it may be necessary to copy and paste
this hyperlink into your Internet browser's URL address field. Remove the
space if one exists.)

    About JetBrains

    JetBrains is a technology-leading software development firm specializing
in the creation of intelligent, productivity-enhancing software. The company
is widely known for its innovative, award-winning Java(TM) integrated
development environment, IntelliJ(R) IDEA (see details on the Web at
http://www.jetbrains.com/idea), ReSharper and dotTrace Profiler for .NET
developers (see http://www.jetbrains.com/resharper,
http://www.jetbrains.com/profiler), RubyMine for Ruby on Rails developers
(http://www.jetbrains.com/ruby), and TeamCity - a continuous integration and
build management environment (http://www.jetbrains.com/teamcity). JetBrains
maintains its headquarters in Prague, Czech Republic, with its R&D labs
located in St. Petersburg, Russia and Boston, Massachusetts. For more
information, see http://www.jetbrains.com.

Photo:
http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20070118/JBLOGO

Source: JetBrains

Contact: Ann Oreshnikova, Marketing Director, +7-921-930-6703, Ann.Oreshnikova@jetbrains.com .

PC World to Open New Tottenham Superstore

- 7 new jobs created

LONDON, May 27 -- PC World is to open a new Superstore in Tottenham on 28th May 2010. The opening has created 7 new jobs, with staff from the local area appointed to work in store providing first class customer service and expert technology advice.

At 14,000 square feet the store will offer over 6,000 of the latest IT, gadgets and technology products. It includes a huge range of TVs including the latest LCD TV from Panasonic, LG, Samsung and a gaming area, where customers can play the latest games in the comfort of specially designed gaming chairs and test out the very latest kit.

The store has been specially designed to help customers get the most out of their shopping trip with numerous 'experience zones' to where they can test out hundreds of products and new technologies throughout the store. Specialist trained store staff will be on hand to provide expert advice in the areas of Computing, Gaming, Vision and Cameras.

An interactive Apple play table, which will be situated on the right hand side of the store, will allow local shoppers to pick up, turn on and test out all of the very latest products from across the hugely popular Apple range. Products include the latest Ipad and imac/macbooks as well as the full iPod range.

The Tottenham Superstore will also boast a specialist dedicated Tech Guys clinic. The clinic will see 4 highly trained Tech Guys staff able to give specialist advice on everything from implementing parental internet controls to installing the latest software. The clinic will also operate a repair and maintenance service for a wide range of different IT and technology products.

Phil Offord, PC World Tottenham store manager, comments: "We're really looking forward to opening. Tottenham has a really vibrant retail scene with some fantastic shopping so it's only fitting that the UK's biggest computer retailer is there too. Whether it's the latest laptop, a camera or a bigger TV to watch England play we're confident you'll be able to find what you're looking for at the best price."

A free next day delivery service will be operated from the store for local shoppers, guaranteeing next day home delivery on products purchased in-store. A Reserve and Collect service will also enable shoppers to select products online at home before picking them up in-store.

With tens of thousands of small businesses in the area, the new Tottenham Superstore will feature a business centre, providing local small businesses with access to specialist advice and technology products designed specifically for business purposes.

All newly recruited staff at the local store are currently undergoing PC World's new training programme designed by the retailer to reinforce its commitment to customer service. Known as the 'training academy' the intensive 5 week training programme has been designed to inform staff about all the very latest products and technologies, and to ensure they deliver outstanding customer service.

  For further information please contact:

  Brett Lowther
  Talk PR
  020 7544 3783
  Brett.lowther@talkpr.com

  Anina Castle
  Head of Consumer PR
  anina.castle@dsgiplc.com

  About PC World

PC World is Britain's largest specialist chain of computing superstores. The superstores offer more than 5,000 product lines including extensive ranges of PCs, laptops, printers, software, peripherals and accessories from the major brands, as well as many PC World exclusive products.

In-store PC Clinics offer on the spot advice and service. Component Centres offer a 'one-stop shop' for customers with advanced technical knowledge, providing a vast choice of PC components and upgrade products at competitive prices.

In 2007, PC World won Retail Week's Product Innovation of the Year award, for its Data Recovery service.

Every PC World store has an in-store business centre staffed by experienced business specialists. They offer local companies face-to-face help and advice with choosing the best IT solutions.

Source: DSGi plc
   

CONTACT:  Brett Lowther, Talk PR, 020 7544 3783,
Brett.lowther@talkpr.com; or Anina Castle, Head of Consumer PR,
anina.castle@dsgiplc.com

Gay Fetish Hook-Up Website Recon.com Officially Launches Kinky iPhone(TM) app at International Mr. Leather 2010

CHICAGO, May 27, 2010--     Recon.com, the world's largest gay fetish dating website, today
officially launched its much anticipated iPhone(TM) app at International Mr.
Leather, Chicago.

     (Photo:
http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20100527/391804 )

    In an undoubtedly controversial release, Recon.com became the first major
gay hook-up website to have a dedicated iPhone app approved by Apple(TM).
Commenting on the release, Andrew Barham, Director for Recon.com, said
"Getting the app to this point has been an interesting challenge for us. The
fetish nature and content of our site means that occasionally we get a raised
eyebrow from some more conservative onlookers. We've invested a lot of effort
in designing an application that ensures that we walk the right side of the
line as far as content and imagery is concerned."

    "Mobile browsing is just like the dot com boom all over again. Thousands
of new members are downloading the iPhone app each day, and we can barely
keep pace with the growth in usage. The fact that the Recon app will be
offered totally free (with no ads!), combined with access to an already
established worldwide hook-up site, will undoubtedly rock the boat amongst
the more established competition. Watch this space for some very exciting
developments!"

    The Recon app uses the GPS/locational functionality of the iPhone or iPod
Touch to instantly show photos of the guys around you, allowing you to chat
to other guys in your area, and then hook-up. It's immediate, with the
closest local guys appearing first. More info on them is available instantly,
as are photos and the ability to 'cruise' or chat to them. Registering on the
app also allows members to access over a million existing profiles and all
the extra features of http://www.recon.com online.

    Visit http://www.recon.com for more information or download the Recon
app from the iTunes Store.

     About Recon: The Recon website (http://www.recon.com) has around a
million worldwide members, and serves the world's gay fetish and leather
community. Recon and Recon.com are registered trademarks of T101 Limited.

    Apple, the Apple logo, iPhone, iPod touch, and iTunes are trademarks of
Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. iPad is a trademark
of Apple Inc. App Store is a service mark of Apple Inc.

Photo:
http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20100527/391804

Source: http://www.RECON.COM

For further information, please contact T101 Limited: Press Contact: Martin.Stevens@t101.com, or call +44-207-704-9888

Acision Extends Relationship with VimpelCom

READING, England, May 27, 2010--

    - Acision Delivers Enhanced Mobile Data Services to a Key Growth Market

    Acision, a world leader in mobile data, today announced that it will be
extending its relationship with VimpelCom, with the upgrade of the Acision
SMSC, Acision Central Management System and Acision Business Tools.
VimpelCom, a leading international provider of telecommunications services
operating in Russia, the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) and
South-East Asia, will be able to offer enhanced mobile messaging and data
services to its 51 million subscribers in Russia, while future-proofing its
infrastructure for new data services and ensuring profitability.

    Having worked with VimpelCom for the past six years, Acision will upgrade
the operator's messaging infrastructure to an all IP environment, allowing
unlimited and flexible capacity for messaging growth with lower total cost of
ownership. In the Russian market, where the use of mobile messaging services
is showing significant growth, Acision's market leading mobile data solutions
will ensure VimpelCom has the operational framework to monitor, measure and
manage high volume mobile data traffic, as well as have access to business
reports and intelligence to optimise mobile data performance.

    James Wagstaff, Procurement Director, VimpelCom, commented: "Acision is a
trusted, long-term partner for us. We are always looking to differentiate our
services in this highly competitive market and by upgrading our systems now
we can ensure we always offer the latest, highest quality services to our
subscribers and drive up revenues. We are pleased to extend our relationship
with Acision, one of the leading mobile messaging providers globally, as part
of our preparation for the exciting growth in mobile data services."

    Tony Morrish, Senior Vice President and General Manager for Europe and
Russia at Acision, added: "Quality of service and service differentiation is
not only key to growing and retaining subscribers but also for boosting
revenues. It is therefore imperative that operators are well equipped to
offer today's and tomorrow's mobile data services by deploying scalable
infrastructures, accompanied by a management and reporting framework which
enables operators to optimise performance. As the world leader in data,
Acision can support VimpelCom's current and future mobile data needs and we
are pleased to help them evolve their services in regions like Russia and CIS
and be successful in their expansion plans. Also for Acision this means
expanding our footprint, which supports our growth strategy for the Europe
and Russia region."

    NOTES TO EDITORS

    About Acision

    As a world leader in mobile data, Acision powers innovation and
profitable growth in mobile data services. As a pioneer of mobile messaging,
Acision's real time mobile data solutions support its customers worldwide
to drive new revenues with innovative services while controlling,
optimizing and monetizing data traffic. For more information, visit
Acision at http://www.acision.com

    About VimpelCom

    The VimpelCom Group consists of telecommunications operators providing
voice and data services through a range of wireless, fixed and broadband
technologies. The Group includes companies operating in Russia, Kazakhstan,
Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Georgia and Armenia, as well as in Vietnam
and Cambodia. The VimpelCom Group has licenses to operate in territories with
a total population of about 340 million. The Group companies provide services
under the "Beeline" brand.

Source: Acision UK Ltd

Press contacts: Maria Hudson, Acision, Tel: +44(0)118-930-8826, Email: maria.hudson@acision.com ; Annette Leach / Lauren McGregor, Hotwire PR, Tel: +44(0)207-608-2500, Email: acision@hotwirepr.com ; Elizaveta Fetisova, VimpelCom, PR Department, Tel: +7(495)725-07-08, Media@beeline.ru

Stock Quotes, Horoscopes and More Added to Ford SYNC Cloud-Based Services; No Extra Fees Attached

DEARBORN, Mich., May 27 --   --  Ford adds new services to SYNC® through the cloud-based app Traffic,
      Directions & Information (TDI), giving users on-demand access using
      simple voice commands to stock quotes, movie listings, horoscopes, and
      airlines, hotels and rental car companies

  --  The new services are now available to SYNC TDI owners and showcase the
      flexibility and expandability of the SYNC architecture to continuously
      improve the user experience - no extra fees or software upgrades
      required

  --  TDI is available on all 2010 and 2011 Ford, Lincoln and Mercury
      vehicles equipped with SYNC; services come with no monthly
      subscription fees for the first three years of vehicle ownership

Horoscopes, stock quotes, movie listings and access to airlines, rental cars and hotels are now just a voice command away for customers driving Ford, Lincoln and Mercury vehicles equipped with the SYNC® app Traffic, Directions & Information (TDI).

And customers did not have to inquire, purchase or upgrade anything to get this whole new set of services. All that is needed is an active owner account on http://www.syncmyride.com.

"SYNC is helping us move at a faster pace and deliver the level of connectivity and access that consumers want," said Doug VanDagens, director, Ford Connected Services Organization. "Now, by leveraging the cloud, we continue to give our customers access to more and more services without having to touch the vehicle or inconvenience the owner with more subscription fees."

Ford expanded SYNC TDI services to include stock quotes, entertainment, travel and movie categories, in addition to the already available traffic, directions, news and business search capabilities. The new services are provided by Microsoft Tellme, one of the many partners in Ford's cloud-based Service Delivery Network, which gives SYNC users the ability to use a simple Bluetooth-enabled cell phone to connect and voice request the information they want while in the car.

More features, no extra cost

Owners of SYNC-equipped 2010 and 2011 Ford, Lincoln and Mercury products will have immediate access to the enhanced TDI services.

"Current TDI users will hear a special announcement through SYNC the first time they call in, announcing stocks, movies, horoscopes and travel, and informing them that they have more choices," adds VanDagens.

When users say the "services" voice command, they can ask for "stocks," horoscopes," "movies" or "travel," and follow the prompts. They can also create personalized lists of stocks and horoscopes to follow by visiting their account on http://www.syncmyride.com, clicking on the "Manage favorites" tab and adding their top picks.

  In total, the new SYNC TDI categories offer the following options:

  Stocks
  --  Say a company name and receive real-time stock quotes
  --  Request other specifics such as the high/low of the day, of a 52-week
      period, share volume, market cap and price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio

  Horoscopes
  --  Speak an astrological sign to hear the daily horoscope
  --  Hear list of astrological signs

  Movies
  --  Search for movie theaters near customer's current location or provided
      city
  --  Receive lists of new releases
  --  Say a movie name and receive rating information, theater names where
      movies are playing
  --  Request movie times at a location for today, tomorrow or the next day

  Travel
  --  Request to be directly connected to 150 airlines, the 50 largest hotel
      chains and the 11 largest rental car agencies - all in the U.S.

  Video demonstrations of SYNC Traffic, Direction & Information services

Horoscopes, Travel, Stock Quotes - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WYUiQb3lXrQ

  Business Search - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3PW8qGWJJpc
  Turn-by-Turn Navigation - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lp5gckqsS40
  Personalized Traffic Report - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=inahwziGMM0
  My Favorites - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QLSDeEul9CA

  About Ford Motor Company

Ford Motor Company (NYSE:F), a global automotive industry leader based in Dearborn, Mich., manufactures or distributes automobiles across six continents. With about 176,000 employees and about 80 plants worldwide, the company's automotive brands include Ford, Lincoln, Mercury and, until its sale, Volvo. The company provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. For more information regarding Ford's products, please visit http://www.ford.com.

