Level 3 Connects London Stock Exchange to its Extensive Network
New Point-of-Presence at London's Financial Center Enables More Services, Faster Installation and Superior Network Reliability for over 400 Members
LONDON, Aug. 1, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Level 3 Communications, Inc. (NASDAQ: LVLT) today announced that it now offers connectivity to its colocation facility at London Stock Exchange Group's Data Center in the City of London. The point-of-presence (PoP) offers connectivity to the world's leading financial institutions who are co-located within the Exchange Hosting facility, using Level 3's global network.
With direct access to a secure and reliable backbone network, Exchange Hosting customers including members of London Stock Exchange Group, non-member firms, vendors and service providers, can leverage fast connectivity and wide network reach over diverse high-speed fibre links on Level 3's network. The Exchange Hosting Service provides access to the London Stock Exchange, Borsa Italiana, Turquoise and Oslo Bors trading venues.
"Connecting London Stock Exchange Hosting clients to our global network underscores our commitment to continually invest in improving connectivity to the financial community," said James Heard, president of European Markets for Level 3. "As a result, we can now provide secure connectivity to key participants trading on London Stock Exchange Group's markets."
"We are pleased to welcome Level 3 into our colocation facility to provide an increased choice of connectivity to our clients who are hosted within our Primary Data Centre," said Nigel Harold, Head of Business Development for London Stock Exchange Group's Technology division. "Hosting clients will now be able to connect Level 3's low-latency metro, European and transatlantic routes to their own hubs and other business centers and trading venues world-wide."
The Level 3 network today spans more than 20 countries with presence in approximately 190 markets in Europe and North America. Level 3 manages 57,000 intercity fibre miles and 27,000 metro fibre miles, providing a size and depth of connectivity on a broad scale. To learn more about Level 3's European capabilities, please click here.
About Level 3 Communications
Level 3 Communications, Inc. (NASDAQ: LVLT) is a leading international provider of fiber-based communications services. Enterprise, content, wholesale and government customers rely on Level 3 to deliver services with an industry-leading combination of scalability and value over an end-to-end fiber network. Level 3 offers a portfolio of metro and long-haul services, including transport, data, Internet, content delivery and voice. For more information, visit http://www.Level3.com.
Forward-Looking Statement
Some of the statements made in this press release are forward looking in nature. These statements are based on management's current expectations or beliefs. These forward looking statements are not a guarantee of performance and are subject to a number of uncertainties and other factors, many of which are outside Level 3's control, which could cause actual events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by the statements. The most important factors that could prevent Level 3 from achieving its stated goals include, but are not limited to: the current uncertainty in the global financial markets and the global economy; a discontinuation of the development and expansion of the Internet as a communications medium and marketplace for the distribution and consumption of data and video; and disruptions in the financial markets that could affect Level 3's ability to obtain additional financing. Additional factors include, but are not limited to, the company's ability to: increase and maintain the volume of traffic on its network; develop effective business support systems; manage system and network failures or disruptions; develop new services that meet customer demands and generate acceptable margins; defend intellectual property and proprietary rights; adapt to rapid technological changes that lead to further competition; attract and retain qualified management and other personnel; successfully integrate acquisitions; and meet all of the terms and conditions of debt obligations. Additional information concerning these and other important factors can be found within Level 3's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Statements in this press release should be evaluated in light of these important factors. Level 3 is under no obligation to, and expressly disclaims any such obligation to, update or alter its forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.
Contact Information
Media: Investors:
Monica Martinez Mark Stoutenberg
720-888-3991 720-888-2518
Monica.Martinez@Level3.com Mark.Stoutenberg@Level3.com
SOURCE Level 3 Communications, Inc.
Photo:http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110523/LA06722LOGO http://photoarchive.ap.org/
Level 3 Communications, Inc.
VIANEN, The Netherlands, August 1, 2011/PRNewswire/ --
Egardia launches its new home monitoring security products and services
in Germany, France, Austria and Belgium. These services have been
specifically designed to allow home and small business owners to remotely
monitor and secure their properties, via the Internet and Smartphone.
Out of the box home security
The Egardiasolution comprises a do-it-yourself wireless home security
system, complete with web based alarm monitoring and messaging services. The
security service offers alerts via text message, telephone and e-mail in the
event of burglary, flooding or fire. The basic alarm system (introduction
price EUR249) can be upgraded with extra burglary sensors, smoke detectors,
panic buttons and wireless night vision IP cameras. During an alarm the
camera transmits the recordings to multiple mobile phones. Customers have
worldwide access to the live camera images.
By making use of the Internet and an automated alarm center,
Egardiaoffers an easy security solution for an affordable price. A
traditional landline is no longer needed. The alarm system is installed in
less than 30 minutes and there's no need to drill holes or lay any wires
down. The monthly fixed security service fee (EUR9,95 p/m) may be
discontinued at any time. Customers can get online advice at http://www.egardia.com and orders are delivered within 3 days.
Drop in burglary rates
Customer survey reveals that burglary rates decreased with 81%. Other
important findings are:
- 97% feel safer at home.
- 84% said they find it important that they and their contact
persons immediately get a warning in case of burglary or fire.
- 83% said they find it important that the system is continuously
monitored via the Internet. Notifications are immediately sent when
something is wrong.
101 years of experience
Egardia is partner of NVD Security Group, one of the oldest independent
security organizations in Europe. NVD's CEO Van der Leelie says: "We believe
this is a revolutionary next step in security products and services. In a
few months Egardia will unveil new interactive devices for energy management
and home automation. All devices can be controlled via the customers
personal website and Smartphone such as iPhone, Android phone or iPad".
About Egardia
Egardiais founded in 2010 and has offices in Paris, Düsseldorf, Vienna,
Antwerp and The Netherlands. Egardia aims to be leader in the field of
connected home security and energy management services.
Ford Drops Price of SYNC by $100, Making Hands-Free, Voice-Activated In-Car Connectivity More Affordable, Available to All
DEARBORN, Mich., Aug. 1, 2011 /PRNewswire/ --
-- Ford initiates new pricing strategy for SYNC®, making the hands-free,
voice-activated connectivity system more affordable for customers;
dropping option price to $295 makes SYNC the most capable and most
affordable system on the market
-- Launching first on the 2012 Ford Explorer and Edge, SYNC will now be
available as optional equipment on base trim levels, marking broader
availability and more choice for customers
-- Making hands-free technology more affordable and available comes on the
heels of Ford becoming the first automaker to announce its support for a
nationwide ban on the use of hand-held mobile devices while driving
Ford is making hands-free, voice-controlled in-car connectivity even more affordable, announcing both a $100 price drop for Ford SYNC® along with expanded availability by offering it as an option on base trim levels for the first time.
"Ford SYNC is making a difference. Our customers love it and recommend it, and our dealers want it on more products," said Ken Czubay, Ford vice president, U.S. Marketing, Sales and Service. "SYNC already has brought hands-free, voice-activated in-car connectivity to millions, helping keep drivers' eyes on the road and hands on the wheel. Now, Ford is making it even easier for customers to afford exactly what they want."
The move marks the company's latest push to make voice control the primary and safest way for customers to access their favorite mobile devices while driving - a capability more and more drivers are clamoring for, according to the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA).
In a 2010 study, the CEA found that 55 percent of smartphone owners, for example, prefer voice commands as their primary in-car user interface. SYNC users agree, with internal Ford research showing more than 85 percent say they use voice controls while driving, up from 60 percent in previous studies.
This month, Ford became the first automaker to openly support the Safe Drivers Act of 2011, proposed federal legislation for a nationwide ban on the use of hand-held mobile devices while driving. To date, 10 states, including California and New York, have legally banned talking on a hand-held cellphone while driving, with many local municipalities also following suit enacting their own set of restrictions. Text messaging while driving is banned in 34 states.
The new SYNC pricing and choice strategy for 2012 ups the ante on how Ford is translating this trend into real-world actions that offer smarter in-vehicle connectivity solutions for customers.
"As the list of states banning hand-held calls and texting while driving continues to grow and legislators ponder a nationwide ban, Ford is strengthening its leadership position as the only full-line automaker with plans to offer available hands-free mobile device connectivity on 100 percent of its passenger vehicle lineup," said Czubay.
SYNC has been installed already on more than 3 million vehicles since its debut in 2007.
The new pricing strategy makes SYNC the most capable and most affordable in-car connectivity system in the industry. The new pricing will be available first on the 2012 Ford Explorer and Edge base models. Customers who opt for SYNC will pay only $295 for the award-winning in-car connectivity system, previously priced at $395. In addition, SYNC will now be available on all trim levels, as the availability chart of the 2012 Ford Edge shows:
2012 Model SYNC
Ford Edge Trim Level 2011 Model SYNC Availability Availability
SE Not available Optional
SEL Optional Standard
Limited Standard Standard
------- -------- --------
Sport Standard Standard
----- -------- --------
With the base SYNC package, customers will enjoy the core hands-free features and services that have quickly established SYNC as a must-have technology, with more than 76 percent of current SYNC users saying they would recommend the system to other customers. Those features include:
-- Hands-free, voice-activated calling via a Bluetooth®-connected mobile
phone
-- Hands-free, voice-activated control of a USB-connected digital music
player
-- 911 Assist(TM), the automated emergency calling service that is free for
the life of the vehicle
-- Vehicle Health Report, the on-demand diagnostic and maintenance
information service
In addition, customers who choose the base package will have the option to purchase a SYNC Services subscription, which expands voice-controlled features to include a cloud-based network of services. These include turn-by-turn directions, traffic reports, and business search information with available live operator assistance if needed. A SYNC Services subscription costs only $60 a year, besting the telematics services offered by the competition.
Ford dealers are excited about the prospect of being able to offer SYNC to a larger population of their customers.
James T. Seavitt, president of Village Ford in Dearborn, Mich., says he wouldn't be surprised to see those rates soar even higher with the new SYNC pricing and base model availability. Seavitt admits that approximately 75 percent of the vehicles he currently sells have SYNC.
"Customers frequently ask about SYNC in our dealership as they continue to hear more about the benefits and convenience of hands-free connectivity while driving," said Seavitt. "This move from Ford will help dealers put more customers in SYNC-equipped vehicles so they can experience why using their voice to control their favorite mobile devices in the car is a smarter choice."
On Edge and Explorer alone, SYNC has already been a big hit on the showroom floor, with current take rates above 80 percent. With the new pricing strategy, SYNC is now expected to be installed on more than 95 percent of models sold.
During the next three years, Ford will introduce the new SYNC pricing and choice strategy across the entire North American Ford vehicle lineup.
Vehicles next in line after the 2012 Ford Explorer and Edge include the 2013 Ford Taurus, Focus, Escape and Flex.
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 166,000 employees and about 70 plants worldwide, the company's automotive brands include Ford and Lincoln. 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
Ford Motor Company
CONTACT: Alan Hall, +1-313-594-3744, ahall32@ford.com, or Said Deep, +1-313-594-0942, sdeep@ford.com
Tableau Makes Business Intelligence Faster and Mobile
Tableau 6.1 adds optimized mobile support for iPads, faster data performance, new maps, and French and German versions
SEATTLE, Aug. 1, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Tableau Software, the global leader in rapid-fire business intelligence (BI) software, today announced the general availability of Tableau 6.1. The new version delivers automatic touch and gesture optimized support for the Apple iPad, whether views are accessed via Tableau's new iPad App or via Mobile Safari. In addition, Tableau enhanced its in-memory analytics engine with increased query and loading performance. People can also rapidly update existing extracts in Tableau's data engine. Other improvements include localization and new maps.
