Consumer Electronics Daily News

EA SPORTS MMA To Feature STRIKEFORCE As A Premier League

New World-Class Fighters and Commentary Team Also Announced

Electronic Arts Inc., announced today that STRIKEFORCE, a world-class mixed martial arts fight promotion, will be featured as a premier league in the upcoming EA SPORTS™ MMA video game. In addition, Brett Rogers and Jake Shields, both of whom will be competing in the STRIKEFORCE and M-1 Global co-promoted fight on November 7 (broadcasted live by CBS), join the EA SPORTS MMA roster of fighters.

With this partnership, the STRIKEFORCE cage and the league’s commentary team of Frank Shamrock and Mauro Ranallo, as well as ring announcer Jimmy Lennon Jr., will be incorporated into the game. Legendary mixed martial arts referee “Big John” McCarthy will preside over the in-ring action and bring his in-depth knowledge of the sport to help deliver a truly authentic MMA experience.

“We are honored that EA SPORTS has selected STRIKEFORCE to serve as a premier league in its forthcoming MMA title,” said STRIKEFORCE President Scott Coker. “EA SPORTS has long been recognized by gamers as a highly innovative, ground breaking provider of sports gaming entertainment. We are confident that EA SPORTS MMA will function as a great ambassador for STRIKEFORCE's fighters and effectively promote our sport to a new audience as well as to longtime fight fans."

“We are very excited to be working with STRIKEFORCE and feature them as a premier league in our game,” said Executive Producer Dale Jackson. “They have a wealth of mixed martial arts expertise, put on great shows and have a great stable of top-notch fighters. Together we look forward to growing the sport and delivering an immersive interactive gaming experience.”

Tomorrow night’s STRIKEFORCE fight, to be broadcast on national network television by CBS, will undoubtedly be one of the most watched mixed martial arts fights in history. EA SPORTS MMA fighter roster will feature four of the main card’s fighters, including Fedor Emelianenko, Brett Rogers, Jake Shields and Jason Miller.

Brett Rogers is preparing for the biggest fight of his career as he gets set to take on Fedor Emelianenko tomorrow night. A 6’5”, 265 pound heavyweight, Brett is currently undefeated and holds a record of 10-0-0. In his last fight, he knocked out Andrei Arlovski in just 22 seconds in the first round of action.

Jake Shields, a native Californian, will be taking on Jason “Mayhem” Miller for the STRIKEFORCE middleweight title. This 5’11”, 170 pound fighter, holds a current record of 23-4-1 and comes into tomorrow night’s middleweight title bout with a 12-fight winning streak. He is also the first and last Elite XC Welterweight champion and holds a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

Also slated to appear on the fighter roster for EA SPORTS MMA are STRIKEFORCE stars Jason “Mayhem” Miller and Muhammed “King Mo” Lawal. Miller and Lawal were announced via a video last month during their visit to the development studio.

EA SPORTS MMA will feature the most authentic, intense and broad mixed martial arts experience to date – complete with a vast array of top fighters and fighting styles from around the world. EA SPORTS MMA will be available on the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system and the PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system in 2010.

For more information about EA SPORTS MMA, visit www.easportsmma.com or follow the game on Twitter at www.twitter.com/easportsmma and Facebook at www.facebook.com/easportsmma.

EA SPORTS™ is the leading interactive sports software brand in the world, with top-selling titles and franchises including Madden NFL, FIFA Soccer, NHL® hockey, NBA LIVE basketball, NCAA® Football and Tiger Woods PGA TOUR®.

About Electronic Arts

Electronic Arts Inc. (EA), headquartered in Redwood City, California, is a leading global interactive entertainment software company. Founded in 1982, the Company develops, publishes, and distributes interactive software worldwide for video game systems, personal computers, wireless devices and the Internet. Electronic Arts markets its products under four brand names: EA SPORTS™, EA™, EA Mobile™ and POGO™. In fiscal 2009, EA posted GAAP net revenue of $4.2 billion and had 31 titles that sold more than one million copies. EA's homepage and online game site is www.ea.com. More information about EA's products and full text of press releases can be found on the Internet at http://info.ea.com.

For more information, visit EA.

Glu to Present At The BMO Capital Markets 17th Annual Digital Entertainment Conference

 

Glu Mobile Inc., a leading global publisher of mobile games, today announced that its chief financial officer, Eric R. Ludwig, will be presenting at the BMO Capital Markets 17th Annual Digital Entertainment Conference, being held in New York City.

The Glu presentation is scheduled for Thursday, November 12, 2009, at 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time. A live webcast, as well as the replay, will be available on the company's investor relations website at http://www.glu.com/corp/Pages/investors.aspx.

About Glu Mobile

Glu (NASDAQ:GLUU) is a leading global publisher of mobile games. Its portfolio of top-rated games includes original titles Bonsai Blast, Brain Genius, Glyder, Stranded, Super K.O. Boxing! and titles based on major brands from partners including Activision, Atari, Fox Mobile Entertainment, Harrah's, Hasbro, Konami, Microsoft, PlayFirst, PopCap Games, SEGA, Sony and Warner Bros. Founded in 2001, Glu is based in San Mateo, Calif. and has offices in Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, England, France, Germany, Italy, Mexico, Poland, Russia and Spain. 

For more information, visit GLU.

BERTScope Introduces Complete SuperSpeed USB Receiver Test Solution At The USB Compliance Workshop

SyntheSys Research, Inc., announces new capabilities on the BERTScope that enable complete SuperSpeed USB (USB 3.0) receiver testing on Hosts and Devices, as shown and used at the USB Compliance Workshop (#70) in Portland, Oregon. The new Symbol Filtering software option on the BERTScope allows for asynchronous bit error ratio (BER) testing, a key component of SuperSpeed USB receiver testing.