Source: Ford Motor Company
   

CONTACT:  Alan Hall, +1-313-594-3744, ahall32@ford.com

Web Site:  http://www.ford.com/

Naampedia Debuts Daily Personalized Practical Tips Via E-Mail

Calendar integrates laws of nature to help plan for health, happiness and success in daily life

NEW YORK, May 26 -- Naampedia, a provider of personalized calendars that take the guess work out of successfully planning each day in accordance to the laws of nature, is introducing a daily calendar distributed by e-mail, the company announced today.

"There are many factors that influence our lives on a daily basis," explained Jill Cikins, co-founder of Naampedia. "By understanding a few simple laws of nature, everyone can achieve greater success and happiness."

"For example, the phase of the moon tells us when to start something new or take action," Cikins added. "Farmers and gardeners have worked with this science since ancient times to harvest bountiful crops.  Naampedia expands on these laws and shows how to plan for important business meetings, when to ask for a raise and even the best day to exercise."

The Naampedia personalized calendars are customized by each person's birth date and time. They offer practical tips on how to use each day's energy, to make wise choices for health, business and other aspects of life.

"Reviewing the personalized practical tips daily via e-mail on a hand-held device or a computer is a quick reminder as to what to focus on for the day, and tendencies to steer away from," said Cikins.

In addition to receiving the Naampedia daily e-mail updates, subscribers can log on to http://www.Naampedia.com to access their customized, month-by-month calendar for long-range planning. Subscriptions are $65 for the annual online calendar and the price includes the new daily e-mail feature.

About Naampedia:  Naampedia was established in 2009 by Jill Cikins, Sarah Gluck and Robyne Kassen. After learning, practicing and seeing the results of this wisdom first hand, the trio wanted to find a way to share this knowledge.

Naampedia is a source of information for understanding and practicing Naam Yoga, breath work, meditations and Murda therapy. Naam is the science of sound and light that guides people to be attuned with the rhythm of the universe. Health and opportunities lie in the ability to live in harmony with the universe while disease and misfortune lie in its resistance.

Naampedia gives instant access to knowledge that helps direct health, opportunities and relationships.

To learn more, visit http://www.Naampedia.com.

Source: Naampedia
   

CONTACT:  Jeanne Hasenmiller, +1-602-714-9338,
Jeanne@MosaicPRandMarketing.com, for Naampedia

Web Site:  http://www.naampedia.com/

Microsoft Teams With Democracy Live to Assist Military Voters Secure Easier Access to Ballot

Microsoft Azure delivering virtual ballots for military men and women overseas

REDMOND, Wash., May 26 -- Microsoft Corp. and Issaquah-based Democracy Live recently announced a partnership that aims to make voting more accessible for the hundreds of thousands of Americans who are living and serving overseas during elections and want their vote to count. The Democracy Live system has already been selected by numerous elections jurisdictions for use in the coming August primary election.

By delivering virtual ballots to voters around the world, Democracy Live and Microsoft have eliminated a long standing problem for voters stationed in the military and overseas. Using the Democracy Live technology called "LiveBallot" a voter living anywhere in the world can access their ballot immediately online. Historically voters have had to wait as long as 2-3 weeks for their ballot to arrive. The delay often meant military men and women overseas would have not have their ballot counted. LiveBallot is hosted and supported by Microsoft's Azure cloud platform.

A new federal law was recently passed (called the MOVE ACT) that aims to make voting more accessible for voters living and serving abroad during federal, state and local elections. LiveBallot is offered to states and localities to immediately comply with the new federal law.

"In the past, voting has been difficult for troops and other Americans living or serving overseas," said Bryan Finney, president, Democracy Live. "We are pleased to be teaming with Microsoft and using the Windows Azure platform to deliver the most vital tool to our democracy - the ballot. By using Microsoft Azure, LiveBallot allows states to provide U.S. voters with a convenient, safe and secure way to participate in elections from anywhere in the world."

LiveBallot allows voters to print and mail their ballot and track their ballot online to monitor when it is received and processed by their county elections office. This technology gives overseas voters the assurance their ballot is correctly processed, no matter where in the world they vote.

"Running on Microsoft's Windows Azure cloud platform, LiveBallot will help state and local governments reduce the costs associated with sample ballots, voter pamphlets and other paper-based voter information," said Gail Thomas-Flyn, vice president, state and local government at Microsoft. "By utilizing a cloud-based platform Democracy Live can scale up for elections and down once results are determined, which will only further reduce strain on limited election resources."

Multiple counties in Washington State have already used LiveBallot in numerous elections. Kitsap County, Wash., was one of the first jurisdictions to field the solution and has now used the LiveBallot technology in multiple elections.

Retired Navy Chief and Kitsap County resident Dearl Hankins stated, "When I was stationed overseas in the military, during election time it always felt like I had to fight two battles: One battle was against the enemy and one just to be able to vote. A system like LiveBallot makes voting a lot easier for us to concentrate on the mission and not have to worry if our ballot was counted."

"LiveBallot is designed to deliver each of the 200 million eligible voters in the U.S. their specific ballot and balloting information," Bryan Finney said. "The Microsoft Azure cloud provides the scalability and security required to meet the coming demand for any voter, anywhere from Dubai or the dentist chair, to access their ballot from any online screen or device."

Finney went on to say that LiveBallot is not Internet voting, but simply delivering voter information, including a voter's specific ballot. Voters still must print and mail their ballot back in, Finney stated. "Voters are beginning to use LiveBallot to access and print their ballot. This system will save taxpayers significant dollars by eliminating or reducing the number of mail ballots and paper voter pamphlets."

ABOUT DEMOCRACY LIVE

Founded in 2007, Democracy Live Inc., is a pioneer in the emerging Voter Information Technologies space. Democracy Live is focused on delivering innovative voter empowerment products to each of the 200 million voters in the United States. The Democracy Live team is completely non-partisan and is made up of a group of eGovernment experts, political technologists, academics, former political officials and entrepreneurs. For more information, visit http://www.democracylive.com.

Source: Democracy Live
   

CONTACT:  Bryan Finney of Democracy Live, Inc., +1-425-557-5950, or cell,
+1-206-465-5636, bryan@democracylive.com; or Kim Nelson, Executive Director,
Microsoft eGovernment of Microsoft Corp., +1-703-489-1798,
kimnels@microsoft.com

Web Site:  http://democracylive.com/

Global Payments Completes Sale of its Money Transfer Businesses

ATLANTA, May 26, 2010 -- Global Payments Inc. (NYSE:GPN), a leading provider of electronic transaction processing solutions, announced today that it has completed the divestiture of its DolEx- and Europhil-branded money transfer businesses to an affiliate of Palladium Equity Partners, LLC.

Under the terms of the agreement, Global Payments will receive proceeds of $85 million.  The company will provide more details on the final divestiture accounting during its year-end earnings call in July.

Global Payments' Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Paul R. Garcia, said, "This transaction allows us to focus exclusively on our ongoing strategy of expanding our merchant acquiring presence around the world, and as such, we intend to reinvest the sale proceeds in future merchant acquiring growth opportunities."

David Perez, a Managing Director of Palladium Equity Partners, said, "We look forward to working with the management team at DolEx/Europhil and to continue to grow and build the company."

Global Payments Inc. (NYSE:GPN) is a leading provider of electronic transaction processing services for merchants, Independent Sales Organizations (ISOs), financial institutions, government agencies and multi-national corporations located throughout the United States, Canada, Europe, and the Asia-Pacific region.  Global Payments, a Fortune 1000 company, offers a comprehensive line of processing solutions for credit and debit cards, business-to-business purchasing cards, gift cards, electronic check conversion and check guarantee, verification and recovery including electronic check services, as well as terminal management.  Visit http://www.globalpaymentsinc.com for more information about the company and its services.

Palladium Equity Partners, LLC, along with its affiliates ("Palladium") targets investments in business services companies as well as in financial services, consumer/retail, food/restaurants, healthcare, manufacturing and media businesses.  Palladium has a focus on companies that are well-positioned to capitalize on the fast-growing U.S. Hispanic market.  The principals of Palladium have directed investments of over $2.0 billion of equity in more than 60 portfolio companies over the last two decades.  For more information about Palladium, please visit http://www.palladiumequity.com.

  For Global Payments
  Investor Relations Contact: Jane M. Elliott
  770 829-8234 Voice
  investor.relations@globalpay.com

  Media Relations Contact: Phyllis McNeill
  770 829-8245 Voice
  phyllis.mcneill@globalpay.com

  For Palladium Equity Partners
  Media Relations Contacts: David Lilly and Lyndsey Estin
  Kekst and Company
  212-521-4800 Voice

Source: Global Payments Inc.
   

CONTACT:  For Global Payments, Investor Relations Contact: Jane M.
Elliott, +1-770-829-8234, investor.relations@globalpay.com, or Media
Relations: Phyllis McNeill, +1-770-829-8245, phyllis.mcneill@globalpay.com; or
for Palladium Equity Partners, Media Relations: David Lilly and Lyndsey Estin,
Kekst and Company, +1-212-521-4800

Web Site:  http://www.globalpaymentsinc.com/

Coinstar Sells E-Payment Services Business to InComm

ATLANTA and BELLEVUE, Wash., May 26 -- InComm and Coinstar, Inc. (NASDAQ:CSTR) today announced that InComm has purchased Coinstar's E-Payment services business, which includes operations in the United States and the United Kingdom. The aggregate purchase price was $40 million, which is subject to a post-closing net working capital adjustment.

With the transaction, InComm has acquired a comprehensive prepaid product portfolio including approximately 400 individual prepaid card products from more than 65 unique issuers spanning various prepaid segments, including wireless, long distance telecom, branded retail gift, financial services, and digital entertainment.

"We are pleased to have found a great home for our E-Payment business with InComm, a prepaid industry leader.  Our broad product portfolio and targeted distribution combined with InComm's solution will provide retailers an exceptional prepaid offering," said Paul Davis, chief executive officer of Coinstar, Inc.  "Coinstar will continue to focus on our core strengths in automated retail to serve our consumers, retailers and shareholders."

"This acquisition will expand our retail opportunities, including broadening distribution in convenience stores and will give more consumers easy access to the flexibility of prepaid products," said Brooks Smith, chief executive officer of InComm.  "The E-Pay team, including managers and employees, will be a great addition to InComm's team and we look forward to their contributions to the future growth of our business."

The transaction closed May 25, 2010.  In addition, Coinstar filed a Current Report on Form 8-K that contains certain information regarding the transaction.

  Raymond James & Associates, Inc. acted as Coinstar's financial advisor.

  About Coinstar, Inc.

Coinstar, Inc. (NASDAQ:CSTR) is a leading provider of automated retail solutions offering convenient services that make life easier for consumers and drive incremental traffic and revenue for its retailers. The company's core automated retail businesses are self-service coin counting and self-service DVD rental. Coinstar also offers money transfer services. The company's services can be found at more than 80,000 points of presence including supermarkets, drug stores, mass merchants, financial institutions, convenience stores, restaurants, and money transfer agents. For more information, visit http://www.coinstar.com.

About InComm

InComm is the industry leading marketer, distributor and technology innovator of stored-value gift and prepaid products using its state-of-the-art point-of-sale transaction technology and payment solutions to revolutionize retail product sales and customer experiences. With a dedication partners have grown to trust over the past 17 years, InComm provides a turnkey solution by leveraging proven retail expertise, patented technology, and best practices in marketing with creative design, optimal placement, promotion and messaging at retail. Merchandising, card production, supply chain logistics, and full category and sales management complete the award-winning suite of services offered. InComm is the nation's largest provider of gift cards, prepaid wireless products, reloadable debit cards, digital music downloads, content, games, software and bill payment solutions with nearly $10 billion in retail sales transactions processed in 2009. InComm partners with consumer brand leaders around the world to provide more than 200,000 retail locations the products and services their customers demand. Since 1992, InComm's patented technologies have made the buying process easier for consumers while streamlining the selling process for product and retail partners. To learn more about InComm, visit http://www.incomm.com or call 1.800.352.3084. InComm is headquartered in Atlanta, GA with offices in Japan, Canada, the United Kingdom, Puerto Rico, Colorado, Texas, Florida, New Jersey, Oregon, Arkansas, Alabama and Minnesota.

Source: Coinstar, Inc.
   

CONTACT:  Marci Maule of Coinstar, Inc., +1-425-943-8277,
mmaule@coinstar.com; or Jenn Boutwell of InComm, +1-770-882-2240,
jboutwell@incomm.com

Web Site:  http://www.coinstar.com/
http://www.incomm.com/

BillShrink Launches Personalized Search Engine for TV Services

Free online search engine takes the hassle out of shopping for cable, satellite and new fiber-to-home offerings

REDWOOD CITY, Calif., May 26 -- BillShrink (http://www.billshrink.com), the free personalized search engine that compares millions of service options against an individual's unique needs, today announces a new feature that recommends the best choices for TV packages. The TV marketplace offers a complex array of choices. Cable, satellite or fiber? Basic, preferred or premier packages?  BillShrink is the first website to help consumers instantly differentiate and choose from more than a billion possible TV package combinations.

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20100222/NY5814LOGO )

BillShrink's TV product is designed to accommodate a variety of entertainment needs. The majority of pay-TV subscribers have multiple TVs with a mix of high-definition and DVR preferences. To complicate matters further, programming preferences can vary widely even within one home -- from sports to movies to news and much more. For instance, a family who wants to watch The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, American Idol and Food Network on its new high-def television faces a dizzying number of TV package choices.

Additionally, cable providers are expected to raise prices this year as the industry responds to falling advertising dollars, competition from satellite and telecoms, and the increased cost of offering HD and on-demand programming. In an effort to help consumers control costs, BillShrink's TV product generates recommendations based on a user's favorite shows and genres.

The recommended packages are ranked objectively by cost and provider. Within each suggested TV package, BillShrink simplifies providers' rates, terms and conditions so people can make apples-to-apples comparisons. BillShrink further shows users exactly how many of their favorite channels are available in HD, separated by provider. The service launches with the top nine cable and satellite providers covering more than 80% of American households.

