XOS Digital Launches First-Ever Digital Sports Video Syndication Platform, Enabling Marketers to Reach Key Audience

XOS Digital Launches First-Ever Digital Sports Video Syndication Platform, Enabling Marketers to Reach Key Audience

XOS Digital is launching the first-ever online video syndication network focused exclusively on high school and college sports. This game-changing platform will revolutionize the manner in which marketers can target and capture a highly coveted audience.

Lake Mary, Fla. (PRWEB) January 31, 2009 -- XOS Digital is launching the first-ever online video syndication network focused exclusively on high school and college sports. This game-changing platform will revolutionize the manner in which marketers can target and capture a highly coveted audience.

"The development and launch of our digital syndication business is a natural extension to our already existing marketplace relationships," says XOS Digital's Sr. VP of Sales & Business Development Rich Routman. "Our distribution partnerships with national sports publishers and regional, local and niche sports publishers empower marketers with the ability to centralize messaging and buying via the delivery of branded sports video content across a variety of highly trafficked sports platforms."

XOS Digital offers unparalleled flexibility in its custom production and integration of branded sports programming. The company works directly with its clients to meet creative demands and campaign objectives, maximizing client investment and achieving optimum campaign results.

With original programming that includes shows like The College Sports Minute, 119 Teams in 119 Days, Countdown to Signing Day and Gridiron Draft 2009, XOS Digital is uniquely positioned to bring sports content from campus directly to consumer -- reaching more than 30 million sports enthusiasts on a monthly basis.

XOS Digital is powered by two industry-leading companies -- XOS Technologies, Inc. and Collegiate Images, LLC. For over 10 years, XOS Technologies has helped the nation's top professional teams, universities and conferences leverage the latest technologies to gain and maintain a competitive edge. Established in 2002, Collegiate Images is the nation's leader in licensing and distribution of college sports video and images, with more than 100 exclusive content partnerships.

For more information about how XOS Digital can put your brand and your message in the game, visit www.xosdigital.com.

Contact:

Mark Hitchner

954-343-8000 ext 236

About XOS Digital

XOS Digital is a division of XOS Technologies, Inc. It was established in 2008 to help the nation's top schools and conferences preserve, organize, search and monetize priceless collegiate video and images. For 10 years, the nation's top professional and collegiate sports teams, conferences, leagues and athletic administrators have turned to XOS Technologies for its innovative Coaching Solutions, Content Management and Facilities Design & Integration. The revolutionary technology developed by XOS has been adopted by sports teams throughout the NFL, AFL, NBA, WNBA, NHL, MLB, NCAA, NAIA and NASCAR. In 2008, XOS Technologies acquired majority interest in Collegiate Images, LLC a centralized rights clearance agency for the collegiate marketplace that manages countless hours of exclusive college sports video and hundreds of thousands of still images for more than 100 partners, including colleges, universities, conferences, bowls, broadcast companies and rights holders.

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Contact Information Mark Hitchner

XOS Digital

http://xosdigital.com/

954-343-8000 236

InterviewNEPA is WIRED to Connect Northeast PA Workforce & Employers

InterviewNEPA is WIRED to Connect Northeast PA Workforce & Employers

InterviewStream.com was tapped by Wall Street West to provide leading edge video technology to support the workforce of Northeastern PA today and to ensure the finance and IT industries of tomorrow

Philadelphia, PA (PRWEB) January 31, 2009 -- How well do you interview? For many people it is a hard question to answer, but through the efforts of InterviewStream.com, the premier provider of video interviewing solutions, the residents of Northeastern Pennsylvania will have a no-cost opportunity to answer it.

InterviewStream.com today unveiled InterviewNEPA.com, a customized, state-of-the-art web-based video technology platform which will aid thousands of job seekers and workforce development professionals in Northeastern Pennsylvania. Supported by Wall Street West, a federally funded workforce and economic development initiative, this collaboration will provide individuals with the experience and confidence to attain their dream jobs.

“A quality interview can be the difference between being hired or passed over,” said Randy Bitting, co-founder of InterviewStream.com. “Whether it is a student trying to start their career or an incumbent worker entering the next chapter of their life, the interview process has the ability to set a person apart in the eyes of employers.”