As is common in 8b/10b encoded serial data systems such as USB 3.0, the recovered clock frequency in the receiver may be different from that of the transmitted clock. Inserted or deleted clock compensation symbols are used to adjust for this difference, and can cause problems for typical BERT systems, with the exception of BERTScope. The BERTScope can now filter out clock compensation symbols and maintain synchronization for successful asynchronous BER and Jitter Tolerance testing, in addition to its existing ability to perform BER testing in a synchronous manner.

Furthermore, a new capability on the BERTScope Clock Recovery instruments assists in USB 3.0 transmitter testing. The USB 3.0 golden PLL Jitter Transfer Function (JTF) Bandwidth of 4.9 MHz for transmitter testing is made possible by the new Extended Loop Bandwidth option on the BERTScope Clock Recovery products. The higher 24 MHz loop bandwidth maximum is the highest in available hardware clock recovery instruments and accommodates the USB 3.0 JTF Bandwidth as well as those of other serial bus standards such as 3G and 6G SATA.

The BERTScope makes USB 3.0 testing easy with an integrated solution providing stress generation and innovative BER measurement in one instrument. This enables a simple setup so that usable measurement results can be obtained quickly. With troubleshooting tools that go beyond compliance, the BERTScope is an obvious choice for USB 3.0 testing and characterization.

Availability

The Symbol Filtering and Extended Loop Bandwidth options are available 8 weeks ARO.

About SyntheSys Research, Inc.

Founded in 1989, SyntheSys Research, Inc., innovator of the award-winning BERTScope™, is a privately held corporation located in Menlo Park, California. SyntheSys develops and manufactures high-speed signal integrity test and measurement instrumentation for the computer, storage and communications industries. 

For more information, visit BERT Scope.

Armedia Announces The Release Of Armedia Caliente 3.0

 

Armedia LLC, a leading provider of content management products and solutions, announced today that it has released a new version of its product Armedia Caliente (“Caliente”), an Enterprise Content Management (ECM) content migration application.

What is Caliente 3.0?

Caliente 3.0 is a server based application which enables automated importing and exporting of content and metadata from designated file folders or relational database tables into and out of an ECM repository. Caliente currently integrates directly with the EMC Documentum, Microsoft Sharepoint and Alfresco content management repositories, and supports file or relational database content and associated XML or CSV formatted metadata. In addition, Caliente provides a development (scripting) framework to add custom tasks or configure complex migration activities that require multiple nested steps or non-trivial validation procedures. Architecturally, Caliente is designed to run as a multi-threaded process where as many threads as needed (depending on physical server and network capacity) can be run concurrently to complete a very large amount of migration transactions in a short time. “Caliente 3.0 is a big step forward from the prior version,” said Jim Nasr, Armedia CEO. “The ability to now be able to migrate structured content from a database into an ECM repository opens up a lot of opportunity for organizations to better manage legacy structured or semi-structured content.”

What’s New in 3.0?

New Caliente 3.0 features include: native relational database migration support, support for CSV file format for metadata, richer, flexible XML configuration interface, configurable transaction sizes per processing thread, document versions, checkpoint restarts (in case of session interruption) and Alfresco ECM repository support. “Armedia Caliente 3.0 offers tremendous value for organizations looking for a simple, scalable migration tool to support their ECM initiatives,” said Nasr. “Caliente’s repository based licensing makes it a very affordable option for most organizations dealing with an ECM migration initiative.”

About Armedia

Armedia is a Veteran owned 8(a)/SDB certified technology firm, headquartered in Atlanta, GA, specializing in enterprise content management and content related solutions. Armedia's mission is to provide world-class solutions for clients to automate the creation, capture, organization and presentation of their intellectual assets. Armedia has offices in Atlanta, GA; Vienna, VA; and Dallas, TX. 

For more information, visit Armedia.

Spore Franchise Launches First Game On Facebook Platform

Spore Islands Now Available for Play in Open Beta

 

Maxis™, an Electronic Arts Inc. studio, today announced they have taken their renowned integration of social connectivity to the next level with a fun and original game application built on Facebook® Platform, Spore™ Islands. Now available, Spore Islands invites Facebook users to experience the Spore universe in a new way by competing against each other in the ultimate survival of the fittest game.

“In Spore Islands, players get to invite friends in their social web to play on their island, so creating this game exclusively for Facebook was a natural choice for us since they are the largest and most popular social platform for games,” stated Caryl Shaw, Senior Producer, Spore Islands. “What sets Spore Islands apart from other social games is that it offers a different kind of social interactivity where a player’s gameplay experience is directly affected by the choices and decisions their friends make. It’s an ongoing game, so player’s creatures and islands will be active at all times, whether the player is logged into Facebook or not.”

“Games are one of the most popular activities on Facebook, with more than 100 million unique active users in the top 10 games alone. We are excited to see Spore Islands as one of the latest games on Facebook for our 300 million users to connect, share and play with friends,” said Facebook Platform Manager Gareth Davis.

Spore Islands, a simulation game set in a vibrant, playful 2D world, is one of the first games developed and published by Electronic Arts Inc. on Facebook Platform and based on an established franchise. Focused on player-to-player interaction, users choose their own island to live on, create creatures and evolve them, invite friends to live on their island, and send their own creatures to friends’ islands, all in a quest to dominate as many islands as possible. In Spore Islands, much like in other Spore games, parts matter. Throughout the game, players can earn and purchase DNA points that they can use to modify their creature’s stats or customize their creature’s appearance with fun accessories such as hats, animations, holiday-themed items, and more. Players’ progress is tracked on both Global and a Friends-only leaderboards, which can be viewed by players and their friends, upping the ante in the race to the top of the food chain.