"myPad or yours?" - create once and instantly get Tableau on the go
All Tableau views, from both Tableau Server and Tableau Public, are now optimized for touch and gesture experiences when accessed on the iPad. Creating interactive dashboards and reports is still fast, fun, and easy; now those same results are immediately available on the iPad. There is no need for up-front design changes or maintaining multiple versions of workbooks to serve multiple platforms. When a view is accessed from the iPad, Tableau automatically detects and optimizes the user experience. Controls such as filters, parameters, sliders, scrolling, and zoom & pan respond based on touch. The new iPad app, available in the Apple App Store at http://itunes.com/apps/tableaumobile, makes browsing content, accessing favorite reports, and collaborating and commenting quick and easy. An online video showing the new capabilities can be seen here http://www.tableausoftware.com/data-to-ipad-in-2-minutes.
"The ability of Tableau's mobile BI solution to answer questions wherever they strike is incredibly empowering," said John Abdo, who is responsible for all web analytics for Cafe Press, one of the world's leading websites empowering people and organizations to create, buy and sell customized merchandise online. Abdo has been an active participant in the Tableau 6.1 beta. "It's the same thing Tableau did when they gave non-technical users access to a treasure trove of data."
According to recent research from Gartner "Forecast Alert: IT Spending, Worldwide, 1Q11 Update," more widespread adoption of tablets among enterprises will help drive IT spending growth this year. The analysts predict that worldwide media tablet spending is projected to reach $29.4 billion in 2011, up from $9.6 billion in 2010. Global spending on media tablets is forecast to increase at an annual average rate of 52 per cent through 2015.
"BI output has been available on mobile devices for many years, but has had limited success due to the display form factor, computing and memory limitations of handheld devices and the cost of Internet bandwidth. However, the current generation of touch-driven tablets and smartphones is set to make BI content usable and compelling by offering a rich, location-aware and intuitive experience. BI content plus ubiquitous smart mobile devices should equal broader adoption," commented James Richardson, Research Director at Gartner in his research note, "Findings From EMEA Business Intelligence Summit: Mobile BI Needs Metrics."
An even faster in-memory data engine
The Tableau data engine, Tableau's next generation in-memory analytics solution, has been enhanced. Not only does it load and query faster and support bigger data, but people can now incrementally update Tableau extracts quickly with one click or via an automated scheduler. Creating Tableau Extracts is significantly faster with v6.1. For example, loading 6.4 million rows from a file now takes less than 25% of the time it used to.
The data engine lets people speed up the performance of massive corporate databases or integrate large files on the fly. For example, daily visitors to an ecommerce site can result in millions of new records in website log files. With Tableau, those companies can keep their data sets current as they rapidly create and share powerful analytical views and reports.
"The need for speed drives today's workforce. People have to be able to get interactive access to their dashboards and reports anywhere anytime, even if it's in a conference room down the hall from their offices. Tableau 6.1 is filled with innovations that help people take charge of massive data and use it regardless of where they are," said Dan Jewett, Tableau Software's vice president, product management.
6.1 new features
As well as mobile support and the enhanced data engine, the release of Tableau 6.1 adds a host of other new functionality including French and German versions, more mapping options, and new features to create brilliant visualizations and dashboards. Detailed information is available at http://www.tableausoftware.com/new-features/6.1.
-- Localization and Maps - French and German versions of Tableau Desktop,
and enhanced geocoding mean that asking "where?" yields richer answers
-- Fresh, fast data - Faster extract creation, incremental updates, data
appends, extract history, database impersonation and Teradata
improvements make it easier to be up-to-the-minute and secure with all
your data
-- More tools for authors - more legend options, links on dashboard images
and the ability to view data anywhere allow for more control
"The launch of French and German versions highlights the start of our localization drive, translating not just the software text, but a range of other map and locale data as well," Jewett continued. "Combined with several other innovative new features, this release showcases the vision we have for the Tableau suite worldwide."
Prior to launch Tableau 6.1 was demoed at Tableau Software's First Annual European Customer Conference and tested by a group of over 1,000 customers in beta access program.
About Tableau Software
Tableau Software is the leading provider of fast analytics and data visualization software. Ranked by Gartner in 2011 as the world's fastest growing business intelligence company, Tableau makes its award-winning business intelligence applications available for download at http://www.tableausoftware.com/trial. They enable anyone to easily create and share interactive data visualizations, dashboards and analytics, and can scale to organizations of any size or reach. For more information, please visit http://www.tableausoftware.com.
NetChoice Strongly Opposes 'Main Street Fairness' Act From Congressional Democrats
Internet tax proposal will harm small businesses that rely on Internet sales
WASHINGTON, July 29, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- NetChoice strongly opposes the so-called "Main Street Fairness Act," introduced in the Senate today by Sen. Richard Durbin (D-IL) and in the House of Representatives by Rep. John Conyers (D-MI). The proposed legislation would impose unfair and disproportionate collection burdens on small businesses, while adding less than three-tenths of one percent to state and local tax revenues.
"Congress often says that small businesses are the backbone of the economic recovery, but these new collection costs will break the backs of many small online businesses," said Steve DelBianco, executive director of NetChoice. "This legislation fails to define safe harbors for small businesses, virtually guaranteeing that small and medium retailers will receive little help in complying with thousands of state and local tax jurisdictions."
"Past attempts to pass similar legislation included a specified safe harbor that protected small businesses from the cost and complexity of a new Internet tax. Today's legislation leaves the job of defining such safe harbors up to the unelected tax administrators on the SSTP's Governing Board. That's like letting the foxes run the hen house."
"This Governing Board claims to have simplified definitions, but it defines beef jerky as 'candy' while defining cotton candy as not candy."
"According to the SSTP's own study, small businesses spend 17 cents of their own money to collect and file every dollar of sales tax they send to their home states. This bill would force small online retailers to collect for two dozen states, requiring expensive software updates, inviting exposure to an army of auditors, and cutting into resources they'd rather spend on building businesses and creating jobs."
"It's a cruel irony to call this job-killing bill the 'Main Street Fairness Act,'" DelBianco said. "Online sales are about the only way small retailers can survive being steamrolled by the big-box chains who are behind this bill."
NetChoice joins a broad array of organizations and elected officials that oppose the measure. Today's bill has no bi-partisan support, in stark contrast to the long list of bipartisan sponsors of House Resolution 95, Supporting the Preservation of Internet Entrepreneurs and Small Businesses. That resolution opposes "any legislation that would grant State governments the authority to impose any new burdensome or unfair tax collecting requirements on small online businesses and entrepreneurs."
NetChoice is a public policy advocacy organization that promotes Internet innovation and communication and fights threats to online commerce at state, federal and international levels. The Washington, DC-based group protects Internet commerce-driven competition and battles rules that hinder consumer choice and hurt small businesses. For more information, see http://www.netchoice.org.
SOURCE NetChoice
NetChoice
CONTACT: David McGuire, david.mcguire@463.com, +1-202-423-7432
Beware of Fiscal Potholes in Congress's Latest "Main Street Fairness Act," Taxpayer Group Warns
WASHINGTON, July 29, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Contrary to its name, legislation introduced today called the "Main Street Fairness Act" contains many unfair provisions that will adversely impact taxpaying consumers and business, according to the 362,000-member National Taxpayers Union (NTU). The bill, authored by Richard Durbin (D-IL) in the Senate and John Conyers (D-MI) in the House, would give the federal government's blessing to an interstate tax collection scheme known as the Streamlined Sales and Use Tax Agreement (SSUTA). NTU Executive Vice President Pete Sepp offered the following comments on the proposal:
Despite its smooth title, the Main Street Fairness Act is riddled with fiscal potholes that would make the going decidedly bumpy for taxpayers. State revenue officials have long sought the required federal authority to tax beyond their borders, but with each passing year their arguments for SSUTA have become less credible.
We were told that 'tax-free shopping' was costing states enormous sums, even though businesses and customers involved in online transactions pay many levies such as property, profit, payroll, and fuel taxes. Additionally, many Internet purchases are already subjected to sales taxes. We were told that compliance with SSUTA would be a snap for businesses thanks to recordkeeping software, when in reality the cost and effort involved in complying with up to 15,000 jurisdictions' tax laws would be far from trivial. The bill's vague and ineffectual mention of 'small sellers' provides no promise of relief from these problems.
We were told that this legislation is necessary to level the playing field, even though the Internet has been small business' best friend. Because Main Street has an on-ramp to the Information Superhighway, mom-and-pop stores as well as sole proprietors can market their goods and services to the whole country or the world if they choose. Likewise, going online has allowed small firms to manage their overhead - from buying paper clips to retaining accountants - more efficiently than ever before.
Giving governments even more sweeping powers to tax won't restore any part of the private sector to health, especially the small businesses Americans are counting on to lead a resurgence in job and income growth. Furthermore, taxpayers are tired of being left holding the mop for state governments that refuse to clean up the wasteful spending habits causing so many of their current budget messes.
If Congress truly wants to be fair to Main Street, lawmakers should instead work on passing legislation like H. Res. 95, which affirms that Congress won't give states 'the authority to impose any new burdensome or unfair tax collecting requirements on small online businesses.' In doing so, they'll be paving the way to a much brighter future for our economy.
NTU is a nonpartisan, nonprofit citizen organization founded in 1969 to work for lower taxes, smaller government, and economic freedom at all levels. The group was among the first to support the federal Internet Access Tax Moratorium and oppose the states' Streamlined Sales and Use Tax Agreement. Note: For more on NTU's work in this and other public policy areas, visit http://www.ntu.org.
SOURCE National Taxpayers Union
Photo:http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20101022/NTULOGO http://photoarchive.ap.org/
National Taxpayers Union
CONTACT: Pete Sepp or Doug Kellogg, +1-703-683-5700
Zinio 2.0 App for iPad, Now Available, Advances the Interactive Reading Experience
Users Benefit from Unprecedented Content Discovery, including a Personalized, Immersive Reading and Shopping Experience
SAN FRANCISCO,July 29, 2011/PRNewswire-USNewswire/ --Zinio, the world's largest and most popular global magazine newsstand, today announced that its 2.0 App for iPad is now available in the iTunes Store. This new version of Zinio offers industry-first article exploration, stellar user interaction and in-app shopping capabilities to the most in-depth selection of premium, high-quality consumer magazines from around the world.
Unique to Zinio, the "Explore" section is front and center and offers unprecedented free access to current stories across every major magazine genre, from automotive to entertainment, and lifestyle to science and tech. Only with Zinio can users discover and enjoy the best magazine content from among Zinio's 4,500 magazine titles, with new stories to enjoy daily from our most popular titles including Esquire, Rolling Stone, ESPN the Magazine and Elle.
Additional new features and updates to the Zinio 2.0 App for iPad include:
-- Updated Speed and Design: Interface updates have led to a cleaner look
and richer visuals that are designed to create an even more compelling
reading experience. Zinio users will also benefit from up to 3x faster
performance speed, allowing for a smoother experience with downloading,
page navigation and interactive content.
-- Bookmarks: Zinio 2.0 includes the highly-anticipated bookmark
capability, which allows readers to save their favorite stories for easy
access, the ability to edit/personalize the titles to suit their
preference, and sort their bookmarked stories by date and title.
Tracking favorite news stories, travel destinations, fashion tips,
workouts, recipes and more has never been so easy.
-- Enhanced Library Management: Storing and managing a library just got a
lot more convenient. A highly visible arrow appears on issues that have
yet to be downloaded, so readers can be sure they have downloaded all of
their issues for offline reading during travel.
-- In-App iTunes Purchasing: Zinio offers a frictionless, digital shopping
experience. Not only can users explore and browse items within Zinio
that catch their eye, but they can also purchase single issues, back
issues and subscriptions in-app, simply using their iTunes account.
-- In-Zinio Shopping: Shopping is fast and simple. Readers can now buy
clothing, accessories, furniture and a ton of other things- from within
their favorite magazines. There is no need to leave Zinio to purchase
things that catch a reader's eye.
