Hot new price on Samsung Galaxy Tab and great deals on other gifts under $100
FORT WORTH, Texas, Nov. 18, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- Black Friday will be "Shack Friday" at RadioShack®, but you don't need to wait another week for great prices. RadioShack announced today that select deals will start five days earlier online and in stores at more than 4,600 store locations nationwide to help customers in their quest to become "Holiday Heroes."
The holiday season can be a time of increased stress as already busy schedules are pushed to the limit. For many, the thought of waking up early to hit the stores before sunrise on "Black Friday" adds additional pressure. This year, instead of spending the early hours of Nov. 26 fighting the rush, let The Shack help with your gift list by offering early deals on select items between Sunday, Nov. 21, and Wednesday, Nov. 24.
"No matter who you are shopping for, The Shack has a product, price and nearby location to purchase the gift that will make you a hero," said Scott Young, executive vice president and chief merchandising officer for RadioShack Corp. "By offering hot prices ahead of Shack Friday, we have tried to ease the frustration of holiday shopping this season."
Customers can go to http://www.radioshack.com or any nearby location to take advantage of these early offers. Here are six ways to become a Holiday Hero at The Shack:
-- Give an exciting on-the-move digital experience with the Samsung Galaxy
Tab from Sprint, available at select stores for $349.99 (Reg. $399.99)
after $50 instant savings with new two-year Sprint agreement on tablet
plan starting at $29.99 per month. This Android-powered tablet makes
entertainment on the go light and portable with features like Daily
Briefing, optional Mobile Hotspot, an expandable memory, Allshare DLNA
Technology for sharing photos and video, and 4,000-mAh battery.
-- Give a full-featured phone with the Boost Motorola Clutch(TM) i465,
available for $39.99 (Reg. $79.99). The i465 from Motorola goes far
beyond calling, with features like the Chirp® walkie-talkie,
Bluetooth® capability, wireless Web access and a full-QWERTY keyboard
that makes it easier to send text messages in a hurry.
-- Sign up for a qualifying DISH Network two-year service plan and get $100
off select 19-inch or larger TVs (in stores only); match this savings
with the TV offer below for an exceptional deal. The AUVIO(TM) 19-inch
LCD HDTV, available for $99.99 (Reg. $199.99), delivers a vibrant HD
picture that fits virtually anywhere in your home and doubles as a PC
monitor. The built-in HDTV processor receives HD signals from a
satellite receiver or cable box, over-the-air antenna or any other HD
source. Crisp, clear 1366x768 resolution offers outstanding HD image
quality and a variety of input options, including HDMI®, ensures
hassle-free connection to your entertainment components. (Available at
select store locations only, quantities are limited.)
-- Get a TV for the pocket with the AUVIO® 3.5-inch Pocket TV, available
for $69.99 (Reg. $99.99). This 3.5-inch LCD high-resolution screen gives
you an exceptional viewing experience in a portable unit. It's
lightweight and portable with a built-in ATSC/NTSC tuner so you can
watch your favorite digital TV broadcasts. And, it has an easy-to-use
on-screen display menu that provides simple navigation.
-- The Garmin® nuvi® 1300, available for $99.99 (Reg. $169.99), makes it
hard to get lost. The nuvi 1300 from Garmin is a feature-rich navigation
system with 4.3-inch screen, optional MSN® Direct and the ecoRoute(TM)
feature that helps you find the most fuel-efficient route to your
destination.
Most stores are open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 21, and 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. until Nov. 24. On Shack Friday, Nov. 26, most stores are open from 5:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Stores are open for extended holiday hours starting Saturday, Dec. 4. See radioshack.com/locator to find more information about a store near you. Store hours may vary by location.
About RadioShack Corporation
RadioShack (NYSE: RSH) is a leading national retailer of innovative mobile technology products and services, as well as products related to personal and home technology and power supply needs. The Shack® offers consumers a targeted assortment of wireless phones and other electronic products and services from leading national brands, exclusive private brands and major wireless carriers, all within a comfortable and convenient shopping environment. RadioShack employs approximately 35,000 people globally, including a team of friendly and helpful sales experts who are recognized for delivering the best customer service in the wireless industry. RadioShack's retail network includes approximately 4,680 company-operated stores in the United States and Mexico, more than 940 wireless phone kiosks in the United States, and approximately 1,240 dealer outlets worldwide. For more information on RadioShack Corporation, please visit http://www.radioshackcorporation.com; to purchase items online, please visit http://www.radioshack.com. RadioShack® and The Shack® are registered trademarks licensed by RadioShack Corporation.
3DFusion NO-Glasses 3D Display Technology is Accepted By Industry Experts as Commercially Ready
NEW YORK, Nov. 18, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- (3DFusion Logo) - After a number of public events involving presentations of 3DFusion display technology, Insight Media Analyst Matt Brenneshultz stated in the November 11, 2010 Display Daily publication, "The 3DFusion display is the one I was thinking of when I said Auto Stereoscopic Displays (ASD) were good enough for digital signage."
On Oct. 27th, 2010, 3DFusion participated in the Kagan/Panasonic 3D Media Markets event at the Waldorf Astoria, organized by PK World Media. The event included such industry figures as Jeffrey Katzenberg and John Landau. The overall consensus was that 3D without glasses is 5 to 10 years away.
3DFusion president Steve Blumenthal was on the Roster as a member of the technology panel and surprised the audience by inviting them to visit the 3DFusion business suite, located upstairs in the Waldorf, to experience the picture perfect 3DFMax glasses free 3D ASD, and to see a real time, live 3D stereo camera capture display.
The members of the audience who followed Steve's invitation knew that they had just seen "the future" of 3DTV, 5 to 10 years ahead of time. The conclusion was plain and simple, 3DTV without glasses is here, NOW.
A short 2 weeks later, at its Public Debut, 3DFusion treated two different audiences to its commercially ready glasses free 3D technology. At an invitation of AEG and Island Def Jam Music Group, 3DFusion converted the Bon Jovi music video of "What Do You Got?" into glasses free 3D format. 3DFusion treated the Best Buy Theater Times Square audience of the Bon Jovi concert, to a presentation of the glasses free 3D video on four 3DFusion displays. The audience was stunned.
In the words of Insight Media Analyst Matt Brenneshultz, "I saw the Bon Jovi video images and they looked good. Very good, in fact... I would say if 3DFusion AS-3D is good enough for Bon Jovi fans, it is good enough for football fans and advertisers."
On the same day, at the Customer Engagement Technology World (CETW) trade show at the NY Jacob Javits Center, a totally different audience focused on Digital Signage was exposed to 3DFusion glasses free technology at the Vira booth.
Once again the participants of the show were impressed with the unprecedented clarity of 3D images without glasses. According to Insight Media, "Their (3DFusion) display not only had acceptable resolution and few AS-3D artifacts as you moved around but it had excellent color, brightness and contrast."
And as a New York City Industry publication, Examiner.Com reported on CETW in its Nov 12 issue, "One of the most exciting technologies on display was 3DFusion's remarkable three-dimensional television ... this one did not require special glasses to deliver a highly effective three-dimensional image, which is visible from every angle that a standard 2D flat panel monitor is."
As Ilya Sorokin, CEO of 3DFusion stated, "It took us four years to get here, but we finally showing the world that 3D is not only beautiful and natural but it can be enjoyed without constrains and discomfort of the 3D glasses."
President Stephen Blumenthal added, "Because we can integrate Math Algorithms with the classical 3D optical, left /right stereo pairs, we make the depth element of the image adjustable, just like brightness and contrast on a standard TV. In essence, we have created a new dimension in mastering, interacting, and optimizing the 3d video signal."
Further confirmation came from Daily Variety editor, David Cohen's November 17 article quoting CEO James Carlton of HC 3D and his business partner Charlotte Huggins, producer of "Journey to the Center of the Earth." (3D Movie)
Huggins said: "Without a doubt it's the first glasses-free 3D I've ever seen that completely worked for me," adding that "I have never wanted my HDTV at home to be 3D until (seeing the 3DFusion)."
Carlton said, "I had the same feeling I had when I saw HD for the first time in 2003. If the technology is what it appears to be, it could be groundbreaking."
The unique position of the 3DFusion end to end technology platform is that it addresses all of the aspects of glasses free solutions. The key to the 3DFusion 3DTV platform is its ability to adjust the depth factors of the image, to the taste, comfort and visual preference level of the viewer.
The company is looking for investors and strategic partners to make this technology available for widespread vertical market applications.
CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Nov. 18, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- Wired had it right; the web is dying. OfficeDrop's small business customers have shown a distinct preference for managing their documents in the cloud with downloadable applications - both on the iPad and on their Windows desktops - vs. using their browsers.
That is why we are proud to announce the launch of our Desktop Cloud Connector App. We believe that this will be the best way for small businesses to manage paper in the cloud. The OfficeDrop Desktop Cloud Connector App enables small businesses to quickly scan paper into the cloud and sync it across desktops and employees in their organizations. Everything scanned/uploaded into the system becomes fully text searchable right from the desktop. Because OfficeDrop offers multiuser plans, business owners can allow different users within their company to access only the files and folders that they should see. We also have other organizational tools like folders, labels, sort by dates, etc.
"The evidence is coming in and our customer's preferences are clear," said OfficeDrop CEO Prasad Thammineni. "Since launching our downloadable scan-to-the-cloud desktop scanning software, our customers' usage of the OfficeDrop service has totally changed. In the early months of 2010 well over half the documents put into our online filing system were uploaded via the browser. But last month, our self-scanning software and email document submission have far surpassed the browser. Our small business customers are telling us that they want to interact with cloud data from their desktops and with apps, and our Desktop Cloud Connector solves this problem."
OfficeDrop is a cloud based digital filing system and document scanning service that helps small businesses manage paper and digital documents. OfficeDrop provides tools that sync businesses' desktops and scanners with an online search engine and cloud filing cabinet. The affordable service helps businesses save time and money by enhancing paper based collaboration and workflows, and allows offices to fully utilize their information by bringing paper to digital platforms. Headquartered in Cambridge, MA, OfficeDrop was founded in 2007 and has won awards such as AlwaysOn Global 250 and MITX Technology Awards. For more information, visit http://www.officedrop.com.
Contact:
Healy Jones
Marketing
OfficeDrop
888-674-6493
Colleges & Universities Partner with Blackboard to Streamline Delivery of Millions in Financial Aid
Three Institutions Will Deliver Over $40 Million with BlackboardPay
WASHINGTON, Nov. 18, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- Blackboard Inc. (Nasdaq: BBBB) today announced that three colleges and universities - the first to implement the new BlackboardPay((TM)) prepaid card program - will deliver over $40 million in financial aid to students through the service.
The University of Texas at Tyler (UT Tyler), Georgia Gwinnett College and Jones County Junior College in Mississippi have used BlackboardPay to simplify financial aid and student payroll disbursements while cutting costs and lowering or eliminating student fees.
With BlackboardPay, students have immediate access to their funds rather than waiting for paper check disbursements. Compared to existing financial aid disbursement products or credit cards, BlackboardPay protects students by eliminating overdraft exposure and PIN debit fees while reducing the need for a secondary bank card.
At UT Tyler the Patriot Power Card combines the features of a university ID card with prepaid functionality from the Money Network(®) and Discover(®), enabling students to use a single, integrated card for all campus services. The card does not charge students with transaction fees for accessing their funds, and starting this fall, students could access their financial aid funds through BlackboardPay on the same day they are processed by the institution.
"We're always looking for ways to make students' lives more convenient and with BlackboardPay we've been able to deliver a truly powerful one card solution," said Valerie Perry, Bursar at UT Tyler. "And by producing the card on campus we can provide a high level of service while troubleshooting issues and we can still provide same day refunds to our students."
Students at institutions that participate in the BlackboardPay program can use the prepaid card to make purchases at millions of debit acceptance locations. Additionally, cardholders can withdraw cash at millions of merchant locations and ATMs around the world that bear the Pulse, Allpoint or STAR Network logos, among others. The Allpoint ATM network affords BlackboardPay cardholders the opportunity to conduct surcharge free transactions at over 35,000 ATMs nationwide. Cardholders also have access to courtesy checks that can be used to pay bills.
Students at Georgia Gwinnett College and Jones County Junior College are maximizing the new features of their campus cards by adding direct deposit from their off campus employers or using the account to pay for their prepaid mobile phones. The account gives them free and clear access to their funds by using in-network ATMs and checks or using the card anywhere Discover debit cards are accepted. The funds are also FDIC insured.
"Our students have the advantage of a single card for campus life and now quick and convenient free and clear access to their financial aid refunds," said Candi Smith at Jones County Junior College. "We're pleased to partner with Blackboard to provide our students freedom from transaction or negative balance fees."
"The university leaders we have met with have applauded our student-centric approach to the program, as well as the one-card functionality," said David Marr, President of Blackboard Transact. "Our goal was to provide students with a financially responsible offering that is in their best interests. Together with our partners Discover and First Data, and based on customer and student feedback, we are accomplishing that goal."