 

About Spore

Spore, available for PC and Mac®, gives players their own personal universe in a box. Create and evolve life, establish tribes, build civilizations, sculpt entire worlds and explore a universe filled with creations made by other gamers. Spore gives players a wealth of creative tools to customize nearly every aspect of their universe: creatures, vehicles, buildings, and even spaceships. Spore Galactic Adventures allows players to beam down to planets for the first time and play, create and share missions with friends online. Available now, Spore Hero, exclusive to the Wii™ and Spore Hero Arena for the Nintendo DS™, catapult players into the role of a fully-customized hero creature fighting to save its planet.

About Electronic Arts

Electronic Arts Inc. (EA), headquartered in Redwood City, California, is a leading global interactive entertainment software company. Founded in 1982, the Company develops, publishes, and distributes interactive software worldwide for video game systems, personal computers, wireless devices and the Internet. Electronic Arts markets its products under four brand names: EA SPORTSTM, EATM, EA MobileTM and POGOTM. In fiscal 2009, EA posted GAAP net revenue of $4.2 billion and had 31 titles that sold more than one million copies. EA's homepage and online game site is www.ea.com. More information about EA's products and full text of press releases can be found on the Internet at http://info.ea.com.

For more information, visit EA or Spore.

Alltel Wireless Takes Customers On A Musical Journey With Introduction Of LG 8575 Touch

Dolby® Mobile Creates Enhanced Sound for Music Lovers on the Go

Musicians take their fans to far off places through the lyrics in their songs. Now, music fans can take a different kind of musical journey with the LG 8575 Touch, the newest multimedia handset from Alltel Wireless and LG Electronics MobileComm U.S.A., Inc. (LG Mobile Phones). The handset will be available beginning today, Nov. 5, at Alltel retail stores and online at alltel.com.

The LG 8575 Touch features Dolby® Mobile, a sound system equipped with customizable EQ settings for rich sound quality and exceptional user experience. Sound transfers beautifully through external speakers and 3.5 MM stereo headphones, allowing customers to enjoy personalized playlists wherever their journeys might take them. The music player also features applications that invite users to “join the band” by turning the handset into a virtual keyboard and thumping drum kit. A unique rhythmic beat function instantly transforms the phone into a portable boom box that vibrates and grooves to the beat of the music.

With 1GB of internal memory dedicated to music, up to 250 songs can be stored on the phone, and listeners can enhance their storage options with an external microSD card of up to 16 GB. In addition, the LG 8575 Touch also includes an FM tuner so users can catch their favorite radio shows or hear the newest tunes from their local radio stations.

“As technology advances, more of our customers are asking for one device that fits all of their communication needs,” said Paul Bowersock, Senior Sales & Operations Leader for the Alltel Divesture Trust. “Now there’s no reason to have a separate MP3 player, camera and wireless phone – with the LG 8575 Touch, customers can have it all in one sleek package.”

Knowing that music fans are also in tune with the latest in multimedia handset functions, the LG 8575 Touch is equipped with a 3.2 megapixel camera and camcorder that can zoom up to 1.6 times. The camera includes “Intelligent Shot” for improved image quality and an image editor that will let users manipulate their photos right from the handset’s high-resolution 3-inch touch screen. Users can also shoot panoramic photos and enhance facial features with the Facial Makeover function.

In addition, the handset features text, picture and video messaging along with a one-touch speakerphone, text to speech functionality, GPS, web browsing, Bluetooth® capabilities and a battery that will stand up to all the demands of a multimedia user. The LG 8575 Touch’s rechargeable battery allows more than five hours of talk time.

“LG and Alltel’s effort to raise the bar on sound quality has paid off,” said Ehtisham Rabbani, vice president of product strategy and marketing for LG Mobile Phones. “Whether you’re listening to music, movies or a voice call, the clarity is remarkable with the feeling of actually being there.”

The LG 8575 Touch is available for $19.99 to customers after a $50 mail-in and with the activation of a 1-year service contract on qualifying rate plan. Customers must select one of the Alltel Wireless Smart Choice packs that include national voice minutes, unlimited Internet browsing and e-mail, and “My Circle.” Smart Choice packs begin at $69.99.

Alltel is the only major wireless carrier to offer 2-year postpaid handset pricing to those signing 1-year contracts, creating enhanced flexibility and greater choice for customers. The LG 8575 Touch and 1-year contract option is available only to customers in the 91 cellular market areas (CMAs) that Verizon Wireless is required to divest, which will continue to operate as Alltel Wireless until the sale agreements with AT&T and Atlantic Tele-Network are approved by the Department of Justice and Federal Communications Commission.

About LG Electronics, Inc.

LG Electronics, Inc. is a global leader and technology innovator in consumer electronics, mobile communications and home appliances, employing more than 84,000 people working in 115 operations including 84 subsidiaries around the world. With 2008 global sales of USD44.7 billion, LG is comprised of five business units –- Home Entertainment, Mobile Communications, Home Appliance, Air Conditioning and Business Solutions. LG is the world’s leading producer of flat panel TVs, audio and video products, mobile handsets, air conditioners and washing machines. LG has signed a long-term agreement to become both a Global Partner and a Technology Partner of Formula One™. As part of this top-level association, LG acquires exclusive designations and marketing rights as the official consumer electronics, mobile phone and data processor of this global sporting event. For more information, please visit 

For more information, visit Alltell or LG Electronics.

