News

Fandango Enjoys Its Best Thanksgiving Weekend Ever, Thanks to a Bountiful 60% Increase in Mobile Ticket Sales

Mobile Represented More Than 23% of Thanksgiving Day Sales, Highlighting the Growing Trend of Buying Movie Tickets On-the-Go

LOS ANGELES, Nov. 29, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Fandango, the nation's leading moviegoer destination, announced today it has enjoyed its best Thanksgiving holiday weekend in the company's eleven-year history. The new record is due in part to Fandango's 60% year-over-year increase in Thanksgiving holiday weekend ticket sales on mobile devices.

(Logo: <font size="2" face="Arial">http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20061016/LAM046LOGO-b</font>)

"We believe that 2011 will end up as the year of mobile movie ticketing," says Fandango Executive Vice President and General Manager Rick Butler. "The strength of our mobile sales - including a spike in tickets sold on the new iPhone 4S - propelled us to set this new Thanksgiving weekend record. It's clear that Fandango's apps are resonating with a significant segment of the moviegoing audience that prefers to shop on mobile devices and tablets during the holiday season."

"The Muppets", "Hugo", "Arthur Christmas", and "The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn, Part 1" helped spur mobile ticket sales representing more than 23% of total sales on Thanksgiving Day, marking Fandango's second best daily mobile percentage of all time. (The top daily record is 24% of tickets sold on mobile devices during the "Fast Five" opening on May 1, 2011.)

This latest achievement follows on the heels of the previous weekend's mobile ticket sales for "Breaking Dawn, Part 1", representing 22% of that film's Fandango sales, and the mobile ticket sales for the "Harry Potter" finale, representing nearly 20% of Fandango sales during the July 15-17 weekend.

In celebration of the company's success on mobile devices and tablets, the company is thanking its moviegoers with the "Anywhere Everywhere" Sweepstakes. Starting today, fans can answer daily movie trivia questions for a chance to win some of the most popular consumer electronics that offer Fandango's award-winning showtimes & ticketing apps, including Amazon's new Kindle Fire, Apple's iPad 2, and a Samsung SmartTV. For more details, check out the sweeps at http://www.facebook.com/fandango

About Fandango
Fandango, the nation's leading moviegoer destination, sells tickets to more than 16,000 screens. Fandango entertains and informs consumers with reviews, commentary and trailers, and offers the ability to quickly select a film, plan where and when to see it, and conveniently buy tickets in advance. Fandango is available at http://www.fandango.com, via your wireless mobile device at mobile.fandango.com, and at 1-800-FANDANGO. Fandango's top-ranking movie ticketing apps, with more than 20 million downloads, are available on the iPhone and iPad, Android, BlackBerry, HPwebOS, Windows Phone 7 and many other platforms. Film fans find Fandango on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/fandango and on Twitter @Fandango.

SOURCE  Fandango

Photo:http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20061016/LAM046LOGO-b
http://photoarchive.ap.org/
Fandango

CONTACT: Harry Medved, +1-310-954-0461, harry.medved@fandango.com, or Melinda Petrow, +1-310-954-0278 x231, melinda.petrow@fandango.com, both of Fandango

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

PeopleEnEspanol.com Partners With NowLive to Host Live Streaming of Annual "Stars of the Year" Gala

Live Video Coverage from People en Espanol's Las Estrellas del Ano Red Carpet Thursday, December 8

NEW YORK, Nov. 29, 2011 /PRNewswire/ --PeopleEnEspanol.com today announced its partnership with NowLive, a live event production and streaming company, to provide the official webcast from People en Espanol's "Las Estrellas del Ano" event--live from the red carpet.

On Thursday, December 8, from 9:00-11:00 PM EST, PeopleEnEspanol.com users will have a virtual front-row seat; live on the red carpet from "Las Estrellas del Ano," People en Espanol's annual celebration of the most buzz-worthy Latino stars in television, movies and music.  Visitors to PeopleEnEspanol.com will have an exclusive all-access pass to the live Las Estrellas del Ano event where they can catch celebrity interviews, a sneak-peak at the hottest fashion, and be front and center of the action where the industry's biggest stars will unite for one night--under one roof. Users will also be able to chat live using their Facebook account on PeopleEnEspanol.com, and follow the event using the Twitter hashtag #premiospeople.

For the eighth consecutive year, this Miami-based star-studded gala honors the hottest Hispanic celebrities who have made their mark in 2011. The "Stars of the Year" are selected by People en Espanol editors, along with users' picks for their favorite, as voted for online at PeopleEnEspanol.com.  Many of those featured in the issue will attend the party including Puerto Rican actress Adamari Lopez, and Mexican television presenter Galilea Montijo, who appear on the cover of the December "Estrellas" issue.

Partnering with NowLive, PeopleEnEspanol.com will offer an exclusive, real-time experience, making the fans feel that they are at the red carpet itself.  NowLive provides fans a way to interact with high-profile events through user-controlled engagement tools including multi-social network chat, multi-camera viewing and real-time interactive show programming.  The live streaming will be hosted by Ernesto Sanchez, managing editor, People en Espanol digital, and Kika Rocha, fashion and beauty director, People en Espanol.  Ernesto and Kika will chat with the night's winners about fashion, beauty and noteworthy scoops.  The first webcast will go live from the red carpet at 9:00-11:00 PM EST, with a special repeat cast from 11:00 PM-1:00 AM.  "Las Estrellas del Ano" live streaming is sponsored by L'Oreal Paris.

"We are thrilled to bring this new and exciting content to our readers," said Armando Correa, managing editor, People en Espanol.  "Our readers picked their favorites for the "Las Estrellas del Ano" issue, and now they will have the chance to see them live and in real time at our event."

"We have created a robust digital experience for our readers and users," said Monique Manso, publisher, People en Espanol.  "We're putting a lens on the excitement of the red carpet and bringing the People en Espanol brand into their homes.  Live streaming is a new vehicle in the Hispanic market and we're excited to be the first Hispanic brand to partner with NowLive."

"We created NowLive as a way for fans to interact with high-profile events," says Sara Bordo, cofounder and CEO of NowLive. "We're thrilled to partner with People en Espanol for their annual "Las Estrellas del Ano" event and bring the Latino community closer to their favorite stars than ever before."

About People en Espanol:  PEOPLE en Espanol was launched in 1996 as a special issue, and today has become the top-selling Hispanic magazine in the United States.  Published 11 times a year, PEOPLE en Espanol's guaranteed circulation is 540,000 and reaches over six million readers every month with its editorial mix of Hispanic and popular entertainment, fashion and beauty trends, and compelling human-interest stories.  PEOPLE en Espanol delivers original editorial content that captures the values, contributions and impact of today's Hispanics in the U.S.  Throughout 2011, PEOPLE en Espanol will celebrate its 15th anniversary with a special look at the biggest entertainment stories covered in the magazine over the last 15 years. For daily news, photos, exclusive behind-the-scenes video and celebrity scoops, visit http://www.PeopleEnEspanol.com.   

About NowLive: NowLive is a live event production and streaming company providing the entertainment industry with a solution for events such as red carpet premieres, awards shows, cast chats, concerts and original productions. Comprised of a team of Hollywood digital alums, NowLive provides studios, networks and record labels an interactive platform which allows fans a new way to experience and socially engage in live events. In less than a year, NowLive has exclusively produced and livestreamed some of the most high-profile events in Hollywood and beyond including the red carpet premieres of The Green Hornet, Scream 4, Fast 5, Hangover Part II, Spy Kids 4 and Abduction, among others. Additionally, NowLive handled the exclusive live stream for Entertainment Weekly's Comic-Con coverage as well as the first-ever official live-stream for Macy's Fashion's Night Out. Most recently, NowLive produced the highly anticipated red carpet premiere of "The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part I" and their feed was picked up by several media sites including People, LA Times, Seventeen, Fandango and Examiner. For more information on NowLive and upcoming events, visit: http://www.nowlive.com

Contacts
People en Espanol:
Amy Galleazzi
212-522-3689
amy_galleazzi@peoplemag.com

Elvis Lizardo
212-522-9658
Elvis_lizardo@peoplemag.com

NowLive:
Dave Cirilli
Sunshine Sachs
212-691-2800
Cirilli@sunshinesachs.com

Jenna Spector
Sunshine Sachs
212-691-2800
Spector@sunshinesachs.com

SOURCE  PEOPLE en Espanol

PEOPLE en Espanol

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

YouLoveMe.Com Offers College Students and Teenagers the Chance to Date for Dollars

FRANKLIN LAKES, N.J., Nov. 29, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Attention teens and college students!

YouLoveMe.Com is a sensational high school and college dating site completely dedicated to young adults. It is the only exclusive dating site geared towards high school kids on the Internet and there is only one other college dating site in existence. Members must be between the ages of 18 and 25 in order to join. Over 25, well this is not the site for you! YouLoveMe.Com only accepts and caters to the interests of high school and college kids. So if that's who you are and who you like don't hesitate another moment.

When you join YouLoveMe.Com you will be part of an elite group comprised of the youngest, hippest, and coolest members to the best dating social networking site on the Internet.

Dollars for Dating- YouLoveMe.Com shares it revenues with members every month via PayPal. If you completely fill out your member profile information and add 5 friends you can earn between $1 to $20 on your very first month of membership. After the first month, continue to add friends and upload videos and you will get paid every month.

Tired of looking at meaningless pictures on dating websites that have no substance? Now is the time to make a change. YouLoveMe.Com is the latest most modern singles site on the Internet completely and solely dedicated to young people. Combining all the latest social networking tools along with personalized profile pages, YouLoveMe.Com is not only free, members can "Connect and Collect".

Getting to know someone in this fast-paced, hectic, ever-changing world can not only be difficult but often impossible. With YouLoveMe.Com creating a profile page and utilizing other social networking tools allows young people to establish who they are, as they look for love. Millions of people use The Internet to find their soul mate, so why not make your first impression one that will last a "cyber" lifetime on YouLoveMe.Com.

On YouLoveMe.Com, you can view the top 100 of all members on the site, as are recommended by users. Profiles are in depth, and usually include videos and photographs that are often rated by other members. Videos include information on everything from past to future: favorite memories and future dreams. You can even post an opinion or rate those you have dated, whether you dated them once or twice!

YouLoveMe.Com is a new breed social networking and dating site mixing free online dating, high school dating, college dating, university dating and social networking all in one site.

YouLoveMe.Com is looking for Angel Investors. Are you ready to partner with us?

Please call 201-923-9595 or send an email to Leo(at)YouLoveMe(dot)Com to make an investment in YouLoveMe.Com

Contact

Leo Cono

YouLoveMe LLC

(201) 923-9595

leo@youloveme.com

SOURCE  YouLoveMe.Com

YouLoveMe.Com

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

Italtel Presents Netmatch Products for Guaranteed qos Network Interconnection

MILAN, November 29, 2011/PRNewswire/ --

    NetMatch multi-functional appliance is the answer to the needs of service providers
and enterprises in the field of advanced IP communications and smooth all IP
transformation. NetMatch products are used in the migration from TDM to IP networks, in
the migration of mobile networks towards LTE and in scenarios where voice and video
services in HD are provided.

    Italtel presents NetMatch, a multi-functional family of products for guaranteed
Quality of Service (QoS) Network Interconnection between traditional TDM, IP and 3G/4G
networks, seamless migration from legacy TDM to all-IP networks and IMS architecture and
supporting HD voice and video.

    Italtel NetMatch is the answer to specific needs that emerge from the market today in
terms of networks interconnection and new services. On the side of service providers,
there is a significant need for quality monetization, that is a way to charge the traffic
of customers and OTTs when guaranteed QoS is required. On the side of Enterprises and
Public Administrations, the need is growing to evolve from a basic voice communication to
a new communication that, taking advantage of mobility, extends to video and more
generally to collaboration and a social networking approach.

    These requirements led Italtel to design, implement and make available this new family
of products with high performance, easy scalablility and able to manage the complexity
involved in the interconnection between networks and the related exchange of information,
which is accompanied with specific measurements and defined policies.

    The world market of interconnection products is estimated by Infonetics in 2012 of
approximately $ 900 million with an expected growth rate through 2015 equal to 15% on
average. For the Italian market, the Italian Regulation Authority (AGCOM) in its recent
resolution on VoIP interconnection has identified a need for about 30 points of
interconnection for the next two years.

    The architecture implemented by Italtel has an original and innovative value
proposition, with low power consumption, available in single or in high availability
configurations, designed to be future-proof because all products are compliant IPv4 and
IPv6 and allow on the fly upgrades without disruption.

    ""NetMatch is positioned in a highly topical area, as evidenced by the recent decision
of the Italian Regulation Authority (AGCOM) on all-IP interconnection and interoperability
of VoIP services - said Stefano Pileri [http://www.italtel.com/ShowContent?item06 ],
Italtel CEO -. The decision is a milestone not only at Italian but also at International
level, since it states that VoIP traffic with guaranteed quality has an economic value and
must comply with accurate interconnection and coding rules. 2012 is going to become the
year of general move to VoIP and possibly even of regulation of Video over IP. The growth
of video services and of Machine to Machine and their application on vertical segments
where performance is critical, such as Smart Grids and e-Health, is expected to make
interconnections between networks with guaranteed performance and quality more and more
relevant".

    Thanks to NetMatch family, the network has, for example, the ability to monitor in
real time what is the bandwidth required between two points and the degree of utilization
of resources. If availability is not consistent with the request, it is possible to act in
order to dynamically balance the available bandwidth and to ensure the end-to-end QoS
defined by contracts. NetMatch thus represents a dynamic instrument for infrastructure
monitoring and for the monetization of the quality of services.

