Partnership Strengthens ValueOptions' Member Outreach and Engagement Capabilities
NORFOLK, Va., Feb. 22, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- ValueOptions(®), the nation's largest independent behavioral health and wellness company, and LifeWIRE(®) announced today a joint teaming agreement to create a mobile monitoring, intervention and counseling program.
As a part of this agreement, ValueOptions will leverage LifeWIRE's automated communication platform, applying client-specific modifications to more effectively conduct outreach and engage members in identifying and addressing potential health issues. The platform enables ValueOptions to stay connected with more members and to monitor and better assess their ongoing resiliency status. LifeWIRE's proprietary automated texting platform builds upon and integrates with ValueOptions' existing outreach and engagement tools to offer more timely and tailored confidential communications that target individual wellness needs.
The LifeWIRE platform is a patent-pending mobile, two-way interactive e-health & behavior management solution. Individuals use, or providers and case managers direct, the solution via custom text messaging, e-mail or Interactive Voice Response (IVR) based interactions which track, monitor and engage users to improve health status or achieve other important health goals. LifeWIRE is a HIPAA-compliant solution that uses a member's own cell phone, along with a web-enabled interface, to create mobile interactions, schedule appointments, monitor progress and analyze results.
"We are very excited to work with ValueOptions, coupling our innovative interactive communication platform with ValueOptions leadership in behavior and wellness management," said Howard Rosen, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of LifeWIRE.
Rosen continues, "Leveraging the ability to interactively text in an automated and tailored fashion on any cell phone broadens the outreach and deepens the engagement ValueOptions uses to deliver timely behavioral health and wellness interventions."
ValueOptions will use LifeWIRE to reach and stay connected with members least likely to ask for help and who otherwise might fall through the cracks of more traditional engagement approaches.
"LifeWIRE's interactive capabilities, integrated with our own member-facing technologies, allow us to connect with and engage members in an unobtrusive fashion to help better assess physical and behavioral health needs and refer them to an appropriate treatment setting before a potentially serious incident occurs," said Bob Esposito, ValueOptions' Executive Vice President and Chief Information Officer. "With LifeWIRE, ValueOptions delivers a richer and more robust capability to meet the wide-ranging and individual needs of all members in a confidential, more personalized and convenient fashion."
About ValueOptions(®)
ValueOptions(®), the nation's largest independent behavioral health and wellness company, manages publicly funded and employer benefit programs that cover more than 30 million individuals nationwide. Maintaining a national network of more than 127,000 provider locations, we partner with national and regional health plans to deliver superior behavioral health care management for their members. When working directly with employers, we are an industry leader, managing mental health and substance abuse services, employee assistance programs and a wide variety of wellness benefits for organizations of all sizes - including more than 10 percent of the Fortune 500. We also serve both military and civilian employees of the federal government with innovative programs that positively impact daily life. And, we hold public sector contracts in 14 states, providing care management services and an array of cutting-edge, community-based programs to Medicaid-eligible populations. At ValueOptions, we help our clients build a Culture of Health. We help members move down the path to wellness and embrace recovery and resiliency in their daily lives. We help people live their lives to the fullest potential. Visit http://www.valueoptions.com for more information.
About LifeWIRE® Corp
LifeWIRE® Corp is a mobile communications and health information solution provider. Through its patent-pending interactive platform, LifeWIRE provides a patient-friendly, wireless solution which incorporates remote management and monitoring that facilitate proactive management of disease conditions and promotes wellness through virtually any mobile system in the world. LifeWIRE was recently chosen as one of the Top 30 mHealth Innovators by the mHealth Alliance and selected a Computerworld Honors 2011 Laureate for its work with wounded warriors suffering from PTSD and mTBI. For more information, visit: http://www.lifewiregroup.com
SOURCE ValueOptions
ValueOptions
CONTACT: CONTACT: Thomas Warburton, +1-757-459-5258, tom.warburton@valueoptions.com
Onvia Brings Major Product Upgrade to Clients With Release of "Onvia 5"
Streamlined interface and enhanced tools help users more quickly search for government sales leads and get highly targeted results.
SEATTLE, Feb. 22, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Onvia, a leading provider of government contracting opportunities and business intelligence to U.S. companies, announces the release of one of the most significant product enhancements in the company's history. Titled "Onvia 5," this major upgrade to Onvia's core product, the Onvia Online Database, is designed to make it faster and easier for clients to get the best possible search results and locate the procurement and agency information they need.
"Onvia 5 represents a successful milestone in our roadmap to enhancing value for our customers," said Onvia President and CEO Hank Riner. "We have listened to our customers and have significantly improved the navigation and usability of our database services."
Among the benefits that Onvia 5 brings to the company's clients:
-- Faster scanning and qualification of project opportunities
-- Advanced search features that allow clients to more efficiently pinpoint
the opportunities that are most relevant to them
-- Project data better organized for readability and to match user workflow
-- Less scrolling and clicking to access data
Onvia 5 also serves as the foundation for a series of additional product enhancements and additions that the company has in development for future deployment. To learn more about Onvia 5, visit http://www.onvia.com.
"We are thrilled with the positive reaction and accolades we have received from the market," said Riner. "We will continue to invest in enhancements and new solutions for our customers to expand our leadership position in public-sector procurement intelligence."
About Onvia, Inc.
For more than 12 years Onvia (NASDAQ: ONVI) has been delivering the data, analytics and tools companies rely on to succeed in the $5.5 trillion government-contracting market. Onvia tracks, analyzes and reports the spending of tens of thousands of federal, state and local government agencies, giving companies a single source for conducting open, intelligent and efficient business with government. Along with providing an exclusive suite of integrated business tools for a wide variety of industries, Onvia offers DemandStar, an automated e-procurement system that streamlines agency procurement processes. For information about Onvia, visit http://www.onvia.com.
SOURCE Onvia, Inc.
Onvia, Inc.
CONTACT: Scott Merrick, +1-206-373-9415, smerric@onvia.com
Nosh List App Replaces Paper Wait List and Buzzers at Restaurants
Free SMS and call notification to diners elevates guest experience
PLEASANTON, Calif., Feb. 22, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Firespotter Labs today announced the availability of Nosh List (http://www.nosh.com/list), a free, simple, and effective restaurant wait list app for the iPad available on the App Store. Nosh List makes it easy for the host to manage the wait list making it unnecessary to rely on paper lists or buzzer systems, and elevates the guest experience by notifying waiting guests via SMS and Call Alerts to their cell phone. Nosh List is free and provides unlimited texting and call notifications for alerting parties when their tables are ready.
"With Nosh List restaurants finally have a way to move their wait list management into the modern age while making diners feel secure in the knowledge that they will be notified conveniently via their cell phone wherever they are when their table is ready," said Craig Walker, CEO, Firespotter Labs. "Restaurants don't need to invest in costly and limited range buzzers and alert systems or depend solely on pencil and paper. The iPad simplifies the host's job and gives the restaurant greater insight into their business."
A fully featured waitlist, Nosh List lets restaurant staff add, seat and remove parties quickly and easily. With Nosh List, when a guest checks in, the host uses an iPad to add name, cell phone number and number of people in the party while also providing an estimated wait time.
"Nosh List has brought organization and efficiency to our wait list while elevating the Umami Burger guest experience," said PJ Patton, General Manager of Umami Burger San Francisco. "Best of all we don't have to worry about tracking text messages because Nosh List offers free unlimited texting and phone calls to patrons."
The host can use color codes to status parties relative to each restaurant's unique wait list policies. Common use of color codes may include call ahead or only seating complete parties, or denote need of a high chair or VIP status. Once a table opens up, the host will use Nosh List to send the guest a text message to let them know that their table is ready. Restaurants can also send a second notification in the form of an automated phone call. When the diners are seated, the host can easily remove them from the list.
Daily analytics will be accessible from any device. Nosh List will make rich analytics available to restaurateurs in future releases of the app.
About Firespotter Labs
Founded in 2011 by serial entrepreneur and former Google Ventures Entrepreneur in Residence Craig Walker, Firespotter Labs focuses on fanning the flames of ideas that will revolutionize industries. Not an incubator in the traditional sense, at Firespotter the sparks start inside with one idea fueling another, evolving into products and companies that go on to exist and succeed on their own. Firespotter is funded by Google Ventures. For more information go to http://www.firespotter.com
DOSarrest Expands its DDoS Protection Cloud to Europe
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Feb. 22, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- DOSarrest Internet Security announced today that they have expanded their DDoS protection cloud into Europe, with a new DDoS mitigation node in London, UK. The new addition will work in conjunction with their existing nodes in New York and Los Angeles and is in response to their growing client base in Europe which has quadrupled in the last 12 months.
Mark Teolis, GM of DOSarrest states. "Having another node increases our overall capabilities and more importantly it increases our performance for our customers. The closer we are to the customers' servers, the better the performance. Our service is unique in several ways and one of them is our caching, which is now even better. We have also successfully stopped 1,000+ unique real world attacks Since 2007, so our proprietary methods, techniques and software are well proven. Not bad given we do not employ any off the shelf DDoS mitigation devices."
"The newly added mitigation node, coupled with some software/hardware enhancements on all of our other nodes, enables us to have performance comparable to some of the largest CDN's "
"We expect to have an additional European node sometime in 2012 with other regions in the planning phase."
About DOSarrest Internet Security:
DOSarrest founded in 2007 in Vancouver BC Canada is one of only a couple of companies worldwide to specialize in only cloud based DDoS protection services. Their main focus is on small to large e-commerce websites. Their proven proprietary techniques and industry leading DSS (DOSarrest Security Services) allowing customers to login and view real-time attack statistics and make changes, has positioned them as leaders in the DDoS protection services arena.
SOURCE DOSarrest Internet Security
DOSarrest Internet Security
CONTACT: Mark Teolis, mteolis@dosarrest.com, +1-888-818-1344
Eye-C Launches Pro Version of Taglists App for Artists, Brands, Celebrities, and More
New Artists' Tool Helps Professional Users Easily Create Custom Online Channels for Followers that Combine Videos, Music, Photos, and Much More
PALO ALTO, Calif., Feb. 22, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Eyecon today unveiled its new Artists' Tool for Taglists by Eye-C, a free downloadable app that lets professional users easily create channels of customized content that fans and followers can play on just about any screen or device. Eye-C provides a unique way for artists, brands, celebrities, content creators, promoters and many more to reach their audiences using the most effective means on the web: music, video, pictures, and all the most popular social networks.
Each month more than half of consumers watch at least one online video per month (eMarketer, 2011) and today analysts are reporting that three times as many people are streaming music videos as downloading music (Nielsen, 2011). With the continued increase in online multimedia consumption and the battle around digital media rights heating up, consumers and professionals alike are searching for a simple, affordable means to play their favorite content.
"Taglists' Artists' Tool was developed in close partnership with leading independent artists and labels to provide professionals a turn-key way to share content that fans can consume for free - without violating any piracy laws," said Alec Marshal, vice president of marketing at Eye-C Taglists. "We've created a way for people to build out playlists and yet it doesn't circumvent the artist's ownership of material or hinder them from gaining commercial ownership. Our goal is to transform the media consumption experience - by taking the best of both the streaming and download models - in a way that's just as affordable, accessible and personalized for users."
Taglists takes the hassle out of staying connected with online audiences with a simple-to-use interface that allows professional users to quickly create and promote channels of their media from multiple sources - including Facebook, SoundCloud, YouTube and more. Fans simply push "Play" and the Taglist will stream onto their mobile phone, connected TV, and set top box. Audiences can even post comments, add their own photos, songs, and videos, and share the Taglist - creating an entirely social, viral and interactive experience.
Praise for Eye-C Taglists:
"Eye-C is a mind-blowing new tool for both independent and established artists alike. It makes the painstaking process of connecting with fans simple and efficient," said Trevor Simpson, co-founder of World Town Records and a top-selling electronic music producer who has worked with pre-eminent artists including Lady Gaga, David Guetta, LMFAO and more. "Before Eye-C we'd update Facebook and Twitter multiple times a day, and fans had to open the links to see or hear anything. Now we just tag a new music video or recent event photos, and our followers can play it instantly - on devices that actually sound great!"
"We wanted to get people talking and build some buzz around the 'Naked' single and my album release, so we've been working hard in our social networks," said Dev, whose highly anticipated debut album, "The Night the Sun Came Up," is slated for release March 2012. "I liked using Taglists because it gives us a new way to talk with fans on Facebook and Twitter. Instead of just plain status updates, we can use videos and songs to build playlists with the audience. Instead of a bunch of links, they get to play with the new music and videos. Very cool."
"We're focused on finding amazingly talented artists and building the credibility and reputation they need to move into the mainstream," said Carlo Fox of Indie-Pop Records. "Outside of radio play, nothing works better for that than social networking, and nothing gets shared more in social networking than music, videos, and pictures. We think Taglists is pretty radical, because it combines all of those functions - it plays like a radio station, connects like a social network, and focuses on the music and videos that people love."
"Our listeners can't wait to check out the latest game trailers and screenshots," said Omaha Sternberg, head editor for gaming site iGame Radio. "Taglists turns the chore of tweeting, Facebooking, and posting about game links into the ease of creating one list for everything. Now our favorite game videos and screens can be sent in one handy list to all our friends."
Taglists by Eye-C is a free app that is available for consumers on iPad, iPhone and Android at http://eye-c.com or search for Eye-C in the App Store or Android Market.