Blackboard Inc. (Nasdaq: BBBB) is a global leader in enterprise technology and innovative solutions that improve the experience of millions of students and learners around the world every day. Blackboard's solutions allow thousands of higher education, K-12, professional, corporate, and government organizations to extend teaching and learning online, facilitate campus commerce and security, and communicate more effectively with their communities. Founded in 1997, Blackboard is headquartered in Washington, D.C., with offices in North America, Europe, Asia and Australia.
Any statements in this press release about future expectations, plans and prospects for Blackboard and other statements containing the words "believes," "anticipates," "plans," "expects," "will," and similar expressions, constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Actual results may differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements as a result of various important factors, including the factors discussed in the "Risk Factors" section of our Form 10-Q filed on November 5, 2010 with the SEC. In addition, the forward-looking statements included in this press release represent the Company's views as of November 18, 2010. The Company anticipates that subsequent events and developments will cause the Company's views to change. However, while the Company may elect to update these forward-looking statements at some point in the future, the Company specifically disclaims any obligation to do so. These forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as representing the Company's views as of any date subsequent to November 18, 2010.
SOURCE Blackboard Inc.
Blackboard Inc.
CONTACT: Matt Maurer, Blackboard Inc., +1-202-463-4860 ext. 2637, matthew.maurer@blackboard.com
Medens, IBM and ActiveHealth Management Collaborate to Transform Healthcare in Puerto Rico
Cloud services to put health IT in hands of doctors and improve primary care
ARMONK, N.Y., Nov. 18, 2010 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- In a move that will accelerate the delivery of smarter healthcare throughout Puerto Rico, IBM (NYSE: IBM), ActiveHealth Management and Medens Corporation today announced an agreement to deliver cloud services that will help physicians share and exchange actionable health information in order to make more accurate decisions about patient care.
In Puerto Rico today, less than six percent of physicians use health information technology, and the territory lags behind the rest of the nation in access to patient information, the use of electronic medical records, and the ability to share and analyze health data to improve the health of Puerto Rico's nearly four million citizens.
As a result of the new agreement, Medens Corp. will provide the cloud-based IBM and ActiveHealth Management solution for collaborative care with the cloud-based SOAPware EMR+Practice Management System as the foundation of its own offering called the Medens Cloud. The Medens Cloud provides a suite of services that allows doctors to easily manage all their medical and financial data for a more productive, efficient practice. It also facilitates better exchange of patient information and delivers intelligent clinical decision support to improve patient care. Medens will make this available throughout Puerto Rico to the island's 11,000 physicians.
"The Medens Cloud will not only provide the physicians and patients of Puerto Rico access to important new health information technology, but also the tools to redesign the way they deliver care to support emerging accountable care and patient-centered medical home models," said Orlando Fiallo, president, Medens Corporation. "This is the type of care that will truly transform our healthcare system in Puerto Rico and allow physicians to be reimbursed based on the quality of care, not simply the number of procedures performed."
The solution for collaborative care works by gathering patient health data from multiple sources to create a detailed patient record. It then runs that data through the ActiveHealth CareEngine® and delivers clinical decision support that provides physicians with information to improve patient care. With all healthcare data and IT resources managed in a secure cloud environment, the system will enable the coordination of patient care among teams so doctors, nurses, nurse practitioners, aides, therapists and pharmacists can more easily access, share and address information about patients from a single source. The solution enables patients to keep and view a secure personal health record, communicate with their provider in a secure Web-based portal and via e-mail, as well as stay up to date on their medical history and current medications.
"This partnership enables physicians in Puerto Rico to employ a model of care that helps patients and their care teams to work together to improve health care outcomes," said Gregory Steinberg, M.D., president and CEO of ActiveHealth Management.
The medical home and accountable care models focus on changing how healthcare providers are reimbursed for their services by encouraging collaboration among the patient and their caregivers, and helping patients maintain good health and control chronic illnesses like diabetes and asthma.
For one fixed monthly fee, doctors in Puerto Rico will have access to all the healthcare information technology and services without having to make significant upfront solution investments - avoiding the challenge and cost of updating systems when clinical guidelines or reporting requirements change or when patient loads grow. The Medens Cloud system may allow physicians to qualify for stimulus funds for the adoption and meaningful use of electronic medical records by incorporating the certified SOAPware EMR and practice management software to allow the practice to track charts, charges, payments and adjustments and see the financial status of patient accounts.
"Improving patient care starts with creating a more connected health system and making it easier for caregivers to coordinate around their patients' needs," said Robert Merkel, vice president and healthcare industry leader, IBM Global Business Services. "There is real opportunity to create smarter, more efficient healthcare throughout Puerto Rico and the work underway there is a model for the rest of the nation."
ActiveHealth Management is a leading provider of health management services, including disease management, clinical decision support and personal health records. The company's solutions, all based on its patented CareEngine® System, help individuals receive quality care and help organizations like health plans, employers, providers and health systems and government payers reduce medical costs. More than 19 million people nationwide benefit from ActiveHealth programs. Founded in 1998 and headquartered in New York City, ActiveHealth is an independent subsidiary of Aetna (NYSE: AET). For more information, please visit http://www.activehealth.net.
About Medens
Medens suite of services allows the doctor to lead a care team of qualified support professionals with greater effectiveness and productivity. Through fast and complete access to clinical information, a monitoring system that gives doctors leadership in the management of all the support staff and healthcare services, and the processing of the transactional nature of a patient encounter, medical professionals can focus their time on serving their patients. http://www.medenscloud.com.
Media Contacts:
Holli Haswell, IBM
hhaswell@us.ibm.com
720-396-5485
gtnews iPhone App, Sponsored by Citi, Allows On-the-Move Access to Latest Treasury and Finance News and Thought Leadership
LONDON, November 18, 2010/PRNewswire/ --
gtnews has launched a new iPhone app
(http://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/gtnews/id399010053?mt=8), sponsored by Citi,
which allows treasurers and bankers alike to keep up-to-date with daily news
and credit rating updates and weekly thought leadership content that is
published on gtnews.com (http://www.gtnews.com/default.cfm). Updated
constantly, gtnews for iPhone allows you to customise gtnews to the sections
you want to read, with the full content of the website available wherever you
are in the world.
The gtnews sections that gtnews for iPhone users can customise include:
Commenting on the launch of gtnews for iPhone, Mike Hewitt, CEO of
gtnews, said: "gtnews and the iPhone are a great fit, and it's remarkable how
user-friendly the new gtnews app is. Now treasurers can access the essential
news and analysis they need, wherever they are."
"Change in the industry is happening at an unfathomable pace," said Tania
Collingwood, EMEA Head of Marketing for Citi's Global Transaction Services.
"Treasurers want access to the information most relevant to them at their
fingertips, whether in the office or on the go. Citi is pleased to be
sponsoring the gtnews application for iPhone, which will do just that."
gtnews, an Association for Financial Professionals(R) company
headquartered in London, is the leading global knowledge resource for over
60,000 treasury, finance, payments and cash management professionals. Online,
gtnews is updated weekly and provides subscribers access to an archive of
almost 3,000 global treasury articles in addition to special reports,
commentaries, surveys, polls, news, ratings updates and whitepapers. http://www.gtnews.com
About Citi
Global Transaction Services, a division of Citigroup's Institutional
Clients Group, offers integrated cash management, trade, and securities and
fund services to multinational corporations, financial institutions and
public sector organizations around the world. With a network that spans more
than 100 countries, Citigroup's Global Transaction Services supports over
65,000 clients. As of the third quarter of 2010, it held on average $340
billion in liability balances and $12.4 trillion in assets under custody.
Please visit us at http://www.transactionservices.citi.com
Source: Association for Financial Professionals
Elizabeth Johns, Managing Director, Association for Financial Professionals, +1-301-907-2862, pr@afponline.org
Alltel Customers in Parts of Virginia to Have Access to More Innovative Mobile Devices in Time for the Holiday Season
AT&T launches service for former Alltel subscribers, delivering access to the nation's fastest mobile broadband network and a wide selection of compelling devices
DANVILLE, Va., Nov. 18, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- Beginning Sunday, Nov. 21, more than 40,000 Alltel customers joining AT&T* will see a change as AT&T expands its service in Virginia.(1) AT&T is rebranding Alltel to AT&T in Danville and in Amelia, Brunswick, Lunenburg, Mecklenburg, Nottoway and Pittsylvania Counties and is introducing AT&T's exciting lineup of products and services to these customers just in time for the holiday shopping season.
Since its acquisition of the Alltel wireless assets in Virginia, AT&T has invested significantly to transition the former Alltel network infrastructure to AT&T, with the nation's fastest mobile broadband network. Now that the integration process is complete, Alltel customers in these areas will have access to AT&T's industry-leading portfolio of mobile devices, including iPhone 4®.
The rebranding effort will include the former Alltel retail location at 200 Shaw Street in South Hill. The company also recently relocated its Danville AT&T store on Mt. Cross Road to new Coleman Marketplace Shopping Center at 165 Hold Garrison Parkway. The former Alltel location at 120 Crown Drive in Danville remains open as an Alltel customer service center.
Trained sales consultants will be available to demonstrate a wide range of advanced wireless products and services. Shoppers can also test the latest smartphones, quick messaging devices, netbooks and tablets. Customers will have the opportunity to learn how to get the most from social networking, manage photos or navigate with GPS on exciting exclusive AT&T devices.
"We're thrilled to welcome former Alltel customers to the AT&T community, and we're confident that they will enjoy a fantastic wireless experience with AT&T," said Erika Thompson-Kemp, vice president and general manager of AT&T in Virginia. "We've been working nonstop to upgrade the Alltel network, and today we're proud that customers in this area have access to the fastest mobile broadband network and a wireless network that covers 97 percent of all Americans as well as offers the best international coverage of any U.S. wireless provider -- with voice service in more than 220 countries and data service in 200 countries.
"With the launch of mobile broadband service here, we're able to enhance the network experience for all of our customers in this area of Virginia. The initial integration, which we've completed, is just the first step. Our engineers will continue to optimize and enhance the network over the next couple of months. We anticipate this work will improve service for these customers, and it demonstrates our commitment to deliver a great wireless experience across the entire Commonwealth of Virginia."
"Through investments such as this, we're able to ensure that as many Virginians as possible remain connected in every way," said J. Michael Schweder, president, AT&T Mid-Atlantic. "We're committed to providing our customers unprecedented choice and flexibility in devices, applications and service plans so that they have access to the people, information and entertainment they care about."
Former Alltel consumer wireless customers in this area have the option to receive a brand new AT&T 3G handset, comparable to their existing device at no additional cost.(2) The vast majority of customers choosing free comparable devices are able to keep their existing rate plans, with no additional time commitment required.
Customers also have the opportunity to upgrade their devices for an additional fee and with a new two-year contract, with current AT&T rates and associated data plan. In addition to the benefits for all former Alltel customers joining AT&T in Virginia, customers choosing an AT&T rate plan will also enjoy A-List with Rollover®, exclusive to AT&T, which offers unlimited calling to up to 10 additional numbers on any network and allows customers to keep their unused Anytime Minutes for up to 12 months.(3)
Customers with questions about the transition process may visit http://www.att.com/alltel, call (877) 930-9015 or speak with a sales representative at a local retail location.
(1) AT&T is expanding its service in Virginia as a result of its acquisition of wireless assets from Verizon Wireless on June 22, 2010.
(2) Applies only to postpaid customers with a contract. Customers with laptop cards and netbooks may not have a choice of devices, but they are eligible for a comparable new device at no additional charge.
(3) A-List is available only with Individual plans $59.99 and over per month and FamilyTalk plan $89.99 or over per month. Other terms and conditions apply Unused Rollover Minutes expire after the 12th billing period of the month minutes have been accumulated. Night and Weekend and Mobile to Mobile Minutes not included.
*AT&T products and services are provided or offered by subsidiaries and affiliates of AT&T Inc. under the AT&T brand and not by AT&T Inc.
About AT&T
AT&T Inc. (NYSE: T) is a premier communications holding company. Its subsidiaries and affiliates - AT&T operating companies - are the providers of AT&T services in the United States and around the world. With a powerful array of network resources that includes the nation's fastest mobile broadband network, AT&T is a leading provider of wireless, Wi-Fi, high speed Internet and voice services. A leader in mobile broadband, AT&T also offers the best wireless coverage worldwide, offering the most wireless phones that work in the most countries. It also offers advanced TV services under the AT&T U-verse® and AT&T |DIRECTV brands. The company's suite of IP-based business communications services is one of the most advanced in the world. In domestic markets, AT&T Advertising Solutions and AT&T Interactive are known for their leadership in local search and advertising. In 2010, AT&T again ranked among the 50 Most Admired Companies by FORTUNE®magazine.
Additional information about AT&T Inc. and the products and services provided by AT&T subsidiaries and affiliates is available at http://www.att.com. This AT&T news release and other announcements are available at http://www.att.com/newsroom and as part of an RSS feed at http://www.att.com/rss. Or follow our news on Twitter at @ATTNews. Find us on Facebook at http://www.Facebook.com/ATT to discover more about our consumer and wireless services or at http://www.Facebook.com/ATTSmallBiz to discover more about our small business services.
YAWMA Launches New Series of Contests for Indie Music Community
INDIE MUSIC AND GAMES WEBSITE LETS USERS COMPETE TO BECOME "THE MAVEN" OF A FEATURED GENRE. THE SERIES BEGINS WITH HIP HOP MONTH.