USA Mobility Introduces I-LAND, A Campus-Based Private Messaging Solution

Initially Targeted for Hospital Campuses and Local Governments, I-LAND Offers The Speed of In-House Messaging with the Broad Coverage of Traditional Paging Networks

 

USA Mobility, Inc., a leading provider of wireless messaging and communications services, today announced the availability of a campus-based two-way messaging network, called I-LAND, which provides fast two-way messaging throughput within a campus area combined with the ability for users to roam onto the Company’s wide-area network when off campus.

Initially targeted for larger hospital facilities and local governments, I-LAND eliminates the need for hospitals to use separate wireless networks, one for time-critical in-house messaging, such as code messages, and another for paging applications where broad coverage is more important. The I-LAND system is compliant with HIPAA regulations that ensure patient privacy.

Hospitals and local governments require fast throughput for much of their electronic communication so they can communicate quickly to first responders and other emergency personnel in cases of natural disasters, public safety issues and events affecting the public infrastructure. When using public wireless networks, these critical messages must compete with other public messaging traffic, often causing delays in transmission, especially in cases of emergency and disaster events that cause a spike in all forms of public messaging.

The I-LAND solution offers hospitals and local governments the advantages of a private dedicated messaging system to ensure fast throughput at all times. In addition, users are able to roam outside the boundaries of the private system onto USA Mobility’s wide-area network, which offers the largest geographical paging coverage in the United States.

Vincent D. Kelly, president and chief executive officer, said: "At a time when local governments are facing tight budget constraints, they are now able to implement a private messaging system covering their jurisdiction that will cost-effectively satisfy their need for fast emergency messaging. And, in doing so, they will be able to avoid the capital and operating expenses of building and managing an in-house paging capability.” Kelly added that USA Mobility plans to beta test I-LAND at a large hospital during the fourth quarter and to deploy the service nationwide in the first quarter of 2010.

Kelly said I-LAND combines the benefits of a private network with the advantages of an extensive nationwide network, including reliability, broad coverage, message delivery acknowledgement, high-quality service, and access to skilled technical support. “In addition,” Kelly noted, “USA Mobility’s comprehensive paging services offer the benefits of interconnectivity among many communications platforms and providers as well as the latest two-way devices and transmission equipment. Moreover, our interconnected network ensures that healthcare and public safety personnel can use their devices whenever they travel. Plus, unlike in-house paging systems of the past,” he added, “there is no longer a need to issue two devices for personnel who need to be contacted while away from their primary work facility.”

Thomas G. Saine, chief information officer, said the ability for users to roam onto USA Mobility’s wide area network is what sets I-LAND apart. “When a user is within the coverage area of the I-LAND network, their device will send and receive messages with the code-ready speeds and dependability only private messaging systems can provide,” he explained. “However, if a device should leave the campus coverage area, I-LAND hands the device off to the wide-area paging network for uninterrupted service. The assured message delivery function inherent in our ReFLEX network ensures that no messages will be dropped during the transition.” Saine said the I-LAND solution will include use of the Company’s exclusive ST902 battery-powered two-way pagers, which were introduced earlier this year.

Saine pointed out that I-LAND will require minimal on-premise equipment for customers. “The input, processing and output control infrastructure is actually located at our operations center in Plano, Texas. That means faster time to deployment and a more secure platform because I-LAND is a provider-hosted solution and thus free of the maintenance concerns normally associated with an in-house paging system.” He also noted that I-LAND can serve as the cornerstone of a customer’s emergency communications plan. “If hospitals or government agencies opt to tie the I-LAND transmission components to their existing backup power supply, communications won’t go down in the event of an external grid interruption.”

Additional information about the I-LAND private messaging solution, including the Company’s turnkey installation program, is available at http://www.usamobility.com/products/index.asp or by calling 888-576-1348.

About USA Mobility

USA Mobility, Inc., headquartered in Alexandria, Virginia, is a comprehensive provider of reliable and affordable wireless communications solutions to the healthcare, government, large enterprise and emergency response sectors. As a single-source provider, USA Mobility’s focus is on the business-to-business marketplace and supplying wireless connectivity solutions to a majority of the Fortune 1000 companies. The Company operates the largest one-way paging and advanced two-way paging networks in the United States. In addition, USA Mobility offers mobile voice and data services through Sprint Nextel, including BlackBerry® smartphones and GPS location applications. The Company’s product offerings include customized wireless connectivity systems for the healthcare, government and other campus environments. USA Mobility also offers M2M (machine-to-machine) telemetry solutions for numerous applications that include asset tracking, utility meter reading and other remote device monitoring applications on a national scale. 

For more information, visit USA Mobility.

Wizzard Media Launches 24 New iPhone Apps

Wizzard Media, the world’s largest podcasting network, today announced the launch of 24 new iPhone® Apps available for sale in the App store including Investors Business Daily Editorials and Alaska HDTV. The average price for the new Apps is $1.99.

The newly launched Apps are iPhone companion Apps for popular podcasts on the Wizzard Media Network, offering audiences one-click access to the podcast directly on their iPhone or iPod Touch®, bonus content and new social communication features creating an unprecedented level of audience engagement.

Wizzard recently announced 2009 third quarter network numbers of 12,281 podcasts downloaded 332 million times in the quarter by over 18 million unique monthly audience members. Approximately 70% of the audience for podcasts subscribe through iTunes® from which users download podcasts for their iPhone and iPod®. Until recently, Wizzard’s only means to derive revenues was through podcast publishing services as well as advertising sales.

With the launch of the iPhone App store in iTunes, Wizzard created a unique iPhone App that can be quickly customized for each podcast and allows podcast publishers to generate a new revenue stream by marketing their own iPhone App directly to their audience. Wizzard shares in this revenue with the podcast publisher. Now, with Wizzard’s unique podcast companion App for the iPhone, participating podcasts can market their customized App to their audience and then drive future reoccurring episode and subscription sales through a process called in-App purchasing.