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About Taglists by Eye-C
Founded in 2010, Eyecon is a Palo Alto, Calif. based leading provider of media experience platforms. Taglists by Eye-C for iPad, iPhone and Android is the latest of Eyecon's applications for mobile devices that provides a new, more convenient and enjoyable way to find, share and play media. Download Taglists by Eye-C for free, and your timeline becomes your own personal TV channel, radio station, or photo gallery. Play #music. Play #video. Play #tags.
New iPhone App is First Global Concierge for Medical Services
GeoBlue(SM) Mobile Is the Key to Quality Care
RADNOR, Pa., Feb. 22, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- GeoBlue, a leader and innovator serving the medical needs of expatriates and world travelers, announced today that it has launched the first iPhone application for finding and paying for quality healthcare services all around the world. GeoBlue Mobile is now available in the iTunes App Store for downloading onto iPhones, iPads and iPod touches. From the palm of their hands, GeoBlue insurance members conveniently use the downloadable app to:
-- Review detailed profiles of carefully selected English-speaking
physicians and dentists in 180 countries
-- Contact GeoBlue's concierge service to request an appointment with a
specific doctor or within a medical specialty
-- Plug into iPhone's mapping and GPS functionality to find the shortest
route to convenient care
-- Present a digital identification card directly to doctors and hospitals
as confirmation of their eligibility for benefits.
GeoBlue Mobile also maps and profiles notable hospitals and pharmacies and provides brand name equivalents for over 350 prescription and over-the-counter medications. To help users describe and understand symptoms, diagnoses and treatment plans, GeoBlue Mobile has built-in translation tools with audio allowing users to play hundreds of key medical terms and phrases in the world's most widely spoken languages.
Requiring no Internet connection when taken abroad, GeoBlue Mobile is exceptionally fast and easy to use with convenient functionality to save favorites or recall recent searches. With an Internet connection, travelers can also go directly from the app to the Blue National Doctor and Hospital Finder mobile web site to find providers inside the U.S. GeoBlue Mobile was developed and is maintained by HTH Worldwide, the global leader in mobile technology for destination health services.
"Today GeoBlue sets a new industry standard for member convenience and value with the deployment of the global downloadable application," said Angelo Masciantonio, Chief Executive Officer of GeoBlue. "No other international health plan can place access to a world of quality health care literally in its members' hands."
About GeoBlue
GeoBlue is the trade name for the international health insurance programs of Worldwide Insurance Services, an independent licensee of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association. Setting the industry standard, GeoBlue's mission is to provide peace of mind to long- and short-term global travelers by offering competitive insurance protection and technology-powered assistance, including an elite community of thousands of carefully selected, contracted doctors and hospitals in almost every country in the world as well as its signature destination databases, mobile tools and concierge-level services. The scope of GeoBlue's services and technology creates a complete, reliable, convenient way to keep international travelers and expats healthy and productive. For more information, visit geo-blue.com.
"Don't Steal My Data": Myriad Cracks Mobile Privacy With the Launch of Intelligence Hub
ZURICH, February 22, 2012/PRNewswire/ --
- New powerful local analytics engine is first and only solution to enable
service providers to better understand user behaviors on device without infringing on
privacy
- Myriad empowers consumers to say "Don't steal my data - just ask!"
- Myriad to put Carriers back into the billion dollar mobile advertising
ecosystem by allowing them to better monetize existing and new service, while enabling
Advertisers to reach the right user at the right time
Myriad Group AG (SIX: MYRN), the company powering billions of rich mobile social and
web experiences on any connected device, today announces the launch of Myriad Intelligence
Hub, a new powerful consumer insight analytics engine designed with mobile in mind. Myriad
Intelligence Hub aims to put its partners back into the billion dollar mobile advertising
ecosystem by allowing them to better monetize existing and new services, while at the same
time protecting consumers' data and keeping it private.
"OEMs and Carriers currently lose billions of dollars each year to over-the-top
players, which is staggering," says Simon Wilkinson, CEO of Myriad Group. "Myriad's
Intelligence Hub is helping them gain back a large share of those potential revenues,
while at the same time protecting consumers' privacy. It's a win-win."
With Myriad Intelligence Hub, all data analysis is safely and securely conducted in
real-time on device. Drilling down into over 200 categories, Myriad dynamically interprets
user behavior, while ensuring no data goes beyond the user's finger tips. With opt-in
mechanisms throughout the customer experience, this provides users with complete
reassurance regarding the protection of their personal data and the instant presentation
of related content and applications, while enabling Carriers, OEMs and Advertisers to
reach the right user, at the right time, with the right service and message.
See Myriad's Intelligence Hub at this year's Mobile World Congress in Barcelona or
view the demo before MWC on Myriad's YouTube Channel
[http://youtube.com/myriadgroupmarketing ]: http://www.youtube.com/myriadgroupmarketing. The mobile advertising ecosystem is
estimated to be worth over $2 billion today and predicted to be worth as much as $14
billion by 2014, according to Gartner. Analytics derived from consumer behavior are a
proven driver to deliver more targeted, higher value advertising. Analysis of usage
patterns allows service providers to profile their customers using a blend of semantic
engines and as such, focus their communications at the optimum target market for the
desired effect.
"We're offering a solution that does not infringe on consumers' personal data and puts
them in control. That's the most important thing to understand about Intelligence Hub,"
continues Wilkinson. "A lot of other larger, more established companies in the mobile
space haven't got this right, and there's mounting pressure to keep personal customer data
private. We developed Intelligence Hub with this in mind."
See a live demo of Intelligence Hub. Myriad will be attending this year's Mobile World
Congress in Barcelona and will be located at Hospitality Suite AV 102. Myriad will be
hosting workshops dedicated to Analytics Intelligence Hub on Wednesday, Feb. 29 from 2pm
to 4pm CET in Hall Q Sala B. To register, please visit: http://www.myriadgroup.com/mwc12workshop
About Myriad
Myriad is chosen by leading OEMs and network service providers to power rich mobile social
and web experiences - from the most basic to the smartest connected device through a
single, scalable platform.
Today, over 2.5 billion mobile users rely on Myriad software. Myriad apps often
provide users with their first taste of the Internet, and with our proven technology
embedded in every Android device we are on target to help our partners power the next
billion users.
We operate worldwide, with offices in Switzerland, France, UK, USA, Mexico, India,
UAE, China, South Korea, Taiwan, Japan and Australia. Headquartered in Zurich Switzerland,
Myriad is listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange (SIX Symbol: MYRN).
For more information please visit our website: http://www.myriadgroup.com. You can
also follow us on twitter@MyriadGroup and view our YouTube Channel -
YouTube.com/myriadgroupmarketing
Source: Myriad
Kate Hamilton or Jaime Tero, +1-415-989-9803, or +44-(0)-207-437-0227, myriad@onechocolatecomms.com
"Don't Steal My Data:" Myriad Cracks Mobile Privacy with the Launch of Intelligence Hub
-- New powerful local analytics engine is first and only solution to enable service providers to better understand user behaviors on device without infringing on privacy
-- Myriad empowers consumers to say "Don't steal my data - just ask!"
-- Myriad to put Carriers back into the billion dollar mobile advertising ecosystem by allowing them to better monetize existing and new service, while enabling Advertisers to reach the right user at the right time
ZURICH, Feb. 22, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Myriad Group AG (SIX: MYRN), the company powering billions of rich mobile social and web experiences on any connected device, today announces the launch of Myriad Intelligence Hub, a new powerful consumer insight analytics engine designed with mobile in mind. Myriad Intelligence Hub aims to put its partners back into the billion dollar mobile advertising ecosystem by allowing them to better monetize existing and new services, while at the same time protecting consumers' data and keeping it private.
"OEMs and Carriers currently lose billions dollars each year to over-the-top players, which is staggering," says Simon Wilkinson, CEO of Myriad Group. "Myriad's Intelligence Hub is helping them gain back a large share of those potential revenues, while at the same time protecting consumers' privacy. It's a win-win."
With Myriad Intelligence Hub, all data analysis is safely and securely conducted in real-time on device. Drilling down into over 200 categories, Myriad dynamically interprets user behavior, while ensuring no data goes beyond the user's finger tips. With opt-in mechanisms throughout the customer experience, this provides users with complete reassurance regarding the protection of their personal data and the instant presentation of related content and applications, while enabling Carriers, OEMs and Advertisers to reach the right user, at the right time, with the right service and message.
See Myriad's Intelligence Hub at this year's Mobile World Congress in Barcelona or view the demo before MWC on Myriad's YouTube Channel: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=obI-EuiXJR0. The mobile advertising ecosystem is estimated to be worth over $2 billion today and predicted to be worth as much as $14 billion by 2014, according to Gartner. Analytics derived from consumer behavior are a proven driver to deliver more targeted, higher value advertising. Analysis of usage patterns allows service providers to profile their customers using a blend of semantic engines and as such, focus their communications at the optimum target market for the desired effect.
"We're offering a solution that does not infringe on consumers' personal data and puts them in control. That's the most important thing to understand about Intelligence Hub," continues Wilkinson. "A lot of other larger, more established companies in the mobile space haven't got this right, and there's mounting pressure to keep personal customer data private. We developed Intelligence Hub with this in mind."
See a live demo of Intelligence Hub. Myriad will be attending this year's Mobile World Congress in Barcelona and will be located at Hospitality Suite AV 102. Myriad will be hosting workshops dedicated to Analytics Intelligence Hub on Wednesday, Feb. 29 from 2pm to 4pm CET in Hall Q Sala B. To register, please visit: http://www.myriadgroup.com/mwc12workshop
About Myriad
Myriad is chosen by leading OEMs and network service providers to power rich mobile social and web experiences - from the most basic to the smartest connected device through a single, scalable platform.
Today, over 2.5 billion mobile users rely on Myriad software. Myriad apps often provide users with their first taste of the Internet, and with our proven technology embedded in every Android device we are on target to help our partners power the next billion users.
We operate worldwide, with offices in Switzerland, France, UK, USA, Mexico, India, UAE, China, South Korea, Taiwan, Japan and Australia. Headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland, Myriad is listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange (SIX Symbol: MYRN).
For more information please visit our website: http://www.myriadgroup.com. You can also follow us on twitter@MyriadGroup and view our YouTube Channel - YouTube.com/myriadgroupmarketing
SOURCE Myriad Group AG
Myriad Group AG
CONTACT: Kate Hamilton or Jaime Tero, +1-415-989-9803, +44 (0) 207 437 0227, myriad@onechocolatecomms.com
Emergency Physicians Monthly Recognizes ER Texting as a Top 10 Mobile App for Emergency Room Patients
Service allows patients to receive emergency room wait times via their cell phones
MIAMI, Feb. 22, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- ER Texting, a provider of turnkey text message services to the healthcare industry, was recently recognized in Emergency Physicians Monthly in their article, "10 Apps that Can Save a Patient's Life".
Speaking specifically to the importance of emergency room workflow, the magazine stated:
"Whether your ED (emergency department) is in a bustling metropolis or a rustic town, you have no doubt experienced shifts where you felt like you were the only emergency physician in the city. This has significant implications for patients if they cannot get treated in time. ERtexting (http://www.ERtexting.com) aims to help spread out the workload among EDs by enabling patients or caretakers to find out wait times on-the-go by texting their zip code to "437411" (4ER411). Try it out by texting the zip code "21212" to that number."
As Press Ganey ED surveys have demonstrated for four consecutive years, providing ED wait times improves patient satisfaction scores; delivers greater hospital transparency; provides for better load balancing and increased efficiency; and ultimately increases ED visits.
Today's patients are demanding more and more healthcare related information. Posting ED wait times aligns with consumers' expectations and is a determining factor when selecting a hospital for emergency care.
About ER Texting
ER Texting provides texting services to hospitals and urgent care facilities that want to post their emergency room wait time and allow consumers to access those times via text message. By virtue of its dedicated and highly recognizable SMS short code 4ER411, ER Texting offers a complete, secure, compliant and integrated texting and marketing platform. For more information on ER Texting and our capabilities, please visit http://www.ERtexting.com.
Italtel Chooses Octasic for its QoS Network Interconnection Product Line
GSMA MOBILE WORLD CONGRESS, BARCELONA, Spain, February 22, 2012/PRNewswire/ --
Italtel and Octasic showcasing the NetMatch Product Line at Mobile World Congress 2012
Octasic Inc., a leading innovator of media processing and wireless solutions, today
announced that its Vocallo MGW multi-core DSP platform has been chosen by Italtel, a
leading developer and designer of solutions for Next Generation Network and Next
Generation Service (NGN/NGS). Italtel has integrated Octasic's Vocallo MGW platform into
their latest NetMatch product line.
Italtel NetMatch is a family of products that provides carriers with a smooth
migration from TDM to IP and from existing mobile networks to LTE. It provides both voice
and HD video capabilities, along with all necessary protocol adaptations, making it easier
to offer audio conferencing, video conferencing, and telepresence capabilities.
"The idea behind NetMatch was to have a flexible, multi-purpose solution that is
future-proof. Market requirements led us to design a product that guarantees high
performance and allows our customer to effectively manage the complexity involved in the
interconnection between different networks and handle the related exchange of
information," said Federico Descalzo, Head of Smart Networks & Products Unit at Italtel.