"BillShrink has identified more than $1.4 billion in savings on everyday bills like credit cards and cell phone plans, but we found that one of the biggest requests from users was a tool that presents simple comparisons of the best TV packages on the market," said Peter Pham, CEO of BillShrink. "This new feature enables people to right size their entertainment services and provides insight into which providers deliver the entertainment they want at a price that's right."

The demand for household televisions continues to be robust amid the trend towards watching TV online.  According to Nielsen, the average American home has 2.93 TV sets per household, up from 2.86 in July 2009. This means that there are more televisions than people per home.

The average cable customer pays nearly $1000 a year for TV service.  Due to the complexity of TV channel packages, consumers often purchase many more channels than they watch. BillShrink addresses this waste by simplifying complex pricing structures. The new TV vertical brings an increased transparency to opaque billing practices as BillShrink analyzes viewer preferences and then calculates all introductory and promotional rates over one or two years. Users thus receive a clear and accurate picture of the true cost of their TV bills.  This marks the sixth vertical launched by BillShrink, which continues to roll out a number of new money-saving services each year.

About BillShrink (http://www.billshrink.com)

BillShrink is a free, personalized search engine that helps people find the right TV service, cell phone plan, credit card, gas station and more.  By sorting through millions of products and services, BillShrink provides unbiased recommendations so users can find exactly what they need at the best price.

In an era when eight out of ten people overpay on their everyday bills and services, BillShrink helps people make smart money-saving choices. Users answer a few simple questions about spending and usage behavior, and in less than a minute, BillShrink presents the best options on the marketplace. In order to provide individualized recommendations, the company searches and simplifies more than a billion cable and satellite packages, 10 million cell phone plan combinations, 300 bank rates, 240 credit cards and 150,000 gas stations.  BillShrink then keeps the savings coming by alerting users when a better deal comes along.

BillShrink was listed among the "Top 20 Best Money Websites" by Money Magazine and named one of the "Best Web Sites" by Kiplinger's. The company has been featured in the country's leading news sources including The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Consumer Reports, Fortune, The Dr. Oz Show, The Today Show, CNN, ABC and CBS. The company publishes the popular "Shrinkage is Good" blog, which features commentary on the latest economic news and savings tips.

Photo:  http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20100222/NY5814LOGO
AP?Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org/
PRN?Photo?Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com
Source: BillShrink
   

CONTACT:  Diana Dozier, ddozier@groupsjr.com; +1-646-217-0431

Web Site:  http://www.billshrink.com/

Jedi Mind, Inc. Announces New Thought-Controlled Application for $13 Billion Market

CARDIFF, Calif., May 26 -- Jedi Mind, Inc. (Pink Sheets: JEDM) (http://www.jedimindinc.com) announces The  Company's next software application in development is scheduled to hit the market next month. The thought-controlled software application allows the user to play existing PC games on the market with the power of their mind. Rather than using a traditional keyboard, mouse or hand-held controller; the player controls the characters with their thoughts through the use of a wireless headset that reads your brainwaves.

Annual sales of PC games reached $13.1 billion in 2009, which represents a 3% increase in worldwide PC gaming revenues. That number doesn't just contain sales of games at brick-and-mortar stores. In fact those sales actually declined in 2009 and now cover less than 20 percent of all software-based revenues. Digital distribution of PC games made up the difference. Other sources of revenue for their numbers came from monthly subscriptions for online games, sales of virtual items and sales of ads for gaming web sites. While revenues in the US and Europe were down between 10 and 15 percent in 2009, the still growing Asian market made up for the difference. Jedi Mind, Inc. expects to capture 3-5% of this existing market, by offering an alternative gaming experience.

About Jedi Mind, Inc.

Jedi Mind, Inc. develops software for thought controlled technologies, allowing the user to interact with the computer and other machines through the power of the mind. The technology involves the use of a wireless headset, developed by Emotiv, which detects brainwaves on both the conscious and non-conscious level. This revolutionary neural processing technology makes it possible for computers to interact directly with the human brain. The Company develops medical applications and video games that are controlled by the power of your mind.

Safe Harbor:

From time to time, the Company may issue news releases that contain  "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and is subject to the safe harbor created by those sections.  This material may contain statements about expected future events and/or financial results that are forward-looking in nature and subject to risks and uncertainties.  For those statements, the Company claims the protection of the safe harbor for forward-looking statement provisions contained in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and any amendments thereto.  Any statements that express or involve discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, goals, assumptions, or future events or performance are not statements of historical fact and may be "forward-looking statements."  "Forward-looking statements" are based upon expectations, estimates and projections at the time the statements are made that involve a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from those anticipated.

http://www.JediMindInc.com

Source: Jedi Mind, Inc.
   

CONTACT:  Investor Relations of Jedi Mind, Inc., +1-760-635-2595,
Contact@JediMindInc.com

Web Site:  http://www.jedimindinc.com/

Remote Access Company Launches Viewer for Mac

CALABASAS, Calif., May 26 -- Leading remote access company RemotePC (http://www.remotepc.com/) announced that you can now remotely control your PC from a Mac.

With the Remote Access Viewer for Mac, users can now connect remotely to any other windows computer.  Remote Access Viewer for Mac is currently available for Leopard and Snow Leopard on Intel processor, "Implementation of this feature was critical to address the needs of our ever growing consumer segment and the SMB segment that rely on RemotePC for their remote access needs," says Mr. Phaneswhar, Team Lead at RemotePC.

"You can access the remote windows computer from any Mac or PC with the same RemotePC account. This is a great addition to our product suite. We are working on adding a few more features to the Mac Viewer, for instance, Scaling of the screen, Remote Printing, File Transfer, Chat, and Remote Screen Blanking," says Raghu K.  President and CEO of RemotePC.

To know more about the product/service and the associated features/benefits, please visit: http://www.remotepc.com/

To sign up for a RemotePC account, please visit: http://remotepc.com/signup.htm

About RemotePC:

RemotePC is a service of Pro Softnet Corporation. RemotePC's mission is to provide secure, easy and fast remote access solutions from consumers to businesses using Internet media by combining the most sophisticated technology pieces from hardware, software, networking, storage, Operating Systems, security and Internet technologies, using any web enabled device. Other services from Pro Softnet Corp include Online Backup services IDrive (http://www.idrive.com/) and IBackup (http://www.ibackup.com/).

Source: RemotePC
   

CONTACT:  Shweta Sachdeva of Pro Softnet Corporation,
publicrelations@pro-softnet.com

Web Site:  http://www.remotepc.com/
http://www.pro-softnet.com/

Veechi ResuReader(TM) iPhone App Streamlines Resume Data Capture; SocializedHR.com(TM) Pioneers Social Identity Reporting

iPhone App, Personalized Web Site Simplify On-the-Go Recruiting and Candidate Evaluation

MONTE SERENO, Calif., May 26 -- Recruiters can dramatically reduce their time spent managing candidate data and improve results with two pioneering talent management products introduced today by Veechi Corp.  Capable of operating together or independent of one another, the Veechi ResuReader(TM) iPhone app and SocializedHR.com(TM) cloud software offer on-the-spot data acquisition and organization integrated with powerful social identity reporting to save time and find top candidates.

"Imagine this," said Peter Levy, CEO of Veechi. "A candidate hands you a resume at a career fair. You use ResuReader on an iPhone to take a picture of the document, and the data on it is then organized into text fields such as personal info, experience and education. An iPhone photo of the candidate becomes part of that iPhone record. While you're interviewing and taking notes on the iPhone, everything is automatically and securely uploaded to your SocializedHR.com site. You haven't touched a pen and the candidate file is ready and workable in the field and at the office."

"ResuReader insures that a good candidate doesn't fall through the cracks," said Heather Laing, Manager of College Recruiting for VMware. "Recruiters have grappled with hard copy resumes for years, and we worry that good applicants can get lost in the paper-pushing process. The mobile capture-and-save capabilities of ResuReader and SocializedHR.com solve that problem."

SocializedHR.com eliminates the hit-and-miss aspects of recruitment research. Information from ResuReader is available to the recruiter on their personalized secure SocializedHR.com cloud software.  The recruiter can instantly create a comprehensive social identity report on any candidate already in the database, imported from a TMS system or file, or entered by hand. All data is viewable and accessible only by the recruiter or employer.

Social Identity reports include information from the candidate's public profiles in major social networks and from other public information sources. Reports contain employment-specific information, such as showing people from the candidate's social circles who have worked for the inquiring employer.

"SocializedHR.com has tremendous value because recruiters have little or no time to conduct complete social identity due diligence," said Steven Goldberg, HR Technology industry advisor and former PeopleSoft senior executive.

SocializedHR.com integrates ResuReader, social identity reports, and core candidate management functions. SocializedHR.com can be used to manage files imported from other TMS sources as well as from Veechi's JobGenius(TM), the unique socially-powered resume creation and job search tool for college students.

"Veechi's products add a fast, reliable dimension to a recruiter's arsenal," said Goldberg.  "Whether used by an individual, a small company, or a large corporate HR department, ResuReader and SocializedHR.com offer innovative capabilities that streamline and strengthen the recruitment process."

ResuReader and SocializedHR.com will be available in July 2010. Pricing information will be posted soon.

A ResuReader product demonstration is viewable at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9XjPPJZSSp0

  Product websites:
  http://www.resureader.com
  http://www.socializedHR.com

  About Veechi Corp.

Veechi Corp., a venture capital-backed Silicon Valley firm, is the leading innovator of social media-based employment tools for college students, graduates, career counselors, recruiters and other HR personnel.

Veechi JobGenius, the socially-powered resume creation and job search tool for college students, is available today at http://www.veechi.com/products/job-genius.php at no cost to the first 50,000 users.  JobGenius is the first cloud tool to help college students create a professional resume with input from invited members of their Facebook circle.

Veechi Classes, the "college success platform(TM)," helping students "conquer" college with a socially-powered productivity platform that has been called one of "10 Facebook apps that teach you something" by CNET. Veechi Classes connects directly to Job Genius and is available at http://www.facebook.com/veechi.

Veechi was named a finalist in the fbFund competition run by Accel Partners and Founders Fund that identified the Top 50 Facebook applications in 2009. For more information, visit http://www.veechi.com.

Source: Veechi Corp.
   

CONTACT:  Peter Levy, CEO of Veechi Corp., +1-408-771-7333,
peter@veechi.com; or Vanessa Tomasso, +1-408-705-0877,
vanessa@krause-taylor.com, for Veechi Corp.

Web Site:  http://www.veechi.com/

13 ZigBee Telecom Services Products Certified to Deliver Next Generation Value Added Services

Standard now available for free public download to spur innovation in the telecom industry

SAN RAMON, Calif., May 26 -- The ZigBee® Alliance, a global ecosystem of companies creating wireless solutions for use in energy management, commercial and consumer applications, today announced the certification of 13 products from three different companies using ZigBee Telecom Services(TM).  These are the first wave of products certified to deliver value added services ideally suited for mobile network operators, businesses and government agencies. The Alliance has also made this standard available for free public download.

(Logo:  http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20091005/SF86596LOGO)

The mobile location-based services market is expected to exceed $12 billion by 2014 according to Juniper Research. These services will help businesses grow their customer reach by expanding communication through advertising improved product information and simplifying the process of locating missing objects and even people.

"These ZigBee Telecom Services products represent the first step in spurring next generation value-add services technology that will take advantage of existing telecom networks," said Bob Heile, chairman of the ZigBee Alliance. "ZigBee Telecom Services is the single standard delivering a myriad of ways for telecom network operators to drive innovation, expand offerings and enable new solutions to meet new and existing business challenges."

The following ZigBee Telecom Services certified products are fully interoperable.  They have earned the right to be branded with the ZigBee Certified logo and the ZigBee Telecom Services icon on product packaging and advertisements.  These marks are designed to clearly communicate interoperability.  For a full list of features and product photos, or to download this standard, please visit http://www.zigbee.org/telecomservices.

  --  ETRI - ETRI VoZ is a platform for headsets, microphones, and speakers
      enabling basic voice communications and additional audio-input/output
      ports, environmental sensors, multi-purpose push buttons, and a
      general-purpose module interface are included.
  --  OKI - OKI Access Point serves as the gateway between an
      advertising/information delivery service network and other networks
      where information delivery service is offered.
  --  OKI - OKI Information Node stores push- or pull-based
      advertising/information provided to people using a mobile device
      participating in an advertising/information delivery service network.
  --  OKI - OKI Information Terminal provides an interface to a mobile
      device as part of an advertising/information delivery service network.
  --  OKI - OKI RSSI Anchor Node is the base device designed for deployment
      in areas needing a location finding service network.
  --  OKI - OKI RSSI Location Node is designed for use in mobile devices
      that will direct people to a specific location as apart of any
      location finding service network.
  --  OKI - OKI RSSI Location Gateway collects information to determine
      where a person using an RSSI location node equipped mobile device is
      located as part of any location finding service network.
  --  Telecom Italia - Telecom Italia Information Node delivers information
      to any ZigBee product and is ideally suited for the delivery of
      advertising to consumers in defined areas.
  --  Telecom Italia - Telecom Italia Access Point provides a gateway
      interface to other ZigBee networks between a remote application and
      local ZigBee devices, sending and forwarding information on request
      for push- or pull-based proximity advertising services.
  --  Telecom Italia - Telecom Italia Eureka is an identification service
      ideally suited to find hospital instrumentation and people featuring
      an easy-to-use and fully customizable graphical user interface.
  --  Telecom Italia - Telecom Italia RSSI Anchor Node is a non-mobile
      product allowing the location of other devices to be identified and
      located using RSSI.
  --  Telecom Italia - Telecom Italia RSSI Location Node allows mobile
      devices to be located using a centralized location algorithm while
      also discovering nearby anchor nodes to create a RSSI location gateway
      allowing exact locations of devices or people to be determined.
  --  Telecom Italia - Telecom Italia Test Harness tests new ZigBee Telecom
      Services products under development to ensure the compliance to the
      standard.