PORTLAND, Ore., Nov. 18, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- YAWMA, an online community and marketplace for indie music and games, today launched the first in a series of contests for community members. The Maven Contest lets users compete to become "The Maven" of the month's featured genre, a title that can earn the user prizes.
The Maven on YAWMA is the user who is most active in downloading, reviewing, and recommending content in the site's community for a specific genre. The contest will last one month and include featured reviews, interviews and highlights of music in the genre.
Today marks the kick-off of the first contest and will focus on hip hop as the site's featured genre. The user who is The Maven of hip hop at the end of the period will receive an iPod Touch and Urbanears headphones as a prize; the second place winner receives Urbanears headphones, while the third-place user will receive a PayPal gift certificate.
"We're thrilled to be kicking off this contest series," said Thomas Brooke, Founder and CEO. "YAWMA is committed to bringing a high degree of social sharing innovation to the purchasing of music and games and rewarding users for participating in our community. What better way to accomplish those goals than by highlighting a genre and rewarding our most active community members?"
As part of the promotion YAWMA has an exclusive release from hip hop artist Soul P (@easymccoy). Other artists featured in this month's contest include Evil Ebenezer (@evilebenezer) Eighty4 Fly (@eighty4fly) and Luck-One (@LuckOne). The Maven of hip hop contest runs through December 18.
About YAWMA
YAWMA is an online marketplace that allows you to discover and share indie music and games through Facebook while earning cash rewards for your participation in our community. It's a small company with a revolutionary idea: that you should benefit from the value you create online. Find us at yawma.net, on Facebook at facebook.com/YAWMA and Twitter @YAWMAmusic.
DISH Network Introduces America's First True TV Everywhere Offering
Newly-Introduced Sling Adapter Allows Live TV Viewing on iPhone®, iPad(TM), Android(TM) and BlackBerry® Devices
ENGLEWOOD, Colo., Nov. 18, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- DISH Network L.L.C. today became the first pay-TV provider in America to introduce a true TV Everywhere(TM) offering, giving DISH Network subscribers the ability to watch all of their live and recorded television programs on compatible smartphones, tablets and laptops. DISH Network subscribers can access these features when they download and use the DISH Remote Access application in concert with their broadband-connected, Sling®-enabled receiver.
"DISH Network is proud to be the first pay-TV provider to bring our customers the ability to enjoy their TV anywhere, anytime on a variety of popular devices," said DISH Network Chief Marketing Officer Ira Bahr. "Unlike mobile viewing from cable and telcos that limit access to select programs, our TV Everywhere services give consumers 24 x 7 access to all of the live and recorded content included with their DISH Network programming subscription."
Introducing Sling Adapter
To enjoy the live viewing capability of DISH Remote Access, consumers need to be DISH Network subscribers and have a Sling-enabled device such as the newly-released Sling Adapter(TM) - a small placeshifting device that pairs with DISH Network's ViP® 722 or 722k HD DVRs. With a Sling Adapter, customers can then view their high-definition or standard-definition DISH Network programming, including live and recorded shows, on compatible mobile devices or laptops. The award-winning Sling Adapter is powered and operated through a USB connection, offering an easy, plug-and-play set-up without the need for any other wires or connectors. The Sling Adapter is available for $99 to new and current DISH Network customers.
The DISH Remote Access app is free.
Mobile Applications, Available Today
The DISH Remote Access app provides the following features:
-- Enjoy live TV programming from all subscribed channels,
-- View all DVR recordings,
-- Manage recordings and delete shows,
-- Use a mobile device as a remote control.
DISH Remote Access is powered by SlingPlayer Mobile(TM) technology for support of 3G and WiFi-enabled phones, laptops or tablets, including the following devices*:
-- iPhone® & iPod touch®: Watch your TV on your iPhone's Retina display.
You can download the app now through the iTunes Store®.
-- iPad(TM) (TV viewing coming soon on iOS 4.2): Catch your favorite TV
shows, live and in HD, on the iPad's crystal-clear 9.7 inch screen. The
DISH Remote Access app is currently available through the iTunes Store
and will soon be updated to provide full-screen TV viewing for the iPad.
-- Android(TM): DISH Network offers full support for the fastest-growing
smartphone OS in the world. DISH Remote Access for Android devices is
available for 4.3-inch display smartphones and tablets, and can be
downloaded through the Android Market using your device.
-- Windows® & Mac® Computers: DISH Remote Access allows high-definition
TV viewing on Windows and Mac systems. DISH Network subscribers can log
in to DISH Remote Access at DISH Network's website to use the service.
-- BlackBerry®: DISH Remote Access means your BlackBerry is no longer just
for business, unless your business is watching your TV anywhere and
anytime. The beta app is available for Bold (Models 9700 & 9000) and
Curve (Models 8520 & 8900) through the TV Everywhere section on DISH
Network's website.
*DISH Network will continue to expand its menu of compatible devices.
For more information about the Sling Adapter, DISH Remote Access and other DISH Network TV Everywhere products, visit http://www.dish.com/tveverywhere.
About DISH Network
DISH Network Corporation (Nasdaq: DISH), through its subsidiary DISH Network L.L.C., provides more than 14.2 million satellite TV customers, as of September 30, 2010, with the highest quality programming and technology at the best value, including HD Free for Life. Subscribers enjoy industry-leading customer satisfaction, the largest high definition line-up with more than 200 national HD channels, the most international channels, and award-winning HD and DVR technology. DISH Network Corporation is included in the Nasdaq-100 Index (NDX) and is a Fortune 200 company. Visit http://www.dish.com.
About Sling Media, Inc.
Sling Media, Inc., an affiliate of EchoStar Technologies L.L.C., which is a wholly owned subsidiary of EchoStar Corporation (NASDAQ: SATS), is the leading provider of video placeshifting products and services for consumers and television service providers. Sling Media's product family includes the internationally acclaimed, Emmy award-winning Slingbox® that allows consumers to watch and control their living room television shows at any time, from any location, using PCs, Macs, PDAs and smartphones. For more information, visit http://www.slingmedia.com.
Expedia to Acquire Mobile Travel Apps Powerhouse Mobiata
Online travel leader to accelerate mobile app development, further enable travelers worldwide to shop and book on the go
BELLEVUE, Wash. and ANN ARBOR, Mich., Nov. 18, 2010 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Expedia, Inc. (Nasdaq: EXPE) today announced that it has entered into an agreement to acquire Mobiata(TM), creator of best selling mobile travel applications including FlightTrack(TM). The deal marks Expedia's most significant investment to date in addressing the mobile travel market, and accelerates the company's ability to enable mobile travel shopping and booking across multiple platforms.
"With the pace at which mobile traffic to Expedia sites is exploding, we wanted the right team to help us address the sizable opportunity swiftly and successfully," said Dara Khosrowshahi, CEO of Expedia, Inc. "There's simply no better company out there doing mobile travel apps with the same level of design sensibility and utility as Mobiata."
In its first two years since it was founded in 2008, Mobiata has developed a host of best selling travel apps, including FlightTrack, which has ranked a Top 5 best selling iPhone travel app for 18 months straight; best selling itinerary manager app TripDeck(TM) and best selling hotel booking app HotelPal(TM).
"We are thrilled to be joining the biggest and best online travel company while maintaining the creative passion for mobile travel apps that makes Mobiata unique," said Ben Kazez, president and founder of Mobiata. "Together with Expedia, we believe we can continue to revolutionize the way people plan, book, and manage travel - from anywhere on any device."
Mobile traffic currently accounts for approximately four percent of all visitors to Expedia.com®, with mobile bookings up in 2010 nearly five times over the previous year. "Mobile and travel are just made for each other," said Joe Megibow, VP of Global Analytics and Optimization for Expedia®. "The mobile device is always with us; it's always on. Getting mobile right for our customers is something we take very seriously."
With its experience offering mobile travel design and development services to third parties, Mobiata brings to Expedia the proven ability to design and execute the most compelling travel apps available to mobile users.
Mobiata will remain in its headquarters in Ann Arbor, MI. Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.
About Expedia, Inc.
Expedia, Inc. is the largest online travel company in the world, with an extensive brand portfolio that includes more than 90 localized Expedia.com®- and Hotels.com®-branded sites; leading U.S. discount travel site Hotwire®; leading agency hotel company Venere.com(TM); Egencia®, the world's fifth largest corporate travel management company; the world's largest travel community TripAdvisor® Media Network; destination activities provider ExpediaLocalExpert®; luxury travel specialist Classic Vacations®; and China's second largest booking site eLong(TM). The company delivers consumers value in leisure and business travel, drives incremental demand and direct bookings to travel suppliers, and provides advertisers vast opportunity to reach the most valuable audience of in-market travel consumers anywhere through TripAdvisor Media Network and Expedia Media Solutions. Expedia also powers bookings for some of the world's leading airlines and hotels, top consumer brands, high traffic websites, and thousands of active affiliates through Expedia® Affiliate Network. (NASDAQ: EXPE)
About Mobiata
Mobiata creates best selling mobile travel applications for smartphones and emerging devices. Since its founding in December 2008, Mobiata's applications have been featured by the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Washington Post, TechCrunch, USA Today and in Apple TV and print ads. Mobiata's apps include the best selling FlightTrack, FlightTrack Pro, TripDeck and HotelPal applications. Mobiata is headquartered in Ann Arbor, Michigan. For more information, visit the website at http://www.mobiata.com. Follow us on Twitter: @mobiata.
CMS Products Offers High Capacity Secure Encrypted Flash Drives
Now Available in Capacities up to 128GB
IRVINE, Calif., Nov. 18, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- CMS Products, Inc., (http://www.cmsproducts.com) an award-winning developer of data security, business continuity and content management technologies today announced the expansion of its Secure Encrypted Flash Drive product line to include capacities up to 128 gigabytes (GB), utilizing government grade AES 256-bit encryption technology for ensuring maximum data security protection. In addition, these units are compliant with the HIPPA, Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX) and Gramm-Leach-Biley (GLB) standards.
Secure Encrypted Flash Drives allow users to securely protect the data stored on the USB flash drive. Now available in capacities up to 128GB, the Secure Encrypted Flash Drives are bus-powered and the AES 256-bit encryption software is pre-loaded and resident on the flash drive. CMS Products' Secure Encrypted Flash Drives support a screen-displayed virtual keyboard to defeat key loggers, complex password structures, a lock down feature in the event of multiple incorrect password entries and the ability to add up to two administrative passwords for help desk support.
Because of the architecture of the AES encryption engine, data moving back and forth between the computer and the flash drive is always encrypted and the encryption/decryption of the data is performed on the host system. The Secure Encrypted Flash Drives leave no trace of data on the computer when a flash drive is removed and is instantly locked and fully secure upon removing the flash drive from the USB port. Support is provided for Windows 7, Vista and XP as well as Windows Server 03 (R2) & 08 (R2).
"Our customers demand high levels of capacities without sacrificing the performance and security of the flash products that we develop," said CMS Products president Ken Burke. "The Secure Encrypted Flash Drive is a valuable asset for those users who need their data to be portable, yet completely safe and unable to be accessed by unauthorized people."
Secure Encrypted Flash Drives continue to be available in lower capacities from 4 to 16GB and are now available in high capacities of 32, 64 and 128GB. All Secure Encrypted Flash Drives are backed by a three-year warranty.
Secure Encrypted Flash Drives in all of the advertised capacities are now available from leading resellers or directly from the company's web site, http://www.cmsproducts.com.
About CMS Products
Established in 1983, CMS Products, Inc., is a leading innovator in data backup, encryption and security technology for business users and consumers. The flagship ABSplus automatic backup and restore disaster recovery solution, powered by the award-winning BounceBack Ultimate software is sold in 90-plus countries, with installation of more than four million complete storage solutions.
CMS offers an extensive line of laptop hard drive upgrades, as well as a full suite of data security products for business powered by CE-Secure data encryption software. The data security product line now includes the ABS-Secure encrypted portable backup solution as well as the Secure Encrypted Flash Drive. CMS Products' complete line of offerings includes automatic backup solutions for both portable and desktop computers, RAID systems, backup and disaster recovery software, media management software, notebook hard drive upgrades and data transfer kits and high capacity desktop hard drives.
CMS Products has received global recognition through its development of leading edge, easy-to-use products revolutionizing the notebook and desktop data backup/restore and storage industry.
CMS Products, Inc., Velocity Series, BounceBack and QuickRestore are trademarks or registered trademarks of CMS Products, Inc. Any other product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies.
SOURCE CMS Products, Inc.
CMS Products, Inc.
CONTACT: Media, Monica Golden, Public Relations, +1-423-910-0194, +1-714-424-5520, Fax, +1-714-435-9489, mgolden@cmsproducts.com, or Company contact, Gary Streuter, +1-714-424-5523, gstreuter@cmsproducts.com, both of CMS Products, Inc.
SAN FRANCISCO, Nov. 18, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- FileWave is pleased to announce that, beginning in Q1 2011, we will offer management of iOS devices. There has been unprecedented adoption of Apple's iOS, and we understand that administrators want to manage these devices alongside their client systems, from a single management interface.