"We chose Octasic's Opus-based chips to handle all media processing in NetMatch products
because we appreciated the flexibility that their technology offers us while keeping a
high density to power ratio. We are currently using the OCT1010 chipset for audio and fax
management. Future product releases will adopt the newer OCT2224M chipset, which more than
doubles transcoding capacity and provides effective high quality video processing."
The NetMatch product line demonstrates the flexibility of Octasic's Vocallo MGW
solution. The NetMatch-M provides the highest density TDM to IP media gateway. The
NetMatch-B provides a cost-efficient border gateway. Finally, for the fast-growing SBC
market, the NetMatch-S leverages Octasic's expertise to offer the best voice quality, low
latency transcoding, and unmatched port density.
"We are glad that Italtel found the right fit for their NetMatch product line with our
Vocallo MGW products," said James Awad, Director of Marketing at Octasic. "The ability to
run both voice and video channels on the same chip gives our customers an unparalleled
advantage over their competition. The OCT2224M device with the Vocallo MGW software is the
only solution on the market that supports a complete voice and HD video media gateway on
the same device. Competing solutions using hardware acceleration or external co-processors
are limited to their purpose-built feature set and cannot be software-upgraded to add new
features or capabilities, making it harder to implement a mix of audio and video on the
same card. We make it easier for carriers to deploy Next Generation services by offering
efficient hardware today that will not become obsolete as demand for video services
increase."
The OCT2224M is based on Octasic's power-efficient, asynchronous Opus DSP core
technology, offering the industry's lowest power per channel for voice and video DSP
processing. Italtel and Octasic will be showcasing the NetMatch and OCT2224M video
solutions at Mobile World Congress from February 27th to March 1st at booth 2H58 of Hall
2.
About Octasic
Octasic Inc. is a global provider of media and wireless baseband processing silicon
and software solutions for the converged carrier, enterprise, and end-point communication
equipment markets. The company's leading quality VoIP, HD video, and multi-standard
wireless base station multi-core DSP solutions are based on Opus, a unique asynchronous
DSP architecture. Octasic allows next-generation equipment manufacturers to significantly
reduce system costs by offering unmatched performance in terms of density and power
consumption. Founded in 1998, Octasic is a privately-held company headquartered in
Montreal, Canada.
About Italtel
Italtel designs, develops, implements solutions for NGN and NGS; Professional Services
dedicated to the design and maintenance of networks; IT System Integration Services;
Network Integration and migration activities. Italtel counts among its customers more than
40 of the world's top TLC Operators and SPs. In Italy Italtel is also reference partner of
Enterprises and Public Sector for the deployment of IP Next-Generation Networks and for
the development of multimedia convergent services for their customers. Italtel is present
in 25 countries including France, UK, Spain, Germany, Belgium, Poland, Argentina, Brazil,
United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia.
Player From Turin, Italy is First to Win 100,000 Euro in 888.it's "The Money Drop"
ROME, February 22, 2012/PRNewswire/ --
888.it announces the first 100,000 euro winner in the 888.it video slot, "The Money
Drop [http://www.888.it/the-money-drop ]". The lucky player, Guido G, a 47 year old from
Turin, hit the 100,000 euro Jackpot just a week after celebrating his birthday, "I do not
believe it, maybe I'm dreaming! I know the game from the TV, but I never tried it online
and I would never have imagined winning," he added "I saw the logo on the site 888.it of
the State Monopoly, which inspired trust in me, I then logged in and before "The Money
Drop" I tried Live Roulette and Blackjack. I had no winning strategy, just beginner's
luck!"
The winner's cheque was delivered at a celebratory dinner hosted by the 888.it CEO,
Pier Francesco Geraci. "Every time one of our clients wins is as if we won too," says
Geraci, "It is thanks to them that 888.it continues to grow and to receive the
appreciation not only of other professionals, but also all our players, expert and novice.
Guido is the first winner of one of our most fun games, a unique and attractive format of
a popular TV game, and we it is only natural that we would like to meet him and delver the
Jackpot prize money in person and celebrate this victory with him."
"The Money Drop" one of a number of quality branded game shows from Endemol, is
available in the vast selection of online casino games offered by the 888.it site.
In addition to "The Money Drop", many other games based on the most famous Italian
television packages from Endemol are available, including "Affari Tuoi". The site also
presents the popular classic casino games including online favourites like Roulette
[http://www.888.it/roulette ] and Blackjack [http://www.888.it/blackjack ]. As well,
amongst the newest offerings from 888.it is the thrill of live casino
[http://www.888.it/live-casino ]. Players are invited to experience playing in a live
casino environment from the comfort of their own armchair with real-time, expert live
croupiers.
The story of Guido G. from his initial disbelief up until the thrill of the victory is
available on the 888.it Facebook page.
About 888.it
Virtual Marketing Services (Italy) S.r.l., owner of the mark 888.it, offers online
games and holds the public concession AAMS n. 15014. The company is the property of 888
Holdings group, traded on the stock market in London, a world leader in online casino
games. 888 offers one of the best programs of "Social Responsibility" and fully supports
all the principles on Responsible Gaming, both areas in which during the years 888 has
received numerous awards and certifications from major authorities.
Source: 888.it
For more information about this release or 888.com and its house of brands, please contact Director of Public Relations, Jennifer Huxley at jennifer.huxley@888holdings.com, +44(0)20-7487-8694
Healthcare Providers and Patients Reap Benefits of AT&T's Ramped-Up Community of Care
AT&T Healthcare Community Online Scales Possibilities at HIMSS 2012 with New Customers and Enhancements, Including a Care Management Feature
DALLAS, Feb. 22, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --Technology can help transform the delivery of care by connecting all members of the healthcare community. Information exchange is not a one-way street. Providers need access to complete and accurate patient information, concerned family members need to be kept abreast of situations, and patients need to be able to manage and access all of their records.
AT&T* Healthcare Community Online powered by Covisint, the company's advanced collaborative care and health information exchange (HIE) platform, provides the foundation for a fully clinically integrated system. This fosters the ability to access clinical applications, exchange and analyze patient information across the entire care team in a highly-secure manner.
Enhanced Care Management
When patient health information resides in disparate data sources, AT&T Healthcare Community Online can empower connected care.
The platform now includes a care management enhancement, powered by HealthyCircles. This integrated suite of online portals can seamlessly connect patients to their care team -- such as their physicians, caregivers, family -- so they can exchange highly-secure clinical and administrative data. With the care management enhancement, healthcare organizations can better engage their patients, successfully manage care transitions, and address the evolving care delivery models of accountable care organizations. Patients can share information in real-time, have full-access to their personal health records, and utilize web services.
-- Using the accompanying triage dashboard, healthcare professionals can
monitor the needs of their patients and rapidly respond to high-risk
care situations to provide connected, patient-centric care.
-- Patients can share information in real-time, and have full-access to
their personal health record and take advantage of additional services
such as telemedicine services, and online health programs.
-- Families and other members of a patient's care team can have access to
the patient's records, simplify processes and get rid of "shoebox"
filing systems; the portal enables them to view and exchange messages
with the involved healthcare professionals, book appointments, and more.
"Our solutions are focused on providing better clinically integrated care - improving collaboration among providers, patients and the whole healthcare team," said Randall Porter, Assistant Vice President, AT&T ForHealth, AT&T Business Solutions. "AT&T Healthcare Community Online is a powerful collaborative care platform, and the cornerstone of our AT&T ForHealth practice. These enhancements and relationships are evidence demonstrating the validity of our strategy."
Put to Practice
VoCare is a company that is active in patient and clinician engagement. For example, in the senior care community, VoCare is connecting physicians with their patients and adult children with innovative solutions designed to bring peace of mind to the care community while allowing the elderly to maintain their mobility and autonomy. VoCare's robust telehealth program offers a unique bundled service replacing a variety of different device and software vendors.
All of these services and devices need to be integrated into diverse and multiple electronic health record (EHR) systems. AT&T Healthcare Community Online Clinical Message Exchange is providing a "hub" - one platform, one solution to reach a number of physicians, groups, and more, so VoCare does not need to configure their technology to communicate with a variety of systems.
By working with AT&T, VoCare is able to quickly and easily connect with, and provide healthcare information to a variety of sources without needing to link directly to each source.
"We chose AT&T because of their commitment to investing in their HCO presence," said Steve Peabody, CEO and President of VoCare. "This also allows us to strengthen our interactions with medical providers -- AT&T has a proven track record of relationships with medical clients."
AT&T and Baylor Health Care System have populated AT&T Healthcare Community Online with live patient demographic data--from Baylor's inpatient EHR platform and ambulatory electronic medical record (EMR), as well as live radiology information from their radiology information system (RIS) platform -- to provide more information to the many physicians treating patients throughout the Baylor Health Care System.
As announced recently, AT&T is also collaborating with:
-- American Medical Association (AMA): AMA and AT&T announced a strategic
alliance and will integrate AMA's AMAGINE(TM) physician community portal
for physicians with AT&T Healthcare Community Online
-- Indiana Health Information Exchange (IHIE): IHIE will implement AT&T
Healthcare Community Online's Clinical Message Exchange.
AT&T Healthcare Community Online will be demonstrated at booth #3829 at HIMSS12 in Las Vegas from Feb. 20 - Feb. 24, 2012.
*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 and one of the most honored companies in the world. 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, voice and cloud-based services. A leader in mobile broadband and emerging 4G capabilities, AT&T also offers the best wireless coverage worldwide of any U.S. carrier, 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.
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 @ATT.
Palo Alto Networks Expands Technology Partner Program with New Data Center Infrastructure and Mobility Partners
SANTA CLARA, Calif., Feb. 22, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Palo Alto Networks(TM), the network security company, has announced new partnerships within its Technology Partner Program - a program committed to arming mutual customers with integrated solutions that fundamentally improve network security and risk management for enterprises. These new partnerships further represent this customer commitment, especially for organizations looking to use next-generation firewalls as the core to their data center security architectures and their solution to safely enabling application usage on mobile platforms.
"Business critical data and corporate assets are increasingly being stored at the data center and accessed by a highly mobile workforce," said Punit Minocha, vice president of business and corporate development at Palo Alto Networks. "As such, it is crucial that our customers benefit the most from their network security investments for the entire infrastructure - from deep within the data center to smartphones and tablets at use in the distributed enterprise."
Data Center Infrastructure Security
In the past, most organizations had to make trade-offs in securing their data centers, such as trading lower levels of security and visibility to optimize network bandwidth and throughput. The following data center infrastructure partners do away with these trade-offs, enabling enterprise-class throughput with the additional network visibility and control enabled by next-generation firewall technology:
Avaya
Brocade
Mobile Workforce Security
The increasing sophistication of enterprise mobile devices means that application visibility, awareness and control need to be extended to an organization's mobile workers, wherever they are. Palo Alto Networks has added new mobile device management partners to ensure that next-generation network security follows enterprise data wherever it goes. These partners include:
MobileIron
Zenprise
In addition, the company also expands its technology scope with partnerships from leading vendors in network security management, security incident and event management (SIEM), network access and NetFlow analytics. These partners include:
AlgoSec
Network Critical
LogRhythm
Plixer International
Partner Quotes
AlgoSec:
"AlgoSec has chosen Palo Alto Networks to partner with in the battle to safeguard enterprise networks," said Nimmy Reichenberg, vice president of marketing and business development at AlgoSec. "Together they deliver a network security management solution that offers enterprises greater visibility and control of their next-generation firewall infrastructure through automated policy management that increases operational efficiency, ensures compliance and reduces risk."
Avaya:
"The combination of Avaya's Ethernet Routing Switch and Palo Alto Networks next-generation firewalls provides both high-availability and application-aware network security for the modern data center. By utilizing Avaya's Switch Clustering and the Virtual Services Fabric powered by Shortest Path Bridging, data centers can take advantage of high-availability technologies to drastically mitigate or eliminate downtime due to loss of network links, upstream paths or even migrations to a backup site."
Brocade:
"The addition of next-generation firewalls to Brocade's foundational fabric-based data center networking solutions, such as those built using Brocade VDX switches, provides customers with a new level of visibility into traffic in and out of the data center, regardless of application or protocol type," said Doug Ingraham, vice president of Alliances at Brocade. "This simplifies and consolidates security management for companies that are already fortifying their data center networkswith Brocade's Ethernet fabric solutions."
LogRhythm:
"We look for innovators and industry leaders with which to collaborate and have found an ideal partner in Palo Alto Networks," said Matt Winter, vice president of corporate & business development at LogRhythm. "Together, our technologies provide enterprises with cyber threat defense, detection and response capabilities through advanced correlation, pattern recognition and automated remediation -- enabling our mutual customers to actively prevent advanced threats."
MobileIron:
"The granular security provided by combining MobileIron's Virtual Smartphone Platform with next-generation firewall technology further simplifies IT's ability to provide role-based application management and enforcement, across company-owned and BYOD iOS devices," said Ojas Rege, vice president of product, MobileIron. "This partnership enables automated VPN provisioning to help ensure a safe connection regardless of the network the device is connected to, helping enterprises maintain control of their data while streamlining IT processes."
NetworkCritical:
"Network Critical and Palo Alto Networks are both dedicated to enabling their customers to stay focused on business operations, and not on the task of network administration. The two companies' combined efforts allow system administrators to reliably and securely keep network traffic flowing when an in-line appliance fails and maintain live network continuity, keeping businesses both protected and productive."