These new products, offering ZigBee Telecom Services, join an ever expanding group of ZigBee Certified Products.  Other ZigBee Certified products are available for ZigBee Smart Energy and ZigBee Home Automation.

ZigBee Telecom Services: Value Added Services

ZigBee Telecom Services provides a global wireless standard for value added services for mobile network operators, businesses and governments. It defines an affordable and easy way for mobile network operators to offer innovative new low data rate based services reaching almost anyone using a mobile phone.  Devices equipped with ZigBee Telecom Service can be used to pay for products and services, gaming, receive advertising, authenticate access, determine physical location and obtain directions or information without the need for GPS.  For a complete list of features and benefits, visit http://www.zigbee.org/telecomservices.

ZigBee: Control your world

ZigBee is the global wireless language connecting dramatically different devices to work together and enhance everyday life. The ZigBee Alliance is a non-profit association of more than 350 members driving development of ZigBee wireless technology.  The Alliance promotes world-wide adoption of ZigBee as the leading wirelessly networked, sensing and control standard for use in consumer electronic, energy, home, commercial and industrial areas. For more information, visit:  http://www.ZigBee.org.

Photo:  http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20091005/SF86596LOGO
AP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org/
PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com
Source: ZigBee Alliance
   

CONTACT:  Kevin Schader of ZigBee Alliance, +1-925-275-6672,
kschader@inventures.com; or Earlene Tang of GolinHarris, +1-714-918-8215,
etang@golinharris.com, for ZigBee Alliance

Web Site:  http://www.zigbee.org/

VEVO to Live Stream FIFA WORLD CUP(TM) KICK-OFF CELEBRATION CONCERT

Webcast To Feature Performances from Alicia Keys, John Legend, Shakira, The Black Eyed Peas and many more on June 10 at 2:00 p.m. ET at worldcup.vevo.com Live Performances and Backstage Footage from the FIFA WORLD CUP(TM) KICK-OFF CELEBRATION CONCERT will be Featured Across VEVO Network May 26 - July 10 VEVO and 1GOAL Partner on Global Education Program

NEW YORK, May 26 -- In VEVO's first foray into live music streaming on a global scale, the web's leading premium music video and entertainment service will webcast the FIFA WORLD CUP(TM) KICK-OFF CELEBRATION CONCERT live on June 10 from Soweto/Johannesburg, South Africa. The event, executive-produced by Kevin Wall and his company, Control Room, the world's leading creative force behind global music events, will feature performances from Alicia Keys, Amadou & Mariam, Angelique Kidjo, Black Eyed Peas, BLK JKS, John Legend, Juanes, Shakira, The Parlotones, Tinariwen, Vieux Farka Toure and Vusi Mahlasela, in addition to other international superstars, and will be exclusively available on demand afterwards. Additionally, VEVO has partnered with 1GOAL, which is co-chaired by Her Majesty Queen Rania of Jordan and is leveraging the FIFA WORLD CUP(TM) KICK-OFF CELEBRATION CONCERT as a global communications platform to mobilize public support to hold governments to their promises to enable every child to receive a classroom education by 2015.

The announcements were made today by Rio Caraeff (President and CEO, VEVO).

At 8:00 p.m. local time (GMT+2)/2:00 p.m. ET on June 10, VEVO, the Licensed Broadcaster of the FIFA WORLD CUP(TM) KICK-OFF CELEBRATION CONCERT, will webcast the entire celebration concert in high definition live from the newly-renovated Orlando Stadium. Featuring the biggest names in music, the historic event will take place on the eve of the internationally-anticipated 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa(TM). VEVO will live stream the concert around the globe with the exception of Germany and select European countries.

Following the live high definition webcast on VEVO.com, the concert will be available for on-demand streaming across the entire VEVO Network including VEVO.com and the VEVO channel on YouTube. Additionally, exclusive programming from the performers and behind-the-scenes video will be featured across the VEVO Network May 26-July 10.

VEVO's involvement solidifies its partnership with 1GOAL, the global education program launched by Her Majesty Queen Rania of Jordan, to provide education for 72 million children around the world. The campaign asks world leaders to fulfill their education pledges and live up to their financial promises to provide education to every child by 2015 (UN Millennium Development Goals). 1GOAL has targeted the 2010 FIFA World Cup, a global event reaching hundreds of millions of households, to ask fans to sign a petition which will be presented to world leaders. VEVO, a supporter of 1GOAL since the video service launched in December, will harness its worldwide traffic (VEVO delivers over 750 million global streams per month) to drive awareness to the 1GOAL campaign and encourage music fans to sign the petition.

"VEVO is very proud to be a FIFA WORLD CUP(TM) KICK-OFF CELEBRATION CONCERT Licensed Broadcaster and bring the concert live to music fans around the globe," said Caraeff. "Live music events are a focus of VEVO's overall vision and I can't think of a better way to kick off our summer programming than with the concert, a massive event on a global scale."

Caraeff added: "We at VEVO are committed to raise the global consciousness level about one of the world's great injustices into our participation in this event through Her Majesty Queen Rania and the 1GOAL campaign. It is so important, as eyes around the world are pointed to a global entertainment event such as the 2010 FIFA World Cup, that we use VEVO to mobilize this audience and make sure 72 million children are not lacking the basic education they need to lead successful lives."

"We are thrilled to have VEVO broadcasting this concert live online to people around the globe," said Kevin Wall, CEO, Control Room. "Control Room has created a concert that showcases the sights and sounds of Africa through amazing performances of international and African superstars, as well as special appearances by football legends past and present, to make this a must-see music event."

Watch the FIFA WORLD CUP(TM) KICK-OFF CELEBRATION CONCERT live June 10 at 8:00 p.m. local time (GMT+2)/2:00 p.m. ET on VEVO and access exclusive programming and archived performances as well as music videos from this year's performing artists May 26-July 10 at worldcup.vevo.com. On-demand streaming of the concert begins across the VEVO Network following the live event with all other music programming available May 26-July 10.

Music fans can learn more about illiteracy and sign the 1GOAL petition on 1GOAL's VEVO channel vevo.com/channel/1goal/105 or on 1GOAL's website join1goal.org

About VEVO

VEVO is the web's number one premium music video and entertainment service with over 750 million worldwide streams and more than 50 million unique visitors in the U.S. and Canada each month. VEVO's programming is made available across the VEVO Network, which includes VEVO.com (the service's marquee destination site), on YouTube through a VEVO-branded channel, and through a VEVO-branded embedded player. The service also serves as a syndication platform for additional internet destination sites, including AOL and CBS Interactive Music Group, expanding the reach of the VEVO Network across the worldwide web.

VEVO was created in partnership by Universal Music Group (UMG), Sony Music Entertainment (SME) and the Abu Dhabi Media Company. It is operated independently by a dedicated management team with offices in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago and Detroit.

Explore VEVO at vevo.com. Journalists/Bloggers can stay updated on VEVO news at twitter.com/VEVO_Media.

About 1GOAL

1GOAL is an initiative to mobilize support to hold world leaders to these promises for 2015 and is run by the Global Campaign for Education and is part of a large global education initiative.  It is backed by some of the biggest names in football such as Zinedine Zidane, Alessandro del Piero, Eusebio and Sir Bobby Charlton and at this year's FIFA World Cup a summit will take place where Heads of State will pledge their support for further funding for education to ensure the 72 million children currently out of school can receive an education.

About Control Room

Founded by Emmy-award winning producer Kevin Wall and headed by company president and co-executive producer Aaron Grosky, Control Room is the world's leading producer of massive global events leveraging unparalleled expertise to deliver once-in-a-life time entertainment experiences to audiences around the world.  Through a combination of expertise - event production, television production, media architecture design, artist and celebrity relationships, sponsorship development, and creative vision - Control Room evolves events into cultural phenomena.

Control Room is an end-to-end solution for brands, artists, broadcasters and sponsors committed to connecting global audiences with compelling entertainment.  The company has built long-standing business relationships and successfully navigated the complexities of culture, government, and production in countries in every region of the world.  Since 2005, Control Room has illustrated a history of measurable results through a comprehensive body of work including more than 100 live events ranging from single-artist concerts to worldwide movements.

Source: VEVO
   

CONTACT:  Jennifer L. Press of VEVO, +1-212-331-2226,
jennifer.press@vevo.com; or Kristen Whisenand of OutCast PR, +1-415-345-4751,
kristen@outcastpr.com, for VEVO

Web Site:  http://www.vevo.com/
http://worldcup.vevo.com/

Facebook Redesigns Privacy

Simplifies Choices and Offers More Powerful Controls

PALO ALTO, Calif., May 26 -- Facebook today responded to user comments and concerns about privacy by announcing it will introduce simpler and more powerful controls for sharing personal information. New settings will give the more than 400 million people who use Facebook the power to control exactly who can see the information and content they share, all with just a few simple clicks. In addition, new settings will be added to make it easier to turn off third-party applications or websites. Facebook Founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg officially announced the changes in a blog post today at http://blog.facebook.com/.

"When we started Facebook, we built it around a few simple ideas," said Zuckerberg.  "When people have control over what they share, they want to share more.  When people share more, the world becomes more open and connected. Over the past few weeks, the number one thing we've heard is that many users want a simpler way to control their information. Today we're starting to roll out changes that will make our controls simpler and easier."

The company's new privacy controls reflect wide-ranging consultation with the office of Senator Charles Schumer (D-NY) and a number of online privacy and consumer advocacy groups. These include the Center for Democracy and Technology, Consumer Action, Future of Privacy Forum, Electronic Frontier Foundation, Progress and Freedom Foundation, NetChoice, CATO Institute, TRUSTe, Technology Policy Institute, and Information Technology and Innovation Foundation. The consultations have proven extremely helpful in both clarifying and communicating Facebook's privacy principles, and have greatly contributed to the design and implementation of the new privacy controls. These updated controls will start rolling out today and will be live for all Facebook users in the coming weeks.

Zuckerberg first announced Facebook's intention to make these changes in a Washington Post op-ed (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/05/23/AR20100523038 28.html) that detailed principles by which Facebook operates:

  1. People have control over how their information is shared.
  2. Facebook does not share personal information with people or services
     users don't want.
  3. Facebook does not give advertisers access to people's personal
     information.
  4. Facebook does not sell any of people's information to anyone.
  5. Facebook will always be a free service for everyone.

  Today's announcement focuses on the first two of these principles.

  Making Control Simple

One control for content: A new simple control makes it easy to share on Facebook with friends, friends of friends or everyone--all with just one click.  The corresponding settings are immediately applied and displayed in an easy-to-understand grid.  At the same time, Facebook has maintained its more granular settings for those who want to customize their level of sharing.  These settings now all appear on a single page for easier access.

Retroactive control: People who choose the more restrictive "Friends Only" or "Friends of Friends" options with the simple control will have the corresponding setting for all the content they posted previously for sharing.  Thus, a person can make all the content they've ever shared on Facebook more private with just a couple of clicks.

Future products:  Facebook commits to carry over people's privacy choices for new products that facilitate sharing.  Thus, if someone chooses "Friends Only" for "Sharing on Facebook," new products that have privacy settings will be automatically set to "Friends Only." This means Facebook users don't have to worry about new settings in the future.

Prioritizing simplicity: Granularity of control has always been a primary objective in Facebook's privacy design.  Starting with the changes announced today, the company will also prioritize ease-of-use in its privacy design.

Fewer privacy changes: Facebook's goal is to make privacy-related changes with less frequency and to work within the framework announced today as it continues to innovate new features and products.

Less Publicly Available Information

Significantly less public information: Facebook has drastically reduced the amount of information that is available to everyone.  This information is now limited to name, profile picture (should a user choose to have one), gender (though this can be hidden on the profile), and networks (should the user join any).

Privacy controls for Pages: Connections to Pages, which were previously available to everyone, will have privacy settings that work for both ends of the connection.  People can prevent others from seeing Pages on their profile and from seeing them in the "People who like this" boxes on the Pages themselves.  Applications will also need to ask for explicit permission in order to access any of your Pages that are not visible to everyone.

Easier Opt Outs

Full control over how applications and websites on Facebook Platform access information: In response to requests, Facebook has added a simple way for people to completely turn off Platform applications and websites, so that your information is not shared with applications, even information available to everyone.

Easier opt-out of Instant Personalization Pilot Program:  Facebook has also made it easier for people to turn off the instant personalization program, which prevents those, and any future, applications in the program from accessing their information.

Granular data permissions for applications and websites:  Facebook also highlighted the new controls users have over information shared with applications and websites on Facebook Platform.  With the new data permissions model, applications must obtain specific approval before gaining access to any personal information that a user has not made available to "Everyone."

What People Are Saying

"Facebook's users have spoken and made it clear that they want control of their information. Despite all rumors to the contrary, privacy is not dead, it is on its way to a comeback in the form of simplified controls and better policies," said Leslie Harris, President, Center for Democracy and Technology. "While more work still needs to be done, these changes are the building blocks to giving people what they want and deserve."

"People care about privacy now more than ever. We are pleased that Facebook has pledged to improve user control and choice and we look forward to working together to help them follow through on this commitment," said Michelle De Mooy, Senior Associate at Consumer Action. "We believe the company must work with a broad coalition of consumer and privacy advocates, regulators, and legislators in order to raise the bar and lead the industry toward empowering and protecting consumers online.  We also hope that this step forward from Facebook will send a message to industry that strong privacy standards aren't just good policy, they're good business."

"The message that all companies should be taking away from this is that managing digital identity is critically important to Internet users of all ages and backgrounds.  Facebook is taking steps that are essential for user trust by providing users with additional control over the personal data they share. As sites, services and devices grow increasingly complex, the challenge for Facebook and for others going forward is to continue to seek innovations that ensure that privacy tools can be intuitive for users," said Jules Polonetsky, Director, Future of Privacy Forum.