No Xserve? No problem! FileWave will allow you to manage all of your iOS, OS X, and Windows systems from a single server. FileWave supports server installation on OS X and Windows systems. We realize that each enterprise environment is unique, and our solution is built to work with your existing infrastructure. FileWave allows you to manage all of your devices from your choice of server platform and hardware, including virtualization.
For more information, or to schedule a demonstration, please contact sales@filewave.com
SOURCE FileWave
FileWave
CONTACT: Todd Siegler, VP Worldwide Sales of FileWave, +1-317-319-0018, todds@filewave.com
Novatel Wireless Introduces First Commercial Dual-Cell HSPA+ USB Modem in North America
42 Mbps Capable Compact Ovation MC547 USB Available November 23 on the Bell Mobility Network in Canada
SAN DIEGO, Nov. 18, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- Novatel Wireless, Inc., (Nasdaq: NVTL), a leading provider of wireless broadband access solutions, today announced the upcoming availability of the Ovation(TM) MC547 USB modem on Bell Mobility's Dual-Cell HSPA+ (DC HSPA+) network. In a separate release today, Bell Mobility announced North America's first commercial launch of a Dual-Cell HSPA+ network supporting data speeds of up to 42 Mbps.
Continuing Novatel Wireless' industry lead in enabling next-generation mobile experiences with solutions focused on ease-of-use, reliability, leading edge technology and an innovative sleek style, the Ovation MC547 modem is today the world's most compact and light-weight DC-HSPA+ USB modem.
"We're excited to support Bell Mobility with the launch of the MC547 DC-HSPA+ USB modem," said Peter Leparulo, Chairman and CEO of Novatel Wireless. "We continue to emphasize bringing the most advanced technologies to market, and are proud to continue our long standing relationship with Bell Mobility."
The Ovation MC547 is based on the 3GPP Release 8 standard. DC-HSPA+ supports theoretical peak downlink data rates of up to 42 Mbps and theoretical 11 Mbps on the uplink, allowing carriers to easily upgrade their existing infrastructure equipment to achieve significantly higher bandwidths.
About Novatel Wireless
Novatel Wireless, Inc. is a leader in the design and development of innovative wireless broadband access solutions based on 3G and 4G wireless technologies. Novatel Wireless' Intelligent Mobile Hotspot products, software, USB modems and embedded modules enable high-speed wireless Internet access on leading wireless data networks. The Company delivers specialized wireless solutions to carriers, distributors, OEMs and vertical markets worldwide. Headquartered in San Diego, California, Novatel Wireless is listed on NASDAQ: NVTL. For more information please visit http://www.novatelwireless.com. (NVTLG)
(C) 2010 Novatel Wireless, Inc. All rights reserved. The Novatel Wireless name and logo, as well as Ovation are trademarks of Novatel Wireless, Inc. Other Company, product or service names mentioned herein are the trademarks of their respective owners.
Contacts: Charlotte Rubin Cara Sloman
Novatel Wireless Nadel Phelan
(858) 812-3431 (831) 440-2411
crubin@nvtl.com cara@nadelphelan.com
SOURCE Novatel Wireless, Inc.
Novatel Wireless, Inc.
CONTACT: Charlotte Rubin of Novatel Wireless, +1-858-812-3431, crubin@nvtl.com; or Cara Sloman, of Nadel Phelan, +1-831-440-2411, cara@nadelphelan.com, for Novatel Wireless
Alltel Customers in Parts of Nevada to Have Access to More Innovative Mobile Devices in Time for the Holiday Season
AT&T launches service for former Alltel subscribers, delivering access to the nation's fastest mobile broadband network and a wide selection of compelling devices
RENO, Nev., Nov. 18, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- Beginning Sunday, Nov. 21, more than 25,000 Alltel customers joining AT&T* will see a change as AT&T expands its service in Nevada.(1) AT&T is rebranding Alltel to AT&T in Elko, Eureka, Lander, Lincoln and White Pine Counties and introducing AT&T's exciting lineup of products and services to these customers just in time for the holiday shopping season.
Since its acquisition of the Alltel wireless assets in Nevada, AT&T has invested significantly to transition the former Alltel network infrastructure to AT&T, with the nation's fastest mobile broadband network. Now that the integration process is complete, Alltel customers in these areas will have access to AT&T's industry-leading portfolio of mobile devices, including iPhone 4®.
The rebranding effort includes three former Alltel retail locations. AT&T will stock store shelves with AT&T handsets and other mobile devices. And Alltel branding will be replaced with AT&T signage in the three locations, which include a company-owned store and two authorized retailer locations and are located at:
-- AT&T, 2572 Idaho St., Suite A3, Elko, 89801
-- A Cellular, 2560 Mountain City Hwy., #103, Elko, 89801
-- A Cellular, 40 S. Broad St., Battle Mountain, 89820
Trained sales consultants will be available to demonstrate a wide range of advanced wireless products and services. Shoppers can also test the latest smartphones, quick messaging devices, netbooks and tablets. Customers will have the opportunity to learn how to get the most from social networking, manage photos or navigate with GPS on exciting exclusive AT&T devices.
"We're thrilled to welcome former Alltel customers to the AT&T community, and we're confident that they will enjoy a fantastic wireless experience with AT&T," said Fred Devereux, Region President, AT&T West. "We've been working nonstop to upgrade the Alltel network, and today we're proud that customers in this area have access to the fastest mobile broadband network and a wireless network that covers 97 percent of all Americans as well as offers the best international coverage of any U.S. wireless provider -- with voice service in more than 220 countries and data service in 200 countries.
"With the launch of mobile broadband service here, we're able to enhance the network experience for all of our customers in this area of Nevada. The initial integration, which we've completed, is just the first step. Our engineers will continue to optimize and enhance the network over the next couple of months. We anticipate this work will improve service for these customers, and it demonstrates our commitment to deliver a great wireless experience across the entire state of Nevada."
Former Alltel consumer wireless customers in this area have the option to receive a brand new AT&T 3G handset, comparable to their existing device at no additional cost.(2) The vast majority of customers choosing free comparable devices are able to keep their existing rate plans, with no additional time commitment required.
Customers also have the opportunity to upgrade their devices for an additional fee and with a new two-year contract, with current AT&T rates and associated data plan. In addition to the benefits for all former Alltel customers joining AT&T in Nevada, customers choosing an AT&T rate plan will also enjoy A-List with Rollover®, exclusive to AT&T, which offers unlimited calling to up to 10 additional numbers on any network and allows customers to keep their unused Anytime Minutes for up to 12 months.(3)
Customers with questions about the transition process may visit http://www.att.com/alltel, call (877) 930-9015 or speak with a sales representative at a local retail location.
(1) AT&T is expanding its service in Nevada as a result of its acquisition of wireless assets from Verizon Wireless on June 22, 2010.
(2) Applies only to postpaid customers with a contract. Customers with laptop cards and netbooks may not have a choice of devices, but they are eligible for a comparable new device at no additional charge.
(3) A-List is available only with Individual plans $59.99 and over per month and FamilyTalk plan $89.99 or over per month. Other terms and conditions apply. Unused Rollover Minutes expire after the 12th billing period of the month minutes have been accumulated. Night and Weekend and Mobile to Mobile Minutes not included.
*AT&T products and services are provided or offered by subsidiaries and affiliates of AT&T Inc. under the AT&T brand and not by AT&T Inc.
About AT&T
AT&T Inc. (NYSE: T) is a premier communications holding company. Its subsidiaries and affiliates - AT&T operating companies - are the providers of AT&T services in the United States and around the world. With a powerful array of network resources that includes the nation's fastest mobile broadband network, AT&T is a leading provider of wireless, Wi-Fi, high speed Internet and voice services. A leader in mobile broadband, AT&T also offers the best wireless coverage worldwide, offering the most wireless phones that work in the most countries. It also offers advanced TV services under the AT&T U-verse® and AT&T |DIRECTV brands. The company's suite of IP-based business communications services is one of the most advanced in the world. In domestic markets, AT&T Advertising Solutions and AT&T Interactive are known for their leadership in local search and advertising. In 2010, AT&T again ranked among the 50 Most Admired Companies by FORTUNE®magazine.
Additional information about AT&T Inc. and the products and services provided by AT&T subsidiaries and affiliates is available at http://www.att.com. This AT&T news release and other announcements are available at http://www.att.com/newsroom and as part of an RSS feed at http://www.att.com/rss. Or follow our news on Twitter at @ATTNews. Find us on Facebook at http://www.Facebook.com/ATT to discover more about our consumer and wireless services or at http://www.Facebook.com/ATTSmallBiz to discover more about our small business services.
Verizon Business Deploys Fiber-to-the-Desktop Technology for Russell Investments
New Global Headquarters Outfitted With Verizon Optical LAN Solutions to Support Operations
SEATTLE, Nov. 18, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- When Russell Investments wanted to outfit its new global headquarters with modern networking technology, it turned to Verizon Business for a solution based on fiber-to-the-desktop technology that enables high-speed voice, data and video applications while reducing energy consumption.
Verizon Business information technology consultants are replacing the new facility's existing copper infrastructure with fiber-based Verizon Business Optical LAN Solutions (OLS) to support its Russell employees. This fully managed communications platform uses gigabit passive optical network (GPON) technology to effectively carry voice, data and video on a single fiber.
Russell is seeking to reduce power consumption to its global trading floor while supporting laptops, printers and wireless access points as well as applications such as voice over IP, video conferencing and security cameras.
Compared with a traditional switch-based Ethernet solution, Verizon OLS can significantly reduce power consumption; decrease space requirements in riser closets, data rooms and conduits; and control capital costs related to network elements. In addition, the fiber technology has a long life, helping Russell easily prepare for future infrastructure upgrades as technological needs evolve.
"We opted for this new fiber-optic technology because it provides green benefits, and it's secure, scalable and can meet the needs of our future growth," said Gopi Chelliah, global head of technology and operations with Russell Investments. "Rather than opt for copper or other multimode cables, we took the step of deploying fiber directly to the desktop to improve network efficiencies while enhancing network capacity and controlling costs."
In addition to the new networking infrastructure, Verizon Business connects Russell's offices globally with a fully managed Private IP network service based on multiprotocol label switching (MPLS).
Founded in 1936, Russell Investments is a global financial services firm that serves institutional investors, financial advisers and individuals in more than 40 countries. In the Russell Investments Center, the company's new headquarters, Verizon Business, working with Motorola, is deploying the optical network with the capability to expand to 25 terabits worth of bandwidth by using technological advances. This high-speed capability will support the quick sharing of large files and imaging as well as streaming video and other files to support faster real-time collaboration.
About Verizon Business
Verizon Business, a unit of Verizon Communications (NYSE, Nasdaq: VZ), is a global leader in communications and IT solutions. We combine professional expertise with one of the world's most connected IP networks to deliver award-winning communications, IT, information security and network solutions. We securely connect today's extended enterprises of widespread and mobile customers, partners, suppliers and employees- enabling them to increase productivity and efficiency and help preserve the environment. Many of the world's largest businesses and governments - including 96 percent of the Fortune 1000 and thousands of government agencies and educational institutions - rely on our professional and managed services and network technologies to accelerate their business. Find out more at http://www.verizonbusiness.com.
VERIZON'S ONLINE NEWS CENTER: Verizon news releases, executive speeches and biographies, media contacts, high-quality video and images, and other information are available at Verizon's News Center on the World Wide Web at http://www.verizon.com/news. To receive news releases by e-mail, visit the News Center and register for customized automatic delivery of Verizon news releases.
iPhone Apps Help Travelers Navigate Healthcare Services Around the World
HTH Worldwide introduces New mPassport® Apps for iPhone and iPad
RADNOR, Pa., Nov. 18, 2010/PRNewswire/ -- HTH Worldwide, a global health and safety services company, announced today that it has launched four more mPassport® iPhone applications for finding quality healthcare services in popular destinations for international business and leisure travelers. This series of apps, which now includes Athens, Moscow, Istanbul, and Dubai is the first to help travelers in need of medical services when they are abroad. Thirty mPassport apps are available in the iTunes App Store for downloading onto 140 million iPhones and iPod touches around the world.
With mPassport on your iPhone or iPad you can
-- Use your smart phone or laptop to find a conveniently located,
carefully-selected, English-speaking doctor or dentist and request an
appointment
-- Use mapping and GPS functionality to find the shortest route to
convenient care
-- Translate brand names for medications and key medical terms and phrases
-- Understand health risks and access the right emergency services
These features led HR Executive Magazine to recognize the mPassport mobile web site as a Top Human Resource Product of the Year. Consumer reviews posted on the web describe the downloadable mPassport apps as "a travel app every parent, brother or sister would want their family member to have on their iPhone or iPod touch while exploring the world," and "This is the best way to find help when you need it. This can be invaluable when traveling and you don't speak the language. Any serious traveler should have this application."
"About half of all travelers who spend more than two weeks abroad get sick or injured, and we're there to help them when they need assistance," said Angelo Masciantonio, Chief Executive of HTH Worldwide. "Travelers typically do not prepare for illness or injury when traveling abroad and when they need healthcare, they often don't know where to turn. Our mPassport apps make it simple to get quality care when it's needed far away from home."