"Magazine readers expect and love high-quality, premium content - and Zinio's 2.0 app for iPad goes far beyond today's norm to deliver stories in a visually rich, immersive and interactive new way," said Rich Maggiotto, Zinio president and CEO. "Our new Explore section is a first, and creates the ability to browse and enjoy content you might never even knew existed from trusted editors around the globe. We've focused on satisfying the curiosity of our passionate readers, and delivering stories that personally matter to them, across all areas of interest."
Continually advancing interactive capabilities allow readers to experience stories in new and immersive ways with a text view option, interactive graphics, animated illustrations, videos, in-Zinio shopping and more.
Another reader-friendly advantage with Zinio is its UNITY(TM) platform, which allows users to store and enjoy their library across the most popular devices and platforms today, including Mac, PC, laptop, Linux, iOS, Android, Windows 7, and soon WebOS and BlackBerry. Users can access their entire library on every device that they use Zinio on - there are no complicated rights issues that only allow one issue on one device.
About ZinioZinio is where the world reads, explores and interacts with the largest selection of magazines across today's most popular devices. News may break elsewhere, but stories live on Zinio. No other platform provides global access to more than 4,500 magazine titles covering every major genre, industry, specialty and hobby. Zinio users download millions of magazine issues a month in 33 languages and 20 currencies - from almost every major global publisher. The company is focused on creating an intuitive and effortless digital experience that transforms how we read, from passive to active, from solo to social. Zinio users can easily search stories and topics that they are passionate about, share with friends, save and curate content, shop for products, and store all of their favorite magazines in Zinio across all of their favorite devices.
Founded in 2001 and privately held, Zinio is headquartered in San Francisco with offices in New York, London, Paris, Barcelona and Taipei. For more information, please visit http://www.zinio.com, or follow us on Twitter at @Zinio.
SOURCE Zinio
Zinio
CONTACT: Molly Mulloy, +1-415-248-6335, molly.mulloy@zenogroup.com / Nick Mendoza, +1-310-566-3984, Zeno Group for Zinio, nick.mendoza@zenogroup.com
TechNet Opposes Measure to Impose New Taxes on America's Small Businesses
WASHINGTON, July 29, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- TechNet, the bipartisan network of CEOs that promotes the growth of the innovation economy, today announced its opposition to "The Main Street Fairness Act" measures offered in the House and Senate. TechNet continues to oppose new tax regimes that increase Internet sales tax complexity for U.S. consumers and businesses.
"The Main Street Fairness Act bills will make it more complicated, expensive and onerous to conduct business on the Internet," said Rey Ramsey, President and CEO of TechNet. "During these difficult economic times, the last thing we need are additional burdens on this growing economic sector."
About TechNet:
TechNet is the national, bipartisan network of CEOs that promotes the growth of technology industries and the economy by building long-term relationships between technology leaders and policymakers and by advocating a targeted policy agenda. TechNet's members represent more than one million employees in the fields of information technology, biotechnology, e-commerce and finance. TechNet has offices in Washington, DC, Palo Alto, Sacramento, Seattle, Boston and Austin. Web address: http://www.technet.org. You can also follow us on Facebook and Twitter at @technetupdate.
SOURCE TechNet
TechNet
CONTACT: Jim Hock, 463 Communications, +1-202-463-0013 ext. 202
We are advised by Zinio that journalists and other readers should disregard the news release, Zinio 2.0 App for iPad, Now Available, Advances the Interactive Reading Experience, issued 29-Jul-2011 over PR Newswire. Zinio said another release will be issued later.
SOURCE Zinio
Zinio
CONTACT: Molly Mulloy Zeno Group for Zinio, +1-415-248-6335, molly.mulloy@zenogroup.com; Nick Mendoza, Zeno Group for Zinio, +1-310-566-3984, nick.mendoza@zenogroup.com
Zinio 2.0 App for iPad, Now Available, Advances the Interactive Reading Experience
Users Benefit from Unprecedented Content Discovery, including a Personalized, Immersive Reading and Shopping Experience
SAN FRANCISCO, July 29, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ --Zinio, the world's largest and most popular global magazine newsstand, today announced that its 2.0 App for iPad is now available in the iTunes Store. This new version of Zinio offers industry-first article exploration, stellar user interaction and in-app shopping capabilities to the most in-depth selection of premium, high-quality consumer magazines from around the world.
Unique to Zinio, the "Explore" section is front and center and offers unprecedented free access to current stories across every major magazine genre, from automotive to entertainment, and lifestyle to science and tech. Only with Zinio can users discover and enjoy the best magazine content from among Zinio's 4,500 magazine titles, with new stories to enjoy daily from our most popular titles including Esquire, Rolling Stone, Islands and Elle.
Additional new features and updates to the Zinio 2.0 App for iPad include:
-- Updated Speed and Design: Interface updates have led to a cleaner look
and richer visuals that are designed to create an even more compelling
reading experience. Zinio users will also benefit from up to 3x faster
performance speed, allowing for a smoother experience with downloading,
page navigation and interactive content.
-- Bookmarks: Zinio 2.0 includes the highly-anticipated bookmark
capability, which allows readers to save their favorite stories for easy
access, the ability to edit/personalize the titles to suit their
preference, and sort their bookmarked stories by date and title.
Tracking favorite news stories, travel destinations, fashion tips,
workouts, recipes and more has never been so easy.
-- Enhanced Library Management: Storing and managing a library just got a
lot more convenient. A highly visible arrow appears on issues that have
yet to be downloaded, so readers can be sure they have downloaded all of
their issues for offline reading during travel.
-- In-App iTunes Purchasing: Zinio offers a frictionless, digital shopping
experience. Not only can users explore and browse items within Zinio
that catch their eye, but they can also purchase single issues, back
issues and subscriptions in-app, simply using their iTunes account.
-- In-Zinio Shopping: Shopping is fast and simple. Readers can now buy
clothing, accessories, furniture and a ton of other things- from within
their favorite magazines. There is no need to leave Zinio to purchase
things that catch a reader's eye.
"Magazine readers expect and love high-quality, premium content - and Zinio's 2.0 app for iPad goes far beyond today's norm to deliver stories in a visually rich, immersive and interactive new way," said Rich Maggiotto, Zinio president and CEO. "Our new Explore section is a first, and creates the ability to browse and enjoy content you might never even knew existed from trusted editors around the globe. We've focused on satisfying the curiosity of our passionate readers, and delivering stories that personally matter to them, across all areas of interest."
Continually advancing interactive capabilities allow readers to experience stories in new and immersive ways with a text view option, interactive graphics, animated illustrations, videos, in-Zinio shopping and more.
Another reader-friendly advantage with Zinio is its UNITY(TM) platform, which allows users to store and enjoy their library across the most popular devices and platforms today, including Mac, PC, laptop, Linux, iOS, Android, Windows7, and soon WebOS and BlackBerry. Users can access their entire library on every device that they use Zinio on - there are no complicated rights issues that only allow one issue on one device.
About Zinio Zinio is where the world reads, explores and interacts with the largest selection of magazines across today's most popular devices. News may break elsewhere, but stories live on Zinio. No other platform provides global access to more than 4,500 magazine titles covering every major genre, industry, specialty and hobby. Zinio users download millions of magazine issues a month in 33 languages and 20 currencies - from almost every major global publisher. The company is focused on creating an intuitive and effortless digital experience that transforms how we read, from passive to active, from solo to social. Zinio users can easily search stories and topics that they are passionate about, share with friends, save and curate content, shop for products, and store all of their favorite magazines in Zinio across all of their favorite devices.
Founded in 2001 and privately held, Zinio is headquartered in San Francisco with offices in New York, London, Paris, Barcelona and Taipei. For more information, please visit http://www.zinio.com, or follow us on Twitter at @Zinio.
SOURCE Zinio
Zinio
CONTACT: Molly Mulloy Zeno Group for Zinio, +1-415-248-6335, molly.mulloy@zenogroup.com; Nick Mendoza, Zeno Group for Zinio, +1-310-566-3984, nick.mendoza@zenogroup.com
Maxthon 3 Helps Attorneys Browse the Internet with Speed and Security: New Features and Easy Reading
SAN FRANCISCO, July 29, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Maxthon (http://www.maxthon.com), a global software and web services company, announces its status as the preferred Internet browser for attorneys and other members of the legal profession. With its host of new features and emphasis on security, Maxthon 3 is a natural addition for attorneys who perform significant online research. Users can download Maxthon 3 at http://dl.maxthon.com/mx3/mx3.1.4.1000.exe
"Maxthon 3 is an ideal complement to the types of software attorneys currently use, which share an ability to quickly identify and properly sort relevant information. Specifically, our innovative features remove the 'technological legalese' from web browsing. That is, we remove any complications so users can take full advantage of our services upon downloading Maxthon 3," says Jeff Chen, CEO of Maxthon.
With Maxthon 3 users can also enjoy the following benefits:
-- Speed: Maxthon's core features create a fast and convenient way to do
online research.
-- Built-in notepad for quick notation. Click the yellow 'post-it' icon,
and then create and securely save notes to your free 'Passport' account
in the cloud.
-- One-click screen grabs: Click the camera icon in the browser to easily
take a screen grab of part or all of the web page you are viewing.
-- Portable browsing history, which automatically and securely saves your
browsing history in the cloud. This feature allows you to easily resume
your past work. In addition, the calendar display on your history saves
you from scrolling through columns of information. Simply click on the
specific day in the calendar, and immediately access your relevant
browsing history.
-- Reader mode: Web research often requires reviewing several articles,
blogs and individual sites. Maxthon comes bundled with smart technology,
which will recognize an article page of a website and flash a 'book'
icon in your browser's address bar. Click on the icon, and Maxthon will
automatically reconfigure the page into a clean, book-like page; and
remove any advertisements or promotional clutter. The reader also has a
'night mode' option, which makes articles easier to read in low-light
situations.
-- Security: Maxthon is a pioneer in sandbox processing, which is an
essential part of online protection. Meaning: Rules and processes in the
software's architecture only allow an application to run within a
restricted environment. If something malicious tries to attack your
computer, sandboxing will impede or isolate the HTML and JavaScript code
responsible for this problem.
"Maxthon offers a better, safer and more intuitive web browsing experience, which enables attorneys - and all users - to easily conduct research and other case-sensitive analysis. These benefits are of particular importance to all members of the legal profession, including: law students, judicial clerks, paralegals and full-time practicing attorneys. Maxthon is a valuable resource for these individuals and an integral part of successfully accessing the web," says Karl Mattson, GM of Maxthon International/Chief of Product Development
About Maxthon
Headquartered in Beijing, Maxthon Ltd. is an innovative software company and developer of superior web browsers which continue to set new standards for simplicity, speed and security. Each month more than 130,000,000 people use Maxthon's web browser in 120 countries across the world. Maxthon has also brings its best-of-breed browsing to the Android platform for mobile devices and tablet computers. For more information about Maxthon please visit http://www.maxthon.com.
Download Maxthon Mobile for Android phones here:http://dl.maxthon.com/mobile/Maxthon_for_Android.apk
Want to supercharge that desktop? Try Maxthon 3 for Windows PCs today.http://dl.maxthon.com/mx3/mx3.1.4.1000.exe
Download Maxthon Mobile for 10" Android tablets here:http://dl.maxthon.com/mobile/Maxthon_for_Tablet_Android.apk
SparkBase Launches World's First Ready to Use Merchant Rewards Mobile Wallet
CHICAGO, July 29, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- SparkBase, Inc., a leading processor of white-label loyalty and stored value programs, announced that their free PayCloud® Mobile Wallet application is now available to Chicago area iPhone and Android smartphone users. PayCloud eliminates loyalty cards, allowing customers the option of waving a smartphone at a participating merchant's countertop sensor to check in, redeem rewards and coupons, and track their loyalty account status.