    NetMatch products (described in this video [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ONYvXk2QG48
]) are used in the networks migration from TDM to IP, the migration of mobile networks to
LTE and the scenarios that use voice and video also in HD with the necessary protocol
adaptations (from audioconferencing to video conferencing to telepresence).

    The NetMatch family consists of:

   
    - NetMatch-M - It is a Media Gateway that manages voice, data and video
      traffic passing from PSTN legacy networks to IP networks. By a simple software upgrade
      it can evolve to NetMatch B, thus allowing an high investment protection when needs
      are changing.

   
    - NetMatch-B - It is a Border Gateway for multimedia traffic, voice and
      video, also in High Definition. Placed at the edge of the networks, it's specifically
      intended for IP to IP communication.

   
    - NetMatch-S - It is a Session Border Controller that allows an
      interconnection at guaranteed quality between networks exchanging data flows. In the
      High Availability version it employs the specialized boards that Italtel has
      expressely designed for NetMatch B, while in the software only version can run too in
      a cloud environment, particularly suitable for small telcos and enterprises.

   
    - NetMatch-D - It's a Diameter Routing Server responding to the needs of
      mobile operators during 3G/LTE evolution, able to manage the signalling interworking
      either inside the network either in roaming scenarios.

    The NetMatch products are integrated into Italtel architectures for Networks at
Guaranteed Quality, with advanced management tools for optimizing the operating costs and
the Quality of Experience.

    NetMatch-S has recently passed interoperability tests and has been certified for IP
interconnection by a leading Italian Testing Lab. From 2012 NetMatch products will be
included for trial and operation in the networks of several Italian telco operators.

    The Italtel Group

    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. http://www.italtel.com.

Source: ITALTEL S.p.A.

Contact details: Laura Borlenghi, Tel.: +39-02-4388-5275, Mobile: +39-335-769-4240, E-mail: laura.borlenghi@italtel.it .

Comcast Investment in Downtown San Mateo Highlights City of San Mateo's Continued Emergence as the Place to Be for Business

SAN MATEO, Calif., Nov. 29, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- San Mateo City Councilmember David Lim responded to the news of Comcast's investment in Downtown San Mateo with praise for Comcast and the San Mateo business community in forging their ground-breaking partnership.

"The latest news confirms the continued growth of the City of San Mateo as a hub for high tech businesses in the Silicon Valley region," said San Mateo City Councilmember David Lim. 

Lim added, "Comcast's unprecedented investment in communications infrastructure for Downtown San Mateo, along with San Mateo's central proximity to San Francisco, San Jose, and the 92, 101, and 280 corridors make the City of San Mateo uniquely positioned to meet the needs of every business well into the 21st century."

Comcast's announcement comes on the heels of a report issued by the Silicon Valley-San Jose Business Journal on October 14 that one-third of Silicon Valley's top 51 fastest growing private companies are in San Mateo County. 

Of the 16 San Mateo County companies listed in the report, 50% of them are located in the City of San Mateo, including Marketo Inc., VSS Monitoring, Movoto LLC, Intelepeer Inc., Guidance Software, EPIC Insurance Brokers, ClickMail Marketing Inc., and The Mice Groups Inc.

Lim praised Comcast and the business community in San Mateo for their partnership.  The business community in San Mateo was led by an economic development and growth initiative of the San Mateo Area Chamber of Commerce known as "The EDGE".

Lim noted, "The City invested start-up funds of $75,000 to The EDGE in June of this year.  The Comcast investment in infrastructure to the City more than returns our investment to The EDGE, but the potential business tax revenue that will be generated for years to come from this project will help all residents with things such as investment in public safety and street repair.  When businesses thrive in our community, all our neighborhoods benefit.  I am pleased to support innovative organizations like Comcast, The EDGE, and the San Mateo Area Chamber of Commerce." 

SOURCE  City of San Mateo

City of San Mateo

CONTACT: CONTACT: David Lim, San Mateo City Council, +1-415-290-4044, dlim@cityofsanmateo.org

Web Site: http://www.cityofsanmateo.org

Video Brand Matching Company AdGenesis and Digital Broadcaster TVGenesis Announce Merger to Create Genesis Media

Genesis Media is a full-spectrum online video distribution and targeting platform offering the first cost-per-verified-view broadcast model for online video

NEW YORK, Nov. 29, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Two leading online video advertising and content distributors, AdGenesis and TVGenesis, today announced they have merged to form Genesis Media, a full-spectrum online video distribution and targeting platform. Genesis Media will enable advertisers to target their desired consumers through the industry's first cost-per-verified-view broadcast model, which matches relevant brand videos to opt-in consumers based on their interests and online habits.

Genesis Media's targeting algorithms deliver 20 times the engagement of pre-roll advertising and 100 times the engagement of traditional banner ads. The Genesis Platform has five million registered users and reaches 150 million viewers per month across thousands of premium publishing partners.

The company also announced the appointment of Andrew Reis as interim chief executive officer. A proven entrepreneur, Reis co-founded Tremor Media and helped pioneer online video advertising. He also co-founded TVGenesis and will join Genesis Media's Board of Directors.

"Genesis Media improves advertisers' ability to reach and activate their desired customers with transactional video and full accountability," said Andrew Reis, interim chief executive officer of Genesis Media. "By bringing together two powerful platforms to create Genesis Media, we have unified video distribution and activation into one seamless experience."

The platform has already delivered unprecedented, subscription-level data and engagement and soon will be extended across the entire Genesis network of publishers. Genesis Media will announce major publishing partners before the end of the year that will result in a doubling of Genesis Media's brand matching reach.

"For retailers and e-commerce providers, Genesis Media extends the impulse buy from the physical store to online video and ensures the consumer's intent-to-purchase," said Joshua Feuer, co-founder, chief product officer and industry e-commerce expert. "Our patented Ad-Match(TM) and View Verification(TM) software changes the way digital video is distributed and consumed. It also transforms how our publishing partners interact with their user base and program their content to create new and high-performing online videos."

"Consumers love brands and brands are always looking for ways to get closer to consumers," said Richard Smullen, co-founder and chief revenue officer. "Genesis Media helps advertisers speak to their desired consumer on a one-to-one basis, on a much grander scale. By matching consumers and brands, Genesis Media can deliver stronger ROI for advertisers."

Product Roadmap

Genesis Media will build and support the existing product portfolio with new content and brand matching applications, including its patented Verified View(TM) technology, which guarantees that consumers watch brand videos. Genesis Media also plans to develop video offer banks that will appeal to opt-in consumers, and will provide targeted offers from deal-of-the-day, group and flash sale sites as well as e-commerce sites starting to leverage video marketing and distribution.

The Genesis Media Team

Genesis Media comprises industry veterans and experts, including:

    --  Toby Dingemans, chief operating officer - Prior to Genesis Media,
        Dingemans served as chief operating officer and chief financial officer
        at AdGenesis and partner at KPMG's Transaction Services division.
    --  Michael Kelley, senior vice president of business development - Kelley
        was a former digital partner at PriceWaterhouse Coopers.
    --  Jeremy Stern, chief technology officer - Prior to Genesis Media, Stern
        was the co-founder of ContextWeb.
    --  Gerry Byrne, board member - Byrne is a managing partner at Black Ocean.
        He was previously a senior vice president at Nielsen Business Media and
        a group vice president/publisher at Variety.
Genesis Media is part of the Black Ocean group of companies. Black Ocean is a digital media company that invests in, builds and operates technology businesses around the world.

About Genesis Media

Genesis Media is the full-spectrum online video distribution network and targeting platform that delivers 20 times the engagement of pre-roll advertising and 100 times the engagement of traditional banner ads. As the industry's first cost-per-verified-view broadcast model, Genesis Media enables advertisers to target their desired consumers with opt-in video advertising - matching branded videos to consumers based on consumers' interests and online habits, with built-in activation and full accountability. Genesis Media also offers mass-reach broadcast solutions across a network of premium websites. The Genesis Platform has five million registered users and reaches 150 million viewers per month across thousands of premium publishing partners. Genesis Media creates new revenue streams for publishers and substantially improves awareness and engagement for brands.

About Black Ocean

Black Ocean is a digital media company that invests in, builds and operates technology businesses around the world. Through its strategic holding division, Black Ocean actively manages a complementary network of businesses across video, social, mobile and e-commerce. Through its incubator, it turns smart ideas into successful businesses. Black Ocean is a new kind of company on the front line of innovation, creating value, efficiency, engagement, and revenue for its customers and shareholders. Black Ocean has offices in New York City, London, Luxembourg, Singapore, and Moscow.

SOURCE  Genesis Media

Genesis Media

CONTACT: Heather Resnicoff, Rubenstein Communications for Black Ocean, +1-212-843-8497, hresnicoff@rubenstein.com

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

Partnership Between San Mateo Chamber of Commerce & Comcast Makes Broadband Push Into "Digital Downtown"

SAN MATEO, Calif., Nov. 29, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Located on the peninsula that connects San Francisco to San Jose, San Mateo has become a magnet for dozens of tech startups.  It's also a place faced, until recently, with a dilemma:  Internet service was actually pretty slow in parts of San Mateo's downtown.

In an unprecedented move that has taken months of planning, the San Mateo Chamber of Commerce and Comcast this week announced that work will soon start to radically upgrade the broadband network in San Mateo's downtown underground utility district.

The project that many have called the "Digital Downtown" was the brainchild of The EDGE, an initiative of San Mateo's Chamber, which is committed to identifying and overcoming obstacles to economic growth in San Mateo.  After listening to the concerns of San Mateo's business community, EDGE leaders approached several broadband providers late in 2010 to investigate how higher-speed broadband could be brought to downtown.  Comcast was the only provider to engage the group and offer to make a major capital investment to achieve The EDGE's goal.

Over the following months, The EDGE and Comcast worked with downtown businesses, property owners, and city government to ensure that the project will deliver maximum benefit to downtown while minimizing any impacts to the underground utility district.

As a result, hundreds of businesses, from medical offices to high-tech start-ups, will now have access to Comcast's business-class offerings, which will be delivered over a state-of-the-art optical fiber backbone. The expansion aims to allow for download speeds of up to 100 megabits per second and upload speeds of up to 10 megabits per second. Bandwidth up to 10 gigabits per second will be available for businesses with the largest data needs.

Among those glad to hear the news is Paul Barulich, Esq., whose offices are in the heart of the underground utility district.  "The growth of our practice downtown has been limited, in part, by the poor telecommunications infrastructure.   The new network downtown will make it much easier for us to serve our clients and grow our business."

Linda Asbury, the President of the San Mateo Chamber of Commerce, said that she's thrilled to see this significant investment from Comcast to make high-speed Internet happen for the district. "We are seeing remarkable interest from businesses and venture capital to establish and grow companies in our underground utility district, and high-speed broadband is a prerequisite to establishing and growing those businesses. We appreciate Comcast's responding to our request for more and better service in the area."

"Comcast is thrilled to be a part of this exciting and rapidly growing part of the City of San Mateo," said Mark O'Leary, vice president of Comcast's Business Services division in Northern California. "The San Mateo Chamber and The EDGE have been working hard to support the healthy growth of businesses in San Mateo, and they often require the kinds of broadband services that Comcast provides."

About The San Mateo Area Chamber of Commerce
The San Mateo Area Chamber of Commerce is the voice of business on the mid-San Francisco Peninsula.  Representing hundreds of member businesses employing more than 20,000 workers, the Chamber works for a stable economy and a vital community in the San Mateo area by promoting business and the public interest through representation, advocacy and sponsorship. The Chamber organizes and funds programs that support the economic, civic, cultural and educational excellence of the San Mateo area.

About Comcast Business Services
Comcast Business Services, a unit of Comcast Corporation (Nasdaq: CMCSA, CMCSK), provides advanced communication solutions to help organizations of all sizes meet their business objectives. Through a modern, company-owned fiber network that is backed by 24/7 technical support, Comcast delivers Business Class Internet, TV and Voice services for cost-effective, simplified communications management.

Launched in 2011, the Comcast Business Class Ethernet suite offers high-performance point-to-point and multi-point Metro Ethernet services with the capacity to deliver cloud computing, software-as-a-service, business continuity/disaster recovery and other bandwidth-intensive applications. Comcast Metro Ethernet services are significantly faster than T1 lines and other legacy technologies, providing scalable bandwidth from 1 Mbps up to 10 Gigabits-per-second (Gbps) in more than 20 major US markets.

For more information, call 1-800-391-3000 or visit http://www.business.comcast.com.

SOURCE  San Mateo Chamber of Commerce

San Mateo Chamber of Commerce

CONTACT: Corey Geiger of The EDGE/San Mateo Chamber of Commerce, +1-415-515-7899, coreygeiger@theedgesm.org

Alarm via IP Phone

ANDTEK integrates UC services into existing unified communications network

MUNICH and HALLBERGMOOS, Germany, November 29, 2011/PRNewswire/ --

    The Swiss commune Oberwil is working with a central, easy and reliable alarm system
management via IP phones now, without additional installation and operation costs. Using
"AND Phone Broadcast" every employee receives an information as soon as the alarm system
is activated. This way false alarms can be avoided outside regular business hours.

    In the past the fixed activation of the security system at predefined times turned out
to be not very feasible since due to the variable business hours the risk of false alarms
was preprogrammed. Therefore about 100 commune employees should have been given the
possibility to deactivate the alarm system if needed and to reschedule the activation to
avoide false alarms. Moreover the integration of the alarm system should have been done
without additional installation and operation costs.