Plixer International:
"Plixer International's NetFlow analytics solution, Scrutinizer(TM), provides unparalleled detail into who and what is consuming your network traffic. With the explosion of web based business applications and handhelds: BYOD (Bring Your Own Device), the challenge to optimize the network performance and minimize security threats continues to be a great concern. Scrutinizer's advanced NetFlow reporting and Flow Analytics(TM) arm network professionals with the tools to keep the network safe while continually archiving 100% of the NetFlow traffic," said Marc Bilodeau, chief technical officer and founder, Plixer International. "We are very pleased to join Palo Alto Networks' Partner program. Palo Alto Networks' next-generation firewalls provide granular policy control of applications and content, unlike traditional firewalls that classify traffic based only on ports and protocols. This control and granularity extends down to the user level and is an important component of proactively managing today's networks."
Zenprise:
"In this era of BYOD, IT departments want to allow employees to use their device of choice without compromising security or compliance requirements. Zenprise offers enterprises a secure mobile device management solution that provides end-to-end protection," said Ahmed Datoo, chief marketing officer, Zenprise. "We're excited to team with Palo Alto Networks and believe that their application-aware next-generation firewall technology allows our customers to further extend application control to mobile devices."
About Palo Alto Networks
Palo Alto Networks(TM) is the network security company. Its next-generation firewalls enable unprecedented visibility and granular policy control of applications and content - by user, not just IP address - at up to 20Gbps with no performance degradation. Based on patent-pending App-ID(TM) technology, Palo Alto Networks firewalls accurately identify and control applications - regardless of port, protocol, evasive tactic or SSL encryption - and scan content to stop threats and prevent data leakage. Enterprises can for the first time embrace Web 2.0 and maintain complete visibility and control, while significantly reducing total cost of ownership through device consolidation. Most recently, Palo Alto Networks has enabled enterprises to extend this same network security to remote users with the release of GlobalProtect(TM) and to combat targeted malware with its WildFire(TM) service. For more information, visit http://www.paloaltonetworks.com.
Palo Alto Networks, "The Network Security Company," the Palo Alto Networks Logo, App-ID, GlobalProtect, and WildFire are trademarks of Palo Alto Networks, Inc. in the United States. All other trademarks, trade names or service marks used or mentioned herein belong to their respective owners.
SOURCE Palo Alto Networks
Palo Alto Networks
CONTACT: Mike Haro, Director of Corporate Communications, Palo Alto Networks, +1-408-438-8628, mharo@paloaltonetworks.com
User Centric Hosts Webinar to Discuss the Importance of Interaction Design
CHICAGO, Feb. 22, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- When developing a new product or reconsidering an existing design, there can be a strong focus on the "look and feel" instead of on how users will actually interact with the product or service. A true user-centered design approach includes both the interactions and the look and feel. Organizations can benefit tremendously when the end-to-end user experience brings these two disciplines together through a user-centered approach. User Centric Inc's complimentary webinar, "Behaviors First, Colors Second: The Importance of Interaction Design," will tackle this topic on March 8 at 12PM CST.
During the webinar, Associate Director, Martin Ho, will dive into the theory and practice of user-centered design while highlighting the delineation between the Information Architect, Interaction Designer and Visual Designer. The presentation will discuss the benefits and applicability of user-centered design activities, as well as tips on how to leverage the process within constraints. Visit http://www.usercentric.com/webinars/importance-of-interaction-design to register.
The webinar is part of the series, "We Believe Experiences Matter," which began February 2 and consists of 16 presentations throughout the year. A variety of user experience topics will be covered including eye tracking, global research, and on March 27, "Medical Device Human Factors: Catching up to the FDA" will discuss the human factors validation process for medical device manufacturers. Space is still available and can be reserved by visiting http://www.usercentric.com/webinars.
User Centric, Inc. is a global user experience research and design firm with a long history of improving user experiences. Services include user research, user interface design consulting, information architecture, usability testing, user interface evaluations, eye tracking, service design, focus groups and ethnography. To view the entire "We Believe Experiences Matter" free webinar series, visit http://www.usercentric.com/webinars.
Liberate Your Music Library: Altec Lansing Introduces the New inAir 5000 Wireless AirPlay Speaker
Altec Lansing Sets the New Standard for Wireless Audio with Sensational Sound Quality and Ease-of-Use
SAN DIEGO, Feb. 22,( )2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, audio innovator Altec Lansing released the inAir 5000 Wireless AirPlay® Speaker (MA5000) that allows users of iTunes, iPad, iPhone and iPod touch to stream music wirelessly over their Wi-Fi network to any room in the house. The inAir 5000 is the first in a new series of AirPlay enabled audio networking products that capitalize on the audio engineering excellence and groundbreaking product design of Altec Lansing.
The new inAir 5000 is the perfect companion for iPad, iPhone and iPod touch as well as computers running iTunes. Whether a user is playing music from a personal iTunes library or streaming content from AirPlay-enabled apps, the inAir 5000 is the simple, elegant way to wireless entertainment with astounding audio clarity.
"Altec Lansing is thrilled to add the first AirPlay speaker to our long line of products that support Apple devices and their customers," said Brendon Stead, Co-President, Altec Lansing. "Apple customers have come to expect the best in design and usability, and the inAir 5000 addresses those needs while promising the amazing audio performance for which Altec Lansing is known."
Designed for Compatibility
iTunes users and those with an iPad, iPhone or iPod touch can now enjoy room-filling sound in any living space. Engineered to be an accessory to an active social lifestyle, connecting to the inAir 5000 is fast and simple with AirPlay via any compatible device*, and setting up the speaker is a breeze. Using the Altec Lansing inAir Guide App, users can quickly and easily setup their new speaker system. Within minutes of opening the box, users are streaming music from a wide range of sources. Furthermore, using iTunes on a Mac or PC, users can play music to multiple inAir 5000 speakers throughout the home or office.
Designed for Amazing Sound Quality
The new inAir 5000 has been engineered from the ground up to provide the most audio punch in an attractive form factor. The unique curvature of the unit goes beyond esthetics with non-parallel walls that prevent the cross-cancellation of sound waves and produce more natural sound. The result of this unique design is amazing clarity and minimal loss throughout the entire tonal range. The structure of the unit is fortified thoroughly to prevent distortion and vibration, so music is reproduced the way the artist intended. Intelligent digital signal processing promises lower bass response, widens the sound field and tames high frequencies. This product benefits from Altec Lansing's legendary sound engineering, and music enthusiasts will hear the difference.
The internal components of the inAir 5000 are a testament to the heritage and legacy of Altec Lansing's 75 years in audio excellence. The dual 3-inch mid-range drivers are constructed of super strong Kevlar to deliver true vocals and mid-tones with minimal distortion. Triple amplifiers drive the system, with dedicated power to the mid-range drivers, the neodymium tweeters and the thunderous 4-inch subwoofer.
Designed for Household Harmony
The inAir 5000 was designed with an emphasis on clean lines and minimal distractions to appeal to a wide variety of tastes and harmoniously blend with any decor. Discreet, side-mounted controls and the included remote give users easy command of the unit and their music.
Availability and Pricing
The inAir 5000 Wireless AirPlay Speaker (MA5000) will be available in late February at http://www.alteclansing.com and select retailers worldwide. MSRP is $499.95.
The inAir Guide App is available for free from the App Store on iPad, iPhone or iPod touch or at http://www.itunes.com/appstore.
*AirPlay requires a Mac or PC with iTunes 10.1 or later, or iPhone 4S, iPhone 4, iPhone 3GS, iPod touch (2nd generation or later), iPad or iPad 2 with iOS 4.2 or later.
About Altec Lansing
Celebrating 75 years of audio excellence and innovation, Altec Lansing is recognized for setting new standards in product design and performance with industry firsts including the first "talkie" film speakers, the first set of desktop computer speakers and the first iPod docking station. Altec Lansing continues to be the first choice for music enthusiasts and audiophiles alike with exceptional audio solutions for the home, on the go, and personal enjoyment. To learn more about Altec Lansing's unique history and discover the complete line of audio products, visit http://www.alteclansing.com.
Connect with the Altec Lansing team on the following social media sites:
AT&T Invests More Than $500 Million in Arizona From 2009 Through 2011 to Improve Local Networks
Company Builds New Cell Sites, Boosts Capacity and Adds Fiber Optics to Enhance Networks
PHOENIX, Feb. 22, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- AT&T* invested more than $500 million in its Arizona wireless and wireline networks from 2009 through 2011 with a focus on improving the company's mobile broadband coverage and overall performance of its networks.
During 2011, AT&T made more than 1,150 wireless network upgrades in four key categories in Arizona. These enhancements include:
-- Activating nearly 80 new cell sites or towers to improve network
coverage.
-- Deploying faster fiber-optic connections to more than 675 cell sites.
Combined with HSPA+ technology, these deployments enable 4G speeds**.
-- Adding capacity or an extra layer of frequency to cell sites - like
adding lanes to a highway - with the addition of more than 300 of these
layers, or "carriers".
-- Upgrading nearly 100 cell sites to provide fast mobile broadband speeds.
AT&T also launched its new 4G LTE network in Phoenix.
"Our goal is to deliver a network experience that mobilizes everything for customers," said Jennifer Biry, Arizona vice president and general manager, AT&T. "The ongoing investment we're making in Arizona is designed to increase coverage and reliability, and to provide advanced services to our customers. Paired with our recent launch of our 4G LTE network in Phoenix, customers can use wireless technology to its full potential."
CNN Money recently recognized AT&T for enhancing its wireless network. Last year, AT&T completed 150,000 network enhancements across the country, more than triple the year before, giving customers more capacity and faster speeds, as well as improving 3G dropped-call performance by 25 percent.
"More than ever, we use wireless communications to stay connected with family, friends and business colleagues," said Glenn Hamer, President and CEO of the Arizona Chamber of Commerce and Industry. "I applaud AT&T's continued investment in its wireless network to ensure Arizona residents and businesses can communicate and perform at optimal levels."
AT&T plans to support the build or upgrade of thousands of cell sites nationwide to increase network speed, coverage and reliability for both mobile voice and broadband services. In addition, AT&T plans to install additional radio "carriers" at thousands of cell sites nationally, enabling new layers of spectrum capacity to carry larger volumes of mobile broadband traffic. Additional capacity helps support rising mobile data traffic volumes, which continue to increase at a rapid pace.
AT&T operates the nation's largest Wi-Fi network*** with nearly 30,000 hotspots in the U.S. and provides access to nearly 190,000 hotspots globally through roaming agreements. Most AT&T smartphone customers get access to our entire national Wi-Fi network at no additional cost, and Wi-Fi usage doesn't count against customers' monthly wireless data plans.
AT&T recently launched "Focus: Phoenix", which provides visitors a peek into AT&T's wireless network enhancements made since the beginning of 2011.**** Enhancements include new cell sites, broadband speed upgrades, capacity upgrades and network connection upgrades. The site also provides a map of area AT&T stores, a map of area Wi-Fi hotspots, useful tips, a localized Twitter handle and device reviews. The site can be found at http://focus.att.com/phx.
For more information about AT&T's coverage in Arizona or anywhere in the United States, consumers can visit the AT&T Coverage Viewer. Using the online tool, AT&T customers can measure quality of coverage from a street address, intersection, ZIP code or even a landmark.
For updates on the AT&T wireless network, please visit the AT&T network news page.
*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.
**4G speeds delivered by HSPA+ with enhanced backhaul. Available in limited areas. Availability increasing with ongoing backhaul deployment. 4G device required. Learn more at att.com/network.
*** Largest based on company branded and operated hotspots. Access includes AT&T Wi-Fi Basic. A Wi-Fi enabled device required. Other restrictions apply. See http://www.attwifi.com for details and locations.
**** Focus: Phoenix highlights enhancements in Maricopa County.
About AT&T
AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T) is a premier communications holding company and one of the most honored companies in the world. 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, voice and cloud-based services. A leader in mobile broadband and emerging 4G capabilities, AT&T also offers the best wireless coverage worldwide of any U.S. carrier, 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.
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 @ATT.
Cautionary Language Concerning Forward-Looking Statements
Information set forth in this press release contains financial estimates and other forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties, and actual results might differ materially. A discussion of factors that may affect future results is contained in AT&T's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. AT&T disclaims any obligation to update and revise statements contained in this news release based on new information or otherwise.
SOURCE AT&T Inc.
AT&T Inc.
CONTACT: Scott Huscher of InView Communications for AT&T Corporate Communications, +1-602-956-6776, scotthuscher@inviewcommunications.com
iPad® Harnessed by Law Firm to Sharpen Client Service
Fennemore Craig profiled by Apple® for innovative use of technology
PHOENIX, Feb. 22, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- A southwest regional law firm, Fennemore Craig (http://www.fclaw.com) is changing the way lawyers do business by harnessing the power of the Apple iPad.
Gone are volumes of paper and 24-hour wait times for a client to get a return call. Now, legal materials live on a fleet of iPads that Fennemore Craig pre-loads and loans to clients and adversaries. Communication with lawyers occurs instantly through built-in FaceTime or Skype apps.
The firm's innovative use of the iPad caught the attention of Apple which is currently profiling Fennemore Craig in a case study on Apple.com/business. "The iPad has revolutionized the way we communicate with our clients and resolve cases," says Marc Lamber, chair of Fennemore Craig's Plaintiff's Personal Injury Practice Group. "The iPad technology allows us to gather evidence faster and engage our clients even more thoroughly," adds James Goodnow, Lamber's partner.