"Facebook's announcement should remind us all that online services actively compete in the market of public opinion based on their commitment to empowering users to make their own choices about privacy," said Berin Szoka, Senior Fellow and Director of the Center for Internet Freedom at Progress and Freedom Foundation. "Facebook has affirmed that commitment by responding to user demands to allow users to restrict visibility of their friends and their 'likes,' and to opt-out completely from sharing of information with third-party applications and external websites.  Just as important is the improved user interface, which maximizes both granularity of user control and ease of use--two things that are always in tension.  Achieving both complexity and simplicity requires ongoing, iterative process of innovation."

"These new features give consumers more choice and more control over their information--a win for both Facebook and its users," said Daniel Castro, Senior Analyst for the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation. "Facebook's latest changes show that companies are responding appropriately to their customers' concerns about privacy. In this case, market and customer feedback are more effective tools for meeting consumer needs than heavy-handed privacy regulations that would only impede innovation."

"Providing people with true privacy choices that are both simple and transparent is no easy task.  Facebook's changes to make its privacy settings more accessible, as well as to provide broader opt-out choices, reflect both the company's deep commitment to control and its ability to quickly innovate and incorporate feedback," said Fran Maier, President of TRUSTe. "We will continue to work closely with Facebook to ensure that it lives up to the commitments it has made to its users."

  Announcement Fact Sheet

  The Changes
  --  Completely redesigned the privacy settings page to be much more
      simple.
  --  Created one control for content. A new simple control makes it easy to
      share on Facebook with friends, friends of friends or everyone--all
      with just one click.  The corresponding settings are immediately
      applied and displayed in an easy-to-understand grid.  At the same
      time, Facebook has maintained its more granular settings for those who
      want to customize their level of sharing.  These settings now all
      appear on a single page for easier access.
  --  Significantly reduced the amount of information that is always visible
      to everyone. Friends and Pages (your connections) can now be
      restricted to anyone you want. To help people recognize you, your
      name, profile picture, networks, and gender are always open to
      everyone (though half of these you don't need to add).
  --  Given you more control over how applications and websites access your
      information. Now you can completely turn off Facebook Platform
      applications and websites, which means that your information will not
      be shared with applications. We also made it very simple to turn off
      instant personalization. You can ensure that your information is not
      shared with current or future instant personalization applications by
      un-checking the box to "Enable instant personalization".
  --  Get a better understanding of how you like to share on Facebook. The
      new presets help us understand the overall privacy level you're
      comfortable with for the things you share. As we roll out new
      products, we want to apply the right setting for you at the
      outset--eliminating the need for you to check your setting each time a
      new feature is introduced. We're committed to carrying over your
      presets for new products that facilitate sharing. So, if you choose
      the "Friends Only" preset for "Sharing on Facebook", new products that
      have privacy settings will be automatically set to "Friends Only" as
      well.
  --  Not changing anything about our advertising programs: we never sell
      any of your personal information to anyone. There's a rumor that the
      more openly you share your information the more money we make, but
      it's just wrong. Advertisers may target ads to people according to
      certain demographics, but they receive only anonymous data reports. We
      don't share your personal information with our advertisers.

  Data points
  --  Reduced the number of settings required to make all information
      private from nearly 50 to less than 15.
  --  Introduced presets that cover 18 individual settings for sharing with
      one single control--two clicks to control what had been more than 100
      different options.
  --  Consolidated 10 settings on 3 separate pages into 7 settings on one
      page.
  --  Reduced the number of separate pages in privacy center from 13 to 8.

  FAQ
  Q. How are users being informed of these changes?

As we roll this out, we will be posting a message to all users on the homepage pointing them to information that explains the changes.  In addition, we have and will continue to devote significant resources to educating people about the control they have on Facebook. Before rolling out these changes we will update our robust privacy education materials, including a new privacy guide (http://www.facebook.com/privacy/explanation.php), instructional videos posted to our blog and Facebook Page, and numerous FAQs in our Help Center. Finally, we are committed to working with non-profit organizations to raise awareness among their constituents.

Q. Were users involved in this redesign?

Yes, we incorporated four rounds of iterative user testing into the redesign process. In each of these tests we worked with a variety of users, from those that classified themselves as very open to those that classified themselves as very closed. In each round of testing users were given a variety of tasks to measure both their understanding of the features, as well as their experience using the privacy controls. We then continuously modified the explanatory language, the placement and the visual presentation of the controls based on the users' experiences.

Q. Where can people provide feedback on these changes?

We hope these changes demonstrate the tremendous respect we have for the hundreds of millions of people who use Facebook every day, and our commitment to ensuring that each of these people continues to feel comfortable sharing and connecting. Today, as always, we encourage our users to submit their thoughts and feedback: http://www.facebook.com/privacyfeedback

Q. How soon until everyone gets the new privacy settings?

We are working hard to make the simpler privacy controls available to everyone as soon as possible.  However, as is our standard practice with most products we launch, we will begin with a slow roll out and will gradually increase the number of people who with new controls.  This process started today and will be complete in the next couple of weeks.

Contact:

Facebook, press@facebook.com

Source: Facebook
   

CONTACT:  Facebook, press@facebook.com

Web Site:  http://www.facebook.com/

Hackensack University Medical Center Deploys Thomson Reuters NeoFax Online for Electronic Neonatal Drug Dosing Calculations

ANN ARBOR, Mich., May 26 -- Hackensack University Medical Center has deployed Thomson Reuters (NYSE:TRI) NeoFax® Online to provide physicians, nurses, and pharmacy staff in its Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) with electronic, evidence-based drug information.

NeoFax Online delivers neonatal reference information, enables clinicians to check on potential drug interactions, delivers, and provides dosing calculations that account for infants' ever-changing weight.

Hackensack University Medical Center is a 775-bed academic medical center serving northern New Jersey and the New York metropolitan area. It operates a 40-bed, level-III NICU providing care to infants with severe prematurity and respiratory, gastrointestinal or cardiac anomalies.

The hospital deployed the electronic version of NeoFax to reduce the chance of medication errors.

"Prior to deployment, the physicians, pharmacy and nursing staff relied upon a book for dosing and drug information. Not everyone had a book, so it was time consuming to find a book, locate the information and get back to the bedside," said Nilesh Desai, assistant director of the medical center's Pharmacy Department.

"With NeoFax Online, we have the most recent neonatal reference information available and it is just a click away," Desai said. "We don't have to wait for the next book edition for updates, so we avoid potential medication errors. We can also easily check the patient chart, check the patient's gestational age and the dosing, and administer."

The NICU's new workflow eliminates several steps that can lead to medication errors and NeoFax Online assists with the hospital's ongoing infection control initiative. Books are difficult to clean and can carry and transfer infections. Removing contact with a book during the administration of medication eliminates this potential source of infection within the NICU.

About Thomson Reuters

Thomson Reuters is the world's leading source of intelligent information for businesses and professionals.  We combine industry expertise with innovative technology to deliver critical information to leading decision makers in the financial, legal, tax and accounting, healthcare and science and media markets, powered by the world's most trusted news organization.  With headquarters in New York and major operations in London and Eagan, Minnesota, Thomson Reuters employs 55,000 people and operates in over 100 countries.  For more information, go to http://www.thomsonreuters.com.

About Hackensack University Medical Center

Hackensack University Medical Center is a nationally recognized healthcare organization offering patients the most comprehensive services, state-of-the art technologies, and facilities. A leader in providing the highest quality patient-centered care, the medical center has been recognized for performance excellence encompassing the entire spectrum of hospital quality and service issues. These honors include being named one of America's 50 Best Hospitals by HealthGrades for four years in a row. HUMC is the only hospital in New Jersey, New York, and New England to receive this honor. The medical center has also been recognized by J.D. Power and Associates for providing an outstanding patient experience in inpatient, outpatient, cardiac, emergency, and maternity services.

Source: Thomson Reuters
   

CONTACT:  David Wilkins, Healthcare & Science, +1-734-913-3397,
david.wilkins@thomsonreuters.com

Web Site:  http://www.thomsonreuters.com/

Zinio Creates New Distribution Channels for Publishers: Branded Apps and Print/Digital Bundling

SAN FRANCISCO, May 26 -- Zinio, the leader in digital-publishing technology and services, today announced two opportunities to increase distribution for publishers: branded applications and print/digital subscription bundling.  These services enable Zinio's offering of over 2,500 consumer magazine titles and thousands of books, including 829 new consumer titles that joined in the first quarter alone, to bring the world's largest newsstand directly to the fingertips of reading enthusiasts.  Following several earlier announcements surrounding the success of the ZINIO UNITY(TM) platform, including the top-10 ranked free Zinio for iPad/iPhone apps, these recent efforts explore new ways to introduce unique channels digitally for publishers, advertisers and their consumers.

"The potential growth for publishing has been catapulted to a new level," said Rich Maggiotto, President & CEO, Zinio.  "The response to the ZINIO UNITY(TM) platform has delivered a convenient and simple solution to consumers around the world.  Now, we are perfecting publisher-focused, branded entry points in a manner that will knock down device-specific barriers, and celebrate dynamically designed advertisements and editorial."

Branded Apps: Working with innovative publisher clients, Zinio will create dedicated, e-commerce-enabled, publisher-branded apps.  With early strong sales and readership results through ZINIO UNITY(TM) for the iPad, Zinio is extending its app, cloud-distribution system and commerce platform for participating client brands.  Zinio's publisher clients will be able to deploy a similar buy-once-read-anywhere strategy with their own publisher-branded apps as a new channel for distribution.

"Through our ever-expanding partnership with Zinio, we will bring video highlights, rich photo galleries and touch-screen scoreboards into the iPad experience -- as well as across every device where we deliver Sporting News Today," stated Jeff Price, President and Publisher of Sporting News.  "If you are a commuter, business traveler, college student or even just a displaced fan, we can create a multimedia sports experience on a device-agnostic platform.  You're no longer tethered to your TV set waiting for highlights, which is a huge point of difference in the sports category for digital magazines."

Print/Digital Bundling: Zinio's solution and services accommodate the convergence of all reading platforms, including print.  By simultaneously offering print with digital single issues or subscriptions, Zinio launches the ability for publishers to retain current subscribers, target potential digital subscribers and increase digital adoption.

"Zinio's earliest publisher adopters already have been testing print-with-digital bundling, and have produced great results," said Maggiotto. "From national titles such as ELLE and Maxim to super-regional titles such as Southern Boating, initial experimentation with bundling strategies has proven to generate additional revenue streams by maximizing the readership audience.  This pairing offers reading fans the ultimate in convenience by linking their print issues to an on-the-go and enhanced digital experience."

On April 3rd, Zinio launched its free App for iPad domestically, and it has remained in the top-10 most popular in the news category. The app is available domestically from the App Store on iPad or at itunes.com/appstore -- and will be available internationally starting May 28th with Apple's rollout -- and extends the pay-once-read-anywhere ZINIO UNITY(TM) reading platform.  This approach offers the unique benefit of letting readers pay once for a magazine subscription or single issue, then enjoy that publication across platforms and devices like their iPad, iPhone, iPod touch, Windows, Mac and Linux PC, with new mobile platforms coming soon.

About Zinio:

Zinio is the world's newsstand and bookstore.  With its many digital products and services, Zinio creates better ways for people to discover published content, get more of it and do more with it.  Now, readers can purchase content once to be read on any screen.  Zinio provides the ability to shop for, search inside, read, share and save digital content in 23 local newsstands in any country in the world. Through the ZINIO UNITY(TM) reading platform, readers can move seamlessly within each publication page between text, interactive graphics, animated illustrations, videos and much more.  Offering hundreds of thousands of the best digital titles, Zinio's e-stores and applications are revolutionizing reading.  Founded in 2001 and privately held, Zinio is headquartered in San Francisco and has offices in New York, London, Paris, Barcelona and Taipei.

Source: Zinio
   

CONTACT:  Lisa Hagendorf, Zinio, +1-646-383-4050, lhagendorf@zinio.com

Web Site:  http://www.zinio.com/

RatePoint Introduces Facebook Integration to Boost Small Businesses' Competitive Advantage

New Facebook features showcase small-business voices to broad audience

NEEDHAM, Mass., May 26 -- RatePoint Inc., (http://www.RatePoint.com) a leading provider of customer reviews, testimonials and online reputation management services, today announces new small business social media tools for Facebook. The new features provide small businesses with a competitive advantage to collect and promote reviews to a bigger audience through a multi-solution platform.

Through this launch, small businesses have more resources to leverage RatePoint through social networks including Facebook and Twitter. Small businesses can add the customized RatePoint tab to their Facebook profiles so customers can browse and submit reviews directly via Facebook. A new email newsletter share bar allows small businesses to provide news updates, coupons and promotions with Facebook fans. Additionally, multiple Facebook fan pages now can be managed through a single RatePoint account.

"Referrals are essential to increasing sales and building a brand, but are often overlooked," said RatePoint Co-Founder and CEO Neal Creighton. "With more than 500 million users on social networks like Facebook and Twitter, RatePoint's latest integrations keep our small-business customers in the conversation and empower them to share the most relevant content available with a broad audience."

Small business owners can connect RatePoint reviews to their Facebook fan page by selecting the RatePoint application option in the Facebook directory. Business reviews collected via the RatePoint app will be instantly available for new and potential customers to see, and current customers can write a review directly from the Facebook tab.

These new enhancements empower small businesses to utilize RatePoint's one-click integration into Twitter, Facebook and RatePoint's custom URL shortener for social-networking updates.

"Small businesses need to plug into the social media dialogue to effectively engage with their audiences in a meaningful way," Creighton said. "For a small business, reputation is critical, and leveraging consumer-generated testimonials through RatePoint will provide reach, relevance and a whole new meaning to 'word-of-mouth.'"