For the more than 50 million iPhone and Android smartphone users, their phones are already compatible with PayCloud Mobile Wallet. Now, Chicago area residents can download the free app that allows them to easily find over 20 local merchants, instantly join their loyalty programs, receive coupons, promotions, and earn additional rewards. In the next 10 days, 50 local merchants will be on PayCloud. By 2012, SparkBase estimates there will be more than 200,000 businesses participating nationwide in the PayCloud network.
"PayCloud provides the perfect alternative for people who rely on their smartphones for nearly everything and who don't want the hassle of carrying around yet another plastic loyalty card," says SparkBase CEO, Douglas Hardman. "When consumers see a local business on PayCloud, they are now more to likely sign up for its loyalty program because we've made it so easy for them."
Customer advantages will only increase as additional businesses join the network. When smartphone carrying tourists want a good place to eat or a fun place to visit in a new city, PayCloud will offer local area suggestions based on the types of places the traveler already visits back home.
PayCloud also brings peace of mind to the security conscious. In June, SparkBase integrated Zoosh, a Near Field Communications (NFC) technology, into PayCloud which means no special chip is required to conduct secure transactions between a smartphone and the mobile payment device. "Security is on our servers, not the phone," states Hardman. "Too many people today are trying to secure their phones, forgetting that these devices change frequently. Instead, we put everything out on the cloud while tracking everything internally on our servers."
"PayCloud is definitely consumer-facing. But more importantly, it's a secure mobile wallet technology today's consumer can rely on and trust," says Hardman.
About SparkBase
SparkBase enables financial services organizations, ISOs, acquirers and other merchant services providers to create and sell a variety of stored-value offerings including gift cards, loyalty, and rewards programs without heavy investment in product development or IT. SparkBase, 2011 winner of the ETA's "Technology Innovation Award," entered the stored-value industry in early 2004 as the first truly independent white-label loyalty and stored value processing network. SparkBase continues to lead in innovation with its proprietary gateway, using patent pending technologies for processing stored value transactions. For more information, visit http://www.sparkbase.com
SOURCE SparkBase, Inc.
SparkBase, Inc.
CONTACT: Alice Robbins, +1-847-415-9335, arobbins@sspr.com, for SparkBase, Inc.
Delta Partners with LivingSocial to Launch Custom Destination Deals for Travelers
delta.com becomes first website with custom offers targeted to upcoming travel destinations
ATLANTA,July 29, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Delta Air Lines (NYSE: DAL) today launched LivingSocial destination-specific deals offering delta.com customers targeted offers during their trip. Customers can sign up for LivingSocial offers when they access their My Trips summary on Delta's website. Offers are specific to the dates and location related to the customer's upcoming trip.
"The new LivingSocial feature on delta.com extends the personalized travel experience we provide on delta.com by providing deals beyond the airport," said Bob Kupbens, Delta's vice president - eCommerce. "Delta continues to innovate by providing fast, convenient customer-friendly interactions through delta.com, in-flight Wi-Fi, mobile applications and industry-leading social networking tools."
Delta redesigned the My Trips section of delta.com in August 2010 with personalized offers for customers including hotel, airport parking, car rental and other ground transpiration options. Today, delta.com customers also can use My Trips to access international Economy Comfort seating options and the domestic perks provided by LivingSocial.
"Curating travel experiences that surprise and delight our members has long been a commitment of LivingSocial, as evidenced by the great Adventures and Escapes packages we offer everyday," said Doug Miller, senior vice president of New Business Initiatives at LivingSocial. "Partnering with Delta Air Lines to offer destination-specific deals allows members to receive same types of local deals and experiences they're used to getting at home no matter their final destination."
Today's launch continues Delta's travel technology improvements over the past twelve months including:
-- The first online baggage tracking capabilities for airline customers;
-- Wi-Fi availability on every domestic mainline flight, totaling 2,200
flights daily. Delta also will offer Wi-Fi on its entire dual-class
regional fleet of 254 aircraft by the end of 2011;
-- More than 8,100 new power outlets available at Delta recharging stations
throughout more than a dozen U.S. airports featuring 110-volt and USB
charging capabilities;
-- Mobile apps for the iPhone, BlackBerry and Android that let customers
check in, view flight status, review SkyMiles account balance, access
their boarding passes, view flight schedules, get airport information,
check the weather, rebook their flight and even store an airport parking
location;
-- The industry's first social media 'Ticket Counter' to offer travel
booking capability and flight check-in directly from its Facebook page
and other social media sites;
-- 24-hour online customer support through @DeltaAssist via Twitter; and
-- A newly designed, more intuitive delta.com experience. Delta's website
was recently named Best of the Web for performance and reliability by
Compuware Gomez
Delta's is in the midst of a more than $2 billion investment in the customer experience through 2013. In addition to the complete installation of Wi-Fi on its mainline domestic fleet, Delta will offer full flat-bed seats on more than 160 widebody aircraft, feature personal, in-seat entertainment for both BusinessElite and Economy class customers on all widebody flights, and complete new terminal facilities for international customers at its two largest global gateways - Atlanta and New York-JFK.
About LivingSocial
LivingSocial helps people around the world find, share, and enjoy great local deals and new experiences. We'll help you get more out of your city. Through its daily deal e-mails and alerts, LivingSocial introduces members to handpicked local businesses, products, or services each day at savings of 50% or more. With a range of products for different interests, like Families and Adventures, LivingSocial helps surprise members with the perfect deal for them. Other services include LivingSocial Escapes, which features easy "vacations in a box" to leading destinations, and LivingSocial Instant, which helps members discover real-time discounts at nearby restaurants, stores, and businesses. LivingSocial works with each merchant partner to create customized marketing solutions that attract and retain loyal, long-term customers. Based in Washington, D.C., LivingSocial now has 40 million members in 21 countries.
About Delta
Delta Air Lines serves more than 160 million customers each year, and was named by Fortune magazine as the most admired airline worldwide in its 2011 World's Most Admired Companies airline industry list. With an industry-leading global network, Delta and the Delta Connection carriers offer service to 355 destinations in 65 countries on six continents. Headquartered in Atlanta, Delta employs 80,000 employees worldwide and operates a mainline fleet of more than 700 aircraft. A founding member of the SkyTeam global alliance, Delta participates in the industry's leading trans-Atlantic joint venture with Air France-KLM and Alitalia. Including its worldwide alliance partners, Delta offers customers more than 13,000 daily flights, with hubs in Amsterdam, Atlanta, Cincinnati, Detroit, Memphis, Minneapolis-St. Paul, New York-JFK, Paris-Charles de Gaulle, Salt Lake City and Tokyo-Narita. The airline's service includes the SkyMiles frequent flier program, a world-class airline loyalty program; the award-winning BusinessElite service; and more than 50 Delta Sky Clubs in airports worldwide. Delta is investing more than $2 billion through 2013 in airport facilities and global products, services and technology to enhance the customer experience in the air and on the ground. Customers can check in for flights, print boarding passes, check bags and review flight status at delta.com.
Terms and Conditions
Additional restrictions may apply. Offers subject to change. Use of the LivingSocial is subject to terms of use available at livingsocial.com.
DinoDirect Anniversary Sales: Spend $30 Get $10 Back
HONG KONG, July 29, 2011 /PRNewswire-Asia/ -- DinoDirect.com is celebrating its second anniversary with a sale and discount cash coupons for its customers. The sale is on all the products priced at US$30 and more, and cash coupons are also offered accordingly to customers, which are available until 1st of August, 2011. This sale would include products such as ebook reader, android tablet, MP4 player,spy cameras, stereo headset, halloween costumes, and women suits. CEO, DinoDirect.com, says, "This sale would be beneficial for our clients who have been waiting for it since long. The products are high end and rates affordable as per the tradition of our company."
Now let us look at the products that are on offer in this sale. The Miroad E7001 is one of the best in class and very attractive e-book reader. Apart from sharp looks its features are also very technically advanced, making working on e-book readers a lot easier. Apart from this, on every purchase an extra discount of 10% is also provided to customers automatically.
The PC 7 music android tablet is a very efficient product that people can buy for themselves. The 7 inch screen, excellent quality web camera, support for different formats of audio and video files, e-books and office application make it completely irresistible for gadget lovers. The Marvell and RK2818-G-sensor are some of the other quality android tablets that people can look forward to and have at a lesser price in this sale.
In respect to MP4 player the HMM032A in a watch shape and with a spy camera will definitely be attractive. The CGFM-MP4a with support for FM and different music formats is also a good one among MP4 players.
The LX-DVR01 is a very deceptive pen size spy camera on offer that will lure customers. These are very useful devices that enhance capability up to a great extent. The motion detection clock with a spy camera is also a splendid gadget that is fun to use. Stereo handsets like H580, Goertek S352, S9-HD etc. add a lot of value to this sale and gives customers the opportunity to purchase them at attractive prices.
Halloween dresses made up of quality material and of different style and designs are also part of this sale. The baby cow, rabbit, coral design are some of the patterns that people will find in this category. Women suits of different shapes, cuts and designs make up a huge portion of this sale. One can look forward to unparallel range in this category that includes both formal and informal women suits.
So, do not wait! Grab this life time opportunity with DinoDirect's second anniversary celebrations, by buying top notch products and taking advantage of discount cash coupons offered by the company on this occasion. Online shopping can't get any better.
About DinoDirect.com
DinoDirect China Limited (http://www.dinodirect.com) is one of the biggest global online retailers. It offers a great quantity of products at competitive prices by cutting the middleman and offering products directly to the terminal consumers.
DinoDirect.com possesses a great many software products with proprietary intellectual property rights, owns technological superiority and is an efficient marketing team among similar industries.
Battle the Unforgiving Forces of Nature in Activision's Adreneline-Packed Cabela's Survival: Shadows of Katmai
MINNEAPOLIS, Minn., July 29, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Encounter the Arctic's deadliest creatures in an epic struggle for survival in Activision Publishing, Inc.'s (Nasdaq: ATVI) Cabela's Survival: Shadows of Katmai, coming this fall tothe Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, the PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system and the Wii(TM) from Nintendo. Packed with the game-changing TOP SHOT ELITE controller, gamers will face non-stop challenges and the ride of a lifetime through the daunting Alaskan wilderness in an effort to complete a mysterious mission.
"Every human shares the purest of instincts: survival," said David Oxford, Activision Publishing. "When those instincts kick in, its equal parts terrifying and exhilarating, and we've combined all those visceral reactions into a brand new 3rd-person adventure to make Cabela's Survival: Shadows of Katmai the most exciting Cabela's game ever!"
Witness the drama unfold as players take the role of bush pilot Logan James after he survives a horrific plane crash that leaves him in a remote corner of the Alaskan high country. Injured, isolated and in the middle of a hostile wilderness, Logan is cut off from all hope of rescue and it's up to players to guide him to safety in his epic battle against deadly predators and the frigid elements of nature.
With nothing but firearms and gear scavenged along the way, players will trek through a variety of hostile environments that include mountain peaks, icy cliff side trails, dense forests, frozen rivers and huge uncharted caverns. In order to stay alive in such harsh terrain, players will have to keep their wits about them and use all their survival skills. Every step might be their last as avalanches and snowstorms are compounded with dangerous predators that want nothing more than to eat them for dinner. As if that isn't enough to worry about, starvation is an ever looming problem. Survive, evade, and hunt through one of the most remarkable adventures ever to be released under the Cabela's brand.
Cabela's Survival: Shadows of Katmai will be available on the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system and Wii(TM) from Nintendo on November 1, 2011. The game will be bundled with the innovative TOP SHOT ELITE peripheral on Wii and wireless controller on Xbox 360® and PlayStation®3, and can also be purchased separately. For more information, please follow on Twitter and Facebook - @ActivisionHunts and Facebook.com/ActivisionHunts.