    "AND Phone Broadcast" in combination with the "ANDTEK Application Server" (APAS)
provides for a two-way communication between IP phone users and alarm system. This ANDTEK
solution is connected with the Cisco Unified Communcation Manager via the IP network.
Simultaneously the communal alarm system is made IP compatible by means of an I/O module.

    The ANDTEK solution receives a corresponding status message via the I/O module as soon
as the alarm system is activated. Then sends a corresponding announcement respektively
paging to all assigned IP phones.

    Thus every employee still residing in the communal building gets a message about the
activation. Provided that they are authorized - they now have the possibility to
reschedule the system activation via hot key in the web-based "AND Phone" interface.

    For text copy and pictures please visit http://www.fuchs-pressedienst.de

   
    Press Contact:

    Fuchs Pressedienst und Partner
    Phone: +49(0)8231-6093536
    info@fuchs-pressedienst.de

Source: ANDTEK GmbH

.

Acqueon Introduces Advanced Contact Center Solution With Launch of AiQ 4.0

New Application to Incorporate Untapped Communication Channels for Enhanced Customer Experience

PRINCETON, N.J., Nov. 29, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Acqueon Technologies today announced the release ofAiQ 4.0, the latest version of Acqueon iQ. AiQ 4.0 offers new social media and mobile application features to improve the customer experience and an improved SIP engine to give contact centers greater agility and the ability to support innovative telephony and web mashups. 

AiQ now enables companies to offer numerous next generation communication channels in their contact centers including: social media, texting, and chat along with the traditional channels of voice and email. A universal work assignment engine as opposed to the traditional skill-based routing used in legacy contact centers enables enterprises to service and route their customer interactions to the right resources based the context of their current and past interaction history. The CloneMe technology introduced in this version not only reduces the time callers need to wait to talk to an agent but also enables them to continue an interaction with the same agent even if the interaction was interrupted unexpectedly.   

Supervisor desktop applications join data reporting in a growing list of applications accessible via a range of mobile devices for supervisors outside of the traditional call center.

AiQ 4.0 is the first version based on Voxeo's Prism Technology.  Voxeo's Unified Communications Server engine is completely SIP standards-based and supports interoperability across all SIP compliant contact center products. Contact Centers who utilize AiQ 4.0 will be able to create and deploy new technologies and applications faster, giving them a critical edge in the race to offer a superior customer experience. 

About Acqueon Technologies Inc.
Acqueon Technologies Inc. specializes in developing products and solutions for the Customer Interaction Management (CIM) industry. These products and solutions use business logic to deliver a distinctive customer experience by enabling organizations to not just interact with their customers - but relate.

For more information, please contact sales@acqueon.com or call Europe/North America: (888) 946-6878 or APAC/MEA: (91-44) 6108-4800.

About Maiden Media Group
Maiden Media Group is a digital experience agency that translates strategy into inspired rich media content and executes in a way that gets audience's attention and compels action. For more information, please visit http://maidenmedia.com.

Contact:
Kevin Barnes
Maiden Media Group, LLC
215-253-4576
empower@maidenmedia.com
Twitter: @maidenmedia
Facebook: http://facebook.com/maidenmedia
Blog: http://blog.maidenmediagroup.com/

SOURCE  Acqueon Technologies Inc.

Acqueon Technologies Inc.

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

'Tis the Season for Gifting Galore With 4G LTE Handsets and Tablets

AT&T Offers Hot Holiday Lineup of Handsets, Emerging Devices and More

DALLAS, Nov. 29, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- With a lineup including AT&T's* newest 4G LTE devices, Jawbone UP, Kindle 3G and accessories, customers are sure to enjoy some of the hottest new technologies just in time for the holidays.

Handsets

Just this month, AT&T introduced three new 4G LTE** capable Android smartphones.

    --  LG Nitro(TM) HD -- The first smartphone in the AT&T portfolio with a
        true high definition screen. Dual-core 1.5 GHz processor and access to
        AT&T's 4G LTE and HSPA+ makes Nitro HD the ultimate high-performance
        superphone. Available in AT&T stores and online Dec. 4 for $249.99 with
        a two-year commitment and qualifying data plan.
    --  HTC Vivid(TM) -- Boasts fast web browsing powered by a dual core 1.2 GHz
        processor, a brilliant 4.5-inch qHD display (540x960 pixels) and more.
        Vivid is available in company-owned retail stores for $199.99 with a
        two-year commitment and qualifying data plan.
    --  Samsung Galaxy S(TM) II Skyrocket(TM) -- Produces lightning fast
        reflexes powered by a 1.5 GHz dual core processor, 4.5-inch SuperAMOLED
        Plus display (800x480 pixels) and much more. Skyrocket is available in
        company-owned retail stores for $249.99 with a two-year commitment and
        qualifying data plan.

In the midst of holiday travel, family gatherings and secret Santa exchanges, customers can be sure their devices are in safekeeping with AT&T's Mobile Protection Pack--which allows customers to replace, support and locate their mobile devices. To enroll in and learn more about the AT&T Mobile Protection Pack, customers can call 866-MOBILITY or visit http://www.att.com/mobileprotectionpack.

Emerging Devices

Along with being the first wireless carrier to offer Jawbone UP--a health savvy, wristband technology, AT&T is also adding the 4G LTE Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9 to its emerging devices portfolio.

    --  Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9 (TM)-- The 4G LTE Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9 is a
        slim, lightweight tablet running Android (TM) 3.2. The new tablet
        features a vivid 8.9-inch high-resolution screen and a powerful
        processor for fast multi-tasking. It's available in AT&T company-owned
        retail stores and online now for $479.99 with a two-year commitment. For
        a limited time, customers who select a Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9 (TM) will
        receive a Samsung Galaxy S (TM) II Skyrocket or Samsung Galaxy S (TM) II
        smartphone at no cost with a two-year commitment.
    --  Jawbone UP-- A mobile lifestyle product that tracks sleep patterns,
        eating habits and daily activity to target a healthier day-to-day
        experience. AT&T is the first wireless carrier to offer Jawbone UP--it's
        available in company-owned retail stores and online for $99 in multiple
        colors including red, black and white.
    --  Amazon Kindle Touch 3G -- A lightweight, touch screen e-reader with
        global 3G coverage, paper-like Pearl electronic ink display and a Kindle
        store with over 1,000,000 books. Available in select company-owned
        retail stores for $149.

Accessories

Customers are guaranteed to make sure everyone on their Christmas list is satisfied with these handy stocking stuffers including portable speakers, ear buds, cases, lap desks for tablets and more. For more information on accessories visit att.com/holidaygifts.

All smartphone offers require AT&T voice and a minimum of $15 per month data plan. Some restrictions and other charges may apply.

For the complete array of AT&T offerings, visit http://www.att.com.

*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.

**Limited 4G LTE availability in select markets. 4G speeds delivered by LTE, or HSPA+ with enhanced backhaul, where available. Deployment ongoing. Compatible device and data plan required. LTE is a trademark of ETSI. Learn more at att.com/network

Limited-time offer:. LG Nitro HD, HTC Vivid, and Samsung Galaxy S II Skyrocket with new 2-yr wireless agreement of $39.99 or higher and min $15/mo data plan are $249.99, $199.99 and $249.99 respectively. Equipment price & availability may vary by market. Wireless Service: Subject to Wireless Customer Agreement. Coverage and services not available everywhere. Credit approval required. Activation fee up to $36/line. Geographic, usage, and other terms, conditions and restrictions apply, and may result in service termination. See store or visit att.com for complete details and coverage maps. Data: minimum $15/mo, 200MB, data plan required. If you exceed your initial 200MB allowance, you will automatically be charged an overage of $15 for each additional 200MB provided. All data allowances and overages must be used in the billing period provided or they will be forfeited - details att.com/dataplans. Regulatory Cost Recovery Charge up to $1.25/mo. is charged to help comply with government obligations and charges; it is not a tax or government required charge. Early Termination Fee (ETF): After 30 days, ETF up to $325 based on device (details att.com/equipmentETF). Restocking fee up to $35. Taxes and other charges apply.

Samsung Galaxy Tablet - $479.99 pricing requires a two-year agreement with a minimum $35 a month 3 GB DataConnect Plan for tablets. If you exceed your initial 3GB allowance, you will automatically be charged an overage of $10 for each additional GB provided. All data allowances and overages must be used in the billing period provided or they will be forfeited - details att.com/dataplans. Coverage not available everywhere. Credit approval required. Geographic, usage, and other terms, conditions and restrictions apply, and may result in svc termination. Early Termination Fee (ETF): After 30 days, ETF up to $325. Restocking fee up to 10% of sales price may apply. Equipment Fee may apply if service is canceled within 30 days of purchase - details att.com/returns. Regulatory Cost Recovery Charge up to $1.25/mo. is charged to help comply with gov't obligations and charges; it is not a tax or government required charge. Taxes and other charges apply. See store or visit att.com for complete details and coverage maps

Samsung Galaxy Tablet Handset Offer: Offer is available November 20, 2011 through January 7, 2012. Samsung Galaxy S(TM) II Skyrocket or Samsung Galaxy S(TM) II smartphone requires new 2-yr wireless agreement of $39.99 or higher and min $15/mo data plan. See above for additional details. Handset Offer cannot be combined with any other equipment promotion, discount, or other offer. Subject to availability limitations. Tablets must be returned within 14 days of purchase. If tablet is returned within 14 days of purchase, customer will be charged the two-year commitment price for the Samsung Galaxy S(TM) II Skyrocket of $249.99 or the Samsung Galaxy S(TM) II of $199.99.

JAWBONE UP IS NOT A MEDICAL DEVICE and should not be used to diagnose or treat any medical condition. Consult your doctor for prevention, diagnosis and treatment. See the user guide and Jawbone.com/support for further guidance.

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.

© 2011 AT&T Intellectual Property. All rights reserved. Mobile broadband not available in all areas. AT&T, the AT&T logo and all other marks contained herein are trademarks of AT&T Intellectual Property and/or AT&T affiliated companies.

SOURCE  AT&T Inc.

AT&T Inc.

CONTACT: Miah Evans of AT&T Corporate Communications, miah.evans@att.com

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

Newark/element14 Invites Engineers and Buyers to Create Their Own 2012 Electronics Catalog

Industry-leading functionality enables electronics users to customize the Newark/element14 catalog to their own preferences

CHICAGO, Nov. 29, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Leading multi-channel electronics distributor Newark/element14, a business of Premier Farnell, announces the release of its new 2012 Catalog. The catalog offers 150,000+ best-in-class and new technology electronic products from 500+ top suppliers, supporting the widest range of solutions for board-level, bench and industrial applications. It is available at no charge in a new customizable online catalog format, a version enabled for iPads and a print edition at http://www.newark.com/ecats

(Logo: <font size="2" face="Arial">http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110721/CG38500LOGO-b</font>)

The innovative online catalog is part of an ongoing series of enhancements that Newark is making as it transforms to become a global source for end-to-end engineering solutions under the element14 brand name. The online catalog offers daily pricing and availability updates and users can easily browse or search by product category, sub-category or manufacturer and can choose either a single or two-page view. Most uniquely, it offers users the ability to create their own catalog, by simply entering the desired page numbers or page ranges. Users can also opt to bookmark, email or print a page or spread.

"We're really pleased to be the first electronics distributor to offer a customizable online catalog," comments Quintin Komaromy, Senior Vice President, Marketing, Newark/element14. "Engineers still value a print catalog, and we will continue to support their needs by providing them with the best choices in the industry."

More than 30,000 products are new to the 2012 catalog, including technology solutions to support:

    --  testing (scope meters and thermal imagers from Fluke)
    --  medical applications (power supplies from Emerson Network Power)
    --  eco-friendly trend (Alpha Wire and TechSpray)
    --  PC board layout and design (Ultra Librarian)
    --  software solutions for embedded design (Micrium)
    --  open source hardware/software trend (Arduino)
    --  the booming LED market (optos, LEDs, arrays, heat sinks, accessories)
In addition, new products are added daily and showcased at http://www.newark.com/new  The full offering of 4.4 million electronics products can be found at http://www.newark.com

EDITOR'S NOTE: A hi-res image of the three catalog options is available http://www.ftp-newark.com/pr/catalog.jpg

About Newark/element14

Newark/element14 is a high-service distributor of technology products and solutions for electronic system design, maintenance and repair. Bringing together the latest products, services, and development software, all connected to an innovative online engineering community where purchasers and engineers can access peers and experts, a wide range of independent technical information and helpful tools. Whether researching a new technology, designing an electronic product, or looking for parts to repair an existing system, Newark/element14 is the trusted source to find the answers and parts they need to keep projects on the fast track, right from the start.

Newark/element14 is the operating business of Premier Farnell plc (LSE:pfl) in North America and Mexico.

For news updates from Newark/element14 visit:

Premier Farnell News Centre - http://www.premierfarnell.com/premier_farnell/publicrelations/

Twitter - @element14news; @newarkdesigner

YouTube - element14

Email: pressoffice@premierfarnell.com

SOURCE  Newark/element14

Photo:http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110721/CG38500LOGO-b
http://photoarchive.ap.org/
Newark/element14

CONTACT: Janice Fleisher, +1-773-907-5941, jfleisher@newark.com

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

The IT Software Community to Emphasize Application Transformation

New HP-sponsored Website will examine application optimization, performance management, virtualization, mobile apps, and other strategic datacenter technologies

NEW YORK, Nov. 29, 2011 /PRNewswire/ --  The IT Software Community today unveiled a new Web community intended for IT executives, IT managers, and other IT professionals who use virtualization, cloud computing, and mobile devices to deliver application reach and availability.