About RatePoint Inc.

RatePoint Inc., the leading provider of customer reviews, testimonials and online reputation management services, helps businesses protect and build their online reputation, allowing businesses to harness the power of credible customer feedback and leverage it into a sales, marketing and customer service asset.

RatePoint's easy-to-use, Web-based communication services include customer feedback tools to collect business reviews and product reviews as well as email marketing, survey and dispute resolution capabilities to provide small- and medium-sized businesses with the ability to collect, manage and promote customer feedback directly from their Web site. For more information, contact us at: 888-777-1636 or visit: http://www.ratepoint.com.

Source: RatePoint Inc.
   

CONTACT:  Yvonne Gaudette, RatePoint, Inc., +1-781-465-2052,
ygaudette@ratepoint.com; or Megan Soule, Airfoil Public Relations,
+1-248-304-1428, soule@airfoilpr.com

Web Site:  http://www.ratepoint.com/

V-MODA Raises the Bar With Debut of Crossfade LP Headphones

Groundbreaking Over-Ear Headphones Feature Lightweight Metal Design, Exclusive Materials, Revolutionary 50mm Dual-Diaphragm HD Drivers and Ultimate Ergonomics

HOLLYWOOD, Calif., May 26 -- V-MODA, the authentic music lifestyle brand and manufacturer of award-winning headphones, today announces the launch of Crossfade LP, the world's most fashion-forward headphone. Developed over the span of four years in collaboration with the world's top musicians, producers and DJs, the Crossfade LP delivers epic sound with a distinct design composed of the most luxurious materials and ultra lightweight metals. Designed to be the ultimate multi-purpose headphone, Crossfade LP performs perfectly while on the move, at the gym or on stage. (Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20100526/LA10998)

Crossfade LP features revolutionary patent-pending 50mm Dual-Diaphragm High-Definition Drivers delivering multiple driver sound with the efficiency of a single driver. The result is deep vibrant bass, organic mid-range, and crystal clarity on portable devices without the need for any batteries. The driver's unique diaphragm is constructed of a harder inner ring providing an extended high range and a softer outer ring for deep lows, resulting in an unprecedented sound. Supple memory foam ear cushions isolate noise and immerse you into your own world of audio nirvana.With the Crossfade LP, music lovers experience a sophisticated headphone with a true fashion-forward look. Constructed of lightweight metals and luxurious fabrics, the Crossfade LP is available in White Pearl, Phantom Chrome and Gunmetal Black. For people on the move, the Crossfade LP is equipped with a detachable cable featuring a three-button remote control and high-fidelity microphone to easily change volume and answer or end phone calls.Using a revolutionary metal "V" design and supple memory foam ear cushions, the Crossfade LP is incredibly lightweight and offers a comfortable fit tailored by ergonomic experts. Relentless research went into the precise shape and materials of the headband and ear cushions, resulting in a tailored, fashionable fit without unsightly gaps and minimal pressure on the head and ears for extended play. Four years of testing the Crossfade LP on tour and in everyday life situations resulted in a tank-like steel frame, flexible memory headband, and detachable Kevlar®-reinforced cables to ensure unprecedented rock solid durability."Your headphones should be as unique as your style and your music - they are the most visible product that you wear and experience music with every day. We created Crossfade LP to provide an epic sound that recreates the sensations of the best club systems with a distinct design that makes these an essential fashion accessory for all music lovers," said Val Kolton, CEO, V-MODA. "Our collaboration with the world's top musicians and DJs helped us to create the ultimate over-ear headphones that raise the bar in sound, style and durability. When you put these headphones on, you feel like you just hit the dance floor of a rocking club in Ibiza."

Equipped with a detachable three-button remote control and microphone cable, the Crossfade LP lets you take calls in stereo. The remote/mic cable gives complete control of calls and music, featuring volume control, music and video playback, voice memo recording and the ability to answer calls with iPhone 3GS and iPhone 3G. In addition, the remote control is compatible with the latest Mac lineup, including the MacBook, MacBook Pro, iMac and Mac Pro and can be used to iChat, play games and utilize other audio recording applications. A long (69") audio cable with 1/4" adapter is also included so you can listen to music from your iPod, iPad, DJ mixer and professional audio equipment.

  The Crossfade LP includes:
  --  Two detachable Kevlar®-reinforced cables with 24k gold-plated 45
      degree plugs:
      --  One 3.5mm audio fabric cable for universal audio device
          compatibility
      --  One 3.5mm fabric cable with three-button remote control and
          microphone for use   with the latest iPhone 3GS, iPad, iPod and
          MacBook
  --  One 1/4" adapter for DJ and pro audio system connectivity
  --  Distinctive exoskeleton carrying case with V-STRAP storage system,
      ensuring headphones are protected in style
  --  One-year V-MODA premier warranty
  --  Replay Replacement Program - 50 percent off lifetime discount to
      replace consumer-damaged headphones

Crossfade LP is currently available for $249.99 through Apple's retail stores, the Apple Store® (http://www.apple.com) and online at shop.vmoda.com.

Please visit v-moda.com for additional details. To see more information and videos on V-MODA's dedication to quality and durability, visit v-moda.com/quality.ABOUT V-MODAV-MODA is the authentic music lifestyle brand based in the heart of Hollywood that is distinguished by its fashion-forward design, unparalleled quality and unequivocal passion for music. V-MODA products are the result of fusing professional DJ and CEO Val Kolton's verve for Italian design with the essence and allure of Hollywood. Together with the world's most influential DJs and musicians, V-MODA is forging the remix revolution.

Editors: For hi-res image downloads, please visit images.v-moda.com.

* The Crossfade LP and mic works with iPhone 3GS, iPad, the third generation iPod shuffle, fourth generation iPod nano, 120GB iPod classic and second generation iPod touch, MacBook, MacBook Pro and Mac Pro (2009 models). The remote is supported by the third generation iPod shuffle. Requires latest version of iTunes. Audio is supported by all iPod models.

Photo:  http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20100526/LA10998
AP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org/
AP PhotoExpress Network:   PRN2
PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com
Source: V-MODA
   

CONTACT:  Katie Casey of Formula, +1-310-578-7050, casey@formulapr.com,
for V-MODA

Web Site:  http://v-moda.com/

Pre-Order Retail Programs Announced for Test Drive® Unlimited 2

NEW YORK, May 26 -- Atari, Inc., one of the world's most recognized videogame publishers, and acclaimed developer Eden Games, are pleased to announce pre-order programs for the highly anticipated Test Drive® Unlimited 2, available at retailers in North America on September 21, 2010 for Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system and PC.  Pre-order rewards range from collectable limited edition vehicles, with matching avatar apparel, to the TDU2: Casino Online.

Test Drive Unlimited 2 puts the top down and turns up the beats in the world's ultimate party destination: IBIZA. Push the most coveted supercars beyond their limits in thousands of challenges. Test Drive Unlimited 2 transforms the driving genre, adding the persistency, progression and customization of the latest multiplayer games to the auto racing experience.  A persistent, dynamic environment brings thousands of racers together to compete, cooperate and create in a world of speed, skill and luxury.

Test Drive Unlimited 2 pre-order is available at retailers in North America on May 28, 2010.

  Details on pre-order content for Test Drive Unlimited 2 include:

  GameStop

GameStop pre-order customers receive TDU2: Casino Online - a complete standalone bonus game! With the TDU2: Casino Online you can play games of chance including Poker, Roulette, and Slots, unlock two bonus cars in-game.  Meet up with your friends, customize your avatar, and get access to the VIP area - reserved for only the top players.

Amazon

Amazon.com shoppers will receive the exclusive iconic Aston Martin V12 Vantage Carbon Black special edition, exclusive avatar apparel and an additional bonus of Amazon Video Games Credit.  The carbon edition features a bespoke Carbon Black color scheme, and distinctive carbon fibre details, black mesh components, and high polish black 10 spoke diamond turned alloy wheels. A bright finished grill and front parking sensors complete the exterior detailing of this hand crafted masterpiece.

Walmart

Pre-orders at Walmart come with the super exclusive Inuit Audi Q7 V12 TDI Quattro, avatar apparel, and a Walmart.com gift card. This Audi Q7 has the breathtaking power of a six-liter twelve-cylinder V12 TDI engine with 500 hp. Already one of the most rare super-SUV models, this Audi Q7 comes in Inuit, a special white that creates a pearl effect reminiscent of the glistening luminance of the polar region. Use your Audi Q7 to play in our all new off road tracks.

Best Buy

Best Buy consumers will be rewarded with the Aston Martin DBS Carbon Black special edition - Aston Martin's ultimate sports car.  Featuring bespoke Carbon Black metallic paint complimented with gloss black 10 spoke diamond turned alloy wheels and the iconic Aston Martin side strake fashioned from carbon fibre. Best Buy Reward Zone members also receive reward zone points with their TDU2 pre-order.

Atari.com

Atari fans that pre-order on the Atari website will receive an exclusive and unique yellow Nissan 370Z (known as the Fairlady Z in Japan). Inspired by the European GT4 race car, the Nissan 370Z includes 19-inch RAYS forged alloy wheels, black leather and suede interior upholstery and of course the Ultimate Yellow body.

European pre-orders will be available soon.  Offers may vary among certain retailers and game platforms. Please check retail websites for more details on pre-order offers. For more information on Test Drive Unlimited 2, please log onto http://www.testdriveunlimited2.com/

Videos, screens, and additional assets are available at the Atari press vault.  Log onto:

  http://www.atari-press.com.

  ABOUT ATARI, SA

Atari group is a global creator, producer and publisher of interactive entertainment for interactive game platforms that include PC, online, consoles from Microsoft, Nintendo and Sony and advanced smart phones (i.e. iPhone).  Divisions of Atari, SA include Cryptic Studios, Atari London Studio, Eden Studios, Atari Interactive, Inc. and Atari, Inc.

Atari benefits from its global brand and an extensive catalogue of popular games based on classic owned game franchises (Asteroids®, Centipede®, Missile Command®, Lunar Lander®), original owned franchises (Test Drive®, Backyard Sports(TM), Deer Hunter®), MMO games from Cryptic Studios (Star Trek Online, Champions Online) and third party franchises (Ghostbusters®, Project Runway(TM), Dungeons and Dragons®).

  For more information please visit http://www.atari.com

  © 2010 Atari Europe SASU. All rights reserved.

  Atari word mark and logo are trademarks owned by Atari Interactive, Inc.

  About Eden Games

The second largest game development studio in France, Eden Games has achieved international recognition through the creation of games including V-Rally 1, 2 and 3, Need For Speed: Porsche, Kya: Dark Lineage, Titeuf, Test Drive Unlimited and Alone in the Dark. Base in Lyon, France, Eden Games is a wholly owned subsidiary of Atari SA. For more information, please visit http://www.edengames.com

Source: Atari, Inc.
   

CONTACT:  Alissa Bell, Atari, +1-212-726-4217, alissa.bell@atari.com; or
Arielle Himy, Dan Klores Communications, +1-212-981-5121,
arielle_himy@dkcnews.com

Web Site:  http://www.ATARI.com

Most Reliable Wireless Network Just Got Better in Cuyahoga County, Ohio

Integration of Verizon Wireless' and Alltel's Networks Delivers Increased Wireless Voice and Data Coverage to the Area

CLEVELAND, May 26 -- Verizon Wireless today announced it has completed the integration of its network with that of Alltel in Cuyahoga County to provide customers with clearer reception, fewer dropped calls and more coverage, including stronger in-building coverage.

Verizon Wireless' voice and high-speed 3G data network combined with that of Alltel creates the largest wireless network footprint in the United States. The integration in this area enables more customers to use their wireless phones concurrently to make calls; send and receive email and text, picture and video messages; access the Internet; view high-quality videos; and download music, games and ringtones on the nation's most reliable wireless network.

Coverage areas directly affected by the network integration include Cleveland's West Shoreway, East Cleveland, Cuyahoga Heights, Hunting Valley, North Royalton, South Brooklyn, Olmsted Falls, Olmsted Township, Valley View and Walton Hills.

"The addition of Alltel's network to the Verizon Wireless network provides our customers with unmatched coverage in the area," said Mark Frazier, president-Ohio/Pennsylvania/West Virginia Region, Verizon Wireless. "Now our high-speed 3G broadband wireless network is the largest and most reliable in the United States, and network reliability is the No. 1 reason customers choose and stay with Verizon Wireless. We are committed to continuing to perfect our network so that our customers in Ohio know they can depend on us every time they use their wireless devices."

Verizon Wireless has been preparing to integrate Alltel's network since completing its purchase of the company last year. Alltel's 3G data network has been upgraded to the latest revision of wireless broadband technology to enable faster delivery of data applications, including email and browsing the Internet.

Verizon Wireless invests more in its network than any other wireless service provider in the United States. The company has spent more than $59 billion since it was formed--$5.7 billion on average every year--to increase the coverage and capacity of its premier nationwide network and to add new services. During the first quarter of this year, the company invested nearly $62 million in its Ohio network.

About Verizon Wireless

Verizon Wireless operates the nation's most reliable and largest wireless voice and 3G data network, serving nearly 93 million customers. Headquartered in Basking Ridge, N.J., with 81,000 employees nationwide, Verizon Wireless is a joint venture of Verizon Communications (NYSE:VZ)(NASDAQ:VZ) and Vodafone (NASDAQ:VOD).  For more information, http://www.verizonwireless.com. To preview and request broadcast-quality video footage and high-resolution stills of Verizon Wireless operations, log on to the Verizon Wireless Multimedia Library at http://www.verizonwireless.com/multimedia.