Cabela's
Cabela's Incorporated, headquartered in Sidney, Nebraska, is a leading specialty retailer, and the world's largest direct marketer, of hunting, fishing, camping and related outdoor merchandise. Since the Company's founding in 1961, Cabela's® has grown to become one of the most well-known outdoor recreation brands in the world, and has long been recognized as the World's Foremost Outfitter®. Through Cabela's growing number of retail stores and its well-established direct business, it offers a wide and distinctive selection of high-quality outdoor products at competitive prices while providing superior customer service. Cabela's also issues the Cabela's CLUB® Visa credit card, which serves as its primary customer loyalty rewards program. Cabela's stock trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol "CAB."
About Activision Publishing, Inc.
Headquartered in Santa Monica, California, Activision Publishing, Inc. is a leading worldwide developer, publisher and distributor of interactive entertainment and leisure products. Activision maintains operations in the U.S., Canada, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Sweden, Spain, Norway, Denmark, the Netherlands, Australia, South Korea, China and the region of Taiwan. More information about Activision and its products can be found on the company's website, http://www.activision.com.
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-looking Statements: Information in this press release that involves Activision Publishing's expectations, plans, intentions or strategies regarding the future are forward-looking statements that are not facts and involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Activision Publishing generally uses words such as "outlook," "will," "could," "would," "might," "remains," "to be," "plans," "believes," "may," "expects," "intends," "anticipates," "estimate," future," "plan," "positioned," "potential," "project," "remain," "scheduled," "set to," "subject to," "upcoming" and similar expressions to identify forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause Activision Publishing's actual future results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements set forth in this release include, but are not limited to, sales levels of Activision Publishing's titles, shifts in consumer spending trends, the impact of the current macroeconomic environment, the seasonal and cyclical nature of the interactive game market, Activision Publishing's ability to predict consumer preferences among competing hardware platforms, declines in software pricing, product returns and price protection, product delays, retail acceptance of Activision Publishing's products, adoption rate and availability of new hardware (including peripherals) and related software, industry competition including from used games and other forms of entertainment, litigation risks and associated costs, rapid changes in technology, industry standards, business models including online and used games, and consumer preferences, including interest in specific genres such as music, first-person action and massively multiplayer online games, protection of proprietary rights, maintenance of relationships with key personnel, customers, licensees, licensors, vendors, and third-party developers, including the ability to attract, retain and develop key personnel and developers that can create high quality "hit" titles, counterparty risks relating to customers, licensees, licensors and manufacturers, domestic and international economic, financial and political conditions and policies, foreign exchange rates and tax rates, and the identification of suitable future acquisition opportunities and potential challenges associated with geographic expansion, and the other factors identified in the risk factors sections of Activision Blizzard's most recent annual report on Form 10-K and any subsequent quarterly reports on Form 10-Q. The forward-looking statements in this release are based upon information available to Activision Publishing and Activision Blizzard as of the date of this release, and neither Activision Publishing nor Activision Blizzard assumes any obligation to update any such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements believed to be true when made may ultimately prove to be incorrect. These statements are not guarantees of the future performance of Activision Publishing or Activision Blizzard and are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors, some of which are beyond its control and may cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations.
SaaS-based Monitoring Enables Customers to Safeguard Performance of Cloud, Mobile and Enterprise Web Applications
Acquisition of Industry Innovator Strengthens Solution Portfolios of CA Technologies Service Assurance and Nimsoft
ISLANDIA, N.Y., July 29, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- CA Technologies (NASDAQ: CA) today announced a definitive agreement to acquire privately-held Watchmouse B.V. (WatchMouse), an innovator in SaaS-based monitoring for cloud, mobile and traditional Web applications. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
WatchMouse solutions utilize a globally-distributed infrastructure of more than 60 monitoring stations in more than 40 countries. WatchMouse replicates real-user transactions from these locations to provide rich, up-to-the-minute insight into application performance and availability.
With WatchMouse technology, customers of both CA Technologies Service Assurance and Nimsoft will gain the ability to:
-- Proactively manage the end-user experience around the world;
-- Quickly identify and resolve application performance issues; and,
-- Keep cloud vendors accountable for their service level agreements
(SLAs).
Delivered as a SaaS model, WatchMouse solutions provide these high-value capabilities in an easy-to-use format that doesn't require customers to install or manage software. WatchMouse is a 100 percent subscription-based service requiring no upfront payment and no long-term commitments. It also enables customers to get up and running quickly.
"As companies extend more applications to their customers through the Web and smartphones, the performance of those applications is having a greater impact on revenue, customer loyalty and brand value," said David Dobson, executive vice president, CA Technologies. "By adding WatchMouse to our industry-leading portfolio of solutions for managing and monitoring IT, we are enabling these companies to better safeguard the performance of these customer-facing applications--so they can better safeguard the performance of their business."
WatchMouse will bolster CA Technologies CA Application Performance Management (APM) solution, giving large enterprise customers comprehensive and flexible options to manage their applications within a single solution set. WatchMouse will augment the Nimsoft IT Management-as-a-Service strategy by enabling customers to quickly and easily monitor response times for different types of business services--from the cloud to the data center.
CA APM and WatchMouse
Trusted by more than 1,500 customers worldwide, CA Technologies APM solution provides 24/7 monitoring of real end-user transactions in physical, virtual, cloud and mainframe environments. The solution enables customers to proactively identify, prioritize and resolve performance problems before they adversely affect end-user productivity and highly-critical, revenue-generating applications.
The WatchMouse solution will be sold as an add-on capability to the full-featured CA APM solution. Existing CA APM customers can further extend the value of the solution and gain even deeper visibility into end-to-end transaction performance, regardless of where their applications are running--in the data center, outside the firewall, in the cloud or from a MSP. For customer applications that do not require a comprehensive APM solution, WatchMouse provides a fast, easy and cost-effective way to understand the health, availability and end-user experience.
Nimsoft and WatchMouse
Nimsoft provides integrated IT management solutions for more than 1,000 enterprise and service provider customers globally. The company's Nimsoft Unified Manager is an industry-leading solution that helps organizations easily monitor and manage IT services in increasingly complex business environments--delivered as a SaaS solution or enabled on premises. Nimsoft products integrate with existing solutions at any point from the data center to the cloud and are available on a pay-as-you-go basis.
The WatchMouse solution will be sold as a standalone capability to Nimsoft Monitor, giving customers a flexible and cost-effective way to monitor cloud and traditional applications from outside the firewall. With the addition of WatchMouse, customers will have the ability to monitor and validate that their Internet-facing applications are performing at optimal levels for users around the world. WatchMouse also extends Nimsoft Monitor by providing deeper dive, root cause analysis for optimizing slow-performing Web sites.
CA Technologies (NASDAQ: CA) is an IT management software and solutions company with expertise across all IT environments--from mainframe and distributed, to virtual and cloud. CA Technologies manages and secures IT environments and enables customers to deliver more flexible IT services. CA Technologies innovative products and services provide the insight and control essential for IT organizations to power business agility. The majority of the Global Fortune 500 relies on CA Technologies to manage evolving IT ecosystems. For additional information, visit CA Technologies at http://www.ca.com.
Follow CA Technologies
-- Twitter
-- Social Media Page
-- Press Releases
-- Podcasts
Certain statements in this communication (such as statements containing the words "believes," "plans," "anticipates," "expects," "estimates" and similar expressions) constitute "forward-looking statements" that are based upon the beliefs of, and assumptions made by, the Company's management, as well as information currently available to management. These forward-looking statements reflect the Company's current views with respect to future events and are subject to certain risks, uncertainties, and assumptions. A number of important factors could cause actual results or events to differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements, including: the ability to achieve success in the Company's strategy by, among other things, increasing sales in new and emerging enterprises and markets, enabling the sales force to sell new products, improving the Company's brand in the marketplace and ensuring the Company's set of cloud computing, Software-as-a-Service and other new offerings address the needs of a rapidly changing market, while not adversely affecting the demand for the Company's traditional products or its profitability; global economic factors or political events beyond the Company's control; general economic conditions and credit constraints, or unfavorable economic conditions in a particular region, industry or business sector; failure to expand partner programs; the ability to adequately manage and evolve financial reporting and managerial systems and processes; the ability to integrate acquired companies and products into existing businesses; competition in product and service offerings and pricing; the ability to retain and attract qualified key personnel; the ability to adapt to rapid technological and market changes; the ability of the Company's products to remain compatible with ever-changing operating environments; access to software licensed from third parties; use of software from open source code sources; discovery of errors in the Company's software and potential product liability claims; significant amounts of debt and possible future credit rating changes; the failure to protect the Company's intellectual property rights and source code; fluctuations in the number, terms and duration of our license agreements as well as the timing of orders from customers and channel partners; reliance upon large transactions with customers; risks associated with sales to government customers; breaches of the Company's software products and the Company's and customers' data centers and IT environments; third-party claims of intellectual property infringement or royalty payments; fluctuations in foreign currencies; successful outsourcing of various functions to third parties; potential tax liabilities; and other factors described more fully in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The Company assumes no obligation to update the information in this communication, except as otherwise required by law. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof.
Inside Real Estate(SM) Launches Marketing Powerhouse, Core3 Platform(TM)
Industry's only truly integrated marketing tool transforms business through social media-giving agents results 5 times better
SALT LAKE CITY, July 28, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Real Estate technology firm, Inside Real Estate(SM), today announced the release of the Core3 Platform(TM), the industry's most advanced marketing technology to date. The platform provides agents and MLS services the ability to harness the power of social media, along with traditional marketing tools, training, and support, in the most comprehensive, integrated, yet simple manner possible. The result is agents doing as much as four to five times the business.
"The Core3 Platform(TM) is the most comprehensive online marketing tool in the industry," said IRE(SM) CEO, Joseph Skousen. "This technology allows every agent to be a marketer, through the integration of a customized Web site, with IDX Home Search, Blogging connected to listings, social media integration, email marketing, true search engine optimization, lead-generation tools, market and area research, site analytics, training, and dedicated support. There is no match to the power of this tool," Skousen added.
National Association of Realtors reports that over 85 percent of all real estate transactions begin online. Agent Marisa Dye said, "I have found my perfect fit in Inside Real Estate's online solution. I can direct all of my leads and clients to a professional, multi-functional site that connects to the MLS, establishes me as a pro in my area of expertise, and gives my clients the tools they need to find their home." She added, "And, because I am on Inside Real Estate's network, my site shows up at the top of the search engines so I am capturing new leads and clients."
The Core3 Platform(TM) is available to agents, consumers and now the nation's MLSs, through the MLS Partnership program. MLSs can support their agents through a marketing platform that will ensure they utilize every available tool in the marketplace to be successful.
About Inside Real Estate(SM)
Inside Real Estate(SM), provides online marketing products and consulting services to real estate agents, MLS providers, home sellers, and buyers throughout the United States and Canada. The IRE technology suite includes: customized Web site development, Blogging associated with listings, Twitter, video, email marketing, IDX Home Search, true search engine optimization, user interface guidance, and traditional marketing consulting with our team, all through a simple, automated channel built to suit. The result is the power of marketing delivered simply, six times faster than traditional methods, and with staggering results. Further information about the company can be found at its Web site, located at: http://inside-real-estate.com/professionals/
Inside Real Estate. Real Estate , results delivered.(TM)
SOURCE Inside Real Estate
Inside Real Estate
CONTACT: Melanie D. Thomas, 1-800-656-1646, ext. 5322, mthomas@inside-real-estate.com, mthomas@capitolcommunications.us, for Inside Real Estate
YouSendIt Supports Worldwide Customer Growth for Cloud-Based Collaboration Services with Internap's High-Performance IT Infrastructure
Internap provides YouSendIt with customized managed hosting, scalable storage and enterprise IP services
ATLANTA, July 28, 2011 /PRNewswire/ --Internap Network Services Corporation (NASDAQ: INAP), a provider of intelligent IT Infrastructure services, today announced that YouSendIt, Inc., a leader in cloud-based collaboration services, is leveraging Internap's managed hosting, scalable storage and global Performance IP(TM) network. Internap's IT Infrastructure portfolio delivers the flexibility, capacity and performance requirements needed to meet the demands of YouSendIt's rapidly growing customer base.