Long-time technology journalist John W. Verity was named editor in chief of the site. Verity brings experience writing and reporting for Fortune, The New York Times, Computerworld, Smart Enterprise, and BusinessWeek, among other titles. He will lead the site's active blogosphere, message boards, and live chat activities.

The initial cast of technology bloggers for The IT Software Community includes such respected industry thinkers as Pete Bartolik, Michael Dortch, Sandra Gittlen, and Mary Shacklett.

"Application transformation and optimization are critical elements for any company that needs to compete, innovate, or excel," Verity says. "The IT Software Community will comprehensively address how applications - and the networks and devices they run on - can be optimized for superior performance and reliability, and give readers the overall management perspective they need."

The site is published by DeusM, a UBM company and UBM TechWeb. HP is the exclusive sponsor.

Click here to access The IT Software Community:  http://www.TheITSoftwareCommunity.com

Contact
Amy Averbook
DeusM Marketing Director
(917) 743-2693
averbook@deusm.com

About The IT Software Community
Founded in November 2011, The IT Software Community (http://www.TheITSoftwareCommunity.com) is a Website where IT executives, IT managers, and other IT professionals share news, best-practices, and experiences. The IT Software Community is intended for IT professionals and executives as they move towards virtualization, cloud computing, and mobile devices to deliver application reach and availability. 

About DeusM
DeusM is an integrated marketing services company owned by United Business Media, targeting the fastest growing segment of the online publishing industry: business social media. The company is led by Managing Director Stephen Saunders, Min's Marketer of the Year 2010. He and the other DeusM principals have built and delivered more than a dozen successful sites and online communities over the last 10 years. DeusM's service is based on a unique platform, called Community in a Box (CiaB), which employs a structured system of proven B2B Web publishing best-practices, combined with a breakthrough integrated multimedia publishing platform ("n-Server") to enable marketers to quickly and profitably set up specialized communities for their target customers.

About UBM TechWeb
UBM TechWeb, the global leader in technology media and professional information, enables people and organizations to harness the transformative power of technology.  Through its core businesses - media solutions, marketing services, and professional information - UBM TechWeb produces the most respected and consumed brands, applications, and services in the technology market. More than 14.5 million business and technology professionals (CIOs, IT and IT support managers, Web and digital professionals, software and game developers, government decision makers, and telecom providers) actively participate in UBM TechWeb's communities. UBM TechWeb brands include: global face-to-face events such as Interop, Game Developers Conference (GDC), Web 2.0, Black Hat and VoiceCon; large-scale online networks such as InformationWeek, Light Reading, and Gamasutra; research, training, and certification services, including HDI, Pyramid Research, and InformationWeek Analytics; and market-leading magazines such as InformationWeek and Wall Street & Technology. UBM TechWeb is part of UBM Ltd., a global provider of media and information services for professional B2B communities and markets.

About UBM plc
UBM (UBM.L) focuses on two principal activities: worldwide information distribution, targeting, and monitoring; and the development and monetization of B2B communities and markets. UBM's businesses inform markets and serve professional commercial communities - from doctors to game developers, from journalists to jewelry traders, from farmers to pharmacists - with integrated events and online and print business information products. Our 6,500 staff in more than 30 countries are organized into specialist teams that serve these communities, bringing buyers and sellers together, helping them to do business and their markets to work effectively and efficiently. For more information, go to http://www.ubm.com.

SOURCE  UBM TechWeb

UBM TechWeb

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

Maxell Introduces Next Generation Low Temperature Lithium Ion Technology

WOODLAND PARK, N.J., Nov. 29, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- With the high demand for low temperature rechargeable applications, Maxell Corporation of America, the leading manufacturer of battery and data storage products, has introduced a rechargeable lithium ion battery designed with superior capacity in low temperatures. Offering a long run time and excellent cycle life, the battery also features an enhanced safety design with heat resistant separator and is UL/UNDOT certified.

<font size="2" face="Arial">(Photo:  http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20111129/NY13109</font>)

With a discharge temperature range of -30 degrees to +60 degrees C and 2300mAh capacity, the cell is designed to meet the needs of many markets such as RFID asset tracking, data capture, mobile computing, portable printing, communications, e-bike, and garden tool.

According to Mr. Higuchi, Design Department Director at Hitachi Maxell Energy Ltd., "the ICR18650PD cell has been characterized as [a] lithium ion battery with excellent low temperature performance. As the result of optimization of electrolyte composition and electrode structure, Maxell completed a battery which can deliver 80% of initial capacity at 0.2C discharge at -30 degrees C."

This new innovation is yet another technological achievement in batteries for Maxell, which introduced a zero-mercury, zero-lead silver oxide cell in July. Looking forward, Maxell will continue to pursue cutting-edge technologies that can provide cost-effective energy and data storage solutions for a variety of industrial and consumer use.

About Maxell 
Maxell Corporation of America, a technology and marketing leader for over 40 years is a full line supplier of OEM and consumer battery products as well as digital media products for consumer, professional and data storage markets. The company manufactures and markets a wide range of consumer and industrial battery products in addition to a full line of electronics care, maintenance, and accessory products including headphones, flash media, and sound bars. 

SOURCE  Maxell

Photo:http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20111129/NY13109
http://photoarchive.ap.org/
Maxell

CONTACT: Sandy Rasmussen of Maxell, +1-201-794-5900, srasmussen-carnes@maxell.com

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

Live Verizon FiOS TV Coming Soon to Xbox, Complete With Kinect Voice and Gesture Controls

Collaboration With Microsoft Enables Verizon FiOS TV Customers to Receive Live, Multichannel HD TV Service Integrated With Kinect via the Xbox; New Offer Now Available for Order

NEW YORK, Nov. 29, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Verizon continues to expand the borderless lifestyle for consumers, with the announcement of a new offer that makes a selection of live, FiOS TV channels available over the Xbox 360 Entertainment System. 

Through a collaboration between Verizon and Microsoft, customers who are Xbox LIVE Gold members and who subscribe to both FiOS TV and Internet service will be able to view select live channels through their Xbox consoles.  No extra hardware is required.  And for the first time, these customers will be able to integrate their TV experience with voice and gesture commands through Kinect for Xbox 360.

New customers who sign up online for FiOS TV service can take advantage of a special offer that includes triple-play service with FiOS TV, FiOS 35/35 Mbps Internet service and Verizon voice service, starting at $89.99 a month.  In addition, the offer includes a 12-month Xbox LIVE Gold Membership and the "Xbox Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary" game.  The discounted offer is available through Jan. 21.

"Joining forces with Microsoft and Xbox, we are breaking the boundaries between TV and gaming, and furthering the borderless lifestyle Verizon customers enjoy with our new offers and services," said Eric Bruno, vice president of consumer and mass business product management for Verizon.  "We are putting the controls in our customers' hands, and giving them the ability to watch TV on another dynamic device that they can control with voice and gesture commands. 

"Whether it's your Xbox, your mobile device, your PC or your traditional television, Verizon will continue to deliver the programming consumers want, where, where and how they want it," Bruno said.

FiOS TV customers will have access to an app on their Xbox consoles, which will become available for download next month.  Once customers download the Verizon FiOS TV app on their console, they can begin watching live streaming FiOS TV channels - without the need to pay for another set-top box.  Customers must subscribe to both FiOS TV and Internet services.  Initially, 26 FiOS TV channels will be available, depending on the customer's TV package.  Customers who order FiOS TV and Internet service will receive the "Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary" game and Xbox LIVE Gold Membership token within 30 days.

As part of the offer, Verizon has partnered with leading gaming network Machinima to sponsor the Gamers' Choice Award.  The award is given out during Machinima's Inside Gaming Awards, an annual event honoring the top game titles, which will be streamed live through Machinima's YouTube channel on Dec. 9.

Consumers can vote for their favorite game of the year through Facebook or on Twitter by using the #FiOSGamers hashtag, which also qualifies as entry into a sweepstakes that includes a grand prize of two years of Verizon FiOS triple-play service, a multi-room DVR, a Microsoft Kinect and 40,000 Microsoft points.  Daily prizes of 4,000 Microsoft gaming points will be awarded to five winners per day, from Nov. 29 - Dec. 8.

Verizon continues to break boundaries with a variety of pioneering innovations.  The company provides next-generation interactive services, including Flex View and FiOS TV Online, which extend FiOS TV beyond the home to the Internet and a range of mobile devices; an advanced interactive media guide; free interactive applications like Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and others; Media Manager, which allows customers to access on their TVs personal photos, music and videos from their computers; and In-Home Agent, which assists customers in diagnosing and resolving a range of service issues. 

In addition, the company recently introduced the MY FiOS app, an easy-to-use mobile application that gives customers access to everything from movies, TV shows and personal content; to remote DVR access and control; to home and energy monitoring; to billing, account management and customer service tools.

For the latest news, updates and information about FiOS TV, visit http://www.verizon.com/newscenter  and http://www.verizon.com/athomeblog.

Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE, Nasdaq: VZ), headquartered in New York, is a global leader in delivering broadband and other wireless and wireline communications services to consumer, business, government and wholesale customers.  Verizon Wireless operates America's most reliable wireless network, with more than 107 million total connections nationwide.  Verizon also provides converged communications, information and entertainment services over America's most advanced fiber-optic network, and delivers integrated business solutions to customers in more than 150 countries, including all of the Fortune 500.  A Dow 30 company with $106.6 billion in 2010 revenues, Verizon employs a diverse workforce of more than 195,000.  For more information, visit http://www.verizon.com.

VERIZON'S ONLINE NEWS CENTER: Verizon news releases, executive speeches and biographies, media contacts, high-quality video and images, and other information are available at Verizon's News Center on the World Wide Web at http://www.verizon.com/news.  To receive news releases by email, visit the News Center and register for customized automatic delivery of Verizon news releases.

SOURCE  Verizon

Verizon

CONTACT: Heather Wilner, +1-908-559-6407, heather.b.wilner@verizon.com

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

WatchGuard Launches New Small Business Security Appliance

WatchGuard XTM 330 Provides Next-Generation Security for Small Businesses

SEATTLE, Nov. 29, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- WatchGuard® Technologies, a global leader in business security solutions, today announced the launch of a new small business security appliance, the WatchGuard XTM 330.  Ideal for businesses with 30 to 50 users, the WatchGuard XTM 330 appliance provides advanced network protection in an all-in-one rack-mount gateway security appliance.

"Small businesses are increasingly becoming targets of hackers and sophisticated cyber attacks," said Tim Helming, Director of Product Management at WatchGuard Technologies.  "Easy to use and easy to manage, the WatchGuard XTM 330 is the ideal solution for small organizations.  Now businesses with 50 employees can have the same type of security and protection that Fortune 1000 enterprises, financial institutions and government agencies use to keep out spyware, malware and other web threats."

WatchGuard XTM 330 - Feature Rich Protection for Value-Conscious Customers

The WatchGuard XTM 330 security appliance provides complete network security protection against today's threats.  The XTM 330 sports the latest security services from WatchGuard to meet any number of business needs.  In addition to next-generation firewall and intrusion prevention capabilities, customers can choose to add Application Control, Gateway Anti-virus, WebBlocker, spamBlocker and WatchGuard's context-aware, cloud-based security service, Reputation Enabled Defense.

Also, the WatchGuard XTM 330 takes advantage of cutting-edge innovations from WatchGuard, including the ability to create highly secure virtual private network (VPN) tunnels for Apple iPad, iPhone and other iOS-based devices.  This way, small businesses can provide complete protection, even for popular devices that employees bring into the office.

Additional networking and VPN features allow for remote access, which is ideal for small businesses with remote or mobile workers.  Also, the WatchGuard XTM 330 supports clientless single sign-on, which helps to ensure simple and accurate authentication for user and group-based policies.

Advanced management and logging features provide management with easy to use reports.  This gives small businesses new insights as to web and application usage, as well as remediation abilities to enforce business and IT policies.

Because of the rich reporting and management features, the WatchGuard XTM 330 also makes for an ideal customer premise equipment (CPE) solution for managed security service providers (MSSPs).

Helming concludes, "No other security appliance, UTM or next-generation firewall offers as much capability and firewall throughput in this price class than the WatchGuard XTM 330.  For small businesses, this is a redefining moment to combat cyber-attacks and Internet criminals."

Pricing and Availability

The WatchGuard XTM 330 is available now from authorized WatchGuard channel partners.  List pricing for the XTM 330 begins at $1,165 and varies depending on security services selected.  For more information, please go to http://www.watchguard.com.

About WatchGuard Technologies, Inc.

Since 1996, WatchGuard® Technologies, Inc. has been the advanced technology leader of business security solutions, providing mission-critical protection to hundreds of thousands of businesses worldwide.  The WatchGuard family of wired and wireless unified threat management appliances, messaging, content security and SSL VPN remote access solutions provide extensible network, application and data protection, as well as unparalleled network visibility, management and control.  WatchGuard products are backed by WatchGuard LiveSecurity® Service, an innovative support, maintenance, and education program.  WatchGuard is headquartered in Seattle and has offices serving North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and Latin America. To learn more, visit http://www.watchguard.com/.

WatchGuard is a registered trademark of WatchGuard Technologies, Inc.  All other marks are property of their respective owners.   

    Contacts:                  Jimme Peters
                               24/7 Consulting
    Chris McKie                503-289-5354
    WatchGuard Technologies    jimme@24-7consulting.com
    206-613-3760
    chris.mckie@watchguard.com
    --------------------------
SOURCE  WatchGuard Technologies, Inc.