Source: Verizon Wireless
   

CONTACT:  Laura Merritt of Verizon Wireless, +1-614-345-3210,
laura.merritt@verizonwireless.com, Twitter: http://twitter.com/merrila, or
Laura Kaster for Verizon Wireless, +1-513-271-7222 ext. 26,
lkaster@wordsworthweb.com, Twitter: http://twitter.com/lokaster85

Web Site:  http://www.verizonwireless.com/

European Commission Seeks High Privacy Standards in EU-US Data Protection Agreement

WASHINGTON, May 26 -- The European Commission today adopted a draft mandate to negotiate a personal data protection agreement between the European Union and the United States when cooperating to fight terrorism or crime. The aim is to ensure high levels of protection to personal information like passenger data or financial information transferred as part of transatlantic cooperation in fighting crime. An agreement would enhance the right of citizens to access, rectify or delete data, where appropriate.

Since September 11, 2001, and subsequent terrorist attacks in Europe, the EU and US have stepped up police and judicial cooperation in criminal matters. One important element is the transfer and processing of personal data if relevant for the prevention, investigation, detection or prosecution of crimes, including terrorism.

"Fundamental rights must be protected and respected at all times. I want an EU-US agreement that protects personal data rights while fighting crime and terrorism," said Vice President Viviane Reding, the EU's Commissioner for Justice, Fundamental Rights and Citizenship.

The EU Commissioner for Home Affairs, Cecilia Malmstrom, added: ''A solid agreement on personal data protection would benefit both sides of the Atlantic. By providing a high level of protection of personal data, it would give everyone - citizens, law enforcement authorities and other stakeholders - confidence that human rights are fully respected in the transatlantic fight against organised crime and terrorism."

Background:

EU citizens would receive a right to seek judicial redress in the US if their data is unlawfully processed. Independent public authorities would be given a stronger role in helping people exercise their privacy rights and in supervising transatlantic data transfers. The Council must approve the Commission's negotiating mandate before talks can begin. The European Parliament will be fully informed at all stages of the negotiations and will have to give its consent to the outcome of the negotiations.

The EU and US are both committed to the protection of personal data and privacy. However, they still have different approaches in protecting data, leading to some controversy in the past when negotiating information exchange agreements (such as the Terrorist Finance Tracking Programme, so-called SWIFT agreement, or Passenger Name Records). The purpose of the agreement proposed by the Commission today is to address and overcome these differences.

Today's proposal would give the Commission a mandate to negotiate a new data protection agreement for personal data transferred to and processed by enforcement authorities in the EU and the US. It would also commit the Commission to keeping the European Parliament fully informed at all stages of the negotiations.

The Commission aims to establish legally binding and enforceable personal data protection standards that will ensure that individuals' fundamental rights and freedoms are protected. Compliance with these standards would be controlled by independent public authorities on both sides of the Atlantic.

  Under the Commission's proposal:
  --  The transfer or processing of personal data by EU or US authorities
      would only be permitted for specified, explicit and legitimate
      purposes in the framework of fighting crime and terrorism;
  --  There would be a right to access one's personal data and this would be
      enforceable in courts;
  --  There would be a right to have one's personal data corrected or erased
      if it is found to be inaccurate;
  --  There would be an individual right of administrative and judicial
      redress regardless of nationality or place of residence.

The agreement would not provide the legal basis for any specific transfers of personal data between the EU and the US. A specific legal basis for such data transfers would always be required, such as a data transfer agreement or a national law in an EU Member State. The new EU-US data protection agreement would then apply to these data transfers.

The protection of personal data is set out in Article 8 of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights. The Charter is integrated into the Lisbon Treaty and is legally binding on the European Union and EU Member States when they implement EU law. The Lisbon Treaty (Article 16, Treaty on the Functioning of the EU) says that the EU can make rules on the protection of personal data processed by EU institutions, bodies, offices and agencies, and by the Member States when carrying out activities that fall within the scope of EU law.

The European Parliament, in a resolution on March 26, 2009, called for an EU-US agreement that ensures adequate protection of civil liberties and personal data protection. In December 2009, the European Council invited the Commission to propose a Recommendation "for the negotiation of a data protection and, where necessary, data sharing agreements for law enforcement purposes with the US."

  For more information:

  Justice and Home Affairs Newsroom:

  http://ec.europa.eu/justice_home/news/intro/news_intro_en.htm

Homepage of Viviane Reding, Vice-President and Commissioner for Justice, Fundamental Rights and Citizenship:

http://ec.europa.eu/commission_2010-2014/reding/index_en.htm

Source: Delegation of the European Commission to the U.S.
   

CONTACT:  Anthony Smallwood, +1-202-862-9523, or Kasper Zeuthen,
+1-202-862-9530, both of the Delegation of the European Commission to the
U.S.

Web Site:  http://www.eurunion.org/

EB's Global Presence Enables Delivery of TD-SCDMA and CDMA Smartphone Solutions and R&D Services to Mobile OEMs, Operators

With Mobile Device Shipments on the Rise in Markets such as China and the U.S., EB's Ability to Develop Smartphones with TD-SCDMA and CDMA Competencies Puts Company at the Forefront of a Booming Industry

OULU, Finland, May 26 -- Recognized for its ability to handle mobile integration projects across multiple platforms for wireless broadband technologies such as 3G and its evolutions, EB (Elektrobit Corporation OMX: EBC1V), a leading developer of cutting-edge embedded technology solutions for automotive and wireless industries, is well-positioned to efficiently, and cost-effectively deliver TD-SCDMA (time division synchronous code division multiple access) and CDMA (code division multiple access) competent devices to the burgeoning global market.

With business and engineering teams in China, the United States and Finland, EB is managing turnkey TD-SCDMA and CDMA product programs that enable original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and operators to speed the development of integrated, well-designed mobile devices. EB offers production ready device software with additional services ranging from hardware development to support and maintenance. The Company's comprehensive TD-SCDMA and CDMA offering includes managing an ecosystem of best-in-breed partners, which helps to lessen the complexity of bringing advanced devices to market.

"With a track record of orchestrating complex product programs and managing diverse projects for our worldwide customers, we have the geographical and technical expertise needed to deliver customized mobile devices for OEMs and operators in this rapidly growing TD-SCDMA and CDMA market," said Vesa Kiviranta, Vice President, Wireless Solutions at EB. "We continue to have a unique advantage throughout all stages of the development process to bring advanced devices to market fast, and with the type of service that our customers expect in a technology partner."

Having vast experience creating tailor-made devices across multi-OS platforms, including MeeGo, Symbian, Windows Mobile, and Android, coupled with its strategically positioned sites, EB is strongly aligned locally, to coordinate cost-effective development programs. As a result, OEMs and operators gain immediate access to global competencies and technologies through local teams understanding the local market requirements and being able to convert them into products.

  For more information please visit: http://www.elektrobit.com.

  Further information:

  Joakim Granholm
  Director, Marketing
  EB Wireless Solutions
  Tel. +358 40 344 3733
  Email: joakim.granholm@elektrobit.com

  Andrew Worob
  Ruder Finn Public Relations for EB
  Tel. +1 212 715 1691
  Email: woroba@ruderfinn.com

  EB, Elektrobit Corporation

EB develops advanced technology and transforms it into enriching end user experiences. EB specializes in demanding embedded software and hardware solutions for the automotive industry and wireless technologies. The company's net sales for the year 2009 totaled EUR 153.8 million. Elektrobit Corporation is listed on the NASDAQ OMX Helsinki. http://www.elektrobit.com

About EB's Wireless Solutions Business

EB Wireless Solutions is a trusted innovation partner to the global wireless value chain. It provides flexible solutions from consulting services to delivering full turnkey products for cutting-edge consumer devices, professional devices, and network infrastructure modules.

Source: EB, Elektrobit Corporation
   

CONTACT:  Joakim Granholm, Director, Marketing, EB Wireless Solutions,
+358-40-344-3733, joakim.granholm@elektrobit.com; or Andrew Worob, Ruder Finn
Public Relations for EB, +1-212-715-1691, woroba@ruderfinn.com

Web Site:  http://www.elektrobit.com/

AT&T Enhances Mobile Broadband Coverage Inside MacArthur Center Mall

New Distributed Antenna System Provides Additional Capacity to Help Enhance Wireless Experience for Hampton Roads Customers

HAMPTON ROADS, Va., May 26 -- As part of its continuing network investment to support growing demand for advanced mobile devices and applications, AT&T* today announced the activation of a new antenna system in the Hampton Roads area that will help to enhance wireless service.

Known as a Distributed Antenna System, or DAS, the installation consists of several strategically placed antennas that distribute AT&T's wireless network coverage throughout MacArthur Center Mall in Norfolk providing for more efficient management of wireless capacity in heavily trafficked areas. The additional capacity will help to improve call reliability, increase download speeds and enable more consistent network access to help customers make the most of their AT&T devices.

"Our goal is pretty simple: we want you to have an extraordinary experience when you make a call, check e-mail, download a song or video, or surf the Internet on your AT&T device," said Erika K, Thompson-Kemp, vice president and general manager for AT&T in Virginia and West Virginia. "As part of the Hampton Roads community, we're always looking for new opportunities to provide enhanced coverage and our investment in the local wireless network is just one way to accomplish this."

Wireless data traffic on the AT&T network has grown more than 5,000 percent over the past three years, largely attributed to the increasing popularity of advanced smartphones and the performance of AT&T's 3G network, the nation's fastest.

AT&T recently completed a software upgrade at 3G cell sites nationwide that prepares the nation's fastest 3G network for even faster speeds. The deployment of High-Speed Packet Access (HSPA) 7.2 technology is the first of multiple initiatives in AT&T's network enhancement strategy designed to provide customers with an enhanced mobile broadband experience, both today and in the future. Faster 3G speeds will become available this year and in 2011 on a market by market basis as AT&T combines the new technology with high-speed backhaul connections to cell sites, primarily with fiber-optic technology.

AT&T's 3G mobile broadband network is based on the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) family of technologies that includes GSM and UMTS, the most widely used wireless network platforms in the world. AT&T has the best international coverage of any U.S. wireless provider, delivering voice service in over 220 countries and data service in more than 190 countries. AT&T also offers voice and data roaming coverage on 130 major cruise ships, as well as 3G services in 115 countries.

For more information about AT&T's 3G coverage in Virginia or anywhere in the United States, consumers can visit http://www.wireless.att.com/coverageviewer. The online tool can measure the quality of coverage based on a street address, intersection, ZIP code or even a landmark.

For updates on the AT&T wireless network, please visit http://www.att.com/networknews.

*AT&T products and services are provided or offered by subsidiaries and affiliates of AT&T Inc. under the AT&T brand and not by AT&T Inc.

About AT&T

AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T) is a premier communications holding company. Its subsidiaries and affiliates - AT&T operating companies - are the providers of AT&T services in the United States and around the world. With a powerful array of network resources that includes the nation's fastest 3G network, AT&T is a leading provider of wireless, Wi-Fi, high speed Internet and voice services. A leader in mobile broadband, AT&T also offers the best wireless coverage worldwide, offering the most wireless phones that work in the most countries. It also offers advanced TV services under the AT&T U-verse® and AT&T |DIRECTV brands. The company's suite of IP-based business communications services is one of the most advanced in the world. In domestic markets, AT&T Advertising Solutions and AT&T Interactive are known for their leadership in local search and advertising. In 2010, AT&T again ranked among the 50 Most Admired Companies by FORTUNE® magazine.

Additional information about AT&T Inc. and the products and services provided by AT&T subsidiaries and affiliates is available at http://www.att.com/. This AT&T news release and other announcements are available at http://www.att.com/newsroom and as part of an RSS feed at http://www.att.com/rss. Or follow our news on Twitter at @ATTNews. Find us on Facebook at http://www.Facebook.com/ATT to discover more about our consumer and wireless services or at http://www.Facebook.com/ATTSmallBiz to discover more about our small business services.

© 2010 AT&T Intellectual Property. All rights reserved. 3G service not available in all areas. AT&T, the AT&T logo and all other marks contained herein are trademarks of AT&T Intellectual Property and/or AT&T affiliated companies.

Source: AT&T Inc.
   

CONTACT:  Ellen Webner of AT&T Inc., +1-973-775-1321,
ellen.webner@att.com

Web Site:  http://www.att.com/

Lensbaby Announces Availability of the Control Freak(TM)

New Creative Effects lens, compatible with the Lensbaby Optic Swap System, is perfect for tabletop and macro photography

PORTLAND, Ore., May 26 -- Lensbaby announces today the availability of its third Creative Effects SLR camera lens, the Control Freak. The Control Freak joins the Composer and the Muse in the Lensbaby lens line-up. The Control Freak is the new evolution of the Lensbaby 3G, and is optimized for macro photography with extensive focus control. The Control Freak is compatible with the Lensbaby Optic Swap system.

The Control Freak is an ideal Lensbaby lens for tabletop and macro photography. With the Control Freak, photographers can compress and bend the lens to find their desired focus, and then lock it in place with the push of a button. Once locked, users can fine tune their focus using the fine focus ring and fine tune the tilt by rotating the knobs on the end of the Control Freak's three metal rods. This gives photographers an exceptional degree of focus control, which is very useful for macro photography. Photographers can also push out on the focusing collar to focus as close as 9 inches away from their subject. Using the Control Freak in conjunction with the Lensbaby Macro Kit allows for even closer focus (6-9 inches with the +4 macro filter, 3-5 inches with the +10 macro filter, 2-3 inches when the +4 and +10 are stacked together, and about 1.75-2 inches when pushing out on the focusing collar with the +4 and +10 stacked).

"The Lensbaby Control Freak is the ideal lens for the macro or tabletop photographer who has a methodical, step-by-step approach to their creative photography," said Craig Strong, Lensbaby president and co-founder. "Every photographer has their own shooting style and Lensbaby now offers a complete system of lenses and optics to please all kinds of photographers."

The Lensbaby Control Freak, featuring the Lensbaby Optic Swap System, ships with a Double Glass Optic installed. Additional optics can be swapped in and out of the Control Freak, providing photographers with a wide range of creative effects.  When a photographer wants to change the optic in their Lensbaby Control Freak, they simply pop the optic out and drop in a different optic. Each optic has different features and image qualities, allowing photographers to choose the look that fits their creative style.