So, would you hire you? With the job market at an all time low, job seekers must demonstrate their value while employers juggle their ability to maintain shoestring budgets and higher demands. InterviewNEPA.com offers Northeastern, PA candidates a free opportunity to review, retry and reconsider their interview skills before applying for a job. Using a webcam at one of the Wall Street West region’s twenty-seven colleges or universities or five PA CareerLink Centers , an individual will be able to simulate job interviews to practice both verbal and non-verbal communication skills.

Additionally, the video virtual career fair platform provides employers with a streamlined, more progressive recruiting tool, offering more choices in how and when interviews are executed and where they are delivered—optimizing the job search process, saving companies time and money and even reducing their carbon imprint.

“The timing couldn’t be more vital. With the haemorrhaging of the current economy and worsening job market, Pennsylvanians need a tool and an ally that will assist them with their career development and eventual financial well-being,” Bitting said. “Wall Street West, now armed with InterviewNEPA.com, is poised to do just that; and we’re thrilled to be on board.”

InterviewNEPA is supplementing the workforce development projects and programs that have been funded by the Wall Street West initiative. A partnership of more than two dozen economic development agencies, technology investment groups, workforce development organizations, educational and research institutions and private-sector experts from throughout Northeastern Pennsylvania, Wall Street West has awarded more than $10 million throughout region, with the goal of creating a workforce that will help attract businesses in the key industry sectors that will be the future of the global economy.

“As we prepare the current and future workforce for the next generation of jobs, it is imperative that we use technology and techniques that represent the future and not the past.” said Greg Morgan, director of communications, Wall Street West. “Video interviewing is quickly becoming a staple of many employers, and through InterviewNEPA, we are giving the Wall Street West community access to one of the newest and best development tools on the market.

For more information on InterviewStream’s technology, media may contact Kristi Hughes at 215-816-2954.

About InterviewStream:

InterviewStream, LLC (www.InterviewStream.com) is the premier provider of video interviewing solutions. Their product suite of proprietary online technology provides video interview solutions to universities, employers, and workforce investment boards around the globe including nine of the top 10 global MBA Programs and the world’s leading global outplacement firm.

Founded in 2003 by Miles Munz and Randy Bitting, both named “Top 30 Under 30: American’s Coolest Young Entrepreneurs” by Inc. magazine in August 2007, InterviewStream has quickly become the ‘industry standard’ practice and screening interview tool for thousands of job seekers, career counselors & employers – across four continents and in 44 of the U.S. states.

InterviewStream, LLC is a privately held company headquartered outside of Philadelphia in Bethlehem, PA.

About Wall Street West

Wall Street West is a not-for-profit partnership in Northeastern Pennsylvania that is enhancing the financial services, information technology and related industries in the commonwealth through strategic workforce development and state-of-the-art economic development. Stemming from an interagency report by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the Federal Reserve and the U.S. Department of the Treasury - whose recommendations make the ten-county region an optimal geographic location for secure data back-up and back office operations - the goal of Wall Street West is to work with firms in New York City and the surrounding metropolitan threat zones to establish supplemental facilities to safeguard data, fund the education and training of a growing workforce, and expand the competitiveness and potential of these industries.

Wall Street West partnership is made up of the top-tier economic development agencies; technology investment groups; workforce development organizations; education and research institutions; and private sector companies in the region. With the Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Northeastern Pennsylvania acting as the project manager, Wall Street West has federal support through a $15 million Workforce Innovation in Regional Economic Development (WIRED) grant from the U.S. Department of Labor for education and job training, as well as a combined $24 million commitment by the U.S. Department of Commerce, the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development, and private industry to enhance existing infrastructure.

For more information, please visit the Wall Street West website at www.wallstreetwest.org.

This press release was distributed through eMediawire by Human Resources Marketer (HR Marketer: www.HRmarketer.com) on behalf of the company listed above.

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Contact Information Kristi Hughes

InterviewStream LLC

http://www.interviewstream.com

215-816-2954

Broadcaster Hails the Changing Face of Media

Broadcaster Hails the Changing Face of Media

One company bucking the recession with rising share prices and big expansion plans are hailing the way the face of the media is changing….

(PRWEB) January 29, 2009 -- Glastonbury Broadcasting Ltd have been saying for some years that DAB is a dying source as the “Betamax of radio” and that online digital broadcasting is the future, and now it seems they are being proven correct as 54 million listeners a week are tuning into online radio broadcasts whilst DAB’s listeners and advertising continues to fall.