View the Fennemore Craig case study on Apple.com/business
Lamber and Goodnow, who focus on catastrophic injury and wrongful death cases, provide iPads to clients. The iPads provide a lifeline enabling clients to easily collaborate with their attorneys and provide key information immediately such as photos, video logs and signed release forms. This as-it-happens communication helps level the playing field against those with unlimited resources.
The attorneys also deliver iPads with comprehensive "video settlement demand packages" to opposing counsel, insurance company adjusters and mediators complete with computer-generated images, Keynote presentations, video interviews, scene diagrams, expert-witness interviews and photos.
In courtroom situations, Lamber and Goodnow use apps like iJuror to track prospective juror responses during jury selection and then during trial, the duo link their iPads to multimedia systems bringing exhibits and presentations to life on individual screens for juries, opposing counsel and the judge. At mediation, court dates and legal conferences, Lamber and Goodnow use the iPad to carry essential documents with them for immediate, searchable access. They use apps like iAnnotate PDF to edit and highlight documents.
Clients view the new connectivity as an unexpected upgrade. "I can reach my lawyers instantly anytime, anyplace and spend less time in their office," said Melissa Frankel, a Fennemore Craig client.
Fennemore Craig is the only law firm selected by Apple to be profiled concerning uses of iPad. Other companies featured, include Grupo BBVA, Medtronic, GE and The Benneton Group.
Innovative Digital Reality Show for Facebook Launches Today
"On the Map" Combines Social Interaction with Original TV Programming To Create a Customized Viewing Experience
RADNOR, Pa., Feb. 22, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- The next generation of Social TV begins today with the launch of "On the Map," an interactive reality travel show created for the Facebook platform which allows audience members to connect and be inside the show with their friends and alter their viewing experience through their interactions.
"On the Map" was produced by Emmy award-winning Banyan Productions, whose credits include TLC's Trading Spaces. The show is built on a social connectivity, dynamic content and advertising platform called PIE (Personal Interactive Entertainment) developed by 7Echo to create this first-of-its-kind show. The show's presenting sponsor is HTH Worldwide, a global specialty healthcare information and services company.
Shot on location in Barcelona, Spain - including the city's famed La Merce Festival - "On the Map" follows seven young people and combines experiential storytelling with innovative digital techniques to create an interactive online adventure. Users interact with their Facebook friends by inviting six core friends to be "inside" the show with them, answering questions about each other relative to the episodes and exchanging virtual souvenirs. As the show progresses through 12 episodes, users' interactions become more involved and the show becomes more personalized, based on their behavioral traits.
"Until now, 'Social TV' has been defined by 'check-in' applications, where users connect with each other while watching a static TV show," explained David Russek, founder and CEO of 7Echo. "'On the Map' takes the social experience further by putting audience members and their Facebook friends inside the show together and creating a customized viewing experience. Depending on how a user interacts with the show through their actions and those of their friends, there are over 60 digital elements that can be delivered and blended into scenes."
"We are extremely excited to get involved with and be the presenting sponsor of 'On the Map'," added Angelo Masciantonio, CEO and co-founder of HTH Worldwide. "This innovative approach to connecting people via social media and creating an active audience for 'On the Map' fits in perfectly with HTH's products and services, such as mPassport, which provides active access to international healthcare information and services through online and mobile technology powered solutions."
7Echo is the Social TV Platform that puts "Social" inside the show. 7Echo enables friends to connect within and as part of interactive TV shows that are delivered through social networks. 7Echo's patented technology makes Social TV programming more relevant and engaging for both social audiences and advertisers.
About Banyan Productions
Banyan Productions is a leading producer of television whose work includes "Trading Spaces" and appears on channels including TLC, NBC/Discovery Kids, Discovery Channel, Nick@Nite, Discovery Health, Lifetime, Sony International, Oxygen, The Food Network, Travel Channel, PBS, Style, and HGTV.Com.
About HTH Worldwide
HTH Worldwide is a global leader that provides access to quality healthcare information and services all around the globe. HTH combines ongoing research, a contracted global network of physicians and hospitals and advanced Internet and mobile applications to ensure its customers' health, safety and peace of mind. For further information, visit hthworldwide.com
Media contact:
Bridget O'Neill for HTH Worldwide, 212-994-7587, bridget.oneill@rfbinder.com
Imprivata Developer Program Enables 3rd Party Vendors to Embed Authentication Management into Software and Hardware Devices
New Program Provides No Click Access(TM) Integration to Streamline Clinical Workflows
LEXINGTON, Mass., Feb. 22, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Imprivata®, the leader in secure access and collaboration for healthcare, today announced the Imprivata Developer Program (IDP), created to enable seamless integration of any third party software or hardware with Imprivata OneSign. The new program allows vendors to quickly add No Click Access(TM) capabilities to their solutions, incorporating strong authentication and single sign-on into streamlined clinical workflows.
Securing access to protected health information (PHI) is a primary concern for healthcare providers. With many best of breed solutions being adopted, hospitals often maintain multiple points of authentication management and compliance reporting solutions, resulting in increased administration costs and an inefficient workflow for care providers.
The Imprivata Developer Program offers a comprehensive toolkit that includes access to the OneSign ProveID(TM) SDK, training, support and the Imprivata Ready certification program. Through the ProveID APIs partners can integrate directly to the rich set of OneSign capabilities including out of the box support for a broad range of authentication modalities and devices, automated password change management, policy engine, event logging and reporting. Hospitals maintain a single point of authentication management, and deployment is simplified utilizing existing policy and authentication mechanisms without the need for re-enrollment. Care provider workflow is simplified through a consistent user experience and fewer interruptions, resulting in increased user satisfaction and enhanced care delivery.
Foundation partners in the Imprivata Developer Program include:
-- Cerner
-- GE Centricity
-- Healthland
-- Healthcare Management Systems
-- Jetmobile
-- McKesson
-- Meditech through Forward Advantage
-- Praim
-- Quadramed
-- Siemens Medical Solutions
-- Teradici
-- Wyse
The Imprivata Developer Program enables a wide variety of devices and applications to benefit from No Click Access including:
-- Clinical applications such as CPOE and chart signing
-- Medical devices, bedside terminals and medication dispensing cabinets
-- Positive ID to meet Ohio Board of Pharmacy and DEA ECPS requirements for
e-prescribing of controlled substances
-- Non-Windows endpoints, including Linux, thin and zero client devices
-- Printers and printing services
"Our goal is to simplify access and collaboration for care providers by removing the barriers that impede clinical workflows while maintaining the highest levels of security," said David Ting, Imprivata founder and Chief Technology Officer. "By providing a single unified authentication management platform, Imprivata is enabling 3rd party vendors to easily add a comprehensive authentication feature set to their products, which can then be simply deployed to hospitals without the need for complex technology or care provider training."
Imprivata is demonstrating its integrated products with partners at the HIMSS12 Annual Conference & Exhibition at the Sands Convention Center in Las Vegas, Feb. 20-24, at Booth #3160.
To learn more about the Imprivata Developer Program, visit the Imprivata website or read the Imprivata blog.
Supporting Quotes:
"The integration between OneSign ProveID and SecureJet Enterprise has enhanced our ability to deliver secure, location-aware printing to clinical healthcare providers as they roam amongst different floors and buildings. The ability to authenticate against OneSign and securely release print jobs at any SecureJet-enabled printer saves valuable time while eliminating potential security breaches, which can occur when sensitive patient information is left unattended on printers."
Stoney Tuckness, Director of Business Development, Jetmobile
"As a leading manufacturer of thin clients on the market, we are pleased to join the Imprivata Developer Program. The integration of Imprivata OneSign technology has allowed operators to have only one authentication from our thin client to access all their applications, thereby improving productivity, increasing security, and reducing the costs and risks related to the handling of user passwords. Today our endpoints offer an affordable, economic, risk-free and easy access to centralized and virtualized infrastructures."
Franco Broccardo, President, Praim
"Since announcing our collaboration a year ago, we've continued to see growing interest from our healthcare customers who are seeking strong authentication on PCoIP zero clients. The market need is evident, and we're excited to continue this partnership with Imprivata and build upon the successes we've already experienced with our customers."
Trent Punnett, vice president of marketing, Teradici
"Through the Imprivata Developer Program, Wyse customers will benefit from gaining access to critical information as quickly as possible, especially in secure environments where content protection is of paramount importance. We see this program as a key element in addressing the amplified time-to-access and security needs of our customers, especially in key markets like healthcare, financial services, and government."
Param Desai, Sr. Director of Product Management, Wyse Technology
About Imprivata With more than 2 million users and 900 healthcare customers, Imprivata is the #1 provider of secure access and collaboration solutions for healthcare. By strengthening user authentication, streamlining application access and simplifying compliance reporting across multiple computing environments, customers realize improved workflows, increased security and compliance with government regulations.
Imprivata has received numerous product awards and top review ratings from leading industry publications and analysts, including a Strong Positive rating in Gartner's 2011 Marketscope for ESSO, the #1 ranking in the KLAS SSO Performance report and the #1 rating in 2010 Best in KLAS and Category Leaders report. Headquartered in Lexington, Mass., Imprivata partners with over 200 resellers, and serves the access security needs of customers around the world. For more information, please visit http://www.imprivata.com or follow us on Twitter at @Imprivata.
All Imprivata products are trademarks of Imprivata, Inc. in the USA and other countries. All other product or company names mentioned are the property of their respective owners.
SOURCE Imprivata
Imprivata
CONTACT: CONTACT: Jennifer Ryan, +1-617-771-1054, jryan@imprivata.com, or Emma Ludwin, +1-203-504-8230 x107, eludwin@knbpr.com
Bang & Olufsen Announces U.S. Arrival of its New, Ultra Slim 65 Inch 3D Plasma TV
Offering the finest in flat, cinematic entertainment and new technical adaptation features
ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill., Feb. 22, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Bang & Olufsen, the global leader in luxury, custom-made audio and video products, announces the arrival of its new ultra flat 3D 65-inch plasma solution (with integrated center channel and 7.1 surround sound) this week in all Bang & Olufsen showrooms in the United States, Canada and Mexico. BeoVision 12 was previewed at the 2012 Consumer Electronics Show in January and will now enter the global marketplace. Under the new BeoVision 12, Bang & Olufsen will set new standards for the cinematic experience, as it presents an advanced plasma solution with very thin design and new adaption features such as automatic picture control and color management technologies to ensure, a rich and true-to-life viewing experience.
Designed by David Lewis Designers, BeoVision 12-65 offers a completely new design expression, which has a very thin and light appearance that truly innovates the heavier plasma concepts on the market today. Besides using an ultra slim NeoPDP panel with the latest and greatest in plasma technology, BeoVision 12 also features two aluminum profiles that bend inward in a V-shape - one in black and one in natural high-gloss polished aluminum - which create an optical illusion giving the TV a thin, light and extremely elegant visual expression.
The actual frame is an extremely thin (almost foil-like) black aluminum sheet of only a few millimeters thickness that gives an impression of one uninterrupted glass surface with no visible joints.
Dedicated center sound is integrated
The integrated center speaker is placed below the screen and consists of five custom-made speaker units covered by a soft curved natural anodized aluminum grill with an intricate organic shaped hole pattern. Attention to detail is a must in this TV concept. Even the hole pattern in front of the speaker units is made according to special acoustic specifications. The front plate of the integrated center speaker is placed as a small protrusion adding a few extra mm to the thickness in the lower part of the TV, (2 and 5/8 inches in total depth) while maintaining a certain lightness in the overall design.
"The arrival of the BeoVision 12 solidifies our commitment to the premium segment of wide-screen home cinema solutions," states Zean Nielsen, President of Bang & Olufsen America, Inc. "Furthermore, it strengthens our 3D large screen TV portfolio and complements our home integration and personalized installation services."
The center channel performance of the integrated loudspeaker matches the powerful BeoLab 5 loudspeakers in a surround sound setup. Additionally, with the TVs sophisticated Digital Signal Processing, our acoustic engineers have lifted up the center channel speaker so you will experience that speech is coming out from somewhere mid-screen, not below the TV. This gives you a more natural sound experience (especially when needed in watching news or broadcasts with a lot of speech.)
Since the amount of space is limited in this speaker design, highly sophisticated and powerful amplifiers are needed. Bang & Olufsen's patented ICEpower technology is used for the BeoVision 12 speaker design. It contains 4 x 80 watt ICEpower amplifiers for the midrange and 1 x 40 watts for the treble.
The highly sophisticated video engine, handling all sound processing and picture technologies, includes as standard a full 7.1 surround sound module, which allows you to connect a vast number of speakers, almost any sound configuration you may want is possible.
The latest plasma technology
The TV comes with the latest in plasma technology offering an even greater experience in both 2D and 3D. The panel is a NeoPDP panel, which includes new phosphors with a very short retention time, which allows for an improved 3D performance and a much better motion performance in a 2D viewing situation.
BeoVision 12-65 also comes with Automatic Color Management to compensate for the effects of aging that is common for the plasma technology. For BeoVision 12-65, the robotic arm featuring a camera is located underneath the screen, hidden behind the loudspeaker grill.
The best viewing experience in any light conditions
Bang & Olufsen's Automatic Picture Control feature senses the level of ambient light from the room and dynamically alters the picture adjustments accordingly, so that the picture quality is maintained day and night.