Analysts project the App market to be a $1.0 billion market today, headed for $4.0 billion by 2012. With the holiday season approaching and the recent launch of the iPhone in China, Wizzard’s Management believes the number of people using iPhones and iPod Touches to consume podcasts and interact with Apps will continue to grow well beyond the current 50 million user base.

Having launched the first podcast App only 95 days ago, Wizzard Media already has launched 70 iPhone Apps with 60 more Apps awaiting approval. Additionally, Wizzard has exclusively licensed 12 high quality, game type Apps and is currently marketing them through targeted podcasts across the Wizzard Media Network. Select podcast Apps on the Wizzard Network have already helped to convert approximately 15% of their audience from free, to paid, in the first 75 days since launch.

“We think our podcast companion App initiative is a game changer for the podcasting industry. We believe the next great opportunity on the web for media is the seamless combination of three trends – publishing services, advertising and micropayments for App sales,” says Dave Mansueto, co-founder Wizzard Media. “Now, podcasting becomes a platform that converts audiences to revenue, accelerated by the micropayment billing process that Apple has created with the App store. We believe this new process is the model for how digital media is published, audiences are grown and revenues derived.”

“We know there is strong demand for the podcasts we distribute seeing downloads grow from 400 million to well over 1 billion in the last three years and monthly audiences grow from 4 million to 18 million,” says Laurie Sims, President of Wizzard Media. “Now that we have a method to charge for podcast content and subscriptions, we believe there is dramatic change ahead for the podcast industry. Unlike most Apps in the App store, podcasters have a distinct advantage to successfully market their App in iTunes due to the fact that they have already built a substantial audience for their product through iTunes.”

About Wizzard Media

Wizzard Media provides publishing and distribution services to podcasters and monetization services for podcasters. Wizzard Media is the industry's leading podcasting network with an unprecedented 1.2 billion download requests in 2008. Podcasts are a means for independent and professional content creators to publish audio and video shows for the world to enjoy over the Internet or on mp3 players, such as the Apple iPod®, iPhone® and the Microsoft Zune®. Podcasting is a relatively new phenomenon, but Wizzard Media collectively broadcasts millions of podcast downloads per day through media aggregators like Apple's iTunes and Microsoft's Zune Marketplace.

For more information, visit Wizzard Media.

Sidebar Brings New Level Of Personalization To Android Devices

Company Launches Innovative Android Application and Partners with Quattro Wireless to Bring Engaged Audience to Advertisers

 

From the ad:tech conference at the Javits Convention Center, Sidebar (www.sidebar.com), a new, free mobile application that allows users to receive personalized recommendations for content, video games, apps, music and more, announced today that it has partnered with Quattro Wireless, mobile’s largest exclusive and premier advertising network, to drive innovation in the mobile space. The relationship will offer advertisers a high-level of targeting and offer consumers a personalized experience on their Android device.

“Having Quattro, the leader in mobile advertising, as a launch partner will help us create a game-changing content offering for consumers,” said Patrick Kennedy, CEO, Sidebar. “We share Quattro’s commitment to delivering the best experience for mobile users by offering a 1:1 experience while also creating strong relevancy for advertisers.”

“By making their mobile experience more personal and relevant, Sidebar provides great value for users,” said Lars Albright, co-founder and senior vice president of business development, Quattro Wireless. “We are pleased to partner with Sidebar to offer advertisers the ability to reach this desirable, engaged audience.”

Sidebar, which recently launched in beta for Android, learns users’ interests so that it becomes highly personalized to each individual over time. The application offers instant gratification so users spend time enjoying content rather than searching for it, and it is cached for one click access. Sidebar content categories include entertainment, green planet, humor, steals & deals, health, mind & body, style & culture, guy stuff and news and info.

About Sidebar

Sidebar is a free mobile app that makes it easy for smartphone users to discover and share games, apps, video, news, lifestyle and entertainment content and is available on the Android platform. Sidebar creates highly personalized recommendations so consumers can spend more time interacting with content and less time looking for it. The company is funded by Mobile Media Ventures and is headquartered in Santa Monica, Calif. 

For more information, visit Sidebar.

BlackBerry Curve 8530 Smartphone Coming To Sprint

Featuring America's Most Dependable 3G Network and Affordable Price Plans ~ Next generation of popular BlackBerry smartphone adds Wi-Fi, external multimedia buttons and BlackBerry App World; 

 

Sprint announced today it will add the new BlackBerry Curve 8530 smartphone to the wireless industry’s best lineup of devices. Beginning today, customers can visit http://www.sprint.com/blackberrycurve8530 to pre-register for this next generation of the popular BlackBerry wireless device on America’s most dependable 3G network1 with the affordability of Sprint’s Everything Data plans featuring Any Mobile, AnytimeSM. Pricing and availability will be announced at a later date. 

BlackBerry Curve 8530 smartphone makes it even easier to enjoy music on-the-go with dedicated keys to skip to the next song on a playlist, pause or play. It comes preloaded with several multimedia applications including BlackBerry Media Sync, Sprint Music Store™, Sprint TV™ and Pandora™. It also boasts dedicated applications for a smoothly integrated social networking experience with Facebook®, MySpace™ and Flickr™. BlackBerry Curve 8530 will be available in three color options – Black, Royal Purple and Red. 