You can find the latest apps in the iTunes App Store along with previously released apps for these destinations:
-- Barcelona, Budapest, Dublin, Florence, London, Madrid, Paris, Prague,
Rome, Vienna
-- Cape Town, Nairobi
-- Buenos Aires, Lima, Mexico City, Quito
-- Bermuda, Nassau
-- Bangkok, Beijing, Ho Chi Minh City, Hong Kong, Manila, Shanghai,
Singapore and Tokyo.
To preview an mPassport app, click here. To see a video demo, click here.
Please visit mpassport.com where subscribers can also access these services on a worldwide basis.
About HTH Worldwide
HTH Worldwide provides health insurance plans and global medical assistance services for business and leisure travelers as well as students abroad. HTH programs are distinguished by a contracted community of over 6,500 hospitals and doctors in 180 countries. HTH combines its health and safety research, advanced Internet and mobile applications, and extensive experience in designing and delivering international health insurance plans to ensure customers' health, safety and peace of mind. HTH was recently named one of North America's fastest growing companies in Deloitte's Technology Fast 500. For more information, visit http://www.hthworldwide.com.
SOURCE HTH Worldwide
HTH Worldwide
CONTACT: John Miller, +1-215-564-3200 x114, jmiller@gobraithwaite.com
Alterian Launches Next Generation of Customer Engagement Solutions
Alterian Alchemy(TM) is an intuitive framework for marketers to orchestrate true multi-channel engagement with customers and has three brand new modules to support customer engagement
LONDON, Nov. 18, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- Alterian (LSE: ALN), the leader in customer engagement technology and solutions, today announced the launch of Alterian Alchemy(TM), the framework that evolves Alterian's existing Integrated Marketing Platform to the next-generation Customer Engagement Platform. Alterian Alchemy(TM) integrates the company's market leading engagement management and analytics solutions across web, email, social media and traditional channels, enabling marketers to address the societal changes and demands of today's consumer. Alterian is also announcing three new modules, operating within the Alterian Alchemy(TM) framework, to support marketers as they engage intelligently cross channel - Alterian Engagement Analytics, Alterian Engagement Manager and Alterian Predictive Analytics.
"Alterian is determined to change the face of marketing from mass communication to engagement with the individual, and Alterian Alchemy(TM) is a key part of the fulfillment of that vision," said David Eldridge, CEO of Alterian. "We know that marketing must fundamentally change the way it functions so we developed Alterian Alchemy(TM) and the new modules from scratch, using the expertise we built up over the last 13 years. The result represents a real shift in how marketers can engage with - not just sell to - their customers."
Recent research published by Alterian, "Your Brand: At Risk or Ready for Growth," found that 62% of individuals felt that companies were only interested in selling products and services to them, not necessarily the product or service that was right for them. Only 8% of respondents trusted what companies said about themselves, yet 79% said it would have a positive impact on their experience as a customer if companies took the time to find out more about their needs.
Alterian Alchemy(TM) enables this fundamental shift in marketing from campaign management to engagement management, providing marketers with an integrated solution beyond multi-channel communications to true cross-channel, interactive engagement. All available customer data is now able to be accessed centrally, and marketers can easily take action based on a comprehensive customer profile and real time data. This provides marketers with a transparent record of the individual customer across multiple touch points in order to drive more effective integrated campaigns.
"This revolutionary framework, together with our new modules, provides marketers from all disciplines and channels with the tools to evolve into 'Engagement Managers,'" added Eldridge. "Consumers have come to expect more tailored brand interaction today and seek extremely relevant, timely offers and information. Because of this shift, marketers must adapt to the way they listen to and engage with their audience. Alterian Alchemy(TM) is the first marketing engagement technology to address the broad range of interactive requirements, enabling brands to better coordinate one-on-one communication and engage based on customer preferences."
Alterian Alchemy(TM) delivers against the requirements of a broad community of business users, puts individual-level analytics at the heart of all communications, delivers real-time interaction, and ensures consistency for inbound as well as outbound communications across multiple channels.
For instance, a customer might Tweet about a brand, receive a response in Twitter from that brand and click on a link in the Tweet, which then takes the customer to the brand's website where they fill out a form, triggering the brand to send an email to the customer. Those three different points of customer interaction are typically difficult to connect; however, Alterian Alchemy(TM) allows marketers to manage how those customer interactions from separate channels come together for one-to-one engagement with individuals.
According to the April 2010 report by Forrester Research Inc., "Trends in Cross-Channel Campaign Management, 2010," "Marketers struggle to incorporate new channels and the resulting data into their marketing programs, while CCCM applications struggle to match the pace of emerging channels and changing consumer behavior." In the same study, Forrester reported that, "Almost half of respondents selected coordination of communications across channels (49%) and personalizing messages based on consumer behavior across channels (48%) as their top two challenges." These are exactly the types of demands which Alterian Alchemy(TM) has been designed to meet.
"Our customers are clear in their requirement to move to a position where they have a holistic, analytically led view of each customer and the ability to interact appropriately across multiple communication channels based on this view," said Mark Zablan, Managing Director, Experian Marketing Services. "Alterian technology has always been recognized as leading the way in bringing analytics to outbound marketing channels. Alterian Alchemy(TM) is a major step forward to encompassing both inbound and outbound channels in the same, analytically driven environment. We are excited to be working with Alterian in taking Alterian Alchemy(TM) to market, along with Experian data and insight, to help brands engage with customers on a new level."
In addition to the integration with web, email and social media engagement solutions and the new modules within it, Alterian will also continue to develop its existing campaign management tools as integral components of the Alterian Customer Engagement Platform to address traditional channels.
The launch follows a successful beta test program with major marketing organizations worldwide.
Alterian (LSE: ALN) enables organizations to create relevant, effective and engaging experiences with their customers and prospects through social, digital, and traditional marketing channels. Alterian's Customer Engagement solutions are focused in four main areas: Social Media, Web Content Management, Email, and Campaign Management & Analytics.
Alterian technology is utilized either to address a specific marketing challenge or as part of an integrated marketing platform, with analytics and customer engagement with the individual at the heart of everything. Working alongside a rich ecosystem of partners, Alterian delivers its software as a service or on premise. For more information about Alterian visit http://www.alterian.com or the Alterian blog at http://www.engagingtimes.com.
For more information, contact:
Vicky Ryce
Alterian
vicky.ryce@alterian.com
Michelle Taylor
Alterian
+1 312-884-5231
Michelle.Taylor@alterian.com
SOURCE Alterian
Alterian
CONTACT: Vicky Ryce, +44 7792 662213, vicky.ryce@alterian.com, or Michelle Taylor, +1-312-884-5231, Michelle.Taylor@alterian.com, both of Alterian
Introducing the POV.HD Video System by V.I.O. Advanced Point-of-View 1080p Video
MARQUETTE, Mich., Nov. 18, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- Caveat Emptor: not all HD is created equal. V.I.O., the decade-long leader in point-of-view video technology, is proud to announce the all-new POV.HD video camera: the most flexible, rugged and easy to use point-of-view HD video system available. The POV.HD is V.I.O.'s response to video professionals and athletes who demand advanced high-definition video with vibrant color and superior camera control that excels in extreme environments.
The new POV.HD follows the award-winning form-factor of its predecessor, but with all-new internal components and functionality. The POV.HD features new in-field flexibility capabilities and records up to 5 hours of crisp HD video. Thanks to the exceptionally small and robust nature of the POV.HD camera head, options for capturing creative and beautiful video angles are limitless. Clint Slack, Marketing Director at V.I.O., says: "The POV.HD not only delivers advanced HD video, but also provides a host of unique recording and exposure options designed for the discriminating video enthusiast."
The POV.HD comes with a laundry list of proprietary functionality driven by user feedback. The recording unit features a 2-inch LCD screen to view footage in the field, edit video and make exposure control adjustments. A simple set of controls allows the user to easily "tag" the best footage in the field, so final editing is finished quickly back in the studio. The recorder, run by Texas Instruments' new Da Vinci DM368 Video Processor, supports a real-time video pipeline that enhances image quality and produces crystal clear 1080p H.264 video. The 2-oz wearable camera head captures 142 degree FOV, at 1080p 30fps -- the widest point-of-view camera angle available on the market. The camera head also features video capture at 720p 60fps, a high-quality 6-element glass lens and a native 1080p CMOS sensor designed specifically to produce optimal-quality, Full HD video.
In addition to utilizing the best video components available on the market, the POV.HD excels in the single most important test for point-of-view cameras: durability and ruggedness. The POV.HD is IP67 certified and is commonly used in a wide variety of extreme environments due to the unit's dust, water and shockproof ratings and ability to handle extreme temperatures. Todd Jones, Founder and Producer for the action-sports film company Teton Gravity Research, said: "Thanks to the exceptionally small size, bombproof nature and production-grade video quality of V.I.O.'s cameras, we've been able to capture unique and beautiful shots of our athletes in extreme situations that otherwise would have been unattainable."
The POV.HD Camera will be available at Backcountry.com, B&H Photo and in other fine camera/video establishments across the country. View video, photos and learn more at: vio-pov.com
Since its inception in 2000, V.I.O. has been the leading innovator in point-of-view video technology. The V.I.O. point-of-view system is unique in that it's designed specifically to capture adventure and tactical video. V.I.O.'s customers include professional and amateur athletes in a wide variety of sports such as mountain biking, skiing, snowboarding, skydiving, motocross, snowmobiling and auto racing. Other industries relying on V.I.O. video systems include the military, law enforcement, aviation and movie and television production. For more information, visit vio-pov.com or call 1-888-579-2267.
AT&T's Largest Alternative Fuel Vehicle Fleet in Service in California
Cites California's Progressive Alternative Fuel Infrastructure as Rationale for Nearly 1,600 Alternative-Fuel Vehicle Fleet Deployment
Anticipates annual consumption of traditional gasoline reduced by 1 million gallons, and more than 3,500 metric tons of CO2 emissions avoided per year
LOS ANGELES, Nov. 18, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- AT&T* today unveiled a first-of-its-kind medium-duty truck as the latest alternative-fuel vehicle addition to its California fleet. This specialized Ford F-450 truck, that is used to elevate a worker to the height of a telephone pole, has been converted to compressed natural gas (CNG) and contains a hybrid-electric system to power the aerial device.
The vehicle is part of the nearly 1,600 alternative fuel vehicles that have had been placed into service for the company throughout California - a move that on average** is anticipated to avoid 3,500 tons of CO2 emissions per year and reduce annual consumption of traditional gasoline by more than 1 million gallons.
AT&T began deploying fleet vehicles with hybrid and CNG technology in 2008 as part of an overall commitment to minimize its environmental impact and explore renewable energy alternatives.
AT&T plans to spend up to $565 million in a 10-year initiative to deploy approximately 15,000 fleet vehicles nationwide with alternative-fuel models through 2018.
California was a natural choice for deploying alternative fuel vehicles because of the abundance of existing fueling station infrastructure.
"California continues to lead the way in adoption of clean technology," said Ken McNeely, president, AT&T California. "AT&T recognized California's leadership when looking at opportunities to add renewable energy resources to power our business operations. It's a classic case of 'build it and they will come,' which is precisely what we're doing."
AT&T has deployed more than 2,700 hybrid and CNG vehicles nationwide - with nearly 60 percent in California. Overall, the company expects to purchase up to 8,000 CNG vehicles through 2013, at an anticipated cost of up to $350 million. Currently, the AT&T fleet includes more than 75,900 vehicles companywide. CNG and hybrid-electric vehicles are noted with a Green Technology insignia, making the vehicles easy to identify on the road.
"Compressed natural gas as a clean alternative fuel source suited for mid-size to heavy fleets is one of the most important steps we can take to help minimize our environmental impact and improve air quality in California," said California Public Utilities Commissioner Timothy Alan Simon. "I applaud AT&T for its significant commitment to this environmental initiative - it's another great example of how California is leading the way in clean energy investment."
"This specialized vehicle is one of the first of its kind in the country," said Jerome Webber, Vice President AT&T Global Fleet Operations. "The aerial truck is a result of a collaborative effort among Altec Industries, Azure Dynamics, and BAF, a Clean Energy company, to provide an alternative-fuel medium- duty truck with the increased benefit of hybrid-electric power for the aerial device."
"This is a first step in deploying a cleaner fleet that our construction technicians will use to meet growing customer and business demands," said, Ernie Carey, senior vice president, AT&T Construction and Engineering, whose team will use the new aerial lift truck to build and maintain aerial outside plant facilities.
Earlier this year, AT&T released its 2009 Citizenship and Sustainability Report highlighting the company's progress toward up to $865 million in multi-year commitments for important education, environmental and volunteerism programs that help strengthen communities and stimulate economic growth. For more information about AT&T's sustainability efforts, please visit http://www.att.com/sustainability or http://www.att.com/csr.
*AT&T products and services are provided or offered by subsidiaries and affiliates of AT&T Inc. under the AT&T brand and not by AT&T Inc.