Internet Radio was once seen as “bedroom DJ’s” broadcasting form their homes, but in the past two years several large networks have changed the whole face on online broadcasting, bringing in large audiences and blue-chip advertisers who have seen the obvious benefits of an interactive audience who can surf to the advertiser’s website with credit card in hand, whilst listening to the broadcasts. Check out www.glastonburyradio.net

The BBC once stated that every letter, call or e-mail represents 1000 listeners as only 1 in every 1000 will contact a show. Online radio is seeing an interaction rate of 1 in 5 on the popular Glastonbury Radio network. “Advertisers would be foolish NOT to take notice of such statistics” says Managing Director Ross Hemsworth. Ross is a pioneer of online broadcasting having previously sold his previous venture “Net Talk Radio” and has been broadcasting shows online for many years. “When I started broadcasting online it was to three listeners and a cat, but I always knew THIS was the future and now we are seeing the changes across the whole face of broadcasting, with a trend towards online listening and viewing and with the Internet overtaking television as the nation’s favourite pastime”.

At a time when the world is entering a recession and TV and radio stations are struggling to survive, online broadcasters are seeing share prices rising and income increasing and £1 shares in Glastonbury Broadcasting are now selling at over £2000 a share and will probably be worth a lot more in years to come!

Glastonbury Broadcasting is now offering online broadcast facilities to retail outlets and franchised radio station packages to presenters and entrepreneurs who want to get in on the exciting future that online broadcasting represents. The company is also about to launch a new online TV service and a second radio station in the coming months! See more at “press releases” at our corporate website www.glastonburybroadcasting.net

As the world becomes closer through globalisation, the Internet offers broadcasters the chance to broadcast to a truly worldwide audience, and with motor manufacturers planning to install Internet into cars, most towns planning to go “WIFI” and faster broadband speeds becoming available, there is little doubt that Glastonbury Radio and Glastonbury Broadcasting Ltd is great story of success in a time of general business gloom.

Managing Director Ross Hemsworth can be contacted for interviews on 0871 871 3666

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Contact Information Ross Hemsworth

Glastonbury Radio

http://www.glastonburyradio.net

+44 0871871 3666

BrightScope Launches First Online 401k Rating System and 401k Ratings Disclosure Website

BrightScope Launches First Online 401k Rating System and 401k Ratings Disclosure Website

BrightScope Ratings™ Evaluate 401k Plan Performance on Company Level for Plan Sponsors and Participants

San Diego, CA (PRWEB) January 29, 2009 -- BrightScope, Inc. (www.brightscope.com (www.brightscope.com)), an independent data analytics firm that provides 401k ratings and financial intelligence to plan sponsors and participants in all 50 states, today announced the launch of their 401k ratings disclosure website featuring the BrightScope Rating™, the nation's first online 401k rating system. The new BrightScope Rating debuted today at the 2009 Los Angeles Benefits Conference, co-sponsored by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), the American Society of Pension Professionals & Actuaries (ASPPA) and the National Institute of Pension Administrators (NIPA).

The new BrightScope Rating is a quantitative 401k plan rating developed by BrightScope, Inc. in partnership with some of the country's top independent fiduciaries, finance professors, and 401k experts. BrightScope Ratings take into account over 200 unique data inputs per plan and calculate a single numerical score to define 401k plan quality at the company level. The ratings algorithm runs thousands of simulations for each 401k plan in order to determine how quickly each plan will propel the average 401k participant to retirement. Using this rigorous approach, BrightScope ensures that every factor that affects retirement outcomes - such as company generosity, fees, investment menu quality, vesting schedules, and more - is accurately reflected in a company's rating. The site provides open access to 401k ratings, allowing anyone to compare any 401k plan with another.

"BrightScope is very intuitive yet backed by solid research. It's a powerful tool for those who approach investing as a science." said Dave Logan, best-selling author of "Tribal Leadership."

The timing couldn't be better. Powerful forces have begun to converge to create the perfect storm for 401k fiduciaries across the country. In 2009, the 401k fee issue will become a Congressional priority. From new proposed 401k legislation to subprime originations, investment banking conflicts, and excessive 401k fees, the bright light of regulators will be focused on punishing companies and individuals that have acted improperly. The economic crisis has caused 401k participants to lose trillions of dollars. According to Independent Fiduciary Matt Hutcheson, thirty percent of the Fortune 100 is now facing an ERISA lawsuit.