“BlackBerry Curve 8330 has been a tremendous success for Sprint. BlackBerry Curve 8530 continues that legacy with the addition of several important features that make it a winner for both entertainment and productivity,” said Kevin Packingham, Sprint Senior Vice President of Product Development. “This is one device that can really do it all with the email, calendar and contact synchronization BlackBerry is known for as well as the latest multimedia and social media features. We are anxious to bring it to our customers who also appreciate the strength of our network, the affordability of our rate plans and our Ready Now customer service experience.” 

Sprint’s BlackBerry Curve 8530 will offer BlackBerry App World™ for instant access to thousands of applications. Sprint has employed an open Internet approach, and the Sprint Application Developer Program has been providing tools for third-party developers, since Sprint first launched the Wireless Web on its phones in 2001. 

Sprint’s affordable Everything Data plans now include Any Mobile, Anytime, a feature that removes restrictive calling-circles and provides unlimited calling on the Sprint network to and from any U.S. wireless phone regardless of carrier, at no additional charge with Everything Data plans starting at $69.99 per month (all price plans exclude surcharges and taxes). 

Sprint’s Simply EverythingSM offers nationwide unlimited calling, unlimited text and unlimited data, including email, social networking, Web browsing, Sprint Navigation, Sprint TV, streaming music, NFL Mobile Live and NASCAR Sprint Cup Mobile, for only $99.99 per month (plus taxes and surcharges). That is a $1,200 savings over two years versus a comparable AT&T iPhone® plan2. Both Everything Data and Simply Everything plans are available to existing customers without extending their service agreement. New lines of service require a two-year service agreement. 

The Sprint Mobile Broadband Network (inclusive of data roaming) reaches more than 269 million people, 18,652 cities and 1,838 airports. The Sprint Networks (inclusive of data roaming) have twice the coverage of AT&T’s current 3G network and 14 times the coverage of T-Mobile’s current 3G network, both based on square miles3. 

According to Sprint performance data, Sprint Mobile Broadband connections are successfully connected and maintained better than 99 out of 100 times. According to a recent independent network test conducted by PC World, Sprint tested as the most reliable network overall among US carriers in a 13-city performance test4. 

Sprint is the first national carrier to test, launch and market 4G technology. Separate from its 3G investment, Sprint has announced plans to extend its 4G leadership by launching the next-generation service in numerous markets in 2009, including the recently launched markets of Atlanta, Las Vegas, Philadelphia and Portland, Ore. 

Sprint is also the only wireless carrier to offer Ready Now service with trained retail associates to work one-on-one with customers to personalize their BlackBerry Curve 8530, set up features and demonstrate how it works before the customer leaves the store. Customers have the choice of sitting down with a Sprint retail associate at the time of purchase or they can schedule an appointment for a later time at www.sprint.com/storelocator. 

About Sprint Nextel 

Sprint Nextel offers a comprehensive range of wireless and wireline communications services bringing the freedom of mobility to consumers, businesses and government users. Sprint Nextel is widely recognized for developing, engineering and deploying innovative technologies, including two wireless networks serving more than 48 million customers at the end of the third quarter of 2009 and the first and only 4G service from a national carrier in the United States; industry-leading mobile data services; instant national and international push-to-talk capabilities; and a global Tier 1 Internet backbone. The company’s customer-focused strategy has led to improved first call resolution and customer care satisfaction scores. 

For more information, visit Sprint.

Jenzabar Demonstrates New iPhone Applications For Jenzabar’s Internet Campus Solution At EDUCAUSE 2009

 

Jenzabar, Inc., a leading provider of software, services and strategies for higher education, announced today that new Apple® iPhone® mobile device applications for Jenzabar’s Internet Campus Solution are being demonstrated at EDUCAUSE 2009, in Denver, Colorado.

Jenzabar has recognized an increasing popularity of applications on the Apple iPhone and is demonstrating direct access from the mobile device to Jenzabar’s Internet Portal at EDUCAUSE. Available in Quarter 2 of 2010, the new applications will make core information found in Jenzabar’s Internet Campus Solution available on iPhone mobile devices. The Jenzabar Admissions and Student App will display general school information, news and events, admissions status, grades, registration, daily class schedules, and transcripts. Administrative offices can browse admissions and fundraising data through the Jenzabar Administrative App.

The iPhone applications for Jenzabar’s Internet Campus Solution are just another step Jenzabar is taking to support the use of new mobile technology within the higher education industry. Jenzabar experts are delivering product demonstrations and exhibiting the entire range of the company's products and services at the technology-focused tradeshow. Attendees are welcome to visit Jenzabar at booth #601 to discuss the iPhone mobile device applications or the company’s strategic direction.

 

About Jenzabar, Inc.

Jenzabar, Inc. is a leading provider of enterprise software and services developed exclusively for higher education. With more than 35 years of combined experience offering technology solutions to colleges and universities, Jenzabar is the trusted partner of choice to more than 700 campuses worldwide, including private liberal arts, state, and community colleges and business, medical, law and other graduate schools. Jenzabar is headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts, with regional offices located across the United States. 

For more information, visit Jenzabar.

Xelerated Enables Carrier Ethernet Vendors To Offer Flexible Mobile Backhaul With Programmability & Synchronization

Precision Time Solution Supports Precision Time Protocol and Synchronous Ethernet for Evolving LTE and PTN Requirements

 

Xelerated, the global leader in Carrier Ethernet and Unified Fiber Access network processing chipsets, now enables Carrier Ethernet vendors to offer mobile backhaul with the industry’s most flexible Precision Time Solution. Inherently supported in the company’s latest network processors and programmable Ethernet switches, these features enable system vendors to build a unified portfolio for fiber access and mobile backhaul, defining a smooth route for mobile operators from 2G/3G to Long Term Evolution (LTE) and Packet Transport Networks (PTN).