WatchGuard Technologies, Inc.

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

New Book Identity Shift Explores How Technology and Our Personal Identities Are Blurring in Today's Networked World

Research drawn from thousands of consumers provides unique new insight into the convergence of real and virtual life - including the impact of communications technology on families and individuals

PARIS and PLANO, Texas, Nov. 29, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- As social networking, smartphones, tablet devices and 24/7 connectivity increasingly transform the way society lives and works, the technology behind it is bringing about a dramatic shift in how people view themselves and others, according to Identity Shift: Where Identity Meets Technology in the Networked-Community Age, a new book written by leading market research experts, Allison Cerra and Christina James, from Alcatel-Lucent (Euronext Paris & NYSE: ALU).

The second in "The Shift" series of Web 2.0 analyses, the book looks at consumer behavior across all the key stages of life, from birth to adulthood, and reveals a wealth of interesting findings related to how people at different points in life use, and are influenced by, communications technologies such as:

    --  There is a 60% correlation between how much a consumer said they trust a
        brand, and how much they were willing to pay them as a result, revealing
        the true value of consumer "trust."
    --  Seven in ten have ignored friend requests to limit who sees their
        postings, yet 3 in 4 interact online with people they've never met in
        person; and
    --  More than half of empty nesters and retirees spend time updating their
        social networking page to project the right image of themselves;
    --  63% of young people in the study have "stretched the truth" about
        themselves to improve their online appearance;
    --  43% of parents say it is difficult to protect their children from
        inappropriate content and offensive language online;
"As more of our lives are being lived on networks and the growing variety of devices that are connected to them, we are exposing more about who we are to others and companies serving us," said Cerra, who also is Vice President of Marketing, Communications and Public Affairs for Alcatel-Lucent's Americas Region. "Earning the coveted trust of consumers is the key to unlocking new value and creating service potential in today's networked age. But whether or not you are part of the technology industry, the findings in this book will open your eyes to how people set their public and private boundaries and how they differ across defining moments of an individual's life."

According to the research outlined in the book, with technology having such an effect on social behavior and the profiles individuals create for themselves, boundaries between 'real' and 'virtual' lives are breaking down - which is creating both positive and negative implications for consumers.

Overview and methodology

The research behind Identity Shift was conducted as part of a year-long effort to help consumers and Alcatel-Lucent's customers better understand the impact today's hyper-connected world has on individuals' perception of themselves and others.

The primary research model utilized is known as Ethnography, a research practice with its roots in anthropology, where an emphasis is placed on close interaction with subjects as a means for understanding their lives and the social dynamics within it.

Research for the book included a quantitative approach based on interviews with more than 5,000 American consumers, as well as with more than 30 in-home visits across the United States to observe subjects in various age groups as they went about their day, and the technologies they are surrounded by throughout that day.  Additionally, findings from the research were documented through hundreds of hours of video footage of behavioural and interview observations.

Additional Information

Identity Shift: Where Identity Meets Technology in the Networked-Community Age is published by Wiley (ISBN: 978-1-1181-8113-3) and is available immediately through retailers in print and e-book formats. More information on the book can be found at http://www.theshiftonline.com.

    --  A complete list of some of the most compelling findings from the book,
        can be found here
    --  Stay tuned for additional information, research and insights from
        "Identity Shift" by following us on Twitter at @theshiftonline
About Alcatel-Lucent(Euronext Paris and NYSE: ALU)Alcatel-Lucent (Euronext Paris and NYSE: ALU) is the trusted transformation partner of service providers, enterprises, strategic industries such as defense, energy, healthcare, transportation, and governments worldwide, providing solutions to deliver voice, data and video communication services to end-users. A leader in fixed, mobile and converged broadband networking, IP and optics technologies, applications and services, Alcatel-Lucent leverages the unrivalled technical and scientific expertise of Bell Labs, one of the largest innovation powerhouses in the communications industry. With operations in more than 130 countries and the most experienced global services organization in the industry, Alcatel-Lucent is a local partner with a global reach. Alcatel-Lucent achieved revenues of Euro 15.2 billion in 2009 and is incorporated in France, with executive offices located in Paris. For more information, visit Alcatel-Lucent on the Internet: http://www.alcatel-lucent.com, read the latest posts on the Alcatel-Lucent blog http://www.alcatel-lucent.com/blog and follow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/Alcatel_Lucent.

About Wiley

Founded in 1807, John Wiley & Sons, Inc. has been a valued source of information and understanding for more than 200 years, helping people around the world meet their needs and fulfill their aspirations. Wiley and its acquired companies have published the works of more than 450 Nobel laureates in all categories: Literature, Economics, Physiology or Medicine, Physics, Chemistry, and Peace.

Our core businesses publish scientific, technical, medical, and scholarly journals, encyclopedias, books, and online products and services; professional/trade books, subscription products, training materials, and online applications and Web sites; and educational materials for undergraduate and graduate students and lifelong learners. Wiley's global headquarters are located in Hoboken, New Jersey, with operations in the U.S., Europe, Asia, Canada, and Australia. The Company's Web site can be accessed at http://www.wiley.com. The Company is listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbols JWa and JWb.

SOURCE  Alcatel-Lucent

Alcatel-Lucent

CONTACT: CONTACT:  ALCATEL-LUCENT PRESS CONTACTS: SIMON POULTER, +33 1 40 76 50 84 simon.poulter@alcatel-lucent.com; CHARLIE GUYER, +1-617-599-8830, charlie.guyer@alacel-lucent.com; ALCATEL-LUCENT INVESTOR RELATIONS: FRANK MACCARY, + 33 (0)1 40 76 12 11, frank.maccary@alcatel-lucent.com; TOM BEVILACQUA, +1-908-582-7998, thomas.bevilacqua@alcatel-lucent.com

Web Site: http://www.alcatel-lucent.com

Tronton Launches Talking Mobile App "Cluzee," Your Intelligent Personal Assistant

New Type of Virtual PDA Employs Conversational Interface and Machine Learning To Help Save Time/Money and Manage Information Overload

PORT BARRINGTON, Ill., Nov. 29, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- In the Digital Age, we are inundated with so much information, many people wish they had a personal assistant to help them keep up with it all. Today, Tronton LLC hopes to make that dream a reality for the average person with the launch of Cluzee, a "talking" intelligent virtual personal digital assistant, available now on Android mobile devices.

Billed as "Your Intelligent Personal Assistant" Cluzee utilizes cutting edge technologies like voice recognition, voice synthesis, personal analytics, smart filters and machine learning to help users manage all aspects of their personal and digital lives. Designed to save people time and money, Cluzee's customized interface talks and responds to voice commands, providing the user with services like day planning, a health planner, personalized restaurant and retail recommendations, a trip planner, social media monitoring, and a daily briefing of personalized digital information.

Cluzee is the first offering from Tronton, an emerging start-up poised to become the premier vendor of Virtual Personal Digital Assistants. Founded by seasoned technology professional Ashish Patwa, Tronton designs intelligent products that help people make better decisions in real-time, and improve personal productivity.

"People are drowning in information overload," said Patwa, CEO of Tronton. "We don't need all of the information available, all of the time. We just need the right information at the right time, which Cluzee intelligently provides, making us more productive. Technology created the problem, but we're using smarter technology to solve it."

CLUZEE INTELLIGENT PERSONAL ASSISTANT CAN HELP YOU:

BE MORE PRODUCTIVE: Many of Cluzee's features can be accessed hands-free, via voice recognition and voice interface. So you can perform tasks while you're driving. Cluzee reads you your e-mails, replies to text messages, and gives you a daily digital briefing of whatever you care about, from local news and events, to Socially-Filtered Facebook Feeds and Tweets, plus horoscopes, calendar reminders, health and even package tracking.

SPEAK AND BE SPOKEN TO: Cluzee utilizes Conversational Interface, meaning it talks to you and responds to your commands, delegates tasks, and allows user to create and manage text memos and reminders.

MANAGE YOUR DAILY & DIGITAL LIVES: Services include a Day Planner (PDP) with calendar syncing, a Health Planner with calorie tracker, Trip Planning, Daily Brief, Friends Locator, Local Search Recommendations, and Social Filtering.

PREVENT INFORMATION OVERLOAD: Cluzee lets users set filters for social updates. Instruct Cluzee to immediately inform you if tweets/FB updates come from a group of users, and even customize what news, weather and traffic are included in your brief.

SAVE MONEY WITH CUSTOM DEALS & TRIP PLANNING: Personalized recommendations and daily deal filtering based on your personal digital profile save you money on things you love, while weeding out offers that you're not interested in. A trip planner helps you map out your vacation and find local attractions.

Cluzee utilizes Machine Learning technology to save time, making busy people's live more enjoyable.

Cluzee is available today as a mobile app for Android devices, for free download at http://www.cluzee.com.

Future generations of Cluzee will run in the Cloud and be accessible from all of a person's devices, including mobile phones, tablets, desktops, laptops, TVs and the Web.

For more information about Cluzee, please visit http://www.cluzee.com.

About Cluzee

Your Intelligent Personal Assistant! Cluzee was developed by Tronton, LLC. CEO Ashish Patwa founded Tronton on a mission to lead the Virtual Personal Digital Assistants field and use cutting-edge technologies to develop an intelligent personal agent for people to help them take better decisions in real-time, improve personal productivity by helping the users manage information overload as well as performing delegated tasks on their behalf and save money by providing quality personalized content.

SOURCE  Cluzee

Cluzee

CONTACT: CONTACT:  Abby Zelikow of SS|PR, +1-847-415-9332, azelikow@sspr.com, for Cluzee

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

P&G Beauty & Grooming Launches StyleUnited Web Site

New Beauty and Fashion Website Provides Personalized Content and Advice

CINCINNATI, Nov. 29, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- P&G Beauty & Grooming (NYSE: PG) today announced the launch of StyleUnited (http://www.styleunited.com), the first truly personalized site that brings beauty and fashion together for a total style source. In partnership with ShopStyle, StyleUnited delivers an exclusive experience to each consumer to help women achieve their best head-to-toe style.

(Photo:  http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20111129/NY06512 )

"P&G Beauty & Grooming fosters relationships with many leading influencers and visionaries in beauty and fashion communities and is thrilled to give women unprecedented access to their head-to-toe beauty and fashion needs at one single destination," said Charlie Chappell, Associate Marketing Director at P&G. "StyleUnited takes the trusted outlets and experts that women turn to online every day and brings them together under one web site for a comprehensive beauty and fashion resource."

StyleUnited, initially launched in beta with the promise of more enhancements in the coming months, features personal consultations, curated content and a peer community for tips and recommendations.

    --  Under the direction of Editor-in-Chief Margit Detweiler, whose 12 years
        experience in online media touts leading sites such as RealSimple.com,
        EverydayHealth.com and AOL Health, StyleUnited features hundreds of
        articles, slideshows, blog posts and how-to videos from P&G and industry
        experts, including influential stylists, bloggers and online editors.
        With access to the industry's authorities, coveted events and leading
        product information, StyleUnited forms the ultimate resource for the
        latest product and trend news as it happens.
    --  Style 360, a diagnostic tool women participate in at the onset of
        engagement, is designed to understand a woman's unique skincare,
        haircare, cosmetics and fashion needs. The site tailors content based on
        responses and delivers relevant information each time a woman visits the
        site.
    --  One-on-one live consultations with professional beauty consultants
        provide consumers with real time recommendations and advice. Using
        online video technology, consumers can talk live with specialists via
        web camera. Consultants can see and understand consumers' concerns and
        provide assistance based on personal traits such as skin and hair types.
    --  Fashion content from hundreds of online retailers is integrated and
        recommended throughout the experience via ShopStyle.com.

The StyleUnited conversation continues on the site's Facebook page, where fans will get exclusive tips, articles and how-to videos sent right to their newsfeed courtesy of top influencers in the fashion and beauty industries. Twice a month, a new guest editor will engage with fans on the Facebook page and provide a fresh style perspective via style secrets, tips and favorite content on fashion and beauty.

StyleUnited can be found at http://www.StyleUnited.com, on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/StyleUnited and on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/StyleUnited.

About P&G Beauty & Grooming

P&G Beauty & Grooming products help make beauty dreams real for women worldwide and help men look, feel and be their best everyday.  With more than 100 brands available in nearly 130 countries, P&G's beauty and grooming products delivered sales of over $26 billion in fiscal year 2008/09, making it one of the world's largest beauty and grooming companies.  P&G Beauty & Grooming offers trusted brands with leading technology to meet the full complement of beauty and grooming needs, including  Pantene®, Olay®, Head & Shoulders®, Max Factor®, Cover Girl®, DDF®, Frederic Fekkai®, Wellaflex®,  Rejoice®, Sebastian Professional®, Herbal Essences®, Koleston®, Clairol Professional®, Nice 'n Easy®, Venus®, Gillette®, SK-II®, Wella Professionals®, Braun® and a leading Prestige Fragrance division that spans from point of market entry consumers to high end luxury with global brands such as Hugo Boss®, Lacoste®, and Christina Aguilera®.  Please visit http://www.pg.com for the latest news and in-depth information about P&G (NYSE: PG) and its brands.