**Extrapolated from AT&T fleet experience, EPA Climate Leaders emissions factors and national data from the Center for Automotive Research, "The Economic and Environmental Impacts of a Corporate Fleet Vehicle Purchase Program," October 2009, http://cargroup.org/documents/ATT.pdf
About AT&T
AT&T Inc. (NYSE: T) is a premier communications holding company. Its subsidiaries and affiliates - AT&T operating companies - are the providers of AT&T services in the United States and around the world. With a powerful array of network resources that includes the nation's fastest mobile broadband network, AT&T is a leading provider of wireless, Wi-Fi, high speed Internet and voice services. A leader in mobile broadband, AT&T also offers the best wireless coverage worldwide, offering the most wireless phones that work in the most countries. It also offers advanced TV services under the AT&T U-verse® and AT&T |DIRECTV brands. The company's suite of IP-based business communications services is one of the most advanced in the world. In domestic markets, AT&T Advertising Solutions and AT&T Interactive are known for their leadership in local search and advertising. In 2010, AT&T again ranked among the 50 Most Admired Companies by FORTUNE®magazine.
Additional information about AT&T Inc. and the products and services provided by AT&T subsidiaries and affiliates is available at http://www.att.com. This AT&T news release and other announcements are available at http://www.att.com/newsroom and as part of an RSS feed at http://www.att.com/rss. Or follow our news on Twitter at @ATTNews. Find us on Facebook at http://www.Facebook.com/ATT to discover more about our consumer and wireless services or at http://www.Facebook.com/ATTSmallBiz to discover more about our small business services.
Midwest Community College Health Information Technology Consortium Launches Website
New HIT website serves as gateway to a new career helping improve the nation's health care system through electronic records implementation
CLEVELAND, Nov. 18, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- The Midwest Community College Health Information Technology (HIT) Consortium today launched a new website, http://www.mwhit.org, to recruit participants and inform employers about its HIT training program. The consortium consists of 17 large, innovative community colleges in 10 Midwest states that will offer training in the growing HIT field.
The website is designed to help meet the consortium's goal of recruiting and training 2,700 people annually for the HIT training program, which includes campus-based and distance learning. Target recruits include current or dislocated employees, veterans and students with backgrounds in health care or IT fields. The training program takes six months or less to complete, and scholarships are available for qualified individuals.
Key pages on the website provide specific information about the workforce roles that will be covered by the training, the colleges that will offer the various training programs and the locations of the training sessions.
"We're very pleased to launch a site to support national electronic health records implementation and ultimately serve as a resource for individuals to find new employment," said Norma Morganti, executive director of the consortium. "Studies indicate that as many as 50,000 additional HIT professionals may be needed over the next five years. This is because reliance on electronic health records is increasing rapidly due to market and regulatory changes in the health care system."
Cuyahoga Community College, headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, is the lead for the Midwest Community College HIT Consortium. The training provided by the consortium is funded by the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act of 2009 (HITECH Act), a key component of health care reform.
About Midwest Community College Health Information Technology Consortium
The Midwest Community College Health Information Technology Consortium provides training in six workforce roles to support electronic health records implementation across 10 Midwest states through campus-based training, distance learning and connections with employer partners. The consortium will recruit and train a minimum of 2,700 health career and information technology professionals and students annually, to assist them in becoming health information technology (HIT) professionals.
Led by Cleveland-based Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C), the consortium represents 17 of the largest and most innovative community colleges in the Department of Health & Human Services' Region C. The colleges include Cuyahoga Community College, Ohio; Cincinnati State Community College, Ohio; Columbus State Community College, Ohio; Delta College, Michigan; Des Moines Area Community College, Iowa; Johnson County Community College, Kansas; Kirkwood Community College, Iowa; Lansing Community College, Michigan; Macomb Community College, Michigan; Madison Area Technical College, Wisconsin; Metropolitan Community College, Nebraska; Milwaukee Area Technical College, Wisconsin; Moraine Valley Community College, Illinois; Normandale Community College, Minnesota; Sinclair Community College, Ohio; St. Louis Community College, Missouri; and Wayne County Community College, Michigan.
This project is supported in whole or in part by ARRA HIT Grant # 90CC007901 and was awarded to Cuyahoga Community College by the Federal HHS Office of the National Coordinator. Cuyahoga Community College is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate based upon race, gender, nor ethnicity.
SOURCE Cuyahoga Community College
Cuyahoga Community College
CONTACT: Karin Bonev, Dix & Eaton, +1-216-241-4617, kbonev@dix-eaton.com
Alltel Customers in Parts of California to Have Access to More Innovative Mobile Devices in Time for the Holiday Season
AT&T launches service for former Alltel subscribers, delivering access to the nation's fastest mobile broadband network and a wide selection of compelling devices
DALLAS, Nov. 18, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- Beginning Sunday, Nov. 21, more than 8,000 Alltel customers joining AT&T* will see a change as AT&T expands its service in California.(1) AT&T is rebranding Alltel to AT&T in Inyo and Mono Counties and introducing AT&T's exciting lineup of products and services to these customers just in time for the holiday shopping season.
Since its acquisition of the Alltel wireless assets in California, AT&T has invested significantly to transition the former Alltel network infrastructure to AT&T, with the nation's fastest mobile broadband network. Now that the integration process is complete, Alltel customers in these areas will have access to AT&T's industry-leading portfolio of mobile devices, including iPhone 4®.
The rebranding effort includes two former Alltel retail locations. AT&T will stock store shelves with AT&T handsets and other mobile devices. And Alltel branding will be replaced with AT&T signage in the two locations, which are located at:
-- 352 Old Mammoth Road, Mammoth Lakes, 93546
-- 905 N. Main Street, Bishop, 93514
Trained sales consultants will be available to demonstrate a wide range of advanced wireless products and services. Shoppers can also test the latest smartphones, quick messaging devices, netbooks and tablets. Customers will have the opportunity to learn how to get the most from social networking, manage photos or navigate with GPS on exciting exclusive AT&T devices.
"We're thrilled to welcome former Alltel customers to the AT&T community, and we're confident that they will enjoy a fantastic wireless experience with AT&T," said Andy Shibley, vice president and general manager, Greater Los Angeles area. "We've been working nonstop to upgrade the Alltel network, and today we're proud that customers in this area have access to the fastest mobile broadband network and a wireless network that covers 97 percent of all Americans as well as offers the best international coverage of any U.S. wireless provider -- with voice service in more than 220 countries and data service in 200 countries.
"With the launch of mobile broadband service here, we're able to enhance the network experience for all of our customers in this area of California. The initial integration, which we've completed, is just the first step. Our engineers will continue to optimize and enhance the network over the next couple of months. We anticipate this work will improve service for these customers, and it demonstrates our commitment to deliver a great wireless experience across the entire state of California."
Former Alltel consumer wireless customers in this area have the option to receive a brand new AT&T 3G handset, comparable to their existing device at no additional cost.(2) The vast majority of customers choosing free comparable devices are able to keep their existing rate plans, with no additional time commitment required.
Customers also have the opportunity to upgrade their devices for an additional fee and with a new two-year contract, with current AT&T rates and associated data plan. In addition to the benefits for all former Alltel customers joining AT&T in California, customers choosing an AT&T rate plan will also enjoy A-List with Rollover®, exclusive to AT&T, which offers unlimited calling to up to 10 additional numbers on any network and allows customers to keep their unused Anytime Minutes for up to 12 months.(3)
Customers with questions about the transition process may visit http://www.att.com/alltel, call (877) 930-9015 or speak with a sales representative at a local retail location.
(1) AT&T is expanding its service in California as a result of its acquisition of wireless assets from Verizon Wireless on June 22, 2010.
(2) Applies only to postpaid customers with a contract. Customers with laptop cards and netbooks may not have a choice of devices, but they are eligible for a comparable new device at no additional charge.
(3) A-List is available only with Individual plans $59.99 and over per month and FamilyTalk plan $89.99 or over per month. Other terms and conditions apply. Unused Rollover Minutes expire after the 12th billing period of the month minutes have been accumulated. Night and Weekend and Mobile to Mobile Minutes not included.
*AT&T products and services are provided or offered by subsidiaries and affiliates of AT&T Inc. under the AT&T brand and not by AT&T Inc.
About AT&T
AT&T Inc. (NYSE: T) is a premier communications holding company. Its subsidiaries and affiliates - AT&T operating companies - are the providers of AT&T services in the United States and around the world. With a powerful array of network resources that includes the nation's fastest mobile broadband network, AT&T is a leading provider of wireless, Wi-Fi, high speed Internet and voice services. A leader in mobile broadband, AT&T also offers the best wireless coverage worldwide, offering the most wireless phones that work in the most countries. It also offers advanced TV services under the AT&T U-verse® and AT&T | DIRECTV brands. The company's suite of IP-based business communications services is one of the most advanced in the world. In domestic markets, AT&T Advertising Solutions and AT&T Interactive are known for their leadership in local search and advertising. In 2010, AT&T again ranked among the 50 Most Admired Companies by FORTUNE®magazine.
Additional information about AT&T Inc. and the products and services provided by AT&T subsidiaries and affiliates is available at http://www.att.com. This AT&T news release and other announcements are available at http://www.att.com/newsroom and as part of an RSS feed at http://www.att.com/rss. Or follow our news on Twitter at @ATTNews. Find us on Facebook at http://www.Facebook.com/ATT to discover more about our consumer and wireless services or at http://www.Facebook.com/ATTSmallBiz to discover more about our small business services.
Verizon Wireless Commits to Kentucky Customers: 'We'll Stay Ahead of Your Data Usage'
Company Will Double 3G Capacity in Kentucky in 2010
LOUISVILLE, Ky., Nov. 18, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- Verizon Wireless has announced today that it is near completion of a major capacity improvement project for its high-speed 3G network in Kentucky this year that will ensure the company continues to stay ahead of its customers' growing data usage on their smart phones, wireless modems and handsets.
The project has entailed adding 3G capacity on 94 percent more cell sites in Kentucky compared to 2009, thereby doubling data capacity of the network across the state. The enhancements will provide further value to Verizon Wireless customers in Kentucky who are looking to rely more and more on their wireless devices for accessing the Internet, social networking, viewing high-quality videos, downloading music, games and ringtones, and exchanging email.
"With so many of our customers relying on their devices for much more than just making phone calls, it's imperative that we stay ahead of their usage habits," said John Granby, president, Kentucky/Indiana/Michigan region, Verizon Wireless. "It doesn't matter how many bells and whistles your smart phone offers if you cannot depend on it to keep you connected wherever you go. Verizon Wireless is committed to making sure our network has enough capacity to handle the increasing data traffic from our customers' Internet browsing, tweeting and mobile gaming."
The company's ongoing network investment in Kentucky now totals more than $335 million. Nationally, Verizon Wireless has invested more than $60 billion since it was formed - $5.7 billion on average every year - to increase the coverage and capacity of its premier nationwide network and to add new services.
In Kentucky, Verizon Wireless has more than 150 employees and 120-plus locations including company-owned retail stores, indirect agents and national retailers.
About Verizon Wireless
Verizon Wireless operates the nation's most reliable and largest wireless voice and 3G data network, serving more than 93 million customers. Headquartered in Basking Ridge, N.J., with 79,000 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: Michelle Gilbert, Verizon Wireless, +1-248-915-3680, Michelle.Gilbert@VerizonWireless.com; or Ashley Schaffner, For Verizon Wireless, +1-502-625-1636, Ashley@guthriemayes.com
Pledge to Reconnect This Holiday: VTech Helps Consumers Celebrate Holiday Traditions Through the Power of Storytelling
According to survey, consumers spend more time shopping than with friends and family during the holidays, yet want more time for one-on-one connections
BEAVERTON, Ore., Nov. 18, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- The holidays may be the most important time to reconnect with loved ones - yet more than half of consumers only spend the same or less time with friends and family compared to the rest of the year, according to a new survey(1) conducted by independent market research firm Toluna and VTech® Communications, a wholly owned subsidiary of VTech Holdings Ltd. (HKSE: 303; ADR: VTKHY) and the largest U.S. cordless phone manufacturer.
What are consumers doing when they should be spending time with loved ones? The survey showed that Americans spend more time shopping for gifts or deals than connecting with loved ones, with 51 percent of females putting shopping at the top of their to-do lists. Additionally, 30 percent of respondents felt they had not devoted enough time during recent holidays for friends and extended family.
To help consumers make reconnecting with loved ones a reality this holiday season, VTech is celebrating the power of storytelling as a way to strengthen quality connections and propel favorite cultural and family traditions. The company is encouraging consumers to share their holiday stories and make a pledge at http://www.facebook.com/VTechPhones, to call and connect with a loved one. Participants will be eligible to win weekly prizes and a grand prize trip for two to reconnect in person.
"Although we get caught up with the holiday rush of shopping and preparing for parties, we should make a conscious effort to share stories and special traditions with people who are important in our lives - especially those outside of our immediate household who are great sources of emotional support," says developmental psychologist and life coach, Dr. Michelle Callahan, host of syndicated daytime talk show Wedlock or Deadlock and author of Ms. Typed: Stop Sabotaging Your Relationships and Find Dating Success (Three Rivers Press, 2010). "The holidays are the perfect time to cultivate those personal bonds through storytelling - sharing life stories builds family, friend and cultural traditions that ultimately become the meaning and fabric of the holiday season."