To preserve synchronization services when migrating to packet-based mobile backhaul, Xelerated’s Precision Time Solution provides hardware and software support for both Precision Time Protocol (IEEE 1588 v1 and v2/2008) and Synchronous Ethernet (ITU G.8262). For maximum flexibility, the solution supports any type of synchronization service on any port. Special attention has been put to highly accurate time stamping, time and frequency monitoring, as well as optimized performance supporting one-step operations for Precision Time Protocol.

“Mobile operators and backhaul providers are looking for Carrier Ethernet equipment that supports G.8262 Synchronous Ethernet and IEEE 1588 PTP in silicon, so that these synchronization methods can be used for reliable and transparent services across the mobile industry,” stated Michael Howard, co-founder and principal analyst at Infonetics Research. “By designing Carrier Ethernet products with a programmable chip and precision time solution, manufacturers can offer products to address not only the mobile segment, but also the broader packet transport network market.”

The programmable design inherent in Xelerated’s chipsets allow mobile backhaul providers to evolve their services as the LTE technology framework is updated with new standards for quality of service, synchronization and service interworking. In addition, programmability enables system vendors to offer a common portfolio meeting the stringent PTN requirements as outlined by China Mobile while paving the way for LTE.

“Next-generation mobile backhaul must leverage a unified fiber access design to meet the price points and dense service requirements in LTE. A unified approach with superior synchronous options can make this solution happen now,” said Thomas Eklund, vice president of marketing and business development for Xelerated. “We have put extensive resources into our new Precision Time Solution, which enables service providers to securely migrate to Carrier Ethernet and stop investing in costly legacy equipment with limited lifetimes.”

About Xelerated

Xelerated is the global leader in field-proven next-generation ASSP-based Carrier Ethernet chipsets. The Xelerated Dataflow Architecture delivers wirespeed deterministic performance, enabling network equipment vendors to build fully-programmable carrier-class systems that reduce R&D costs, minimize risk and accelerate time-to-market. With its highly flexible network processor platform and linearly scalable products and solutions, Xelerated is an integral part of Tier One carrier networks around the world, and a vital component of any Metro, Access, or High-end Enterprise market.

For more information, visit Xelerated.

LogoVision Wireless/Movidity Expands Live Mobile Multifeed Video Solution For Java Phones, Windows Mobile & iPhone

LogoVision Wireless(LV)/Movidity, a leading developer of basic codec and mobile streaming technologies for mobile interactive transmission, display and content, has extended its live video application, “Multifeed”, for java phones Nokia, Sony Ericcson, Aplix  Jblend™, BlackBerry®, SoftBank;Windows Mobile™, iPhone™ Apple, and Samsung, Motorola, LG java handsets.

The LV Multifeed server/client solution includes interactive mobile video(and audio), large-scale dbms, dynamic live stream transcoding of many formats, secure web portals (multiple virtual domains) administration, DVR, both highly scalable concurrent video client and concurrent input feed support, as well as easily implemented client notification and camera motion controls. Admin requires only live feed addresses to dynamically mobilize television, personal, corporate videoconference, or surveillance camera video. Camera streams include Cisco Linksys, Panasonic, Bosch and rtsp, rm, http, wmv, mms, mov, mpeg4 live video inputs. The LV Linux server streams, network agnostic live or archived multimedia.

The generic LV Player is either an optimized, over-the-air installable java midlet for java handsets, or a browser player requiring no install. The player allows exceptional frame and picture quality and subsecond surveillance latency. The java player also provides optimized surveillance video decoding with audio for embedded 3gp players. The LV players run on midp2, Jblend™, s-appli java handsets, and iPhone Safari™ Mobile and Opera™ Mobile browsers.

These features provide significantly higher performance in number of clients and numbers of feeds, and no integration with proprietary camera systems, networks or cellphone/iphone hardware or operating systems, to eliminate special infrastructure requirements and dramatically reduce the cost of implementation for corporate users, OEM and VAR hosting and individual surveillance subscribers. Multifeed easily meshes with existing live camera systems to provide mobile portals for individuals or large numbers of viewers.

“Over the next 5 years, we project growth rates of over 25 percent for specific categories of multimedia content, such as mobile video and music. While most of the current demand for mobile multimedia content has been driven by the consumer market, we expect that the enterprise demand to view multimedia will increase as more enterprises expand their use of video applications and mobilize their employees,” said Sharon Ballard, Senior Analyst at Yankee Group.

About LogoVision Wireless Inc.

The LV multimedia system integrates software elements that perform instant transcoding, and transmission to mobile. LV leverages highly advanced mathematical algorithms for mobile video, and novel, but standards based transmission methods for video quality, audio and mobile interaction. Cross-compatible for GSM, CDMA, WCDMA, HSDPA/3G, EVDO, WIFI, IPv4 and IPv6 networks. LV products are available to device manufacturers, service providers, entertainment broadcasters and corporations requiring mobile VOD.

For more information, visit LogoVision Wireless.

Mobile Money Ventures To Help Digital Insight Deliver Next Generation Mobile Solutions

New Relationship Expands Availability of Best-in-Class Mobile Experience

 

Mobile Money Ventures (MMV), a leading global solutions provider of the next generation of mobile financial services, announced today it is teaming up with Digital Insight, the financial institutions division of Intuit Inc., to make next generation mobile solutions more broadly available to financial institutions. The agreement was announced today at the BAI Retail Delivery conference in Boston.

“In today’s strained economy, Americans are looking to their bank or credit union for help managing their finances,” said Albert Ko, senior vice president of online financial management at Digital Insight. “Working with MMV expands our mobile capabilities to help financial institutions put more information in the hands of end users, no matter where they are.”