The Fisheye Optic (which requires a special adapter to use with the Control Freak), when used with the Control Freak, allows photographers to focus from zero inches to infinity, meaning that photographers can literally lay an item on the surface of the Fisheye Optic and focus on it. However, from about 3 inches to infinity, the metal rod knobs will often be visible due to the Fisheye Optic's 160 degree angle of view.

Another unique feature of the Control Freak is the option to shoot in either free form or locked mode. Photographers can easily switch from shooting in locked mode with fine focus and tilt control for a tabletop shoot, to shooting street photography quickly and seamlessly by choosing not to lock the Control Freak in place. The ability to choose modes can also be particularly helpful when shooting video due to the very dreamy and surreal look the Control Freak produces when shooting in free form mode, as compared to the more controlled blur when shooting with the Control Freak locked down.

  The Lensbaby Optic Swap System includes six interchangeable optic options:

  1. Double Glass: A 50mm f/2 multi-coated optical glass doublet, providing
     a tack-sharp Sweet Spot of focus with minimal diffusion at all aperture
     settings. Retail price: U.S. $84.95
  2. Single Glass: A 50mm f/2 uncoated optical glass singlet, similar to the
     primitive optic found in antique cameras. Retail price: U.S. $34.95
  3. Plastic: A 50mm f/2 plastic singlet that maximizes blur and diffusion
     in a dreamy way that Holga(TM) and Diana(TM) camera lovers will
     especially appreciate. Retail price: U.S. $34.95
  4. The Pinhole/Zone plate: an optic cup with an f/177 aperture hole to
     allow for classic pinhole photography and an f/19 Zone plate opening.
     Retail price: U.S. $34.95
  5. Fisheye: An ultra-wide 12mm focal length and 160 degree field of view
     captures eye-popping fisheye views from infinity all the way down to
     zero inches from the front of your lens when used with the Control
     Freak. Retail price: U.S. $149.95. Please note: the Fisheye (which
     requires an adapter to use with the Control Freak) does have limited
     functionality with the Control Freak and is best suited for macro work.
  6. Soft Focus: This 50mm Soft Focus Optic creates a velvety soft image
     perfect for portraits, flowers, landscapes or any subject that needs a
     soft touch. Soft Focus has a look that is evenly soft throughout the
     image without the Sweet Spot of sharp focus created by our selective
     focus optics. Retail price: U.S. $89.95.

The Single Glass, Plastic, and Pinhole/Zone plate optics are sold individually as well as in an Optic Boxed Kit that retails for $94.95. The Fisheye ($149.95) and Soft Focus ($89.95) optics are each sold separately.

  The Control Freak Specifications
  --  Priced at U.S. $350
  --  Provides film makers with the unique ability to shoot both free-hand
      and locked down
  --  Allows for extremely close focus (zero inches in front of the lens)
      when used with the Fisheye Optic (a special adapter is required to use
      the Fisheye Optic with the Control Freak)
  --  The Fisheye Optic when used with the Control Freak has limited
      functionality (when focusing from about 3 inches to infinity, the
      metal rod knobs will often be visible due to the Fisheye Optic's 160
      degree angle of view) and is therefore best suited for macro work. An
      adapter is required to use the Fisheye Optic with the Control Freak
  --  Compatible with the Lensbaby Optic Swap System
  --  Focus Type: Manual
  --  Ships with the Double Glass Optic installed which includes the
      following apertures: f/2, f/2.8, f/4, f/5.6, f/8, f/11, f/16, f/22
  --  Aperture Type: Interchangeable levitating aperture disks
  --  Minimum Focus: approximately 9" (23 cm) / Maximum Focus: Infinity
  --  Size/Weight: 3.41" (8.66cm) high x  3.49" (8.86) wide / 6.9 oz. (195.6
      grams)

  About Lensbaby

Lensbaby is a Portland, Oregon based manufacturer of award-winning Creative Effects SLR camera lenses.  Lensbaby was launched in February 2004 by Craig Strong, a professional photographer and the inventor of the patented Lensbaby Creative Effects SLR lens system.  Lensbaby sells to photographers all over the world through its website, http://www.lensbaby.com, by calling 877-536-7222 / 971-223-5662, at tradeshows, in leading photo retailers and through a growing global network of international distributors.

http://www.twitter.com/SeeInANewWay, http://www.facebook.com/seeinanewway

Source: Lensbaby
   

CONTACT:  Jessica Darrican, Max Borges Agency, o: +1-305-576-1171 x.16,
m: +1-305-299-3449, jessica@maxborgesagency.com; Keri Friedman, Marketing
Manager, Lensbaby, +1-503-278-3288, keri@lensbaby.com

Web Site:  http://www.lensbaby.com/

AT&T Strengthens Mobile Coverage in Albemarle County

New Cell Site Activated as Part of Ongoing AT&T Investment In Virginia Wireless Network

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va., May 26 -- As part of its continuing network investment to support growing demand for mobile devices and services, AT&T* today announced the activation of a new cell site which enhances coverage along Route 22 in Keswick and at the Keswick Country Club.

"Now more than ever consumers and businesses depend on today's advanced wireless products and services to stay connected to family, friends and work associates," said J. Michael Schweder, president, AT&T Mid-Atlantic region. "We're working to make this possible by expanding the network in more places across the Commonwealth."

The new cell site is part of AT&T's previously announced plan to drive innovation and extend its mobile network across the state this year.

"We're adding new cell sites and making other enhancements to provide our customers with a superior network and service experience each time they use their AT&T device," said Erika K. Thompson, vice president and general manager for AT&T in West Virginia and Virginia.

AT&T's mobile network is based on the Global System for Mobile (GSM) standard, the most open and widely used wireless network platform in the world. AT&T offers data roaming in more than 190 countries, as well as voice calling in more than 220 countries.

For more information about AT&T's coverage in Virginia or anywhere in the United States, consumers can visit http://www.wireless.att.com/coverageviewer/. The online tool can measure the quality of coverage based on a street address, intersection, ZIP code, or even a landmark.

For updates on the AT&T wireless network, please visit http://www.att.com/networknews.

*AT&T products and services are provided or offered by subsidiaries and affiliates of AT&T Inc. under the AT&T brand and not by AT&T Inc.

About AT&T

AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T) is a premier communications holding company. Its subsidiaries and affiliates - AT&T operating companies - are the providers of AT&T services in the United States and around the world. With a powerful array of network resources that includes the nation's fastest 3G network, AT&T is a leading provider of wireless, Wi-Fi, high speed Internet and voice services. A leader in mobile broadband, AT&T also offers the best wireless coverage worldwide, offering the most wireless phones that work in the most countries. It also offers advanced TV services under the AT&T U-verse® and AT&T | DIRECTV brands. The company's suite of IP-based business communications services is one of the most advanced in the world. In domestic markets, AT&T Advertising Solutions and AT&T Interactive are known for their leadership in local search and advertising. In 2010, AT&T again ranked among the 50 Most Admired Companies by FORTUNE® magazine.

Additional information about AT&T Inc. and the products and services provided by AT&T subsidiaries and affiliates is available at http://www.att.com/. This AT&T news release and other announcements are available at http://www.att.com/newsroom and as part of an RSS feed at http://www.att.com/rss. Or follow our news on Twitter at @ATTNews. Find us on Facebook at http://www.Facebook.com/ATT to discover more about our consumer and wireless services or at http://www.Facebook.com/ATTSmallBiz to discover more about our small business services.

© 2010 AT&T Intellectual Property. All rights reserved. 3G service not available in all areas. AT&T, the AT&T logo and all other marks contained herein are trademarks of AT&T Intellectual Property and/or AT&T affiliated companies.

Source: AT&T Inc.
   

CONTACT:  Ellen Webner of AT&T Inc., Office, +1-973-775-1321,
ellen.webner@att.com

Web Site:  http://www.att.com/

STMicroelectronics' Newest 3-Axis Accelerometer: Stingy with Power, Spendthrift with Features

GENEVA, May 26 -- STMicroelectronics (NYSE:STM), the leading supplier of MEMS for consumer and portable applications(1), has extended its motion-sensor portfolio with a 3-axis digital-output accelerometer that combines a drastically reduced power consumption - more than 90% lower than available solutions on the market - with miniature footprint and enhanced functionality.

With operating current consumption as low as 2 microamps, the 3x3x1 mm accelerometer is a perfect fit for motion-sensing features and applications in space- and power-constrained consumer devices, such as mobile phones, remotes and game controllers. The sensor provides extremely accurate output across full-scale ranges of + or - 2g/+ or - 4g/+ or - 8g/+ or - 16g, boasting excellent stability over time and temperature.

The LIS3DH accelerometer contains a temperature sensor and three analog-to-digital converter channels for easy integration with companion chips, such as gyroscopes. It embeds a host of enhanced features, including click and double-click recognition, 4D/6D orientation detection, and the power-saving sleep-to-wake-up mode. In this mode, the device keeps the read chain active and wakes up when an event occurs, automatically increasing the output data rate.

Other important features include a programmable FIFO (first-in first-out) memory block and two programmable interrupt signals that enable immediate notification of motion detection, click/double-click events, and other conditions.

The latest addition in ST's MEMS portfolio, the LIS3DH has been designed and produced using the same manufacturing-process technology that ST has already successfully applied to more than 700 million motion sensors sold in the market.

The device is pin-to-pin and software-compatible with all ST accelerometers in the LIS331 family, so customers can easily 'hot swap' and protect their investment in application development.

Volume production is scheduled for early Q3 2010 and the unit price is $0.85 in quantities of 100,000 pieces. For further information on ST's complete MEMS portfolio go to http://www.st.com/mems.

About STMicroelectronics

STMicroelectronics is a global leader serving customers across the spectrum of electronics applications with innovative semiconductor solutions. ST aims to be the undisputed leader in multimedia convergence and power applications leveraging its vast array of technologies, design expertise and combination of intellectual property portfolio, strategic partnerships and manufacturing strength. In 2009, the Company's net revenues were $8.51 billion. Further information on ST can be found at http://www.st.com.

(1) iSuppli, December 2009

Source: STMicroelectronics
   

CONTACT:  Michael Markowitz of STMicroelectronics, +1-781-591-0354,
michael.markowitz@st.com

Web Site:  http://www.st.com/

KingsIsle Entertainment Launches Advanced Pets System for Wizard101

PLANO, Texas, May 26 -- KingsIsle Entertainment, Inc. today launched the highly anticipated Advanced Pets system for its flagship game, Wizard101. With this announcement, Wizards across the Spiral gain immediate access to a magical pet Hatching system, a variety of new pet training games and an exhilarating multiplayer Pet Derby in which pets race head-to-head against fierce competitors. Highlights include:

  --  The ability to set pets free to roam Castles & Lands.
  --  A huge variety of scrumptious pet snacks to buy or craft.
  --  Strategic multiplayer racing across dozens of world-themed tracks.
  --  New pet training games including the Dance Game, Gobbler Drop, Cannon
      Game and Maze Game.
  --  Creating new pets via the magic of Hatching and using pet Pedigrees to
      create companions with custom Talents, Powers and Spells.
  --  Discovering unexpected results when combining powerful pets. For
      example, mixing a Fire Elf with an Evil Snowman to create a Frost Elf.
  --  Amazing new pet abilities, including the potential to cast shield,
      blade and trap cards during Wizard duels.

While today marks the official launch of the Advanced Pets system, some subscribers have been exploring the new expansion within the Wizard101 test realm for several weeks. In fact, KingsIsle designers have already incorporated dozens of great suggestions from these dedicated test realm Wizards, addressing everything from pet training games to the Hatching process.

"With Advanced Pets we add a new player experience that enhances and significantly extends the existing Wizard101 game. Now, in addition to mastering the magical arts, players can mix and match pets to create unique and compelling new creatures," said J. Todd Coleman, creative director and vice president of KingsIsle Entertainment, Inc. "It's effectively a new way to play Wizard101. Wizards can challenge each other to see who can hatch, raise and train the most powerful pet companions."

In Wizard101, kids and families enter the magical world of Wizard City as student Wizards setting out to hone their Wizard skills, cast spells and summon powerful creatures to fight evil forces. The characters and worlds of Wizard101 are influenced by literature, history and pop culture, giving the game a depth and quality appreciated by families and players of all ages.

Wizard101 can be downloaded at http://www.Wizard101.com. Players seeking access to premium areas and items may purchase pre-paid cards in participating stores or purchase a subscription or Crowns online. New worlds, activities, pets and Wizard clothing are periodically added to the game, creating an ever-changing world with new things to see and do.

About KingsIsle Entertainment, Inc.

KingsIsle Entertainment is a developer and publisher that specializes in creating high-quality massively multiplayer online games which provide entertainment for the entire family. Wizard101, KingsIsle's flagship property, has received the Parent Tested Parent Approved Media Seal of Approval in 2009 and has been recognized by the National Parenting Publications Awards.  Wizard101 was named the #1 Best Family/All Age Game by Beckett Massive Gamer Magazine, and the #1 Best Family Game by MMORPG.com for 2009.  The company's experienced and creative team is raising the bar in online entertainment by offering products with rich storylines, friendly navigation, top-quality art and fully-voiced characters. KingsIsle is headquartered in Plano, Texas, and has a development studio in Austin, Texas. For more information, please visit http://www.kingsisle.com.

KingsIsle and Wizard101 are trademarks or registered trademarks of KingsIsle Entertainment, Inc.

Source: KingsIsle Entertainment, Inc.
   

CONTACT:  Ben Conrad of KingsIsle Entertainment, Inc., +1-512-623-5925,
press@kingsisle.com

Web Site:  http://www.kingsisle.com/
http://www.wizard101.com/