YouSendIt provides a Software-as-a-Service (SaaS)-based collaboration solution to more than 20 million registered users worldwide. The massive growth in collaborative applications - expected to reach $14 billion by 2015, according to research firm IDC - is fueling YouSendIt's momentum, driving more than one million new registered users each month. Seeking a highly flexible and customized solution that better supports its evolving global infrastructure needs, YouSendIt recently switched its European data center operations to Internap.
"We chose Internap because of its unique ability to offer the complete, holistic IT Infrastructure package that we were looking for, which balances flexibility, superior support and cost effectiveness," said Paul Massie, senior director of operations and IT at YouSendIt. "With Internap, we have the necessary control over our infrastructure and the ability to quickly scale that infrastructure as our business grows. This flexibility is backed by the performance and high reliability our users demand."
YouSendIt is using Internap's managed hosting solution and route-optimized Performance IP network to maintain data for its European customers and meet file transfer performance requirements for users across Europe. Additionally, YouSendIt is using Internap's highly-scalable storage solution to support its new cloud collaboration service, announced earlier this week. Internap's storage solution provides flexible, elastic storage that can easily expand with YouSendIt's capacity needs.
"As global solution providers rapidly expand their businesses and services, their needs are becoming broader and more complex," said John Freimuth, vice president of business development and hosting at Internap. "Organizations like YouSendIt are turning to Internap based on our ability to offer a full range of IT platforms to meet their current and future needs, underpinned by high-performance connectivity solutions that deliver best performance to their end users."
Internap's enterprise IT Infrastructure offering includes secure, scalable colocation, managed hosting and cloud services with advanced monitoring and 24/7 live customer support. Customers can also access Internap's Performance IP network, Accelerated IP (XIP(TM)) service and Content Delivery Network (CDN) from its worldwide locations. Performance IP uses patented Managed Internet Route Optimizer(TM) (MIRO) technology to analyze network performance characteristics, resulting in intelligent, optimized and highly reliable delivery of customer content, applications and communications throughout the world.
Internap provides intelligent IT Infrastructure services that enable our customers to focus on their core business, improve service levels and lower the cost of IT operations. Our enterprise IP, CDN, colocation, managed hosting and cloud solutions are differentiated by unparalleled levels of performance, availability and support. Since 1996, thousands of businesses have entrusted Internap with the delivery and protection of their online applications. Transform your IT infrastructure into a competitive advantage with IT IQ from Internap. For more information, visit http://www.internap.com/, our blog at http://www.internap.com/blog, or follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/internap.
About YouSendIt
YouSendIt, Inc. is the first cloud collaboration service to offer an integrated approach for sending, sharing and signing documents online. With over 20 million registered users in 193 countries, YouSendIt helps enterprises and business professionals streamline collaboration by enabling them to instantly sync and access content in the cloud and easily send files, share folders, and sign documents from anywhere--the desktop, Web or mobile devices. YouSendIt offers a suite of productivity tools that integrate seamlessly into common desktop and mobile environments. With YouSendIt, companies can alleviate ever-expanding email inboxes and overages, improving performance and productivity while reducing costs and IT security risks. Headquartered in Campbell, Calif., YouSendIt is a privately held company backed by venture capital firms Adams Street Partners, Alloy Ventures, Emergence Capital, Sevin Rosen and Sigma Partners. Visit http://www.yousendit.com or the YouSendIt Blog for more information.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements include statements related to the features, functionality and performance of our products and services, and the benefits our customers are expected to receive from them. Because such statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks and uncertainties, there are important factors that could cause our actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. These factors include the actual performance of our products and services; our ability to respond successfully to technological change; the availability of services from Internet network service providers or network service providers providing network access loops and local loops on favorable terms, or at all; failure of third party suppliers to deliver their products and services on favorable terms, or at all; failures in our network operations centers, data centers, network access points or computer systems; our ability to provide or improve Internet infrastructure services to our customers; and our ability to protect our intellectual property, as well as other factors discussed in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Given these risks and uncertainties, investors should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements as a prediction of actual results. We undertake no obligation to update, amend or clarify any forward-looking statement for any reason.
Actions Semiconductor Expands Product Offering with the Introduction of New Series 70 Android MID Products
ZHUHAI, China, July 28, 2011 /PRNewswire-Asia/ -- Actions Semiconductor Co., Ltd. (Nasdaq: ACTS), one of China's leading fabless semiconductor companies that provides comprehensive mixed-signal system-on-a-chip (SoC) and multimedia digital signal processing (DSP) solutions for portable consumer electronics, today announced the introduction of its new Series 70 product family to address the fast growing Android based smart handheld device market (e.g. mobile internet device (MID) and intelligent portable media player (iPMP)). Following a successful sampling program, the new Series 70 product family has been adopted by top tier Chinese brand name customers, with volume production scheduled to begin in August.
With this latest product introduction, Actions is bringing a compelling product offering to the internet-accessible smart handheld device (such as MID and iPMP) market. With the 720P (1280*720 pixel) video engine, built-in HDMI Transmitter (HDMI Tx) and Android 2.2 (Froyo) support, Series 70 allows the user to enjoy a variety of high definition content on a portable device or through television. The support of embedded WiFi or external 3G connectivity and Android Froyo operating system, provides users mobile internet capabilities such as internet browsing, streaming video and instant messenger (IM) on the go. The abundant Android application available today also offers rich sources to extend its applications such as game, eReader, and streaming entertainment. The first two members of the Series 70 family, available now for market, are ATM7001c focused on compact design to support touch panels of 4.3 inches or below, and ATM7001 on five to seven inch LCD touch panels. Series 70 enables a superior performance to cost ratio for Android based smart handheld applications.
"As always, our goal is to create a powerful platform with differentiated features and cost-efficient total solution," stated Mr. Niccolo Chen, CEO of Actions Semiconductor. "With the Android 2.2 support, our customers can easily turn the Series 70 platform to a PMP, Game console, eReader or MID. In addition to the embedded power management unit (PMU) and HDMI Tx, the Series 70 product family also supports DDR2 memory and the latest TLC NAND Flash under 40-bit ECC architecture to achieve the best cost structure at the system level. With its competitive advantages, Series 70 has captured interests from both China-based and international customers."
About Actions Semiconductor
Actions Semiconductor is one of China's leading fabless semiconductor companies that provides mixed-signal and multimedia SoC solutions for portable consumer electronics. Actions Semiconductor products include SoCs, firmware, software, solution development kits, as well as detailed specifications of other required components and the providers of those components. Actions Semiconductor also provides total product and technology solutions that allow customers to quickly introduce new portable consumer electronics to the mass market in a cost effective way. The company is headquartered in Zhuhai, China, with offices in Beijing, Shanghai, and Shenzhen. For more information, please visit the Actions Semiconductor website at http://www.actions-semi.com.
"Safe Harbor" Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995
Statements contained in this release that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements, as that term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements include statements concerning signs of positive indicators in the industry for next year, growth in the market driven by continued proliferation of applications within the PMP market and incremental rebound of overall demand for these products, Actions Semiconductor's belief that it is positioned to capture some upside from these trends, and Actions Semiconductor's future expectations with respect to revenue, gross margin, operating expenses and share-based compensation expense. Actions Semiconductor uses words like "believe," "anticipate," "intend," "estimate," "expect," "project" and similar expressions to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain these words. These forward-looking statements are estimates reflecting current assumptions, expectations and projections about future events and involve significant risks, both known and unknown, uncertainties and other factors that may cause Actions Semiconductor's actual performance, financial condition or results of operations to be materially different from those suggested by the forward-looking statements including, among others, customers' cancellation or modification of their orders; our failure to accurately forecast demand for our products; the loss of, or a significant reduction in orders from, any of our significant customers; fluctuations in our operating results; our inability to develop and sell new products; defects in or failures of our products; the expense and uncertainty involved in our customer design-win efforts; the financial viability of the distributors of our products; consumer demand; worldwide economic and political conditions; fluctuations in our costs to manufacture our products; our reliance on third parties to manufacture, test, assemble and ship our products; our ability to retain and attract key personnel; our ability to compete with our competitors; and our ability to protect our intellectual property rights and not infringe the intellectual property rights of others. Other factors that may cause our actual results to differ from those set forth in the forward-looking statements contained in this press release and that may affect our prospects in general are described in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including our most recently filed Forms F-1, 20-F and 6-Ks. Other unknown or unpredictable factors also could have material adverse effects on Actions Semiconductor's future results, performance or achievements. In light of these risks, uncertainties, assumptions and factors, the forward-looking events discussed in this press release may not occur. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date stated, or if no date is stated, as of the date of this press release. Except as required by law, Actions Semiconductor undertakes no obligation and does not intend to update or revise any forward-looking statement to reflect subsequent events or changed assumptions or circumstances.
Investor Contacts:
Lisa Laukkanen Edward Chen
Investor Relations at Actions
The Blueshirt Group Semiconductor
lisa@blueshirtgroup.com edward@actions-semi.com
415-217-4967 +86-756-3392353*1110
Program Designed to Reward Bloggers and Publishers Whose Users Capture and Save Information for Later in their Catch Notes Lifestream
SAN FRANCISCO, July 28, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Catch.com, creator of Catch Notes, the easiest way to capture all the important ideas, sights and sounds of your life into topical streams, announced today the Catch Affiliate Program.
The Affiliate Program is designed to reward bloggers and publishers when they refer users to Catch.com. In addition to offering traditional ad banners to attract referrals, Catch provides its affiliates with a Catch Clipper button that can be embedded into the site so visitors can capture and save information into their individual Catch Notes lifestreams. When a reader signs up for a Catch Notes account, the referring affiliate gets credit, and if within a year the reader upgrades to Catch Pro the referring Website will make money by receiving the first $10 of revenue.
"Our goal is to offer website owners and bloggers a unique opportunity to provide value for their readers, increasing stickiness and loyalty to their sites, while also providing a mechanism to share in the business," said Steve Brown, CEO of Catch.com. "By providing the Catch Clipper in addition to traditional banners, our partner sites have flexibility in deciding how to refer people to Catch."
Participants in the Catch Affiliate Program will receive the following:
-- A Catch Clipper button allowing Website visitors to capture articles and
information right into their Catch Notes stream to read it later
-- A referral code that will alert Catch that a new user was referred
-- A monthly report that shows how many new users were referred and the
number of referrals who subscribed to Catch Pro
-- Marketing materials and promotions
Catch Notes, available on the Web as well as leading smartphones and tablets, provides a private stream of intersecting ideas, experiences, places and information that are captured via text, images and audio. All can be synced in the cloud for free via a secure, encrypted connection to Catch.com. Users can choose to share content on Facebook, Twitter or via email.
For more information about joining the Affiliate Program and hosting the Catch Clipper button, simply visit https://catch.com/learn-more/affiliate/ and complete the form.
Pricing and Availability
Catch Notes is available for free on the Android Market for Android smartphones and tablets. Catch Notes is also available in the Apple App Store for the iPhone and iPad. A premium subscription service, Catch Pro, is available for power users for $5 a month or $45 a year. For more information on Catch Notes and pricing, please visit https://catch.com.
About Catch.com
Catch.com is a leader in developing mobile and web-based applications for personal information capture for both Android and iOS devices. Catch.com applications make it simple to capture, organize and share information and keep it synchronized across devices in the cloud. Numerous leading smartphone applications integrate with Catch.com. For more information, please visit http://www.catch.com.
Catch.com and Catch Notes are trademarks of Catch.com, Inc. All other registered or unregistered trademarks are the sole property of their respective owners.