Automatic Picture Control makes sure you get just the right balance of light from the screen when you watch TV in either bright or dark surroundings. The light sensor is placed in the upper right hand corner and is designed, so it picks up the lighting conditions of the room in a 360 degree angle. This is to achieve a measurement of the light conditions of the room, which is similar to what the human eyes see.
The entire TV is offered in one placement alternative only, directly on the wall. The design of the wall bracket is quite unique as it is partly integrated in the rear cabinet, which means it hardly adds to the thickness of the TV at all.
BeoVision 12 is sold exclusively through authorized Bang & Olufsen dealers and will begin to arrive in Bang & Olufsen showrooms in March 2012. Recommended consumer price for BeoVision 12 is $11,350. However, BeoVision 12 will be positioned in the Bang & Olufsen showrooms to include the BeoSystem 3, which will in total retail at $19,749.00
DESIGNER David Lewis Designers
DIMENSIONS 161 x 96.4 x 6.4 cm/60 kg
(W x H x D)/WEIGHT 63.4 x 38 x
2.84/132.3 lbs
COLOR(S) Cabinet: Dark gray
Frame: Silver/black
POWER CONSUMPTION EU (230V) Typical (IEC
62087:2.ed): 290/Standby: 0.3 W
US (110V) Typical: 310 W/
Standby: 0.5 W
SCREEN TYPE 65" 16:9 Plasma display panel
RESOLUTION 1,920 x 1,080 pixels (Full HD)
3D FUNCTION Requires active shutter glasses
LOUDSPEAKER Integrated center speaker for
surround sound setup
POWER AMPLIFIERS 5x Class D, ICEpower
PLASMA CONNECTION Picture: 1 x HDMI
Control and Automatic Color
Management:
1x RS 232C (RJ45)
IR and Auto Contrast:
1 x RJ45
Sound (center channel):
1 x Power Link (RJ45)
Wall bracket
Bang & Olufsen was founded in Struer, Denmark, in 1925 by Peter Bang and Svend Olufsen, two innovative, young engineers devoted to high quality audio reproduction. Since then, the brand has become an icon of performance and design excellence through its long-standing craftsmanship tradition and the strongest possible commitment to high-tech research and development.
Still at the forefront of domestic technology, Bang & Olufsen has extended its comprehensive experience with integrated audio and video solutions for the home to other areas such as the hospitality and automotive industries in recent years. Consequently, its current product range epitomizes seamless media experiences in the home as well as in the car and on the move.
Legal Talk Network Releases Sensei Enterprises' Digital Detectives Podcast: "The Best Resources for Staying Current in E-Discovery"
FAIRFAX, Va., Feb. 22, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Legal Talk Network has released the latest edition of Sensei Enterprises' Digital Detectives podcast, entitled "Best Resources for Staying Current in E-Discovery." Podcasters Sharon D. Nelson, Esq. and John W. Simek, Sensei's President and Vice President, welcome Neil Squillante, the publisher of Litigation World and many other Technolawyer publications.
Mr. Squillante talks about why it is so hard to stay current in e-discovery, gives some of his own favorite resources, including blogs, podcasts and other e-publications and reveals why he doesn't follow e-discovery in social media groups.
Ms. Nelson observed, "It was fun to interview Neil because he's not a service provider in the industry -- he's a 'watcher' who provides wonderful e-discovery reporting -- it was amazing how many of his favorite resources are our favorite resources as well."
Sensei Enterprises, Inc. is a nationally known computer forensics, security and information technology company. Based in Fairfax, Virginia, Sensei combines legal expertise with high-level technical certifications to serve the technology needs of the legal and corporate communities. Sensei's principals are the co-authors of The Electronic Evidence and E-Discovery Handbook (2006, ABA) and speak and present on electronic evidence, information security and legal technology throughout the country. To learn more, please visit http://www.senseient.com.
For more information about this release, call Sharon D. Nelson, Esq. at 703-359-0700.
New Classified Ads Website, QuickAdsNow, Gives Back With Monthly Contests & Charity Donations
People looking for an easy way to place classified listings online can now turn to QuickAdsNow. The new site allows users to post free classified ads that will remain online for 60 days or paid ads that will stay on QuickAdsNow for up to 120 days.
SOUTH RIDING, Va., Feb. 22, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- QuickAdsNow recently launched its new site where customers can create free Classified Listings for vehicles, real estate, items for sale, services and more.
Users can create free Classified Ads that include up to four photos that will remain on the site for 60 days. Users can also choose to purchase upgraded classified listings for $5 or $8. These listings include additional photos, a featured listing on the home page and the ability to add a video or a coupon, which makes them ideal for businesses that are selling services. Site users can also purchase bulk-listing packages that remain on the site for 120 days.
"We wanted to create a place where clients could list and buy goods and services in a place free of inappropriate content or adult services and the feedback we've received has been overwhelmingly positive. QuickAdsNow also includes member profiles and ratings so buyers and sellers can easily see what kind of experience others have had with each individual user," said Joana Delgado, Co-Owner of QuickAdsNow (http://quickadsnow.com).
For each paid listing, QuickAdsNow donates $1 to the Pancreatic Cancer Foundation. Additionally, QuickAdsNow also gives away an iPod Shuffle and other prizes each month to a random user who posts an ad.
"While our giveaways are fun, we're absolutely thrilled to make a donation to the Pancreatic Cancer Foundation. If you're interested in winning a free iPod Shuffle or even an iPad, stop by our site and post your own classified ads," said Delgado.
About QuickAdsNow: QuickAdsNow (http://quickadsnow.com) offers users the chance to post Free Classified Ads online on a site that's free of adult content. Classified listings remain on the site for 60 days, but by paying a small fee, a client's ad will stay on the site for up to 120 days. QuickAdsNow also donates $1 from each paid ad to the Pancreatic Cancer Foundation. The service is available throughout the United States and the world.
SOURCE QuickAdsNow
QuickAdsNow
CONTACT: Adil Aftab of QuickAdsNow, +1-703-867-7198
Zeta Interactive Launches Zeta Mail 6, An Integrated Messaging Platform Across Email, Mobile and Social Channels
Dynamic digital messaging platform brings new level of engagement, measurement and innovation to digital communications; Zeta Interactive leadership team to provide marketers with demo of platform at 2012 Email Evolution Conference this week.
NEW YORK, Feb. 22, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Zeta Interactive, a leading full-service digital marketing agency, today announced the launch of Zeta Mail 6, the agency's latest release of its best-of-breed email platform that will now enable marketers to also manage conversations across mobile and social channels.
This integration across email, mobile and social, allows marketers to manage subscriber communications and schedule email, inbound and outbound SMS campaigns, as well as Twitter and Facebook posts, within one interface.
Zeta Mail 6 combines a remarkably powerful, and unique dedicated infrastructure with an intuitive, easy-to-use interface providing marketers the ability to interact with high volumes of customers and prospective customers in a completely scalable, yet personalized and targeted fashion.
Among the new features and highlights of Zeta Mail 6 are:
-- Social Media Integration: Zeta Mail 6 integrates social messaging
efforts by enabling clients to schedule Facebook and Twitter posts,
track replies, monitor mentions and import social media profiles
directly from the interface. Marketers will be able to create social
media trending reports, re-Tweet volume reports, Facebook post reports,
as well as URL and click-thru reporting.
-- Mobile Messaging: Zeta Mail 6 features both mobile pull and mobile push
messaging capabilities, enabling clients to create outbound "push" and
"pull" SMS messaging and promotional offers.
-- Multi-Channel Messaging & Reporting: With its advanced reporting
capabilities, Zeta Mail 6 enables marketers to report on multi-channel
campaigns and consolidate multiple subscriber views.
Combined with other features such as drag-and-drop functionality throughout, GUI-defined time and event triggers, automated multivariate testing, advanced list management and segmentation and highly flexible integration capabilities; Zeta Mail 6 represents a break-through in digital communications.
"With the launch of Zeta Mail 6, Zeta Interactive is revolutionizing the way in which marketers are communicating with their customers and prospects," said Minna Rhee, CEO of Zeta Interactive. "Effective communication in the digital age requires marketers to leverage all touch points - including email, social and mobile - and customize their messaging, improve their responsiveness and measure the effectiveness across each of these channels. With Zeta Mail 6 marketers now have the ability to manage their entire messaging campaigns in one integrated interface, and then measure results."
"The new Zeta Mail 6 platform has essential features that are necessary for marketers today, such as multi-channel reporting and consolidated subscriber measurement," said David Daniels, CEO of The Relevancy Group, a market research and consulting firm. Daniels added, "The new robust mobile and social marketing features indicate that Zeta is focused on innovating the tools that marketers require today and will continue to rely on even more in the future."
The Zeta Interactive leadership team will be demoing the Zeta Mail 6 platform and providing marketers with further insights on the tool during the Email Evolution Conference this week. The show will be taking place from the Westin Diplomat Resort & Spa in Hollywood, Fla., this Wednesday, February 22nd through Friday, February 24th.
For more information on Zeta Interactive, go to http://www.zetainteractive.com, or follow the company on its Blog, Facebook, LinkedIn or Twitter.
About Zeta Interactive
Zeta Interactive is a digital marketing agency focused on providing its clients with a unique combination of strategic services and best-of-breed platforms including Branding and Creative, Web Development, Media Planning, Email Marketing, SEM, SEO, Social, Mobile and Digital Publishing. The company's specialty is in crafting strategies and programs for marketers that help them acquire, retain, up-sell, cross-sell and win back their customers--cost effectively and efficiently--by leveraging consumer data and insight from individual marketing initiatives to drive even more relevant and rewarding exchanges across all media and channels.
Headquartered in New York City, Zeta Interactive has more than 300 employees worldwide located in California, Idaho, Nevada, New Jersey, and India.
Media Contact:
North 6th Agency, Inc.
212-334-9753
zeta@n6a.com
SOURCE Zeta Interactive
AT&T Invests More Than $125 Million in Iowa From 2009 Through 2011 to Improve Local Networks
Company Builds New Cell Sites, Boosts Capacity and Adds Fiber Optics to Enhance Networks
DES MOINES, Iowa, Feb. 22, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- AT&T* invested more than $125 million in its Iowa wireless and wireline networks from 2009 through 2011 with a focus on improving the company's mobile broadband coverage and overall performance of its networks.
During 2011, AT&T made nearly 400 wireless network upgrades in four key categories in Iowa. These enhancements include:
-- Activating nearly 15 new cell sites or towers to improve network
coverage.
-- Deploying faster fiber-optic connections to more than 40 cell sites.
Combined with HSPA+ technology, these deployments enable 4G speeds**.
-- Adding capacity or an extra layer of frequency to cell sites - like
adding lanes to a highway - with the addition of nearly 140 of these
layers, or "carriers."
-- Upgrading approximately 200 cell sites to provide fast mobile broadband
speeds.
"Our goal is to deliver a network experience that mobilizes everything for customers," said Beth Canuteson, Regional Vice President for AT&T. "The ongoing investment we're making in Iowa is designed to increase coverage and reliability, and to provide advanced services to our customers."
CNN Money recently recognized AT&T for enhancing its wireless network. Last year, AT&T completed 150,000 network enhancements across the country, more than triple the year before, giving customers more capacity and faster speeds, as well as improving 3G dropped-call performance by 25 percent.
"More than ever, we use wireless communications to stay connected with family, friends and business colleagues," said Mike Ralston, president of the Iowa Association of Business and Industry. "I applaud AT&T's continued investment in its wireless network to ensure Iowa residents and businesses can communicate and perform at optimal levels."
AT&T plans to support the build or upgrade of thousands of cell sites nationwide to increase network speed, coverage and reliability for both mobile voice and broadband services. In addition, AT&T plans to install additional radio "carriers" at thousands of cell sites nationally, enabling new layers of spectrum capacity to carry larger volumes of mobile broadband traffic. Additional capacity helps support rising mobile data traffic volumes, which continue to increase at a rapid pace. In 2012, AT&T plans to double its 4G LTE coverage.
AT&T operates the nation's largest Wi-Fi network*** with nearly 30,000 hotspots in the U.S. and provides access to nearly 190,000 hotspots globally through roaming agreements. Most AT&T smartphone customers get access to our entire national Wi-Fi network at no additional cost, and Wi-Fi usage doesn't count against customers' monthly wireless data plans.
For more information about AT&T's coverage in Iowa or anywhere in the United States, consumers can visit the AT&T Coverage Viewer. Using the online tool, AT&T customers can measure quality of coverage from a street address, intersection, ZIP code or even a landmark.
For updates on the AT&T wireless network, please visit the AT&T network news page.
*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.
**4G speeds delivered by HSPA+ with enhanced backhaul. Available in limited areas. Availability increasing with ongoing backhaul deployment. 4G device required. Learn more at att.com/network.
*** Largest based on company branded and operated hotspots. Access includes AT&T Wi-Fi Basic. A Wi-Fi enabled device required. Other restrictions apply. See http://www.attwifi.com for details and locations.
About AT&T
AT&T Inc. (NYSE: T) is a premier communications holding company and one of the most honored companies in the world. 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, voice and cloud-based services. A leader in mobile broadband and emerging 4G capabilities, AT&T also offers the best wireless coverage worldwide of any U.S. carrier, 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.
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 @ATT.