SOURCE  P&G Beauty & Grooming

Photo:http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20111129/NY06512
http://photoarchive.ap.org/
P&G Beauty & Grooming

CONTACT: Lauren Gibbons of DeVries Public Relations, +1-646-253-0223, LGibbons@devries-pr.com

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

Creativity-Powered "Sweety High" Launches Out of Private Beta, Social Game Offers Girls Ages 8 to 16 a Platform for Fearless Self-Expression, High-Quality Content and  Extraordinary Real-World Wish-Fulfillment Opportunities

Entertainment Industry Veterans Build Executive Team with Former Leaders from Stardoll, Disney, Sony and Nickelodeon To Enhance Game Experience Enabling Girls To Discover Their Dreams

LOS ANGELES, Nov. 29, 2011 /PRNewswire/ --Sweety High, the creativity-powered social game enabling girls ages 8 to 16 to express themselves fearlessly, today announced its public launch. Unveiling its unique "Sweetivity" game engine, Sweety High drives noteworthy achievements built around self-expression, pop culture and a community of like-minded girls. The site, which has already connected talented girls with real-world opportunities in the fields of art, entertainment and design while in beta, is now live at http://www.sweetyhigh.com.

Co-founded by writer/producer Frank Simonetti and Veronica Zelle, acclaimed pop music video producer for Madonna, Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake, Sweety High was built to enable bold creative expression, allowing girls to leverage Web tools to earn support from peers and be rewarded with a variety of exclusive opportunities. Compliant with the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), Sweety High is a closed community that offers advanced technology to prevent cyber bullying and oversharing of personal information.

"In beta, we had the thrill of rewarding Sweety High users with inspiring real-world opportunities and saw that filling the gap between real and virtual worlds can change lives, allowing girls to discover their dreams." says Veronica Zelle, co-founder and chief creative officer.  CEO Frank Simonetti adds, "Sweety High drives the future of social gaming for girls, providing high-quality content while delivering wish-fulfillment in a game structure that fosters self-esteem and enables every girl to be a winner."

Through video, photo and written quests centered on everything from acting, singing and dancing to journalism and design, girls can acquire virtual currency, complete sets of virtual goods and earn a variety of real-world rewards and experiences. Girls can also harvest virtual "Hearts" to unlock exclusive Sweety High programming, contests and "Be a Star" opportunities as they progress upward through more than 40 levels in the game.

For the site's incredible premiere "Be A Star" opportunity, "Make Your Way to the Runway," one talented girl will be chosen to meet fashion industry mentors, design an outfit to be produced by Bebop Clothing and be featured in the Sweety High series "Glam Squad," hosted by beta site "Be a Star" winner, Scarlett. Past opportunities from beta also include dancing with the cast of "So You Think You Can Dance," recording a track with a major record label, and starring in a Cody Simpson music video. 

The company's studio arm will premiere a new slate of original programming, including pop culture news series "Sweet Beat TV" and a user-celebrity cooking show called "Food Star." For more upcoming programming, view the sizzle reel:  http://promo.sweetyhigh.com/sizzlereel/

Part of a seasoned executive team, Chief Strategy Officer Matt Palmer is the former EVP of Stardoll, and former SVP of marketing for Disney Channel, credited for catapulting properties like "Hannah Montana," and "High School Musical" among others. Lucas Bean joins Sweety High as vice president of marketing and was former senior director of marketing at Atari and senior director of marketing at Sony Pictures Entertainment for Crackle.com. Rick Hou, chief product officer, is the architect behind the site's robust "Sweetivity" gaming-platform and is recognized for creating and implementing both Web applications and gaming products for clients such as ESPN, Disney, and Shazam.

For more information about Sweety High visit https://sweetyhigh.com/ or connect on Facebook and Twitter.

About Sweety High

Sweety High is a creativity-powered social game enabling girls ages 8 to 16 to express themselves fearlessly and authentically. Founded by entertainment industry veterans, CEO Frank Simonetti and CCO Veronica Zelle, Sweety High's "Sweetivity" game engine rewards content creation and discovery through quests and achievements that navigate the worlds of pop culture, self-expression and community. Sweety High's production arm develops original content for Sweety High audiences, from scripted series to shows that integrate users on the site as hosts or guests. Sweety High aims to give girls a marquee environment for creativity that allows them to discover their dreams. To learn more, visit Sweety High.

CONTACT:  Jennie Kong of Miller PR, +1-323-761-7221, jennie@miller-pr.com

SOURCE  Sweety High

Sweety High

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

Industry Shift as Trademark Attorneys Use "In-A-Box" Solution to Take on Online Trademark Factories

MELBOURNE, Australia, Nov. 29, 2011 /PRNewswire-Asia/ -- Remarqueble launches free, white-label online Trademark Search, Application and Filing tools for attorneys to use on their own websites. Attorney firms to win back market share from online trademark factories by focusing on client relationships while sourcing industry leading technology.

Trademark attorneys have expressed concern over the recent explosion of "online trademark factories" which offers cut-price trademark services. Such services have become increasingly popular as customers are attracted by free trademark search tools and streamlined application processes. Without significant investment in technical infrastructure, which is not commercially viable for the vast majority of trademark firms, it simply hasn't been possible to compete with the leading online service providers. Released today, Remarqueble provides a collection of free industry leading website search, application and filing tools allowing trademark attorneys for the first time to compete on a level playing field with no technical expertise or investment.

"It's ironic -- we're commoditizing the technology of online trademark services while others have been focused on trying to commoditize the part you can't -- the human part," says Ben Lehman, Intellectual Property Lawyer and Co-founder of Remarqueble. "Our approach is to empower attorneys, not replace them."

Remarqueble has been working with selected partners from around the globe since 2008 to perfect its suite of website tools. The solution is simple enough for attorneys to 'cut-and-paste' into their website, but powerful enough to compete with existing dedicated online trademark providers; all the while being sensitive to the consulting workflow, important to established attorneys.

"We think these tools bring much needed balance to the provision of online trademark services," says Mr Lehman, who has worked as an Intellectual Property Lawyer for over 12 years. "It's commercial reality that clients expect some interactive search experience when visiting a website. From today, all attorneys can include preliminary trademark search direct on their website, giving potential clients confidence before they speak with a professional."

The Remarqueble tools are designed to be hosted on the public facing attorney website and include multi-country trademark search, application (from simple contact details to full interactive goods and services picker) and filing modules. "The full suite takes around an hour to install into an existing website, bringing functionality to the same level as current industry leaders. For those without a website, we provide an 'instant on' service so you can start with absolutely nothing and, within a few minutes, have a fully branded website attracting new clients."

Remarqueble's service is available from today at http://remarqueble.com.

About Remarqueble

Founded in 2008, Remarqueble provides online trademark related technology to search, register and protect brands. Remarqueble provides brand protection services through a global partner network.

Remarqueble is at http://remarqueble.com

SOURCE  Remarqueble

Remarqueble

CONTACT: Ben Lehman, Tel: +61-3-9005-3923, Email: ben.lehman@remarqueble.com

Web Site: http://www.remarqueble.com/partner/attorney

mFoundry Launches First Hawaiian Bank Mobile Banking

SAN FRANCISCO, Nov. 29, 2011  /PRNewswire/ -- mFoundry, the most popular provider of mobile banking solutions, today announced it has officially launched First Hawaiian Bank's mobile solution, FHB Mobile Banking.

"We're excited to see such strong demand for our mobile banking solution out of the gate," said Jaylene Tsukayama, Vice President and Manager for Electronic Banking at First Hawaiian Bank. "Part of this quick uptake is due to the range of access options we're providing - customers can access their mobile finances via mobile Web, native apps and SMS/text banking - serving the greatest number of customers. We're looking forward to expanding on this foundation with more advanced mobile banking features."

"First Hawaiian Bank is already experiencing strong adoption for its mobile banking solution," said Drew Sievers, co-founder and CEO of mFoundry. "This is becoming more commonplace with our deployments, as we help our customers marry consumer demand with a solution that provides the greatest range of features and access options."

mFoundry was able to launch First Hawaiian Bank's mobile banking solution with minimal technical effort by FHB's technology team with a fully turnkey solution, helping the bank get to market faster to meet demand from customers.

"As more and more smartphone users begin using mobile banking, it's critical that banks provide a broad range of mobile access options," adds Sievers. "Mobile banking serves as a customer service tool to reduce support costs and boost customer satisfaction, while also serving as a marketing tool for attracting new depositors hungry for mobile access options. We believe consumers will move money to banks or credit unions that provide more access options."

FHB Mobile Banking customers can use mobile banking to find an ATM or branch, check if a deposit has cleared, transfer funds or pay bills. FHB Mobile Banking provides three easy ways for customers to connect with mobile banking:

    --  Text/SMS Banking - check balances and make transactions using text
        commands
    --  Downloadable Apps - download the FHB Mobile Banking app for iPhone,
        Android or Blackberry devices
    --  Mobile Web - customers can use their phone's Web browser to access the
        Mobile Web, similar to the online banking experience
FHB Mobile Banking is available to all FHB Online users immediately. Learn more at http://fhb.com/mobile or call 1-888-643-4343.

About First Hawaiian Bank

Founded in 1858, First Hawaiian Bank is Hawaii's largest and oldest bank. First Hawaiian Bank has been offering customers service, solutions and security for over 152 years. The bank is consistently ranked in the top tier of all U.S. banks. First Hawaiian Bank is a full-service bank providing personal, private and business banking services.

First Hawaiian is a subsidiary of BancWest Corporation, a regional financial services company. BancWest is a subsidiary of BNP Paribas, a European leader in banking and financial services with a significant and growing presence in the United States. For more information, please visit http://www.firsthawaiianbank.com.

About mFoundry

mFoundry is the most popular mobile banking solution in the U.S., currently the choice of nearly 600 banks and credit unions nationwide. mFoundry's mBanking product is the leading software-as-a-service (SaaS) based mobile banking solution in the market today. mFoundry's mobile banking customers include leading financial institutions, such as Bank of America, PNC Bank and Zions Bank.

In addition to its mobile banking experience, mFoundry has established itself as a leader in mobile payments, through its work with retailers like Starbucks Coffee Company. mFoundry developed and manages Starbucks Card Mobile program, the most successful mobile payments program to date, currently used in more than 6,800 stores nationwide.

mFoundry was founded in 2004 by Drew Sievers and Rodney Aiglstorfer.

The company is headquartered in Larkspur, California, with additional offices in downtown San Francisco. For more information on mFoundry, please visit http://www.mfoundry.com.

SOURCE  mFoundry

mFoundry

CONTACT: CONTACT:  Jeremy Porter of mFoundry, +1-415-925-8550

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

Chatter Box Executes and Acquires the Assets of I1 connect

HONG KONG, Nov. 29, 2011 /PRNewswire-Asia/ -- Chatter Box Call Center Ltd. (CXLL.OB) is pleased to announce it has executed and acquired the assets of I1 connect (http://www.i1connect.com).  The platform will establish a foundation towards an e presence and internet portal for business services, and video/press distribution.

I1 connect was previously audited and valued in 2008 by Larry O'Donnell, CPA, Pc, Aurora, Colorado in accordance with bdc rules. The valuation at the time was pegged at US$20 mill. While this asset has been dormant and operating quietly, it needs substantial upgrades and refurbishing in order to relaunch the portal.

"While I1 connect realizes it has lost market share and momentum, it feels that Chatter Box has the capacity to revamp and provide the necessary branding to build out video and press distribution services within the BPO segment of Chatter Box's business plan," said Dr. Daniel Imperato, CEO I1 connect. Mr. Imperato previously was a Presidential Candidate "hopeful" for the Independent caucus during the 2008 run off and has an extensive business and strategic advisory background. 

This transaction and terms, thereof are subject to independent third party verification, audit and due diligence.

About Chatter Box

Chatter Box operates a Business and Knowledge Process Outsourcing Technology/IT company that is currently building out a platform which will play an active role in the IT-Telecom/BPO/CRM/Contact Centect industry globally.

For more information, visit http://www.chatterboxcallcenter.com.

To subscribe to Chatter Box mailing list, visit http://clicks.skem1.com/signup/?c=1SIhHe.

CXLL.OB
Outstanding: 19.5mill.
Float: 5.4mill.

Contact:

Shruti Khurana

Investor Relations

+1-917-310-3733

Email: info@chatterboxcallcenter.com

SOURCE  Chatter Box Call Center Ltd.

Chatter Box Call Center Ltd.

Web Site: http://clicks.skem1.com/signup/?c=1SIhHe

Cellular Product Distributors and LightSquared Partner to Bundle Hotspot Device and 4G Connectivity

Cellular Product Distributors will offer MyMO Mobile Office hotspots with wireless broadband service on LightSquared's nationwide network

RESTON, Va. and CULVER CITY, Calif., Nov. 29, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- LightSquared, a wholesale carrier building a nationwide wireless broadband network that will create consumer choice and drive industry innovation, and Cellular Product Distributors (CPD-USA), a designer and distributor with 25 years of mobile product and accessory experience, have partnered to bring mobile broadband to CPD-USA's line of MyMO Mobile Office hotspot devices.

CPD-USA's MyMO Mobile Office portable devices are pocket-sized mobile hotspots that provide simultaneous connectivity to multiple mobile devices. By partnering with LightSquared, CPD-USA can now expand beyond their traditional hardware sales business and offer nationwide wireless broadband connectivity bundled with their devices. CPD-USA will also make its hotspot devices available to LightSquared's growing roster of wholesale partners.

"MyMO's 'road warrior' customers are on-the-go and need a reliable broadband connection wherever they travel," said Moshe Shemian, president and chief executive officer of CPD-USA. "LightSquared's flexible business model and open network allow us to broaden our service offerings to maximize our revenue opportunity and meet the mobile needs of our customers."