Through VTech's Facebook® page, consumers can pledge to reconnect with special friends or long-lost acquaintances for a chance to win airline tickets, as well as weekly prize packs. VTech's StayGrounded.com, an online destination for promoting the art of good conversation to build relationships and personal connections, features advice from Dr. Michelle, weekly polls, tips, and articles on building bonds with friends and family.
VTech's StayGrounded.com also features more detailed data from the Toluna/VTech survey, which highlights consumers' desire and need to reconnect. Other key findings include:
-- Who wants to reconnect?: Catching up and talking to loved ones was a top
priority for the young (24 & under) and the old (55+); age groups in
between are probably out shopping!
-- The next best thing to being there: People are most likely to use the
phone to connect with friends and extended family over the holidays.
-- People feel disconnected from immediate family: For the majority of
Americans (51 percent), spending more time during the holidays with
parents and siblings was more important than spending time with extended
family or friends.
-- Who do you want to reconnect with? More men (12 percent) than women (8
percent) were thinking of reconnecting with their exes during the
holidays, while 25-34 year olds were the most nostalgic about their exes
than any other age group (13 percent). The younger the respondents
were, the more likely they were interested in reconnecting with a high
school friend, college friend or former roommate.
"A simple phone call may be the most powerful and impactful way to connect with loved ones during the busy holiday season," said Tom Bacon, vice president of marketing, VTech Communications, Inc. "We want people to make a public pledge to reconnect through one-on-one conversation as a way to remember the power of quality personal connections."
Connect to Win Today
StayGrounded.com features weekly visitor polls, regularly updated tips, fun facts and videos. Visitors can continue the dialogue by sharing with others through email, Facebook or Twitter®.
-- Facebook: Make a pledge to connect with someone this holiday season on http://www.facebook.com/VTechPhones to be eligible for the grand prize
of gift cards for the value of two American Airlines® domestic
round-trip tickets or a weekly prize package (valued at $100/each), and
receive information on VTech discounts, events, sports and music
initiatives.
-- Twitter: Follow VTech at http://twitter.com/vtech411 for the latest
news, including links to product reviews, contests and giveaways.
A VTech Phone for Any Lifestyle
VTech's latest DECT 6.0 cordless phone systems offer superior call quality, range and reception for the conversations that matter most. Available now on http://www.vtechphones.com and through major retail stores nationwide, the current lineup includes:
-- The VTech LS6325-4 is ideal for busy families who need to connect with
friends and family - and with each other throughout the home - thanks to
an added Push-to-Talk (PTT) feature.
-- VTech's two-line DS6151 system is also great for busy households, as
well as small office/home office users. It eliminates fights for phone
time and frustrations over having just one phone line, and features
intercom, call transfer, conference capabilities and a dedicated
voicemail box for each line.
About VTech®
VTech is the world's largest manufacturer of cordless telephones and a leading supplier of electronic learning products. It also provides highly sought-after contract manufacturing services. Founded in 1976, the Group's mission is to be the most cost effective designer and manufacturer of innovative, high quality consumer electronic products and to distribute them to markets worldwide in the most efficient manner.
Twitter is a trademark of Twitter, Inc. Facebook is a trademark of Facebook, Inc.
(1.) Survey methodology
Toluna, Inc. fielded the study on behalf of VTech from Nov 4-8, 2010
via its online omnibus service, interviewing a nationwide sample of
1,000 adults aged 18 years and older. Data were weighted using
propensity score weighting to be representative of the total U.S.
adult population on the basis of region, age within gender,
education, household income, race/ethnicity, and propensity to be
online. Data for questions related to online use or behaviors were
weighted specifically to the respective "online" populations. No
estimates of theoretical sampling error can be calculated; a full
methodology is available.
Media Contact:
Rachel Smith
GolinHarris
714-918-8208
rsmith@golinharris.com
SOURCE VTech
VTech
CONTACT: Rachel Smith of GolinHarris, +1-714-918-8208, rsmith@golinharris.com for VTech
Goodwin Procter Launches Microsite to Help Professionals Monitor And Analyze Implementation of Dodd-Frank Act
BOSTON, Nov. 18, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- Goodwin Procter LLP, a national Am Law 50 law firm, today unveiled a new website that provides comprehensive resources for monitoring and analyzing implementation of the Dodd-Frank Act's numerous statutory mandates and rulemaking initiatives. This new law requires regulatory bodies to engage in more than 240 rulemaking initiatives and conduct almost 70 studies on a broad range of issues. The free online resource will assist financial services and legal professionals faced with the challenge of responding to the sweeping changes resulting from the Dodd-Frank Act and related financial regulatory reform efforts.
The microsite offers both extensive content on emerging financial regulatory reforms and a variety of tools to help users find relevant information rapidly and easily. Users of Goodwin Procter's Dodd-Frank and Financial Regulatory Reform website can search by keywords; by more than 130 topics including "Basel III," "derivatives" and "too big to fail"; and by industries including private equity, swap dealer, mortgage servicing, bank holding company and venture capital; to address specific research needs. Goodwin Procter experts will continuously update site content, as regulations are implemented.
Regulatory areas analyzed on the site include:
-- The Volcker Rule
-- Private Fund Adviser Registration
-- The new Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
-- Risk Retention
-- OTC Derivatives Regulation
"Our new site is a wide-ranging resource with original analysis and links to primary source material to help clients and others stay on top of a rapidly changing regulatory landscape," said Robert Kurucza, chair of Goodwin Procter's Financial Services Group. "It's yet another demonstration of Goodwin Procter's ability to address complex financial services issues in an integrated, comprehensive manner."
The website will continue to tap the collective expertise of Goodwin Procter attorneys from the firm's Banking, Consumer Financial Services, Hedge Funds, Private Investment Funds, Investment Management, Private Equity, Real Estate Capital Markets, Securities & Corporate Finance, Securitization & Derivatives, and Securities Litigation & SEC Enforcement Practices.
Goodwin Procter LLP is one of the nation's leading law firms with offices in Boston, Hong Kong, London, Los Angeles, New York, San Diego, San Francisco, Silicon Valley, and Washington, D.C. The firm's core areas of practice are corporate, litigation and real estate, with specialized areas of focus that include financial services, private equity, technology, REITs and real estate capital markets, intellectual property, products liability and mass torts. Information may be found at http://www.goodwinprocter.com.
SOURCE Goodwin Procter LLP
Goodwin Procter LLP
CONTACT: Lee Feldman, Director of Communications, Goodwin Procter LLP, +1-212-459-7265, leefeldman@goodwinprocter.com
Littlewoods Europe Announces Launch of #wordless Wednesday Competition
SPEKE, England, Nov. 18, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- Littlewoods Europe has announced it will be launching a #wordless Wednesday competition on its blog in the weeks leading up to Christmas. The competition will run weekly on the Littlewoods Europe blog, and customers can enter by simply following the blogs and leaving a comment.
Wordless Wednesday sees Twitter and blog users posting pictures to their accounts which require no words as way of an explanation. Wordless Wednesday is similar to other Twitter themed days such as Travel Tuesday and Follow Friday.
As part of the competition, Littlewoods Europe will be posting pictures on their blog and asking followers to guess what the picture shows. The picture displays a small partition of the item which is up for grabs and to enter followers simply have to tell Littlewoods Europe what the picture shows and why they think they should win. Winners are then selected at random and announced on the company's blog and Twitter page.
The competition is designed to give followers the chance to win some of the most wanted items this Christmas season. The use of the blog and Twitter as a platform for the competition will allow customers from all over Europe to take part.
A spokesperson for Littlewoods Europe said: "We are running a weekly competition to win a range of great items from our on-line store and decided it would be more engaging to use #wordless Wednesday as the mechanic to do this."
There will be several prizes available to the winners, including a Sekonda steel watch, a leather Hobo bag, a Kodak Mini camcorder, bottles of Britney Spears' perfume and an advent house, as well as many children's toys including Zhu Zhu Pets, a Lego Duplo fire station, a radio controlled car and a Vtech Lighting McQueen learning laptop.
About Littlewoods Europe:
Littlewoods Europe is part of Shop Direct Group who is the UK's largest online and home shopping retailer with sales of circa pounds Sterling 1.7 billion. It is aimed at women who want the convenience of home delivery from one of their favourite British on-line retailers. The delivery cost is euro 5 regardless of size of order. Delivery is within 7 working days, with 28 days home approval guarantee.
The Littlewoods Europe site features over 14000 product lines, from core categories of clothing, footwear, toys, kid's wear and home wear.
Brands within the Shop Direct Group portfolio include Very.co.uk, Woolworths.co.uk, Littlewoods Ireland, Littlewoods Europe, Additions, Great Universal, Choice, Kays, Empire Stores and Marshall Ward.
PR Contact:
Michelle Miller
Consumer PR team
Shop Direct Group
Skyways House
Speke Road
Speke
L70 1AB
0844 292 2570 http://www.littlewoodseurope.com
Talking Partner for Actors now Available on the iPhone: Get Offbook Faster With Scene Partner and Acapela Voices!
MONS, Belgium, November 18, 2010/PRNewswire/ -- Scene Partner is an iPhone app designed for actors, theater companies and
writers looking for a smart way to help actors get offbook faster, using
Acapela speech synthesis, an outstanding talker to partner with. Actors can
now practice their lines anytime, on their own, to make their rehearsals and
performances even better.
Save time & move on to the fun part!
Acapela text to speech, which transforms any written text into natural
speech in real time, with the richness of the language and full respect of
breath groups, pauses and punctuation, contributes to offer with Scene
Partner a unique and highly efficient talking interface to help actors
memorize their lines anytime, anywhere, 24/7.
Scene Partner helps actors learn lines quickly and easily, whether they
normally use voice recording or the printed page. Advanced Acapela text to
speech plays back lines, cues, or whole scenes with pleasant voices. The
actor can even record their own voice and the voices of the fellow actors,
and merge them with the TTS playback. Last but not least, actors can use
their own scripts when signing up by creating a secure Private Library.
Just download the app, create an account (within the app or at http://www.scenepartnerapp.com/) and access all of the scripts in Scene
Partner's Public Library. You can also set up your own Private Library or
download scripts from the Libraries of your favorite Theaters.
'The potential of the iPhone as a tool for volunteers and professionals
in theater, film and TV is beginning to be realized with the launch of Scene
Partner, a revolutionary new app that helps actors get offbook fast using
Acapela super natural voices.' says J. Kevin Smith, Owner of
mytheaterapps.com, LLC, the developer of Scene Partner.
A product of mytheaterapps.com, Scene Partner is the first in a line of
productivity and community building mobile applications that will help
dramatic artists in ways that we have never imagined.
Pricing is $4.99 and includes 2 English Acapela voices , available on the
Apple appstore
Who it's for:
- Actors: use Scene Partner to get offbook.
- Theaters: upload scripts to the Scene Partner website for use by actors
that are cast in a show or sides for actors to use in auditions. -
Writers: upload original scripts to Private Library on the Scene Partner
website or add the original scripts to the Public Library.
Advanced features
- Uses advanced and super natural speech synthesis from Acapela
- Integrates your voice recording with Scene Partner's TTS voices
- Combine your voice (and the voices of your fellow cast members) with
the TTS voices during audio playback - Provides multiple playback and
recording options: listen to "Just Me," "Just My Cues," "Me and My Cues,"
or "Full Scene". - Divides your script into Acts, Scenes and Characters
automatically - Customizes your script based on your needs
- Highlights your lines in yellow or your choice of 9 colors
- Inserts voice memos to capture blocking, character or director's notes
- Edits your script's text on the fly
- Works with most electronic file formats: plain text, Word, rtf, html
and PDF (accessible format) using the online conversion utility at http://www.scenepartnerapp.com - Keeps your content safe with secure
accounts on Scene Partner's website and private libraries stored on their
servers
Acapela Group, the leading voice expert, invents text to speech solutions
to give your content a voice in up to 30 languages. Our speech solutions
allow you to turn any written text into natural speech files, using any of
our 50 High Quality standard voices or your own synthezised voice talent.
Acapela can answer all text to speech needs and provide perfect vocalization
whether for voice integration and development, online & on demand use, audio
files production, or ready to speak products for personal accessibility use.
Weber Shandwick Launches Social Crisis Simulator, FireBell
Real-Time Proprietary Application Prepares Companies For Social Media Crises
NEW YORK, Nov. 18, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- In today's age of real-time information, brands and companies are more at risk than ever to attacks online from unexpected sources. Global public relations firm Weber Shandwick today launched a new social crisis simulator, FireBell, creating an authentic, real-time experience of being under attack on social media channels. This proprietary application allows clients to participate in a real-time dialogue in a secure, off-the-Internet environment.
The new application was designed in-house by Weber Shandwick software developers and social media strategists. It simulates crisis situations on multiple social media platforms including Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, Digg, LinkedIn and blogs.
"More than ever, social interactions can have material impact on brand perception and reputation. It's critical that clients understand how issues spread and how to react in as close to real time as possible," said Chris Perry, president of Digital Communications at Weber Shandwick. "Communications leaders need to understand that it's not a matter of if an online crisis is going to happen, but when - and be prepared. How a company responds to a crisis in today's social environment is vastly different than even the recent past; a formal statement to the press no longer suffices. It's about a living dialogue with a company's constituents."