Program Contact: affiliate@catch.com
Media Contact: Katie Camacho FortyThree, Inc. 831.401.3175 catch@43pr.com
The Luxury Online Destination Pursuitist.com Officially Launches
- Pursuitist is a destination site that curates the good things in life
- Contributors have written for The Wall Street Journal, TechCrunch, Conde Nast Traveler, Forbes, Mashable and Saveur
- Upcoming functionality will include community reviews, luxury ranking and on-the-go recommendations with the Pursuitist iPhone App
- Advertising managed by Halogen Media Group, with initial advertisers including BMW, Coach and Burberry
NEW YORK, July 28, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Pursuitist, the premier luxury lifestyle website, officially launches with acclaimed writers sharing their favorite travel destinations, restaurants, events, experiences and luxury brands at: http://pursuitist.com
"Pursuitist is luxury redefined. It's about finding and sharing the good things in life. To inspire, educate and be relevant. Pursuitists are ahead of the curve and authentic," said Christopher Parr, CEO and Publisher of Pursuitist.
Contributors sharing their favorite luxuries include Paul Carr (The Guardian, TechCrunch), Gretchen Kelly (Wall Street Journal, New York Post), Erica Swallow (Mashable, CosmoGirl.com), Carrie Coolidge (Luxist, Forbes), Shandana Durrani (Conde Nast Traveler, Glamour) and Leila Cohan-Miccio (Saveur).
International writers include Holly Boyle from London and Vilte S. Holstad from Paris, capturing the excitement and pulse of fashion, art and life in these vibrant cities.
Christopher Parr, CEO and Publisher of Pursuitist, is an award-winning 10-year luxury online marketing veteran, a frequent speaker at luxury and interactive marketing conferences and a pioneer in web publishing. In 1996, Michael Wolff's NetGuide named Parr's inaugural online magazine as "The Best Site of the Year" at MacWorld.
"Bringing on world class content producers exemplifies Pursuitist's understanding of influencer media and the importance of providing brand advertisers with an environment where they can interact with consumers alongside relevant content. We're thrilled to bring branded content from the world's best brands to Pursuitist and its loyal readers," said Greg Shove, CEO of Halogen Media Group.
Luxury fashion brands featured in editorial include Prada, Louis Vuitton, Dolce & Gabbana, Hermes, Gucci, Versace, Alexander McQueen, Chanel, Dior, Fendi and Roberto Cavalli.
The editors highlight incredible luxury destinations, including Four Seasons Hotel and Resorts, Ritz-Carlton Hotels, Disneyworld's Grand Floridian, InterContinental Resorts, Conrad Hotels, The Plaza and the Waldorf Astoria. Bentley, BMW, Lexus, Bugatti, Porsche, Rolls-Royce, Audi, Lamborghini, Jaguar and Mercedes-Benz are a few of the luxury auto brands that are covered on the site.
Upcoming functionality to the site will include community reviews, luxury ranking, flash sales, Facebook integration and on-the-go recommendations with the Pursuitist iPhone App.
WASHINGTON, July 28, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Futbol Club (FC) Barcelona,FC Barcelona Foundation, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation kicked off a three-year partnership today to energize the global fight to end polio and draw attention to the promise of life-saving vaccines. Bill Gates, co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, along with FC Barcelona President Sandro Rosell and Manager Josep Guardiola, announced the partnership at the Newseum in Washington, DC. They were joined by players Andres Iniesta and Seydou Keita.
The first year of the partnership will focus on polio eradication. Polio has been reduced globally by 99 percent and is one of the best examples of the value of life-saving vaccines. The disease once crippled children worldwide, but there are now just four countries--Nigeria, India, Pakistan, and Afghanistan--where polio transmission has never been stopped.
"We have the chance to score a big win against polio, but we need loud and passionate voices to join the fight," said Gates. "FC Barcelona's commitment to using sport for social good will help us rally support for vaccines and end polio once and for all."
FC Barcelona - with 18 million Facebook fans and multiple Twitter channels with millions of followers - will engage its followers through social media. In-stadium advertisements and announcements during matches will highlight the tremendous opportunity the world has to end polio and save millions of lives through childhood vaccination. Fans will be encouraged to join the team in the effort to eradicate only the second disease in history. The partnership will use the tagline "More than a Goal. End Polio," a play on FC Barcelona's tagline, "More than a Club."
"Sport is an effective way to reach children and youth, and we have found that it can be used to benefit the health of people worldwide," said Rosell. "Our partnership with the Gates Foundation underscores our long-standing commitment to making the world a better place."
"Just as football is a universal sport with the power to transform lives, vaccines are a universal tool with the power to save lives. Fans know that FC Barcelona is more than a club, and ending polio is more than a goal. When fans yell 'Finish it!', it can be very powerful. We'd like to take that same energy and help finish polio once and for all," said Guardiola.
The partnership allows the Gates Foundation to use images and video of the FC Barcelona team to support awareness efforts. The two parties will use their own financial resources to fund marketing and promotional activities and will not be compensated for their partnership efforts.
FC Barcelona is widely known as the most socially committed club in the world, transmitting on-the-field excellence to off-the-field social projects. It uses the power of sports to reach children and youth with messages about health. It has been committed to social issues for more than 100 years, working with numerous partners to help improve the lives of children worldwide. For example, FC Barcelona provides 0.7% of its revenue to its foundation and has a global alliance with UNICEF.
Futbol Club Barcelona is a football club founded in 1899 by Joan Gamper. In its 100 years of history, Barca has become "Mes que un club" both in the Catalan society and all over the world. Barca approaches the world from its sporting and social excellence, its catalanity and international projection, being a global reference for millions of fans.
The foundation's mission is to promote a social model by developing support, educational and cultural initiatives (alone and in collaboration with the UN) that allow the consolidation of Barca's social commitment as "more than a club" in Catalonia, Spain and the world.
The Global Polio Eradication Initiative
Since 1988, more than 20 million volunteers have supported the Global Polio Eradication Initiative in its goal to end polio worldwide. The Global Polio Eradication Initiative is a public-private partnership led by national governments and spearheaded by the World Health Organization (WHO), Rotary International, UNICEF, and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
Guided by the belief that every life has equal value, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation works to help all people lead healthy, productive lives. In developing countries, it focuses on improving people's health and giving them the chance to lift themselves out of hunger and extreme poverty. In the United States, it seeks to ensure that all people--especially those with the fewest resources--have access to the opportunities they need to succeed in school and life. Based in Seattle, Washington, the foundation is led by CEO Jeff Raikes and Co-chair William H. Gates Sr., under the direction of Bill and Melinda Gates and Warren Buffett.
Una Vez Mas Announces Planned Acquisition of KFTY-TV Serving the Bay Area
DALLAS, July 28, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Una Vez Mas, LP, ("UVM") the largest affiliate group of the Azteca America television network announced that it has entered into an agreement with High Plains Broadcasting, Inc. and Newport Television, LLC for the acquisition of KFTY, Channel 50, Santa Rosa, California. In addition to Santa Rosa, KFTY serves the San Francisco, Oakland and San Jose markets and is carried on Comcast Channel 31 and DirecTV and Dish Channel 50 throughout. Upon consummation of the transaction, KFTY will become an Azteca America affiliate.
"My roots are in the Bay Area and my father owned one of the first Spanish-language television stations there. This is like a homecoming for me." said Terry Crosby, Chairman and CEO of Una Vez Mas. "San Francisco is now the 9th largest Spanish-language television market with more than 390,000 Hispanic households and an ideal place for UVM to expand its footprint."
"Una Vez Mas and Azteca America are committed to working together to better serve our viewers," stated Randy Nonberg, President of UVM. "While this is an existing Azteca America market, it is a new one for UVM. With the improved coverage afforded by KFTY and our years of experience operating Azteca America stations we will be an asset to our community and to our network."
Una Vez Mas was founded in 2002 and is headquartered in Dallas, Texas. In 2006, Una Vez Mas became an Alta Communications portfolio company. UVM owns and operates television stations throughout the United States including Las Vegas (KHDF 19), Phoenix (KPDF 41), San Antonio (KVDF 31), Tucson, (KUDF 14), Santa Barbara (KZDF 8), Atlanta (WUVM 4), Washington, D.C. (WQAW 69) and Tampa (WXAX 26). Una Vez Mas completed its acquisition of full power stations in Dallas (KAZD 55) and Houston (KYAZ 51) in December, 2010. Una Vez Mas seeks to provide the communities it serves with relevant programming that informs, entertains, and inspires.
Azteca America is the alternative choice in broadcast television for Spanish-speaking families residing in the United States. The Azteca America now reaches 89% of the Hispanic households in the U.S., operating in 79 markets nationwide. Wholly-owned by Mexican broadcaster TV Azteca, S.A. de C.V, Azteca America has access to the best programming from TV Azteca's three national networks including a library with over 200,000 hours of original programming and news from local bureaus throughout Mexico.
Application for regulatory approval for the acquisition of KFTY will be filed immediately with the Federal Communications Commission. It is anticipated that the transaction will be consummated within 90 days.
Una Vez Mas Media Contact:
Randy E. Nonberg, President
Office: 214-754-7008
E-mail: randynonberg@uvmtv.com
Guide to the Ancient City Offers Contemporary Insight for First-Time and Frequent Visitors
MEXICO CITY, July 28, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- One of the world's largest metropolitan spaces is now easier to maneuver with the launch of the StyleMap Mexico City application, now available to download for free at the iTunes store. The newly released app invites travelers to get a feel for Mexico City before boarding the plane and be fully prepared to live like a local upon arriving to the dynamic city.
Whether a veteran or novice traveler, the StyleMap Mexico City app is the quintessential guide to navigating the third largest city in the world. The user-friendly interface empowers travelers with insider guides to Mexico City's neighborhoods, restaurants, hotels, art galleries, boutique shopping and museums. The app is compatible with the iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad and requires iOS 3.1.3 or later.
"This is the most comprehensive and functional Mexico City app to launch and we are excited about the opportunities it will afford our visitors," said Marcelo Ebrard, mayor of Mexico City. "The app allows travelers to utilize accessible, insider guides to our exceptional city, highlighting our vibrant culinary, fashion, architectural and entertainment scenes."
Created for the universal traveler, the app includes suggestions such as:
-- Exploring Mexico City's cultural and art-influenced history at Casa
Lamm, a cultural center and public art gallery located in the colonial
Roma neighborhood.
-- Shopping along The Presidente Masaryk Stip in Polanco, often compared to
New York City's Fifth Avenue or Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills.
-- Grabbing a cool drink and listening to live local music at the charming
T Gallery lounge in the Condesa neighborhood.
Mexico City is the country's premier tourism destination, welcoming more than 12 million visitors a year. The ancient capital presents a vibrant, contemporary culture combining pre-Hispanic, colonial and modern influences that span nearly seven centuries. With 160 museums (more than any other city in the world), 31 distinct archeological and historic sites, as well as 100 art galleries, the city's tourism industry is enhanced with the support of the Mexico City Tourism Promotion Fund (Fondo Mixto de Promocion Turistica del Distrito Federal). This government entity works with industry partners to attract both leisure and business travelers by implementing the use of dedicated public- and private-sector funds. For more information, please visit http://www.mexicocityexperience.com, download the free StyleMap Mexico City app, and for daily updates, please friend/follow us on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/MexicoCityExperience) and Twitter (@MexicoCity).
Media Contacts:
Celia de la Llama Gina Anderson
212.445.8240 212.445.8110
cdelallama@webershandwick.com ganderson@webershandwick.com
New Cell Sites Helps Fresno, California, Residents and Visitors Make More Calls, Download More Apps and Stay Connected
WALNUT CREEK, Calif., July 28, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Calling, downloading apps and surfing the web on the Verizon Wireless 3G network is now easier and faster for residents and travelers thanks to two new cell sites in Fresno, California. The sites expand 3G wireless coverage and capacity on Brawley and Shaw Avenue, and 1st Street and Belmont Avenue.