LightSquared's wholesale-only business model and rapidly expanding ecosystem allow its partners - including wireless carriers, device manufacturers, nationwide retailers, regional phone companies and mobile content providers - the ability to bring greater value to their customers. This unique network of partners, all empowered by LightSquared's nationwide broadband and satellite network, will increase competition in the U.S. wireless market and make connectivity more affordable for consumers.   

"As a leader in consumer electronics devices for more than two decades, CPD-USA recognized that today's consumers rely on multiple communications devices and need a high-speed connection wherever they are," said Sanjiv Ahuja, chairman and chief executive officer of LightSquared. "CPD-USA is yet another example of an entrepreneurial company that is taking advantage of LightSquared's wholesale model and open network to expand their services and tap into new markets."

About LightSquared
LightSquared's mission is to revolutionize the U.S. wireless industry. With the creation of the first-ever, wholesale-only nationwide 4G-LTE network integrated with satellite coverage, LightSquared offers people the speed, value and reliability of universal connectivity, wherever they are in the United States. As a wholesale-only operator, LightSquared will deploy an open 4G wireless broadband network to be used by existing and new service providers to sell their own devices, applications and services - at a competitive cost and without retail competition from LightSquared. The deployment and operation of LightSquared's network represent more than $14 billion of private investment over the next eight years. For more information about LightSquared, please go to http://www.LightSquared.com, http://www.facebook.com/LightSquared and http://www.twitter.com/LightSquared.

About Cellular Product Distributors, Inc. (CPD-USA)
CPD-USA, based in Los Angeles, has over 25 years of experience as a distributor of cellular products and related electronic devices. MyMO Mobile Office is wholly-owned and operated by CPD Accessories, Inc, and was developed by CPD-USA in 2007 to meet the connectivity needs of business-oriented customers who use multiple mobile devices. The first release of the product is the MyMO-1002. For more information, visit: http://www.getmymo.com.

    CONTACT:                     Josh Lefkowitz
                                 Burson-Marsteller for LightSquared
                                 Tel: (212) 614-5012
                                 Joshua.Lefkowitz@bm.com

                                 Jamie Smilovici
                                 CPD-USA
                                 Tel: (323) 455-3273
                                 Jamie@getmymo.com
Forward Looking Statement
This release contains forward-looking statements and information regarding LightSquared and its business. Such statements are based on the current expectations and certain assumptions of LightSquared's management and are, therefore, subject to certain risks and uncertainties. The forward-looking statements expressed herein relate only to information as of the date of this release. LightSquared has no obligation to update these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this release, nor is there any assurance that the plans or strategies discussed in this release will not change.

SOURCE  LightSquared

LightSquared

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

SEEBURGER's New SEE Link Reduces Risk in System-to-System File Exchange

Endpoint Client for Managed File Transfer Suite Launched at Gartner AADI Summit

LAS VEGAS, Nov. 29, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Global business integration solution provider SEEBURGER today announced SEEBURGER Secure Link(TM) (SEE Link), an endpoint client for the recently expanded SEEBURGER Managed File Transfer (SEE MFT) suite.  Deploying SEE Link on PCs and servers both inside and outside the organization - including offshore manufacturing facilities, business partners, outsourced professional services, and smaller trading partners without B2B/EDI capabilities - ensures secure, reliable, easy-to-manage system-to-system data exchange with industry-first SEEBURGER features that reduce risk as well as administrative overhead.

SEEBURGER unveiled the newest extension to its SEE MFT platform at the 2011 Gartner Application Architecture, Development and Integration Summit in Las Vegas.

Designed to close the security and compliance loopholes of conventional file sharing strategies, SEE Link works in conjunction with the SEE MFT server to automate the exchange of master data, customer lists, payroll information, quarterly financial reports, medical records, supply chain transactions and other structured and non-structured files between systems. Built-in capabilities such as policy enforcement, encryption, data integrity checking, and a centralized audit trail thwart data theft and misdirected files as well as aiding adherence to regulatory and corporate information security requirements.

Critical features available exclusively from SEEBURGER include:

    --  Consolidated management and logging of all message types - including
        human-to-human, human-to-system, system-to-system, internal, external,
        structured, unstructured, and B2B/EDI supply chain transaction messages
        - as part of the SEE MFT family and widely adopted SEEBURGER Business
        Integration Suite. For the first time in any MFT or B2B solution, all
        file transfer activity is merged in a single view to save time, reduce
        the total cost of ownership, and provide vital auditability and
        centralized reporting to support compliance efforts.
    --  Data transformation via a built-in endpoint translation engine, enabling
        flexible application-to-application integration at endpoints. With this
        capability, transmitted data can be converted to the appropriate ERP or
        other format after it has been decrypted and decompressed rather than
        requiring the additional overhead of deploying and managing separate
        transfer agents that can trigger outside processes.
    --  Automated endpoint provisioning and management, including the ability to
        dramatically reduce deployment time and expense by pre-populating
        individual PCs and servers with configuration information. SEE Link can
        also check the heartbeats of thousands of endpoints, detect temporary
        outages, delay file transfers until connectivity or outage issues are
        resolved, and minimize maintenance by updating endpoints and public keys
        remotely.
    --  Reliable delivery even over erratic network connections, based on a new
        standard peer-to-peer protocol developed by SEEBURGER that transports
        files directly from endpoint to endpoint without routing them through
        the MFT server. This facilitates data exchange even with remote and
        overseas sites, eliminates server-related bottlenecks and scalability
        problems, and still provides server-based governance and policy
        enforcement via the new Secure Link Management Protocol (SLMP) to
        prevent unauthorized file transfers.

SEE Link can handle files of any size, supports most major operating systems, has a very small  footprint, and provides an easy-to-use browser-based interface for managing file transfers with no IT experience. It is a core component of the SEE MFT platform, which manages file transfers with full security, visibility, governance and regulatory compliance protections not available with alternative strategies such as FTP, YouSendIt or Dropbox.

SEE MFT automatically handles end-to-end orchestration of data transfers with full governance, business process management, policy enforcement, and data loss prevention (DLP). It provides Managed Integration -- automating managed file transfers between systems, applications and endpoints -- as well as Managed Collaboration to control manually initiated managed file exchange such as email transfers, ad hoc transfers, and human-initiated transfers to systems.

"In today's business environment, enterprises not only need to be sure that the right data gets to the right place at the right time but also must be able to prove it for audit and compliance purposes. For most organizations, this is not only a challenge but a major drain on IT resources," said Rohit Khanna, EVP, Global Strategy and Corporate Development, for SEEBURGER. "As a cornerstone of our managed file transfer suite, SEE Link both secures and streamlines system-to-system file exchange with advanced capabilities that ensure safe data delivery, reduce administrative costs, and maintain a comprehensive record of all activity to mitigate the risk of regulatory and governance violations."

Availability

SEE Link is available immediately in two versions:  SEE Link Standard for simple, secure managed file transfers, and SEE Link Plus offering the additional ability to integrate applications, perform mappings, do data conversions, and perform pre- and post-processing tasks. Both run on any PC or server that supports Java 6.

SEE Link and other SEE MFT solutions are available in four different deployment options -- on-premise software, private cloud, public cloud or managed services -- and offer rapid deployment, fast ROI and single-vendor accountability. Current SEEBURGER customers can deploy quickly without installing additional infrastructure or learning a new interface by purchasing an upgrade license key for the SEEBURGER Business Integration Suite. Visit http://www.seeburger.com/mft for more information.

About SEEBURGER

SEEBURGER is a global provider of business integration and secure managed file transfer (MFT) solutions that streamline business processes, reduce operational costs, facilitate governance and compliance, and provide visibility to the farthest edges of the supply chain to maximize ERP effectiveness and drive new efficiencies. All solutions are delivered on a unified, 100% SEEBURGER-engineered platform that lowers the total cost of ownership and reduces implementation time. With more than 25 years in the industry, SEEBURGER today is ranked among the top business integration providers by industry analysts, serves thousands of customers in more than 50 countries and 15 industries, and has offices in Europe, Asia Pacific and North America. For more information, visit http://www.seeburger.com.

SOURCE  SEEBURGER

SEEBURGER

CONTACT: Jill Schmidt for SEEBURGER, +1-847-415-9311, jills@sspr.com

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

Encyclopaedia Britannica Now Fits in Your Pocket

Millions of iPhone users have immediate access to this trusted resource

CHICAGO, Nov. 29, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Following a recent iPad announcement, Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc. announced today its trusted encyclopedia is now available as an iPhone App through the Apple App Store.  The Encyclopaedia Britannica App gives the millions of iPhone users the ability to find information and explore subjects without compromise, anywhere at any time.  iPhone users can feel confident that what they are searching for is accurate and provided by professional editors and expert contributors including former U.S. and international presidents, Nobel Laureates, scientists and other historical figures.

The app is free to download and comes with complimentary high-resolution images, maps, access to 100 free articles plus the first 100 words of every article, and the Britannica "link map."  For $1.99 a month, iPhone users can upgrade their app to include full access to all 80,000 articles in the Encyclopedia, the ability to download information to read offline, save and send articles, store favorites and search history and more. Android and Microsoft versions of the app are expected to follow in early 2012.

"Continuing to offer consumers more options, Encyclopaedia Britannica is giving iPhone users the ability to take one of the most trusted and authoritative resources with them whenever, wherever," says Greg Barlow, Encyclopaedia Britannica's senior vice president and chief marketing officer. "Whether at home or on-the-go, our world-class information is available on a fast, mobile platform."

Current EB.com subscribers can access the full iPhone and iPad content free of charge by using their account credentials.  Visit the iTunes store to download the app. 

About Encyclopaedia Britannica

Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc. is a leader in education publishing whose products can be found on the Internet, wireless devices and books. A pioneer in electronic publishing since the early 1980s, the company, founded in 1768, markets a variety of reference and curriculum products for schools, language-study courses and other learning products, many available online at store.britannica.com and, for schools, at info.eb.com. Company headquarters are in Chicago.

    Media Contacts:
    ---------------
    Greg Barlow                    Cathleen Bleers
    Encyclopaedia Britannica Group Hill & Knowlton
    (312) 347-7444                 (312) 255-3123
    GBarlow@EB.com                 Cathleen.bleers@hillandknowlton.com

SOURCE  Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc.

Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc.

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

MicroStrategy Introduces Usher(TM), the Coolest Way to Manage Facebook Events

"Friendly" App Lets You Plan Exclusive Events Easily From Your Smartphone

TYSONS CORNER, Va., Nov. 29, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- MicroStrategy(®) Incorporated (Nasdaq: MSTR) today announced that Usher, a free, "friendly" event management app linked to Facebook Events, is now available worldwide for the iPhone on the Apple iTunes App Store. Usher allows you to easily set up and manage an event from beginning to end with seamless integration with Facebook Events. You can download the app by going to the http://www.usher.com website and clicking on the link to the App Store. 

Event Management App Combines Electronic Invitations and Ticketing

A better way to manage events with Facebook: Usher lets you build upon your network of Facebook friends and extend personalized invitations for your event, whether it's a nightclub event, a sorority/fraternity get-together or a charity benefit. With Usher, you can create an event from your iPhone and use convenient filters to invite the guests you want in minutes, eliminating the time-consuming hassle of selecting guests person-by-person.

From planning to party, all on your smartphone: You can check RSVP's in real-time, manage separate VIP lists, and even send last-minute invitations. Using Usher on your iPhone, you can manage every aspect of your event with electronic guest lists. If you prefer a printed guest list, Usher can create that for you, too.

Mobile tickets as cool as your event: Usher delivers unique mobile tickets directly to your guests' smartphones so they don't have to worry about bringing a printed invitation that can be easily misplaced. If guests don't have an iPhone, they can access tickets on a browser or print them on the web at http://www.usher.com.

Manage the door like never before: Doormen can check people in using Usher on their iPhones, and validate tickets using a Facebook photo, QR Code, Sight Code(TM), Usher Code(TM) or Phrase Code(TM) (check-in methods designed for both security and speed at the door). Once the party starts, you can see who's arrived from your smartphone without having to stop the conversation.

"Usher is simply a better way to manage your Facebook Events," said Michael J. Saylor, chairman and CEO of MicroStrategy Incorporated. "With Usher, you can manage your professional and personal events conveniently and securely from your smartphone.  You can send and receive invitations, be fast to RSVP, and benefit from privileged ticketing and check-in."

For more information, visit http://www.usher.com. 

About MicroStrategy Incorporated

Founded in 1989, MicroStrategy is a leading provider of enterprise software platforms for business intelligence (BI), mobile intelligence, and social intelligence applications.  MicroStrategy's BI platform enables leading organizations worldwide to analyze the vast amounts of data stored across their enterprises to make better business decisions.  Companies choose MicroStrategy BI for its ease-of-use, sophisticated analytics, and superior data and user scalability.  MicroStrategy's mobile intelligence platform helps companies and organizations build, deploy, and maintain mobile apps across a range of solutions by embedding intelligence, transactions, and multimedia into apps.  MicroStrategy's social intelligence platform includes a number of applications that help enterprises harness the power of social networks for marketing and e-commerce, as well as a suite of free "friendly" consumer apps that use MicroStrategy's enterprise technologies.  The MicroStrategy Cloud offering combines MicroStrategy and third-party software, hardware, and services to enable rapid, cost-effective development of hosted BI, mobile, and social applications.  To learn more about MicroStrategy (Nasdaq: MSTR), visit http://www.microstrategy.com and follow us on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/microstrategy) and Twitter (http://www.twitter.com/microstrategy).