Cautionary Language Concerning Forward-Looking Statements
Information set forth in this press release contains financial estimates and other forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties, and actual results might differ materially. A discussion of factors that may affect future results is contained in AT&T's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. AT&T disclaims any obligation to update and revise statements contained in this news release based on new information or otherwise.
SOURCE AT&T Inc.
AT&T Inc.
CONTACT: Alex Carey of AT&T Strategic Communications, +1-612-354-9516, Alexander.carey@att.com
Blackboard Launches Solution to Improve Developmental Education
Fully Online Courses Now Include Built-In Assessment, Analytics Tools
WASHINGTON, Feb. 22, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Blackboard Inc. today announced the official launch of Blackboard Developmental Education(TM)(Blackboard DevEd), an innovative approach aimed at improving student outcomes and increasing completion rates in an area where many institutions have struggled. The solution, which was first piloted by several institutions in the fall, now includes built-in assessment and analytics tools that enable course instructors to further personalize their instruction.
At the pilot institutions, 91 percent of participating students said they were satisfied with the overall course and 75 percent rated the online course as more engaging than a traditional course. Several of the pilot institutions have extended their use of the solution, with enrollments in some cases doubling for the spring semester.
Blackboard DevEd courses are taught by experienced instructors who work with mentors who serve as program representatives on campus. In launching the solution, Blackboard has enhanced the offering with the integration of A+dvancer(TM), a robust assessment tool that helps instructors tailor their approach for each student's strengths and weaknesses based on placement test results. The enhanced focus on assessment gives instructors and mentors access to real-time reporting and analysis on student activity and progression.
"While many of our students excel academically in certain areas of study, some still need developmental instruction in other areas," said Kara Monroe, Assistant Vice Provost of Ivy Tech Community College's Center for Instructional Technology. "Blackboard Developmental Education is an effective tool for our students with its flexible and engaging delivery method. Because it provides real time data on student progress, we are better able to make any necessary changes in instruction to improve student success than previously through traditional remediation courses."
Blackboard DevEd enables students to move from developmental courses to credit-granting courses sooner, and through a partnership with Internships.com, institutions have the option to integrate career building and planning tools directly into their Blackboard Learn(TM) platform, allowing students to further their professional development as well.
"Institutions are challenged to deliver efficient and effective developmental programs, and we're excited to provide a fully online solution unlike any other on the market that provides students with the flexibility and support they need," said Matthew Small, the Chief Business Officer of Blackboard. "Blackboard Developmental Education is enhanced with insightful assessment capabilities and personalized for each student to help ensure individual achievement. Success rates are already proving to be a step in the right direction and we look forward to help colleges and universities increase their student completion rates."
Blackboard DevEd is designed to support an institution's existing developmental program, curriculum policies, course requirements and assessment needs. The solution currently includes courses for Integrated Math (pre-algebra), Basic Algebra, and Intermediate Algebra, three of the most frequently required developmental courses. Blackboard plans to add a Developmental English-Language Arts course in the fall.
The offering, developed in partnership with K12 Inc. (NYSE: LRN), leverages Blackboard's leading online learning technologies, collaboration tools and support services, and can be delivered through an institution's Blackboard Learn platform or deployed as a stand-alone option for institutions that use other learning management systems. Students are supported through one-on-one online sessions and live phone support with course instructors.
K12 Inc.'s A+dvancer College Readiness is designed to deliver individualized coursework to students based on diagnostic assessments. It has been used in over 250 programs nationwide including college remediation, high school outreach, adult basic education, tech prep, and bridge programs.
About Blackboard Inc.
Blackboard Inc. 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 represent the Company's views as of the date of this press release. Actual results may differ materially as a result of various important factors. 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 statements at some point in the future, the Company specifically disclaims any obligation to do so.
SOURCE Blackboard Inc.
Blackboard Inc.
CONTACT: Matthew Maurer, Blackboard Inc., +1-202-463-4860 ext. 2637, matthew.maurer@blackboard.com
Flash Networks Takes Harmony Optimization and Monetization to the Cloud
HERZLIA, Israel, Feb. 22, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Flash Networks, the leading provider of mobile Internet optimization and monetization solutions, announced today that its Harmony Mobile Internet Services Gateway optimization and monetization are available as cloud-based solutions. By shifting resources, such as application software, storage, and hardware, to private or public clouds, operators can gain an additional improvement in user quality of experience, with increased efficiency, scalability, and flexibility. Flash Networks is already working with several of its global strategic partners, with the first cloud implementation to be released soon.
With Flash Networks' cloud implementation, optimization and monetization applications such as the MyPlace web toolbar, content recommendation services, analytics, and video optimization are distributed throughout the virtual network. In addition to reducing system administration and hardware costs, this architecture provides additional optimization and monetization efficiencies which can boost network performance while further reducing data traffic. For example, operators with multiple sites or operator groups with several international operators can utilize the same cloud for central caching, transcoding, content recommendation, and other optimization and monetization capabilities. This improved efficiency is even more significant in countries or regions with multiple time zones. For example, in the US, popular YouTube videos and news items viewed on the East Coast during busy hours are already optimized, centrally stored, and ready to be watched when West Coast subscribers reach their busy hours.
In addition, Harmony's monetization solutions incorporate a cloud-based content recommendation service, which generates targeted recommendations for users by aggregating content from the operator's store catalog, affiliation partners, and content providers. With no-to-low capital and operating expenditure, the cloud architecture helps keep costs to a minimum and has the advantage of offering a single platform for multiple content providers. At the same time, the platform enables operators to increase capacity or add new capabilities on-the-fly without investing in new infrastructure, upgrade cycles, training new personnel, or new software licenses.
"At Flash Networks, it is our vision to provide solutions that raise the bar on operational efficiency," said Merav Bahat, Vice President of Marketing and Business Development at Flash Networks. "As mobile operators start to evolve their systems to a cloud configuration we are fully prepared to take this road with them, enabling them to experience the benefits of flexible, scalable, and cost efficient optimization and monetization solutions."
Harmony Mobile Internet Services Gateway integrates web and video optimization, analytics, traffic management, web monetization, content control, cell-based congestion awareness, centralized caching, service orchestration, and an intelligent policy engine in a single gateway. By leveraging its unique insight into the mobile operator's data traffic, Harmony provides carriers with the most ways to reduce their network operating expenses while generating revenues from over-the-top content.
About Flash Networks
Flash Networks, the leading provider of mobile Internet optimization and monetization solutions, enables operators to provide exceptional quality of experience, reduce network operational expenses, and monetize the mobile Internet. With in-depth traffic analytics and user insight, Flash Networks' Harmony Mobile Internet Services Gateway helps operators manage the explosion of mobile data traffic while generating revenues by offering personalized and targeted content. With offices in North America, Europe, Latin America, and Asia, Flash Networks services over 500 million subscribers daily and is proud to count among its customers top-tier mobile carriers including MTS, Orange, SMART, SingTel Group, T-Mobile, and Telefonica Group. For more information, visit http://www.flashnetworks.com.
Square Enix Announces North American Availability of Army Corps of Hell
Free Downloadable Content Coming to PlayStation®Network Starting Feb. 28
LOS ANGELES, Feb. 22, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Square Enix, Inc., the publisher of SQUARE ENIX® interactive entertainment products in the Americas, today announcedArmy Corps of Hell(TM)is now available at retailers and via digital download from the PlayStation®Store. Players can now face the ultimate battle for hell exclusively for the PlayStation®Vita system.
Army Corps of Hell distinguishes itself from the rest of the PS Vita system lineup with its gut-spilling battles, over-the-top humor and heavy metal music. As the King of Hell, players control an army of a hundred goblins of three classes: Soldiers, Magi and Spearmen. Each goblin class has various abilities to defeat a host of enemies to help the King of Hell reclaim his throne. In Army Corps of Hell, players and their friends can take full advantage of the ad-hoc multiplayer system and the unique control features of the PS Vita system to experience war like never before!
Square Enix also announced that free downloadable content (DLC) will be available, allowing players to equip the goblin soldiers and make battles even more viciously fun! The "Pumpkin Equipment Set" will be available starting February 28. Additional scheduled DLC includes the "Frog Equipment Set" on March 13 and the "Bunny Ears Equipment Set" on April 3.
Features
-- Command massive goblin armies - Annihilate your enemies by controlling
an army of a hundred goblin soldiers with assorted classes and
abilities. Restore the King of Hell's control, empower his army to take
on all comers and reclaim his place as the ruler of the underworld!
-- Unleash the PS Vita system! - Use the rear touch pad to command your
goblins to play instruments, each activating special properties. Revive
your hero, rejuvenate your soldiers and inspire your army to increase
their strength! Skillful play will be rewarded with significant benefits
and a greater edge against the demon horde.
-- Reap the spoils of war to outfit your corps - Combine materials dropped
by fallen foes to create nearly a hundred different weapons for your
troops. Customize your corps's equipment and items to change the look
and upgrade the abilities of your goblin soldiers and the King of Hell.
-- Team up with friends and increase the challenge - Play with up to four
players via ad-hoc multiplayer and face tougher bosses to acquire rare
items!
Product Summary
Title Army Corps of Hell
Platform PlayStation®Vita system
Follow Army Corps of Hell on Twitter®: @RealKingOfHell
Army Corps of Hell is rated M (Mature). Please visit the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) website at http://www.esrb.org for more information about ratings.
About Square Enix, Inc.
Square Enix, Inc. develops, publishes, distributes and licenses SQUARE ENIX®, EIDOS® and TAITO® branded entertainment content throughout the Americas as part of the Square Enix Group. The Square Enix Group operates a global network of leading development studios and boasts a valuable portfolio of intellectual property, including: FINAL FANTASY, which has sold over 100 million units worldwide; DRAGON QUEST®, which has sold over 59 million units worldwide; TOMB RAIDER®, which has sold over 35 million units worldwide; and the legendary SPACE INVADERS®. Square Enix, Inc. is a U.S.-based, wholly-owned subsidiary of Square Enix Holdings Co., Ltd.
Credit Sesame Launches the Industry's First Interactive Visual Mortgage Comparison Tool
Mortgage Value Map analyzes the financial impact of top loan options, quickly and visually enabling consumers to better understand their options
SUNNYVALE, Calif., Feb. 22, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, CreditSesame.com, the popular personal finance and credit education resource site, announced the launch of its interactive mortgage comparison and visualization tool designed to help consumers quickly and easily identify their best loan options visually.
Comparing mortgage loans can be an overwhelming task. With multivariable options at play--such as mortgage types, rates, APRs, closing costs, points, fees and different amortization schedules--it is often difficult to answer simple questions--e.g., which loan could cost you the least, or which loan may save you the most money in refinance. Credit Sesame's Mortgage Value Map is a sophisticated tool that simplifies the complex task of comparing mortgage loan options and, for the first time, clearly displays how various loan options from top national mortgage providers compare and could impact your finances.
"If we had this map before the mortgage crisis, many people would have been able to make smarter decisions and evaluate the potential risk and rewards of their choices much more clearly," said Credit Sesame founder and CEO, Adrian Nazari.
Whether looking to refinance or purchase a new home, the Credit Sesame interactive mortgage comparison map lets you instantly analyze today's mortgage rates and visually compare top loan offers. Users benefit from having access to custom rate quotes from top national lenders and visual analytics to evaluate which options may cost you the least, or save you the most money over the life of the loan.
-- Anonymously shop products, rates and fees brought to you by national
lenders in real time
-- Quickly analyze the multivariable options (mortgage type, rate, APR,
monthly payment, closing costs and fees) that impact the total cost of
your loan
-- Rank and compare loans using your preferences and unbiased financial
analysis
-- Save time and money and stay in the know at a glance as the market
changes
Credit Sesame's patent-pending mortgage analytics was developed by Stanford University scientists and vetted by members of the top 10 banks. The mortgage visualization tool is the latest innovation from Credit Sesame, whose mission is to make the complicated world of personal finance simple for consumers. The company gives consumers free access to bank-level analytics to give them an edge on leveraging their credit and loans to make smarter decisions in their financial lives.
About Credit Sesame
Credit Sesame brings the power of bank analytics to you. It is a personal finance tool that provides a free credit score and insightful information and analysis to save money. With our powerful financial technology--comparable to what banks use to optimize profits on their lending products--you can see how lenders see you, understand how to improve your credit and know what options are truly available. Once you sign up, Credit Sesame proactively monitors market changes and your financial picture to bring just in time alerts and recommendations that are important to you and maximize your savings. You will always get free, unbiased, personalized recommendations so that you can get control of your finances, save money, borrow smarter and monitor your credit and debt online.
Siemens Healthcare Unveils Two Cloud-based Solutions to Optimize Image Management and Radiology Workflow
Cloud-based vendor-neutral archive, enabled by a first of its kind alliance with Dell, can help customers manage rapidly expanding image archives and achieve sustainable growth.
LAS VEGAS, Feb. 22, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Siemens Healthcare (NYSE: SI), has announced two new solutions for image management and radiology workflow that will be hosted from the Siemens Healthcare Cloud Computing Center (HCCC), in Malvern, Pa. In a first of its kind strategic alliance with Dell, Round Rock, Texas, Siemens will deliver a cloud-based vendor-agnostic Image Sharing & Archiving (ISA(1)) solution. The ISA offering will be primarily hosted out of Siemens HCCC, using Dell's clinical data management software. Additionally, Siemens and Dell will securely federate their respective healthcare clouds, providing customers an additional form of redundancy for this key clinical content. The solution will help healthcare providers reduce the ongoing capital expenditure of maintaining on-site image archives. Additionally, Siemens is announcing a new implementation approach for its proven syngo Workflow radiology information system (RIS), which can be completely hosted from Siemens HCCC.(2) These solutions will be presented in Siemens booth #2423 at the Healthcare Information & Management Systems Society (HIMSS) 2012 Annual Conference and Exposition at the Sands Expo and Convention Center in Las Vegas, from February 20-24.