MMV was named a preferred mobile financial services provider for Digital Insight based on the strength of its products, its proven ability to quickly bring new mobile technologies to market, and its strong financial position. MMV has a successful track record of deploying innovative mobile products globally, including banking and stock trading with Citibank Hong Kong.

“Financial institutions understand the tremendous value that their customers gain from immediate access to financial information. We’re excited that our relationship with Digital Insight will dramatically expand the reach of mobile financial services to banks and credit unions across the U.S.” said Jay Bhattacharya, senior vice president of strategic business development at MMV.

In addition, MMV recently secured $12 million in second round funding from strategic investors. The additional funding will fuel MMV’s innovation strategy and accelerate its ability to deploy next generation mobile financial service solutions.

With the MMV mobile solution, customers can easily access their financial information, transfer funds, pay bills, check bank product rates and locate the nearest ATM or branch from any mobile phone with a web browser. Customers can log into their accounts using their internet banking username and password. To protect financial information, the solution utilizes two-factor authentication and 128-bit encryption. In addition, no financial information is ever stored on the mobile device.

MMV has also worked with Citi to launch mobile banking and other financial service solutions in five countries worldwide.

About Mobile Money Ventures

Mobile Money Ventures, LLC (MMV) is the leading global solution provider of the next generation of mobile financial services applications. Built on the financial services and technology leadership of Citi and SK Telecom, MMV delivers the future of mobile banking with its comprehensive, customizable and secure platform. MMV’s turnkey solution enables financial institutions (FIs), carriers and partners to reduce time to market, leverage new growth opportunities and enhance customer loyalty. MMV is FI and carrier agnostic. Mobile Money Ventures is headquartered in San Francisco, California. 

For more information, visit Mobile Money Ventures.

Silicon Labs Expands Family Of Automotive-Qualified Microcontrollers

Highly Integrated 8-bit MCUs Significantly Reduce System Cost in Automotive Electronics

 

Silicon Laboratories Inc., a leader in high-performance, analog-intensive, mixed-signal ICs, today announced a new line of highly C8051F5xx automotive-qualified microcontrollers (MCUs) that enable a dramatic reduction in system cost and footprint in body electronics applications. The highly integrated C8051F5xx family eliminates the need for discrete analog components and offers industry-leading throughput, reducing code size and further lowering system cost. The new pin- and software-compatible 8-bit devices are ideal for cost-sensitive, space-constrained embedded body control applications, such as fan control, seat adjustment, window lifters and fuel tank sensors.

The F5xx automotive MCUs offer an unprecedented level of mixed-signal integration, creating a compact footprint as small as 4x4 mm with a system cost savings of more than $0.50 compared to competing solutions. The F5xx devices include an integrated precision voltage reference, a 5 V regulator and a high-accuracy on-chip oscillator, which enables the latest high-speed control area network (CAN 2.0) and local interconnect bus (LIN 2.1) connections without an external clock crystal. This industry first reduces system cost while improving system reliability. A patented automatic analog adjustment feature enables the use of lower cost sensors. The parts operate from 1.8 to 5.25 V, eliminating the need for an external voltage regulator, further reducing the bill of materials. The new F5xx MCUs feature automotive-grade embedded flash with densities available up to 32 kB.

Offering a CPU throughput of up to 50 MIPS, the F5xx family enables real-time computations instead of look-up tables, which reduces code size. Signal processing algorithms can be implemented in real-time, reducing the need for external filtering components, which in turn lowers system complexity and cost. The high digital throughput also enables the F5xx devices to be used in place of more expensive 16-bit MCUs.

“The C8051F5xx microcontroller family is the fastest and most integrated 8-bit automotive MCU offering on the market today,” said Mark Thompson, vice president and general manager of Silicon Laboratories. “The family contains more than 100 unique products with pin and software compatibility, providing an unparalleled development platform for embedded automotive and industrial electronic systems.”

Software compatibility throughout the F5xx family allows developers to maximize software reuse and minimize development cost. The family offers a variety of memory and processor options, accelerating prototyping and streamlining product development. The broad range of device options and compatibility also reduces development risk and enables complete optimization for target applications.

The C8051Fxx automotive MCUs are AEC-Q100 qualified, operate at up to 125 degrees C and are 5 V tolerant. Silicon Labs and its supply chain conform to the standards set forth by ISO/TS 16949:2009.

Pricing and Availability

The C8051Fxx products are available in space-saving QFN packages, as well as leaded QFP packages. Samples and production quantities are available now. Pricing for the F5xx family starts at $1.90 (USD) in 1k quantities.

The newest devices are supported by two development kits — the C8051F540DK (F54x devices) and the C8051F560DK (F55x, F56x and F57x devices). Both kits feature two MCUs on a single board, enabling the designer to develop a fully functioning CAN 2.0B and LIN 2.1 master/slave network with a single piece of hardware. In addition, the external connector and 12 V regulator allow the designer to connect to any existing automotive network for maximum design and test flexibility. Both development kits are priced at $99.00 (USD).

Silicon Laboratories Inc.

Silicon Laboratories is an industry leader in the innovation of high-performance, analog-intensive, mixed-signal ICs. Developed by a world-class engineering team with unsurpassed expertise in mixed-signal design, Silicon Labs’ diverse portfolio of highly integrated, easy-to-use products offers customers significant advantages in performance, size and power consumption. These patented solutions serve a broad set of markets and applications including consumer, communications, computing, industrial and automotive.

Headquartered in Austin, TX, Silicon Labs is a global enterprise with operations, sales and design activities worldwide. The company is committed to contributing to our customers’ success by recruiting the highest quality talent to create industry-changing innovations. 

For more information, visit Silicon Labs.