MicroStrategy, MicroStrategy Business Intelligence Platform, MicroStrategy Cloud, MicroStrategy Mobile, Cloud Personal, MicroStrategy Transaction Services, Wisdom, MicroStrategy Wisdom and Emma are either trademarks or registered trademarks of MicroStrategy Incorporated in the United States and certain other countries. Other product and company names mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners.

MSTR-G

Contact:
Warren Getler
MicroStrategy Incorporated
703-744-6258
wgetler@microstrategy.com

SOURCE  MicroStrategy Incorporated

MicroStrategy Incorporated

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

Verizon Small Business Center Presents Free Webinar on Nov. 30; Author and Entrepreneur Guy Kawasaki to Show how 'The Art of Enchantment' Can Drive Business Results

NEW YORK, Nov. 29, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- The Verizon Small Business Center will host another free webinar on Wednesday (Nov. 30), featuring Guy Kawasaki, the co-founder of Alltop.com, an "online magazine rack" of popular topics on the Web, and a founding partner at Garage Technology Ventures. Previously, Kawasaki was the chief evangelist of Apple. He has also written ten books including his latest, "Enchantment."

In this one-hour live webinar, Kawasaki will offer tips on ways small businesses can use the power of enchantment, which enables individuals to maneuver through difficult decisions, break entrenched habits, defy conventional wisdom, and get colleagues to work for long-term, mutually beneficial goals.

Follow @VZSmallBiz on Twitter (or http://www.twitter.com/VZSmallBiz) for key tips provided by Kawasaki, or search in Twitter for #vzsmb.  The webinar begins at 2 p.m. ET.  The free webinar series presented by the Verizon Small Business Center keeps small businesses informed and engaged to help them gain a competitive edge. 

    WHAT:   Verizon Small Business Webinar: "The Art of Enchantment," with Guy
            Kawasaki.

    WHEN:  Wednesday, Nov. 30, at 2 p.m. ET/ 1 p.m. CT/ 12 p.m. MT/ 11 a.m. PT

    WHERE: Verizon Small Business Center
           -----------------------------
            Please register at least onehour before the start of the free webinar
            to receive an "evite" and call-in information. Click here to
            register or visit http://www.brighttalk.com/r/sFv.
            --------------------------------------------------

    WHO:    Guy Kawasaki, co-founder of Alltop and managing director of Garage
            Technology Ventures.

SOURCE  Verizon

Verizon

CONTACT: Alberto Canal, Verizon, +1-908-559-6367, alberto.c.canal@verizon.com

Web Site: http://business.verizon.net

ElfYourself.com is Back!

The Most Loved Viral Holiday Website in History Adds New Funk Video Featuring Singing and Dancing Elves

NAPERVILLE, Ill., Nov. 29, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- The most loved viral holiday website in history is back! OfficeMax(®) Incorporated (NYSE:OMX), a leader in office supplies, technology products and services, has brought back its free holiday eGreeting site, ElfYourself.com. Powered by JibJab.com, the leader in personalized online entertainment, ElfYourself.com allows users to transform themselves, family, friends and colleagues into jolly dancing elves just in time for the holiday season.

OfficeMax's ElfYourself.com offers nine customizable dancing elf videos including a new video titled "Funk," in which the elves dance and sing to an ElfYourself version of the Charles W. Wright song, "Express Yourself." Other popular dance videos include Elf Classic, Disco, Country, Hip-Hop, Singing, Charleston, 80s and Surf.

Each ElfYourself video can be personalized with up to five photos and shared via email, Facebook, Twitter, blogs, or embedded into a website.

"OfficeMax is delighted to once again bring back the holiday tradition of ElfYourself to help spread cheer in a way that is entertaining, engaging, and that features the user as the star," said Michael Lewis, executive vice president and president of retail at OfficeMax. "Our personalized dancing elves are such a big part of holiday festivities for people world-wide. We look forward to seeing the many ways that people celebrate the season with ElfYourself this year."

"We're in the business of making things that make people laugh," said Gregg Spiridellis, JibJab's co-founder and CEO. "We're thrilled to be working with OfficeMax again this year to deliver millions of holiday smiles around the globe with ElfYourself."

Personalized Holiday Elf Gifts
While at ElfYourself.com, shoppers can check out the store to put their favorite elves on personalized holiday gifts and stocking stuffers that the whole family will love. Holiday DVDs can capture the family in all nine ElfYourself dances. Or, feature personalized elves on holiday-themed mugs, ornaments, magnets, puzzles, blankets, mouse pads, posters or print greeting cards. Custom ElfYourself gift items start at $7.99.

Most Loved Viral Holiday Website in History
Since ElfYourself debuted in 2006, people all over the world have used the popular holiday website to create more than 474 million customized elves.

About OfficeMax
OfficeMax Incorporated (NYSE: OMX) is a leader in both business-to-business office products solutions and retail office products.  The OfficeMax mission is simple.  We help our customers do their best work.  The company provides office supplies and paper, in-store print and document services through OfficeMax ImPress(®), technology products and solutions, and furniture to businesses and individual consumers.  OfficeMax customers are served by approximately 30,000 associates through direct sales, catalogs, e-commerce and nearly 1,000 stores.  Since 2007, OfficeMax Goodworks programs have served communities and schools, contributing more than $14 million in grants and supplies to support teachers and classrooms. To find the nearest OfficeMax, call 1-877-OFFICEMAX.  For more information, visit http://www.officemax.com.

About JibJab
JibJab makes things that make people laugh. From offbeat Sendables® eCards to personalized Starring You!® videos and satirical viral videos, JibJab is on a mission to help more people share more laughs than any other company in the history of the world. With over 100 million visits to its websites in the past twelve months the company is well on its way to doing it. For more information, please visit http://blog.jibjab.com/about/.   

"Express Yourself" written by Charles W. Wright
© 1970 (renewed) Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp. (BMI) and Music Power (BMI)
All rights administered by Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp. All rights reserved. Used by permission.

All trademarks, service marks and trade names of OfficeMax Incorporated used herein are trademarks or registered trademarks of OfficeMax Incorporated. JibJab® and Starring You!® are trademarks of JibJab Media Inc. in the United States and other countries. Any other product or company names mentioned herein are the trademarks of their respective owners.

OfficeMax Media Contact
Nicole Miller
630.864.6069

SOURCE  OfficeMax Incorporated

OfficeMax Incorporated

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

WeedMaps Announces Acquisition of Domain Name Marijuana.com

NEWPORT BEACH, Calif., Nov. 29, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- General Cannabis, Inc. (OTCBB: CANA), (OTCQX: CANA), a technology-based Internet marketing services company, today announced that WeedMaps Media, Inc. has acquired the domain name Marijuana.com.

(Logo: <font size="2" face="Arial">http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20101206/LA12248LOGO)
</font>

WeedMaps Media purchased Marijuana.com on November 18, 2011 for an undisclosed amount. The transfer of the name and control of the URL by WeedMaps Media is scheduled to take place in early January 2012. Marijuana.com, which is currently a bulletin board forum for marijuana news and information, generates over 3.5 million page views per month on average. The site generates revenue primarily through sales of banner advertising and forum sponsorship. One of the oldest marijuana sites online, Marijuana.com was launched in 1995 and boasts a user base of over 300,000 registered users.

WeedMaps Media intends to create entirely new website content for Marijuana.com. In addition, WeedMaps Media will bridge the site with the pre-existing WeedMaps.com membership database, eventually allowing for single sign-on across the entire network and effectively doubling the number of registered WeedMaps users to over half a million. WeedMaps Media will expand Marijuana.com's existing functionality as the leading destination portal in the cannabis industry by adding user generated reviews, videos and other community-focused content. Beta testing for the new website is scheduled to begin after the name and control transfer early next year. 

"To best leverage the critical mass that WeedMaps has achieved with over 10 million combined web and mobile pageviews per month, we look to continually expand our reach within the medical cannabis community," said Justin Hartfield, Chief Web Officer of WeedMaps. "By integrating Marijuana.com with WeedMaps.com, we can monetize both properties more efficiently by reaching a wider audience of industry constituents and increasing business to our clients through greater exposure. In doing so, WeedMaps seeks to become the first medical cannabis user-niche advertising network in the world. Through acquisitions like Marijuana.com, and our own, in-house initiatives like GrowShops.com, WeedMaps Media has evolved into a full-fledged advertising platform with the capability to deliver enough targeted traffic to attract national and even international brands to advertise on our network of sites."

"Well established, premium top-level-domains such as Marijuana.com are easy to remember, rank highly in Google searches, and attract thousands of visitors per day in type-in traffic alone. Premium domain names add credibility and build brand awareness in niche markets," said Doug Francis, President of General Cannabis. "We believe that this domain name, combined with the WeedMaps Media suite of existing sites, reinforces our emergence as the go-to online destination for the medical cannabis community."

About General Cannabis

General Cannabis, Inc., a technology-based Internet marketing services company, offers customers an integrated suite of services including media, technology, marketing and information.  Founded in 2010, General Cannabis is headquartered in Newport Beach, California.  The Company's common stock trades on the OTC market's highest tier, OTCQX, under the ticker symbol "CANA."  http://www.GeneralCannabis.com

Safe Harbor Notice

Certain statements contained herein are "forward-looking statements" (as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995).  General Cannabis, Inc. cautions that statements made in this news release constitute forward-looking statements and makes no guarantee of future performance. Forward-looking statements are based on estimates and opinions of management at the time statements are made. These statements may address issues that involve significant risks, uncertainties, estimates and assumptions made by management.  Actual results could differ materially from current projections or implied results.  General Cannabis, Inc. undertakes no obligation to revise these statements following the date of this news release.

SOURCE  General Cannabis, Inc.

Photo:http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20101206/LA12248LOGO
http://photoarchive.ap.org/
General Cannabis, Inc.

CONTACT: General Cannabis, Inc., 1-888-693-5219, info@generalcannabis.com; or Investor Relations Contact, Kristen McNally, Financial Profiles, Inc., +1-206-623-2233, cana@finprofiles.com

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

ParentLink® Adds Grades and Attendance to its K-12 Mobile Apps

Hemet Unified School District partners with ParentLink to showcase new Mobile Parent and Mobile Admin applications.

PROVO, Utah, Nov. 29, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- ParentLink® today announced the release of its newest iPhone applications for K-12 users of the ParentLink communication service. The Mobile Parent and Mobile Admin apps were both initially launched earlier in the year and have been enthusiastically received by parents and administrators at school districts around the country. Parents and administrators using these apps will now have access to grades, assignments, attendance, and more.

Hemet Unified School District has been a ParentLink customer for several years and is now piloting several advanced ParentLink modules that bring even more functionality to the mobile apps. The new Mobile Parent app gives parents a single location where they can view or hear messages as well as have access to a host of information relating to their child's education. Besides being able to view their children's classes, grades, assignments and attendance, Parents can also instantly contact teachers or view a directory containing the phone number and address of every school in the district. Parents can set alerts so they will be notified the instant their child has a missing assignment, receives a low score, or when a teacher updates a child's grade or when a child receives a grade below a certain pre-set threshold. The new app makes it significantly easier for parents to know exactly what is going on with their child's education--all from their iPhone.

One of the strategic initiatives that Hemet USD is focusing on during the 2010-2011 school year is to improve student attendance in the district. "We know that increasing parental involvement in a child's education is the single best predictor of student success," said Dr. Steven Lowder, Superintendent at Hemet USD. "And the most effective and efficient way to accomplish that is through good, consistent communication. It's a new age of communication and ParentLink gives us tools like these mobile apps that make it easy to communicate with the parents and help promote learning for the kids."

"We were first to market with our mobile parent app when it was launched earlier in the year and both of these mobile apps have been extremely well received," said Mark Child, VP of Marketing at ParentLink. "With the addition of such important features as grades and attendance, these apps are even more powerful. And to see how Hemet is using them to such tremendous effect is extremely rewarding. Hemet administrators are saving time by using the Mobile Admin app and Hemet's parents are quickly realizing how easy it is to see all of the information relating to their child's educational experience, all in one place."

One key reason Hemet administrators are excited about the Mobile Parent app is how it provides critical information to those families who may not have previously had Internet access in their homes. With the rapid growth of smartphone sales among lower income families, they will no longer be left out of the information loop. The ParentLink Mobile Parent app provides those parents with a powerful way to stay engaged in their children's educational activities. The ParentLink services provide educationally-related communication to millions of students' homes all across the country. The Mobile Parent app gives those parents the ability to remain informed and engaged regardless of time or location. Once the app is installed, parents simply use their existing ParentLink account to log in and review the available information.

The ParentLink Mobile Parent and Mobile Admin apps are free and immediately available for download from the iPhone App Store. For more information about all of the solutions from ParentLink, please visit: http://www.parentlink.net.

About ParentLink®
ParentLink is the complete communication solution for education, providing the tools to link schools, parents, students, and the community in one common objective--to improve the educational process. Exclusively serving the K-12 market for over 20 years, ParentLink provides administrators with a communication platform that will keep parents engaged and students achieving. ParentLink is the central communications hub for all of a district's various information systems, allowing educators to communicate the right information in the right way and at the right time. Every week, thousands of schools use ParentLink to securely send millions of messages to students, parents, and the community, in the form of phone calls, emails, SMS text messages, Facebook and Twitter posts, printed letters, and fax messages, or via the web. ParentLink is the all-in-one communication solution, helping educators improve parental outreach efforts and enjoy the benefits of increased student achievement.

Media Contact:
Mark G. Child
mark.child@parentlink.net
+1.801.373.9669 x203

SOURCE  ParentLink

ParentLink

Web Site: http://www.parentlink.net