The simulation begins with a plausible crisis scenario, which is devised by the drill team, but not shared with the client. From that, the team builds functioning and fictional offline versions of the client's social media properties including Twitter and Facebook. Concurrently, the team builds offline versions of outside social properties such as anti-fan Facebook pages and contrary blogs. During the drill, FireBell projects images that look like the organization's social media profiles and the client can witness and respond to the crisis unfolding in those channels, preparing them for the inevitable 24/7 dialogue that occurs during a real crisis.
"With FireBell, you can't just speak in abstract terms of how you would respond. It transforms crisis drills from static exercises of imagination to concrete and dynamic dialogue between client and the public," said David Krejci, senior vice president, Digital Communications at Weber Shandwick. "This stress-inducing exercise prepares clients for exactly how and when to engage with audiences via social media - and does so in a secure and offline environment."
About Weber Shandwick
Weber Shandwick is a leading global public relations agency with offices in 74 countries around the world. The firm's success is built on its deep commitment to client service, our people, creativity, collaboration and harnessing the power of Advocates - engaging stakeholders in new and creative ways to build brands and reputation. Weber Shandwick provides strategy and execution across practices such as consumer marketing, healthcare, technology, public affairs, financial services, corporate and crisis management. Its specialized services include digital/social media, advocacy advertising, market research, and corporate responsibility. In 2010, Weber Shandwick was named Global Agency of the Year by The Holmes Report for the second year in a row; an 'Agency of the Decade' by Advertising Age, Large PR Agency of the Year by Bulldog Reporter, a Digital Firm of the Year by PR News, and Top Corporate Responsibility Advisory Firm by CR Magazine. The firm has also won numerous 'best place to work' awards around the world. Weber Shandwick is part of the Interpublic Group (NYSE: IPG). For more information, visit http://www.webershandwick.com.
Contact(s) Jennifer Norton Rachel Hoey
Company Weber Shandwick Weber Shandwick
Phone: 212.445.8314 212.445.8171
Email jnorton@webershandwick.com rhoey@webershandwick.com
Disney, Gowalla Deliver the Magic of Disneyland Resort, Walt Disney World Resort, in a New Way
Gowalla's Unique Product Features Inspire Visitors To Experience Disney Parks Like Never Before
GLENDALE, Calif., Nov. 18, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- In its first foray into location services, Disney Parks has teamed up with Gowalla - the social network that inspires people to keep up with friends and share the places they go - to provide park-goers a new way to explore the magic of Walt Disney World and Disneyland Resorts. Starting today, visitors to these parks can engage with family and friends around the world through the custom Disney Gowalla pages and Passport Stamps, and track their experiences at Disney like never before.
"Gowalla is the perfect complement to the park visit by rewarding guests with exclusive digital stamps, and by suggesting new ways to explore the parks with fun trip itineraries," said Leslie Ferraro, executive vice president, Global Marketing for Disney Destinations. "We are excited to work with Gowalla to enhance the check-in experience for our guests. As we encourage our guests to make memories at Disney parks, Gowalla is a great way for them to share their Disney memories as they happen."
Capturing and Sharing the Magic of Disney
People are able to view park happenings with custom Gowalla Disney Passport pages for Disneyland and Walt Disney World Resorts that include maps featuring a check-in stream, a list of popular places, exciting Trips, special Items and more.
Hundreds of locations within Disneyland and Walt Disney World Resorts will feature custom Stamps created by Gowalla - the largest number of custom Gowalla Passport Stamps ever developed for a brand. The Stamps can be collected in their Gowalla Passports and kept as a virtual scrapbook by park-goers of their experiences at Disney. In addition, park visitors will discover and collect Pins as a special reward for visiting featured Spots, and Virtual Items will be placed around the parks. "Beware of the hitchhiking ghost taking residency in your Gowalla Passport," added Tom Aronson, digital marketing director, Global New Media, Walt Disney Parks and Resorts.
Discovering the Magic of Disney
For guests looking for a creative way to explore the parks, Disney has developed Gowalla Trips that "bundle" attractions by age or interest. A sampling includes:
-- "For the Little Ones (under 44 inches)" is a dream track fit for
pint-sized park-goers to Magic Kingdom in Florida. It includes
"Mickey's PhilharMagic," Dumbo the Flying Elephant, Peter Pan's Flight
and more.
-- "Characters in the Wild" treats Disney's Animal Kingdom guests to a show
track that includes "Festival of the Lion King," "Finding Nemo-The
Musical," "Flights of Wonder" and more.
-- Just in time for the holidays at the Disneyland park, "Santa's Reindeer
Roundup," "Believe...in Holiday Magic" fireworks and Sleeping Beauty
Winter Castle are on the menu for the "Seasons Greetings" Trip.
Throughout the year, Disney will be highlighting special events at its parks via Gowalla. This feature allows park-goers to secure unique Passport Stamps for checking in at custom events to record all of their Disney Parks' experiences
"Part of what makes Gowalla special is our vision to inspire people to discover and explore truly remarkable places around the world and then share those experiences with friends and family worldwide. Disney has consistently created this kind of wonder and excitement with its park-goers, so teaming up to create something new has been a thrill for us," said Andy Ellwood, business development director, Gowalla. "This is the first time we've developed a partnership this comprehensive with a brand and it's only possible because of the remarkable number of places and experiences the Disney parks have to discover."
To participate, guests are encouraged to join Gowalla via the web or download the free application onto their smartphone. All the custom Stamps and Items guests collect will be added to their Gowalla Passport and each check-in can be shared via Facebook and Twitter. Guests can start their new Disney Parks adventure by going to Gowalla.com/WaltDisneyWorld, Gowalla.com/Disneyland or Gowalla.com/Disney.
SOURCE Walt Disney Parks and Resorts
Walt Disney Parks and Resorts
CONTACT: Pia Arthur, Marketing/Communications, Gowalla, Press@Gowalla.com; Rick Sylvain, Public Relations, Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, +1-407-566-6397
Microsoft Dynamics GP 2010 R2 to Feature New Business Intelligence Capabilities and Build on Customer Success
Customers flocking to Microsoft Dynamics GP to save money and derive long-term value.
REDMOND, Wash., Nov. 18, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- Following the successful launch of Microsoft Dynamics GP 2010, Microsoft Corp.(Nasdaq: MSFT) announced that the upcoming release of Microsoft Dynamics GP 2010 R2 will provide midsize customers with new contextual business intelligence capabilities and additional ease-of-use features that make actionable information more accessible than before to people across an organization.
The Microsoft Dynamics GP 2010 R2 update expands key areas of investment for Microsoft Dynamics GP 2010, including the following:
-- Enhancing insight into role-specific information through an improved
user interface and personalized dashboards, quickly delivering
information that's relevant to the actions people are taking or the
information they are viewing
-- Making it easier to complete tasks with improved approval workflow and
electronic signature capabilities, helping people save time while
managing compliance and helping to reduce fraud
-- Extending connections through Fact Boxes and Action Shortcuts, which are
now connected with Microsoft Lync 2010 instant messaging windows,
bringing information about the people who are chatting and their
companies to the user's fingertips
"We have seen unprecedented momentum for Microsoft Dynamics GP 2010, having recently added more new customers in one quarter than any previous quarter in the history of the solution," said Crispin Read, general manager, Microsoft Dynamics ERP Product Management Group. "Microsoft Dynamics GP 2010 R2 delivers on our ongoing commitment to provide customers with long-term value and the ability to make quicker decisions by presenting intelligence that's directly relevant to their job."
Companies using Microsoft Dynamics GP 2010 have experienced tangible benefits. As an example, Primo Water Corp. experienced the following:
-- A savings of approximately $300,000 in consulting costs as a direct
result of the significantly reduced need for customizations
-- A savings of approximately $200,000 in time and labor as a result of
more streamlined business processes
-- A savings of $35,000 in legal and audit expenses because of tighter
control of business functions
-- A 29 percent improvement in invoice accuracy with faster and easier
visibility into inventory positions, checks and balances
-- More environmentally minded business practices as a result of paperless
invoices, further saving the company almost $5 per invoice in postage
fees
"Microsoft Dynamics GP 2010 is delivering huge opportunity for our business by providing the ability to drill down into details from the home page using configurable dashboard metrics," said George Mackiewicz, president, CAL Business Solutions Inc. "The fact that Microsoft is continuing to provide further innovation for the solution on a regular basis makes it an even easier choice for customers."
Details of Microsoft Dynamics GP 2010 R2, which is scheduled for general availability in the first half of 2011, will be presented at a technical conference in Fargo, N.D., March 1-3, 2011; partners are encouraged to register at http://www.microsoft.com/dynamics/fargodeveloperconference.
Microsoft Dynamics GP 2010 will also be available in French Canadian and Latin American Spanish versions later this month. More information about Microsoft Dynamics GPis available athttp://www.microsoft.com/dynamics/gp.
About Microsoft Dynamics
Microsoft Dynamics is a line of simple to learn and use ERP and CRM solutions that work with your existing technology and scale as you grow to give you long-term value. By using software and online services that work the way people and organizations work, businesses are better able to make informed decisions and adapt to rapid change. Microsoft Dynamics helps your people be more productive and your investments in existing systems last longer, while enabling your business to derive the insights necessary to respond quickly and have a competitive edge in an ever-changing world of business.
About Microsoft
Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq: MSFT) is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential.
Buy.com Launches 'Rakuten Super Points' Customer Loyalty Program
Lucrative bonus points program supplements free shipping on millions of products in time for holiday shopping season
ALISO VIEJO, Calif., Nov. 18, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- Buy.com, The Internet Superstore(TM), today announced it is enhancing its free shipping offers on millions of products by introducing the "Rakuten Super Points" program to reward loyal shoppers with points redeemable as payment toward future purchases. All items (with the exception of gift certificates) purchased by credit card via a Buy.com account will earn customers Super Points.
As a special incentive for early holiday shoppers, Buy.com will award 20 times the points for all Toy & Baby Store purchases until Wednesday, Nov. 24 at 11:59 p.m. Pacific Standard Time (PST), and triple points on all other items sitewide through Friday, Nov. 19 at 11:59 p.m. PST.
This offers marks the first time the hugely successful Rakuten Super Points program, which is Japan's No. 1 preferred rewards program, will be available outside Asia. Buy.com owner Rakuten has also introduced this points program in China, Taiwan and Thailand. The program includes partnerships with major airlines and brick-and-mortar retailers.
The U.S. Super Points program builds upon Buy.com's recent customer service initiatives, which includes the industry-best 45-day product return policy with no restocking fees, along with free shipping on millions of products throughout Buy.com.
"Over the last year, we've continued to focus on finding new ways to help customers shop smarter and save money," said Neel Grover, CEO and president of Buy.com. "We've aggressively expanded our product categories and Marketplace partnerships, launched a new mobile site, and introduced the industry's most consumer-friendly return policy. Following in the footsteps of our new owner Rakuten, which has been the Asian e-commerce leader for years, our Super Points program adds yet another way to delight the customer as we move into the full swing of the holiday shopping season."
Standard points, which do not expire if another Buy.com purchase is made within 180 days, will automatically display upon checkout.
Rakuten Ichiba, which sells to more than 80 countries worldwide, also offers international shipping service from Japan to U.S. customers. To learn more, visit http://en.rakuten.co.jp/.
About Buy.com
With more than 18 million customers, Buy.com is a leading retail marketplace, focused on providing its customers with a great shopping experience and a broad selection of retail goods at everyday low prices. Buy.com offers millions of products in a range of categories, including consumer electronics, computer hardware and software, cell phones, books, music, DVDs, games, toys, bags, fragrance, home and outdoor, baby, jewelry, shoes, apparel and sporting goods. Founded in June 1997, Buy.com is headquartered in Aliso Viejo, Calif. Buy.com is owned by Rakuten, Japan's leading Internet Company. Together, Rakuten and Buy.com represent one of the world's largest online retail marketplaces, offering consumers more than 70 million products from nearly 35,000 merchants around the globe.
Buy.com® and The Internet Superstore(TM) are trademarks of Buy.com Inc.
About Rakuten
Rakuten, Inc. has approximately 64 million registered members in Japan and sales in 2009 totaled US$3.2 billion. Its core business "Rakuten Ichiba" is Japan's largest Internet shopping mall and offers approximately 70 million products by about 35,000 merchants, some of whom have turnover of more than US$1 million per month. In addition to its Internet shopping mall, Rakuten, which has more than 10,000 employees, is engaged in other Internet businesses such as travel agency and financial services.
(1) According to a Dec. 15, 2009 survey conducted by Nikkei Trendy, the Rakuten Super Points program was voted the most convenient and rewarding program in Japan, beating out other loyalty programs such as ANA Mileage Club, T-Point, JAL Mileage Bank and others.
SOURCE Buy.com
Buy.com
CONTACT: Rachel Smith of GolinHarris, +1-714-918-8208, rsmith@golinharris.com for Buy.com; or Mark Kirschner of Rakuten, Inc., +1-646-943-8359, mark.kirschner@mail.rakuten.co.jp