"The BrightScope Rating creates a new industry standard for evaluating and benchmarking 401k performance across the country and delivers online 401k performance transparency," explains Joshua P. Itzoe, a Principal of Greenspring Wealth Management and author of "Fixing the 401k: What Fiduciaries Must Know (And Do) To Help Employees Retire Successfully." "Increased transparency will ultimately be a boon for 401k plan sponsors and their participants."

HR professionals, Chief Financial Officers, brokers and employees alike can simply visit www.brightscope.com to review their company 401k plan and determine the relative quality of the plan when compared to a unique peer group with similar demographic characteristics. Peer groups are groups of 401k plans of roughly the same size and industry that are used to compare the quality of 401k plans. Using peer groups ensures that similar size and industry rating criteria are applied to each plan.

"BrightScope is on a mission to increase the retirement security of America's workforce by bringing transparency and efficiency to the 401k plan market," said BrightScope CEO, Mike Alfred. "We want to educate plan participants so that they can encourage their company to make decisions that maximize their retirement outlook. We also want to prevent plan sponsors from making uninformed choices that can negatively impact 401k performance. Plan sponsors who use BrightScope can demonstrate to their employees, their board, their retirement committee, and to regulators that they are taking the necessary steps to improve the quality of their 401k plan."

Leading human resource executives facing increasing pressure to be proactive and knowledgeable about the 401k plan that they are offering to their employees are already beginning to use BrightScope for 401k plan benchmarking, plan design optimization, fiduciary prudence, risk mitigation, and enhanced employee recognition and recruiting opportunities.

"BrightScope has provided PETCO with valuable insights into the true investment returns of the funds in our 401k program," said Julie Cunningham, PETCO Director of Total Rewards. "True transparency will allow us to negotiate more effectively to minimize hidden fees and to help maximize returns for our associates in helping them prepare for retirement."

BrightScope has reviewed and rated 1000 of the largest 401k plans in the country and expects to rate the plans of companies covering two out of every three employees by the end of 2009.

There is no charge for employees or employers to review their 401k plan rating. Companies can submit updated information about their 401k plan to refine their current rating and review BrightScope tips which can help them improve their plan rating over time.

Companies with 401k plans currently rated among the nation's best, according to BrightScope:

• Avis Budget Group, Inc. (http://www.brightscope.com/401k-rating/28771/Avis-Budget-Group-Inc/)

• Bank of New York Mellon (http://www.brightscope.com/401k-rating/44740/The-Bank-Of-New-York-Mellon-Corporation/)

• Nucor Corporation (http://www.brightscope.com/401k-rating/43962/Nucor-Corporation/)

• Southwest Airlines Company (http://www.brightscope.com/401k-rating/343176/Southwest-Airlines-Co/)

• Saudi Arabian Oil Company (http://www.brightscope.com/401k-rating/437686/Saudi-Arabian-Oil-Company/)

These highly rated plans represent some of the top plans within their respective peer groups, as measured in terms of plan size, number of participants and employee demographics. Participants contributing to these plans have a high likelihood of having a secure retirement.

To see detailed scores and attributes for the aforementioned leading 401k plans or to review your company 401k plan rating, visit www.brightscope.com.

About BrightScope

BrightScope is an independent data analytics firm that quantitatively rates 401k plans and gives employers, employees, and brokers tools to enhance plan performance and maximize retirement outlook. The BrightScope Rating ™, developed in partnership with leading independent 401k fiduciaries, reviews over 200 unique data inputs per plan and calculates a single numerical score which defines 401k plan quality at the company level. BrightScope published ratings, rating definitions, criteria and methodologies are available on the agency's public site, www.brightscope.com

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Contact Information Dan Weeks

BrightScope, Inc.

http://www.brightscope.com

858.705.3439

Kirsten Osolind

RE:INVENTION, Inc.

312.635.1350 ext 711

TradeKing™ Announces February 2009 "All-Star" Webinar Lineup

TradeKing™ Announces February 2009 "All-Star" Webinar Lineup

Information-Packed Webinars Focus on Taxes and Trading, High Volatility Calendar Trading and Timely Topics for Investors of All Levels.

Boca Raton, FL (PRWEB) January 28, 2009 -- Online broker dealer TradeKing (http://www.tradeking.com) continues to host its series of weekly educational webinars to help investors improve their trading strategies. February topics include such timely subjects as taxes and trading, high volatility trading and an introduction to rookie options plays as investors seek to diversify their trading strategies. Webinar participants will hear from two new All-Star experts, Jim Crimmins of Traders Accounting and Chris Wilson of Cyclespreads LLC, along with 22-year veteran CBOE market maker Dan Sheridan, and TradeKing's own Brian Overby and Nicole Wachs.