Verizon Wireless has invested more than $5.7 billion in its California network since being founded in 2000. Nationally, the company has invested more than $65 billion over that same period to increase the coverage and capacity of its network, and to add new services.
In Northern California, the Verizon Wireless 4G LTE network covers more than five million people. In the San Francisco Bay Area, 4G LTE coverage extends south to San Jose and east to Oakland. In addition, Verizon's 4G LTE footprint recently expanded in the Bay Area to include parts of Marin and Solano Counties, as well as Fresno and Sacramento. For more information, please visit: http://www.verizonwireless.com/4G.
Verizon Wireless on Twitter
To stay up-to-date on Verizon Wireless news in Northern California, Northern Nevada and Hawai'i, follow @VZWheidi on Twitter at http://twitter.com/VZWheidi.
For the latest network-related news, information and upgrades follow @VZWNetwork on Twitter at http://twitter.com/VZWNetwork.
About Verizon Wireless
Verizon Wireless operates the nation's fastest, most advanced 4G network and largest, most reliable 3G network. The company serves 106.3 million total wireless connections, including 89.7 million retail customers. Headquartered in Basking Ridge, N.J., with 83,000 employees nationwide, Verizon Wireless is a joint venture of Verizon Communications (NYSE, NASDAQ: VZ) and Vodafone (LSE, NASDAQ: VOD). For more information, visit http://www.verizonwireless.com. To preview and request broadcast-quality video footage and high-resolution stills of Verizon Wireless operations, log on to the Verizon Wireless Multimedia Library at http://www.verizonwireless.com/multimedia.
SOURCE Verizon Wireless
Verizon Wireless
CONTACT: Heidi Flato of Verizon Wireless, +1-925-279-6545, Heidi.Flato@VerizonWireless.com
Eutelsat Powers Up a New Orbital Position to Drive Expansion in High Growth Markets
PARIS, July 28, 2011/PRNewswire-FirstCall/ --
Eutelsat Communications (Euronext Paris: ETL) today announced that it is
expanding its commercial response to high-growth video, data, telecom and
broadband markets with the opening of business at the 3degree(s) East
orbital position. To support further long-term expansion, Eutelsat has
selected Astrium to build a tri-band satellite, which will increase and
diversify its resources for markets in Africa, the Middle East, Central Asia
and South America. Called Eutelsat 3B, the satellite will operate in C, Ku
and Ka-bands and be launched in early 2014.
In advance of Eutelsat 3B, resources on a satellite now called Eutelsat
3A were deployed this month to 3degree(s) East. This capacity is able to
deliver users powerful coverage of Europe and North Africa for services that
include GSM backhaul, data networks, IP backbone connectivity and maritime
applications.
To complement Eutelsat's capacity portfolio and geographic reach, the
Eutelsat 3B satellite will add resources in three frequency bands connected
to fixed and steerable antennas for maximum flexibility. With a single
platform assembling Ku, C and Ka transponders, users will be able to select
the most relevant frequency band for different types of service. Ku and
C-band capacity will further consolidate Eutelsat's response to broadcast
and data markets that represent the two most dynamic applications in the
Fixed Satellite Services sector. High throughput beams in the Ka-band, that
will be individually steerable to regional and national markets and operated
with scalable allocation of power and spectrum, will in addition support
innovative applications in bandwidth-demanding markets.
Commenting on Eutelsat's new programme, Michel de Rosen, Eutelsat CEO,
said. "By opening a new orbital position for business now with Eutelsat 3A,
and securing varied and highly flexible capacity for the future with
Eutelsat 3B, we are adding a new layer of diversity to the resources we can
provide to multiple markets with long-term growth potential. This is an
exciting step forward for Eutelsat. It underscores our commitment to
pursuing an active investment strategy in innovative satellite programmes in
order to win and retain the confidence of customers operating in
differentiated and vibrant markets."
Up to 51 transponders on Eutelsat 3B will be configured as follows:
- A Ku-band payload of up to 30 transponders will be connected
to widebeam footprints over extended Europe and East Africa. A steerable
beam will add further flexibility, with coverage possible of South
America or African regions. This capacity will address video
contribution, corporate networks, data and telecom markets.
- A C-band payload with 12 transponders connected to a pan-African
beam will respond to continued high demand for capacity for telecom
services.
- A Ka-band payload of nine transponders connected to steerable
beams that are in particular expected to cover Africa and South America
will meet expanding connectivity requirements for corporate networks and
Internet access.
The Eutelsat 3B satellite will be based on the Astrium Eurostar 3000
platform. Weighing 6 tonnes at launch, the satellite will be designed with
15 year life expectancy. The investment required for this programme is
included in Eutelsat's capital expenditure outlook for the period July 1,
2011 to June 30, 2014.
Image available on request
About Eutelsat Communications
Eutelsat Communications (Euronext Paris: ETL, ISIN code: FR0010221234)
is the holding company of Eutelsat S.A.. With capacity commercialised on 27
satellites that provide coverage over the entire European continent, as well
as the Middle East, Africa, India and significant parts of Asia and the
Americas, Eutelsat is one of the world's three leading satellite operators
in terms of revenues. At 30 June 2011, Eutelsat's satellites were
broadcasting more than 3,800 television channels. More than 1,100 channels
broadcast via its HOT BIRD(TM) video neighbourhood at 13 degrees East which
serves over 120 million cable and satellite homes in Europe, the Middle East
and North Africa. The Group's satellites also serve a wide range of fixed
and mobile telecommunications services, TV contribution markets, corporate
networks, and broadband markets for Internet Service Providers and for
transport, maritime and in-flight markets. Eutelsat's broadband subsidiary,
Skylogic, markets and operates access to high speed internet services
through teleports in France and Italy that serve enterprises, local
communities, government agencies and aid organisations in Europe, Africa,
Asia and the Americas. Headquartered in Paris, Eutelsat and its subsidiaries
employ just over 700 commercial, technical and operational employees from 30
countries.
New Cell Site Helps Dublin, California, Residents and Visitors Make More Calls, Download More Apps and Stay Connected
WALNUT CREEK, Calif.,July 28, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Calling, downloading apps and surfing the web on the Verizon Wireless 3G network is now easier and faster for residents and travelers in the San Francisco Bay Area thanks to a new cell site in Dublin, California. The site expands 3G wireless coverage and capacity north along Amador Valley Boulevard, Dougherty Road and 12th Street in Camp Parks south on Owens and Willow Drive, east to Hacienda Drive and Highway 680 and west to Hopyard Road and Highway 680.
Verizon Wireless has invested more than $5.7 billion in its California network since being founded in 2000. Nationally, the company has invested more than $65 billion over that same period to increase the coverage and capacity of its network, and to add new services.
In Northern California, the Verizon Wireless 4G LTE network covers more than five million people. In the San Francisco Bay Area, 4G LTE coverage extends south to San Jose and east to Oakland. In addition, Verizon's 4G LTE footprint recently expanded in the Bay Area to include parts of Marin and Solano Counties, as well as Fresno and Sacramento. For more information, please visit: http://www.verizonwireless.com/4G.
Verizon Wireless on Twitter
To stay up-to-date on Verizon Wireless news in Northern California, Northern Nevada and Hawai'i, follow @VZWheidi on Twitter at http://twitter.com/VZWheidi.
For the latest network-related news, information and upgrades follow @VZWNetwork on Twitter at http://twitter.com/VZWNetwork.
About Verizon Wireless
Verizon Wireless operates the nation's fastest, most advanced 4G network and largest, most reliable 3G network. The company serves 106.3 million total wireless connections, including 89.7 million retail customers. Headquartered in Basking Ridge, N.J., with 83,000 employees nationwide, Verizon Wireless is a joint venture of Verizon Communications (NYSE, NASDAQ: VZ) and Vodafone (LSE, NASDAQ: VOD). For more information, visit http://www.verizonwireless.com. To preview and request broadcast-quality video footage and high-resolution stills of Verizon Wireless operations, log on to the Verizon Wireless Multimedia Library at http://www.verizonwireless.com/multimedia.
SOURCE Verizon Wireless
Verizon Wireless
CONTACT: Heidi Flato of Verizon Wireless, +1-925-279-6545, Heidi.Flato@VerizonWireless.com
New Cell Site Helps Los Altos, California, Residents and Visitors Make More Calls, Download More Apps and Stay Connected
WALNUT CREEK, Calif., July 28, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Calling, downloading apps and surfing the web on the Verizon Wireless 3G network is now easier and faster for residents and travelers in the San Francisco Bay Area, thanks to a new cell site that expands 3G coverage and capacity in Los Altos, California. The site expands 3G wireless coverage and capacity along West Fremont Boulevard.
Verizon Wireless has invested more than $5.7 billion in its California network since being founded in 2000. Nationally, the company has invested more than $65 billion over that same period to increase the coverage and capacity of its network, and to add new services.
In Northern California, the Verizon Wireless 4G LTE network covers more than five million people. In the San Francisco Bay Area, 4G LTE coverage extends south to San Jose and east to Oakland. In addition, Verizon's 4G LTE footprint recently expanded in the Bay Area to include parts of Marin and Solano Counties, as well as Fresno and Sacramento. For more information, please visit: http://www.verizonwireless.com/4G.
Verizon Wireless on Twitter
To stay up-to-date on Verizon Wireless news in Northern California, Northern Nevada and Hawai'i, follow @VZWheidi on Twitter at http://twitter.com/VZWheidi.
For the latest network-related news, information and upgrades follow @VZWNetwork on Twitter at http://twitter.com/VZWNetwork.
About Verizon Wireless
Verizon Wireless operates the nation's fastest, most advanced 4G network and largest, most reliable 3G network. The company serves 106.3 million total wireless connections, including 89.7 million retail customers. Headquartered in Basking Ridge, N.J., with 83,000 employees nationwide, Verizon Wireless is a joint venture of Verizon Communications (NYSE, NASDAQ: VZ) and Vodafone (LSE, NASDAQ: VOD). For more information, visit http://www.verizonwireless.com. To preview and request broadcast-quality video footage and high-resolution stills of Verizon Wireless operations, log on to the Verizon Wireless Multimedia Library at http://www.verizonwireless.com/multimedia.
SOURCE Verizon Wireless
Verizon Wireless
CONTACT: Heidi Flato of Verizon Wireless, +1-925-279-6545, Heidi.Flato@VerizonWireless.com
Nova Measuring Instruments to Present at the Oppenheimer 14th Annual Technology Conference in Boston on August 9, 2011
Company Presentation Will be at 4:35pm
REHOVOT, Israel, July 28, 2011/PRNewswire-FirstCall/ --
Nova Measuring Instruments Ltd. (NASDAQ: NVMI), provider of leading-edge
stand-alone metrology and the market leader of integrated metrology
solutions to the semiconductor process control market, today announced that
its President and CEO, Mr. Gabi Seligsohn and Chief Financial Officer, Mr.
Dror David, will both be present at the Oppenheimer 14th Annual Technology
Conference.
The conference will be taking place at the Four Seasons Hotel in Boston.
Mr. Seligsohn, Nova's President and CEO, is scheduled to present in the
Winthrop Room at 4:35pm Eastern Time on Tuesday, August 9, 2011. The
conference will be simultaneously webcast, and can be accessible from a link
on Nova's website.
At the conference there will be an opportunity for investors to meet
one-on-one with management. Interested investors should contact the
conference organizers or the Investor Relations team at Nova.
About Nova: Nova Measuring Instruments Ltd. develops, produces and
markets advanced integrated and stand alone metrology solutions for the
semiconductor manufacturing industry. Nova is traded on the NASDAQ & TASE
under the symbol NVMI. The Company's website is http://www.nova.co.il.
Company Contact:
Dror David, Chief Financial Officer
Nova Measuring Instruments Ltd.
Tel: +972-8-938-7505
E-mail: info@nova.co.il http://www.nova.co.il