With Siemens ISA, healthcare organizations can reduce ongoing capital expenditure that is typically incurred from the maintenance of local, on-site image archiving hardware. Modern imaging modalities generate tremendous volumes of data that can quickly outpace the growth rate of on-site storage. ISA provides the scalability to dynamically change in accordance with a facility's needs, and peace of mind with an efficient disaster recovery strategy. Additionally, the ISA solution stores imaging content in a vendor-neutral format, enabling imaging department administrators to realize a simpler data migration plan when switching to a different picture archiving and communications system (PACS) solution. Finally, the offering enables hospitals to share imaging data across specialties and departments in the enterprise - putting the images in the hands of referring physicians faster. Customers who choose the ISA solution can begin using their vendor neutral archive within three to six months of signing.
"Imaging departments face significant cost pressures and, as a result, administration must look for ways to optimize productivity while, at the same time, lower the cost of maintaining imaging archives. By turning to Siemens and Dell for these solutions, administrators can switch from being system 'maintainers' to system 'optimizers,'" said Kurt Reiff, vice president, business management, SYNGO Americas. "Helping our customers improve their value-add in the healthcare chain, achieve greater flexibility, and drive sustainable growth, are all goals of Siemens Agenda 2013 initiative, which exemplifies our commitment to help customers address the challenges of today's market."
The ISA solution is able to address the increased demand that is placed on all medical imaging specialties. As procedure volume grows in other disciplines such as cardiology, pathology and endoscopy, Siemens and Dell will provide this standards-based service to meet their needs today and tomorrow. The Siemens HCCC has been in operation more than 40 years and offers a safe, secure data center environment. The Siemens HCCC processes more than 200 million transactions per day and hosts more than 500,000 end-user devices. Dell's Unified Clinical Archive solution is also built on a long pedigree of secure, private, healthcare cloud delivery. Dell manages more than 68 million clinical studies, more than 4.7 billion diagnostic imaging objects, and supports more than 800 clinical sites in one of the world's largest cloud-based clinical archives.
"Siemens and Dell bring years of cloud computing experience to help customers solve their data management and archiving challenges while facilitating collaboration across specialties, departments and geographic boundaries," said James Coffin, PhD, Vice President and General Manager, Dell Healthcare and Life Sciences. "It's critical that every diagnostic image for a patient is available to multiple clinicians at the point of care. With this first-of-its-kind alliance, we are providing solutions that facilitate easy data retrieval and secure data sharing while simplifying IT management and maintenance for the long term."
RIS in the cloud
At HIMSS 2012, Siemens will also unveil a new approach to delivering and maintaining its syngo Workflow RIS. Siemens will again turn to its private, medical-grade HCCC and its Managed Services IT Solutions and Consulting business to help customers better predict costs and reduce capital expenditures associated with maintaining a RIS. As such, private cloud solution for syngo Workflow provides a more predictable cost environment -- particularly for hospitals already hosting other elements of their health information technology solution through the HCCC.
Because Siemens is maintaining all RIS functionality in the HCCC, the company will also be able to utilize the solutions to provide valuable national benchmark metrics accumulated from syngo Workflow users. This assessment will be provided annually to customers. These business analytics could help customers better understand how their organization is currently using syngo Workflow, identifying ways to make improvements through an examination of the current software configuration.
"Radiology practices already invest in software that helps them mine their own data to look at key performance indicators -- to judge their output -- but oftentimes the lens is solely focused on the practice, with only a vague national benchmark for comparison, and no clear strategy for ways to optimize the workflow solution that is currently in use," said Reiff. "Siemens has the opportunity to provide customers with a direct comparison, using completely de-identified information that demonstrates how they track today versus practices that are using nearly the same configuration. We can also present them with a clear strategy to achieve even stronger results."
(1) Image Sharing & Archiving is only available in the United States.
(2) The private cloud deployment for syngo Workflow requires VA31A Service Pack 1 (SP1). This offering is only available to U.S. based customers. syngo Workflow private cloud solution is only available in the United States.
Launched recently, Siemens Agenda 2013 program is a two-year global initiative to further strengthen the Healthcare Sector's innovative power and competitiveness. Specific measures will be implemented in four fields of action: Innovation, Competitiveness, Regional Footprint, and People Development.
The Siemens Healthcare Sector is one of the world's largest suppliers to the healthcare industry and a trendsetter in medical imaging, laboratory diagnostics, medical information technology and hearing aids. Siemens offers its customers products and solutions for the entire range of patient care from a single source - from prevention and early detection to diagnosis, and on to treatment and aftercare. By optimizing clinical workflows for the most common diseases, Siemens also makes healthcare faster, better and more cost-effective. Siemens Healthcare employs some 51,000 employees worldwide and operates around the world. In fiscal year 2011 (to September 30), the Sector posted revenue of 12.5 billion euros and profit of around 1.3 billion euros. For further information please visit: http://www.siemens.com/healthcare.
The Ultimate in Portable Gaming Arrives With the Launch of PlayStation®Vita in North America and Latin America
Highly Anticipated PS Vita Delivers Unparalleled Gaming and Entertainment Experiences Virtually Anytime Anywhere
FOSTER CITY, Calif., Feb. 22, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Sony Computer Entertainment America LLC today announced the launch of the highly anticipated PlayStation®Vita (PS Vita), the next generation portable entertainment system, available now in the United States, Canada, and Latin America. PS Vita delivers new ways to play games that have never been seen on any device, coupled with rich social features to keep players connected to their gaming community. With the biggest and best launch lineup in PlayStation® history, PS Vita offers more than 25 titles on day one, plus a broad selection of accessories. PS Vita is also launching today in Europe and Australia.
"Today marks a historic day for the PlayStation brand and our fans," said Jack Tretton, president and CEO, Sony Computer Entertainment America. "PlayStation Vita is the most powerful and connected portable gaming system ever created. For the first time ever, consumers will find compelling PS3(TM) console-like gameplay experiences on-the-go from the most popular PlayStation franchises as well as titles unique to PS Vita, while staying connected with their favorite entertainment and social networking applications through 3G and Wi-Fi support."
PS Vita is available at major retailers for $249.99 (MSRP) for the Wi-Fi model and $299.99 (MSRP) for the 3G/Wi-Fi model. Both models will include six Augmented Reality (AR) Play Cards along with a voucher to download three augmented reality games from PlayStation®Network.
AT&T is the exclusive U.S. wireless carrier for PS Vita and customers have the option to activate 3G data plans directly from their PS Vita. AT&T is offering three data plans, a $14.99 plan featuring 250MB of data, a $30 plan with 3GB and a $50 plan with 5GB. All three plans will be session-based, and will not require a long term contract, which benefits consumers by providing them with flexibility. The high speeds and broad coverage of AT&T's mobile broadband network means that PS Vita owners will remain connected to their content and interact with the world around them, including their friends and other PS Vita owners. The 3G/Wi-Fi model allows users to game at the speed of their mobile lifestyle, including asynchronous/turn-based multiplayer gameplay, digital gifting, instantly updated rankings and leaderboards, immediate access to the latest downloadable add-on content*, and real-time access to trophies, friends, web browsing, and apps such as 'near'. PS Vita customers with an AT&T data plan will also have free access at more than 29,000 AT&T Wi-Fi hotspots nationwide.
PS Vita introduces new ways to play, delivering new gameplay experiences that have never been offered on any other handheld gaming device. PS Vita features a powerful quad core processor that offers unprecedented levels of performance, enabling deep, immersive games that previously were only possible on home consoles. Gamers will see amazing visuals and graphics come to life on PS Vita's vibrant 5-inch high definition OLED touchscreen, while they experience new ways to interact with games using the rear touch pad. PS Vita's dual analog sticks, a first for any handheld gaming device, provides familiar controls that are ideal for shooters, action/adventure, sports and other game genres. PS Vita also provides unique augmented reality experiences through front and rear cameras that bring the real world into your gaming world, plus a six-axis motion sensing system and built in microphone.
Consumers will have access to music, videos, trophies, photos, web browser and more. In addition to these features, consumers will have access to several applications exclusive to PS Vita:
-- With Content Manager, PS Vita owners can easily transfer games, videos,
music, and photos between your PS Vita and their PS3 or a PC or a Mac.
-- "near" allows PS Vita players to share their location with friends and
allow other PS Vita users to see what games they're playing. Friends can
rate games and enable location based gaming features such as gifting in
which a user can access virtual game-related items that other users are
sharing by checking in at geographic locations.
-- The Party application will enable cross game chat which allows PS Vita
users to communicate with up to eight friends through text or voice
chat, regardless of what games they're playing. They can bookmark their
favorite parties to reconnect later with friends and or join existing
parties to see what other users are talking about.
-- Remote Play gives consumers the ability to access content stored on
their PS3 such as personal photos, music, and videos. In the future, PS
Vita owners can look forward to utilizing the remote play feature as a
way to control compatible software game titles as well.
-- With cross-platform gameplay and compatible software titles, players can
start a game on their PS3, pause the game, and then resume the game
right where they left off using their PS Vita. Consumers can also join
multiplayer games on their PS Vita and play against friends on their PS3
consoles.
In addition to PS Vita exclusive features, PS Vita owners will be able to access popular social networking and communications services via dedicated applications for Facebook, flickr, foursquare, Skype(TM), and Twitter. These applications will be rolled out within the launch window on PlayStation Network so consumers can stay connected with the world around them. Immediate access to thousands of movies and television shows are readily available for PS Vita owners through the Netflix application. Another great feature coming soon to PS Vita is the Music Unlimited digital subscription service where consumers will have the option to listen to hours of their favorite musical artists and create their very own custom playlists.
With its extensive software lineup at launch, PS Vita boasts strong first and third party developer support from day one. In addition to the 25 titles available on day one there are more than 70 games currently in development, ensuring that PS Vita's vast library will have something to offer for gamers of all ages. The launch day lineup includes blockbuster franchises such as UNCHARTED(TM): Golden Abyss, EA SPORTS FIFA Soccer, and Ultimate Marvel vs Capcom®3, plus brand new games such as Escape Plan.
Consumers can now purchase PS Vita game cards at retailers nationwide or download games through the PlayStation®Store. Pricing for all PS Vita software will range between $9.99-$49.99 (MSRP).
In addition to PS Vita format games, more than 275 PSP (PlayStation®Portable) titles are now available for download on the PlayStation Store. U.S. consumers who already own digital versions of select PSP titles will be able to seamlessly transfer those games to their PS Vita system and enjoy these games with enhanced video quality that's ideal for the system's 5-inch high definition OLED screen, along with controls that are optimized for its features such as the dual analog sticks.
With the launch of PS Vita, SCEA will unleash the biggest advertising campaign in PlayStation's history. PS Vita and the official tag line "Never Stop Playing," along with the Twitter-influenced hashtag #GAMECHANGER, will be featured with retail partnerships, on wallscapes, billboards, digital banners, and radio and television commercials. In addition, through a partnership with Taco Bell, PlayStation and Taco Bell have given consumers the opportunity to win one PS Vita for every 15 minutes since January 26, 2012, via the "Unlock the Box" campaign.
About Sony Computer Entertainment America
Sony Computer Entertainment America LLC continues to redefine the entertainment lifestyle with its PlayStation® and PS one® game console, the PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system, the PSP(TM) (PlayStation®Portable) handheld entertainment system, the ground-breaking PlayStation®3 (PS3(TM)) computer entertainment system and its online and network services the PlayStation®Network and PlayStation®Store. Recognized as the undisputed industry leader, Sony Computer Entertainment America LLC markets the PlayStation® family of products and develops, publishes, markets and distributes software for the PS one, PlayStation®2, PSP(TM) and PS3(TM) systems for the North American market. Based in Foster City, Calif., Sony Computer Entertainment America LLC serves as headquarters for all North American operations.
All games featured are trademarked and copyrighted properties of their respective publishers and/or licensors. "PlayStation", and the "PS" Family logo are registered trademarks and "PS3","PSP" and the "PSVITA" logo and the PlayStation Network logo are trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. "SONY" and "make.believe" are trademarks of Sony Corporation.
Facebook is a trademark of Facebook, Inc. FLICKR and the FLICKR Dots logo are the trademarks and/or registered trademarks of Yahoo! Inc. foursquare® and the foursquare® logos are registered trademarks of Foursquare Labs, Inc. Access to a broadband Internet connection is required to use Skype. Skype is not a replacement for traditional telephone service and cannot be used for emergency calling. Skype, associated trademarks and logos and the "S" symbol are trademarks of Skype Limited. Twitter is a trademark of Twitter, Inc.
*PS Vita users can download less than 20MB of content
SOURCE Sony Computer Entertainment America LLC
Photo:http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20020701/SFM066LOGO http://photoarchive.ap.org/
Sony Computer Entertainment America LLC
CONTACT: Al de Leon, +1-650-655-7348, al_deleon@playstation.sony.com, or Maya Butler, +1-650-655-1673, maya_butler@playstation.sony.com