TradeKing's webinars are free and open to TradeKing clients, as well as other investors. Upcoming webinar schedules are available on the 15th of each month.

Webinar Schedule:

Tuesday, February 3 at 7 pm ET

Taxes and Trading Part One

Hosted by Jim Crimmins of Traders Accounting

Tuesday, February 10 at 7pm ET

Elliott Wave Trading Insights

Hosted by Chris Wilson of Cyclespreads LLC

Thursday, February 12 at 7 pm ET

High Volatility Calendar Trading

Hosted by Dan Sheridan of Sheridan Mentoring

Tuesday, February 17 at 7pm ET

Rookie Plays: Covered Calls

Hosted by Brian Overby, Senior Options Analyst, TradeKing

Tuesday, February 24 at 7pm ET

Taxes and Trading Part Two

Jim Crimmins of Traders Accounting

Thursday, February 26 at 8 pm ET

Beginner Trading Topics

Hosted by Nicole Wachs, Director of Education, TradeKing

For more information or to register visit All-Star Webinars (http://community.tradeking.com/members/live-events/blogs/13007-tk-all-star-webinar-series) or email Nicole Wachs at webinars(at)tradeking.com.

About TradeKing

TradeKing is a nationally licensed online broker dealer offering simple, low flat fees (http://www.tradeking.com/AdTrack/PRFEESCDS/FEES) ($4.95 per trade plus $.65 per option contract) with no hidden fees or account minimums1. A pioneer in integrating new social media as part of its innovative online equities, options and fixed-income trading platform, TradeKing has received multiple four-star ratings from top industry sources and was recently rated number one in customer service by SmartMoney Magazine, ahead of E*Trade, Scottrade, Fidelity, Charles Schwab and TD Ameritrade. (2008 Broker Survey)2.

Member FINRA/SIPC.

Options involve risk and are not suitable for all investors.

Please read Characteristics and Risks of Standardized Options available at www.tradeking.com/ODD.

Note: Webinars are provided for educational and informational purposes only. Any strategies discussed and examples using actual securities and price data are for educational and illustrative purposes only and do not imply a recommendation or solicitation to buy or sell a particular security or to engage in any particular investment strategy. In reading content on TradeKing's website, you may gain ideas about when, where, and how to invest your money. Although you may discover new ideas or rationale that may be compelling, you must ultimately decide whether or not to put your own money at risk. Consider the following when making an investment decision: your financial and tax situation, your risk profile, and transaction costs.

(1)    (Please see www.tradeking.com/PrivateView/services/Services/commissions.tmpl for more details on trade commissions for low priced stock, bonds, mutual funds and other securities).

(2)    SmartMoney is a joint publishing venture of Dow Jones & Company, Inc. and Hearst Communications, Inc. All Rights Reserved Worldwide.

TradeKing provides self-directed investors with discount brokerage services, and does not make recommendations or offer investment, financial, legal or tax advice.

Online trading system response and access times may vary due to market conditions, system performance, and other factors.

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Contact Information Sue Parente

TradeKing

http://www.tradeking.com

781-642-7788

Mpowerplayer to Showcase New Surfmo Application from Xpressmo

Mpowerplayer to Showcase New Surfmo Application from Xpressmo

Users can experience the entire feature set of the Surfmo mashup through Mpowerplayer's technology.

Ashburn, Virginia (PRWEB) January 28, 2009 -- Mpowerplayer, the leading provider of online mobile application trial and merchandising solutions, and Xpressmo, a publishing and platform provider for mobile devices, today announced that Xpressmo will showcase it's new Surfmo consumer portal application utilizing Mpowerplayer's online demo platform. Mpowerplayer's solution will make Surfmo, a comprehensive mashup application that incorporates weather, news, sports, movies and music as a unified experience, available to online consumers seeking to try Surfmo before purchasing.

"The Surfmo application showcases the power of our technology as an effective method of sampling mobile content online," said Joe Ariganello, vice president of business development for Mpowerplayer. "SurfMo's media intensive feature set is fully displayed on the Mpowerplayer engine, offering users a complete, interactive demo of the product."

Mpowerplayer's award-winning technology is licensed by major wireless carriers and mobile game and application publishers to power mobile game demos on their online storefronts. The company's technology is also demonstrated through the Mplayit Mobile Arcade application on both the Facebook and MySpace platforms. Mplayit Mobile Arcade allows users to play and share mobile games before making the commitment to buy and is available through a standalone consumer portal as well.

"Mpowerplayer's technology is the perfect platform to showcase the rich features of the Surfmo application," said Steve Rempell, Director and CEO of Xpressmo. "Utilizing an online environment, potential users can get the full user experience right away without having to download the application to their phone."

The SurfMo application is built on Xpressmo's publishing platform, CDER. It combines Google Search, MapQuest, AccuWeather, as well as News and Music drawn from a variety of sources. The beta version is available for free on the Facebook platform and the Xpressmo website. Future updated versions of the application will include content and widgets from music artists and TV stations. The Surfmo demo application, powered by Mpowerplayer, can now be previewed online in its entirety from the Xpressmo web site.

To try out the Surfmo application, please visit: http://www.xpressmo.com/620px/main/custapps/cust-apps1.html

To try Mplayit Mobile Arcade for Facebook, MySpace or to try out the online consumer portal, please visit http://mplayit.com

About Mpowerplayer:

Mpowerplayer is the leading consumer destination in the world for online demos of mobile games. The company's proprietary software solutions enable mobile content providers to better merchandise, market, and interact with a targeted user audience of mobile consumers. Mpowerplayer is based in Ashburn, VA, and is backed by New Atlantic Ventures. For more information, visit www.mpowerplayer.com.

About Xpressmo:

Express Mobile, Inc. is a leader in downloadable mobile applications. Its leading edge sophisticated publishing platform enables the rapid design and deployment of rich connected applications. The CDER™ Platform allows content owners to easily respond to customer market demands and easily deliver mashups of their content and prevailing web services. Express Mobile was found in 2006 and is privately funded through angel investors. For more information, visit www.xpressmo.com.

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Contact Information John Terrill

SpeakerBox Communications for Mpowerplayer

http://mplayit.com

703-287-7825

NetSuite Extends RenewForce To Save Customers 50% Off Current Salesforce.com Price

NetSuite Extends RenewForce To Save Customers 50% Off Current Salesforce.com Price

NetSuite Inc. the extension of the NetSuite RenewForce program, a special sales incentive program aimed at salesforce.com customers eager to realize greater value from their customer relationship management (CRM) investment, as well as relief from some of the industry's highest on-demand subscription fees. Originally launched in October 2008, the successful program will stay in place through March 2009, giving salesforce.com customers now up for renewal the opportunity to move to the more robust NetSuite business management system. With RenewForce, Salesforce.com Customers Move From Standalone SFA to Feature-Rich CRM and Leading SaaS Suite for ERP, CRM and Ecommerce

San Mateo, Calif. (PRWEB) January 28, 2009 -- NetSuite (NYSE: N), a leading vendor of on-demand, integrated business management software (http://www.netsuite.com/portal/products/netsuite/main.shtml) suites for mid-market enterprises and divisions of large companies, today announced the extension of the NetSuite RenewForce program, a special sales incentive program aimed at salesforce.com customers eager to realize greater value from their customer relationship management (http://www.netsuite.com/portal/products/crm_plus/main.shtml) (CRM) investment, as well as relief from some of the industry's highest on-demand subscription fees. Originally launched in October 2008, the successful program will stay in place through March 2009, giving salesforce.com customers now up for renewal the opportunity to move to the more robust NetSuite business management system.

The NetSuite RenewForce Program offers all salesforce.com customers the opportunity to drop their standalone sales force automation (http://www.netsuite.com/portal/products/crm_plus/sfa.shtml) (SFA) offering from salesforce.com in exchange for NetSuite CRM+ at a cost NetSuite guarantees will be 50% off the value of their current salesforce.com implementation, including service and support.

NetSuite anticipates that salesforce.com customers will find a lot to like about the NetSuite RenewForce offer as they seek opportunities in this economic downturn to realise greater value across their operations. As an on-demand suite with built-in integration and business analytics, NetSuite offers substantially more value than the standalone salesforce.com SFA application and at substantially less cost. For more information about the NetSuite RenewForce program, please visit www.netsuite.com/renewforceus.

The NetSuite RenewForce program is available through March 31, 2009 to all current salesforce.com customers in good standing. The 50% discount will apply to a comparable license for NetSuite CRM+, including customer support and implementation services.

Salesforce.com customers who take the NetSuite offer receive much more than just a 50% discount and a great product. They also receive important CRM functionality not found in salesforce.com, including the ability to:

• Create estimates or quotes

• Generate sales orders

• Manage multiple quotas and forecasts

• Automate support for cross-selling and up-selling

• Manage incentive management (commissions) within the system without using a third product

• Conduct integrated email marketing

• Pre-configure dashboards for business intelligence, and more.

For more information about NetSuite, please visit www.netsuite.com.

NOTE: NetSuite and the NetSuite logo are registered service marks of NetSuite Inc.

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Contact Information Mei Li

NetSuite Inc.

http://www.netsuite.com

650-627-1063

Mountain Sports International Takes Event Management to the Next Level with Twelve Horses Ticketing

Mountain Sports International Takes Event Management to the Next Level with Twelve Horses Ticketing

Digital Ticketing Technology from Twelve Horses Provides Sports Marketing Experts with Complete Revenue and Event Management Control

Salt Lake City, UT (PRWEB) January 28, 2008 -- Mountain Sports International (MSI), one of the world's leading sports marketing experts, today announced that it has selected Twelve Horses, an integrated online marketing and messaging company, as their digital ticketing provider for action/adventure sports events and programming in North America.

In the past, MSI was forced to dedicate an exorbitant amount of time and effort to the management of their registration process. Twelve Horses was not only able to offer them a packaged solution that lowers the cost of operations, but also provides a means of exploring new sources of revenue through affiliate marketing and the support of 3rd party products.

"We are excited to use Twelve Horses Ticketing to manage our events," said Adam Comey, president and co-founder of MSI. "Not only will their ticketing system (http://web.twelvehorses.com/technology/ticketing) bring a greater level of efficiency to our registration process, but it also gives us a point-of-sale system that is far more flexible, scalable, and easy-to-use."

MSI will use Twelve Horses Ticketing to manage action sports competitions such as the U.S. Freeskiing Open, The North Face Masters, and the Freeskiing World Tour. Along with managing registrations, MSI will conduct lotteries where participants are randomly selected and automatically notified with branded messages. Integrated scanning technology will be used on-site to quickly confirm registered participants and place them in their appropriate categories.

"Our relationship with MSI is a natural fit considering our base of tourism and hospitality clients" said TJ Crawford, director of product development for Twelve Horses. "Much of the inherent flexibility and ease-of-use our ticketing platform (http://web.twelvehorses.com/technology/ticketing) provides comes from knowing what a business like MSI really need when they are in a dynamic location like a ski resort."

In addition to operating their own events, MSI also provides event management services for independent brands like Red Bull, Salomon, and Burton. The Twelve Horses Ticketing system gives them the ability to manage the activities and revenues of multiple clients, events and affiliates, and everything from branding across multiple channels to tiered pricing, redemption, and reporting are all controlled through one central content management system.

"Because we offer a full line of integrated solutions for event management, we need a technology platform that does the same" added Comey. "Events are moving targets with different sponsors and locations coming into play, and we have to count on the fact that we can accommodate them quickly and effectively. Whether we are updating web pages, issuing tickets and coupons, or delivering branded messages, it all has to work seamlessly. We are happy to have found such a complete ticketing and event management solution with Twelve Horses."

About Mountain Sports International (MSI)

Mountain Sports International (MSI) is a private company, founded in 1997, to develop and produce action/adventure sports events and programming in North America. MSI owns and produces the U.S. Freeskiing Open, the U.S. Skiercross Series, The North Face Masters, and the Freeskiing World Tour, in addition to several other properties and concepts. MSI provides event management services for Burton, Salomon, Volvo, Subaru, Corona, The North Face, and Red Bull and has provided infrastructure and expertise for the NBC Gravity Games and ESPN Action Sports Projects, including the Tony Hawk Gigantic Skatepark Tour. MSI specializes in matching clients with events for brand penetration into target demographics, developing product identification and loyalty. MSI matches brand and culture, company and credibility to create sought-after events that help to define the action sports culture.

For more information visit www.mtsports.com

About Twelve Horses

Twelve Horses is a global provider of Web site design and development, multi-channel marketing, business process automation, customer relationship management (CRM), search engine optimization and search engine marketing. Operating as a full-service marketing agency, Twelve Horses assists businesses in translating and transforming their brands online.

MessageMaker™ is one of Twelve Horses core marketing and messaging products. MessageMaker™ is a single platform for e-mail, fax, voice, Web and mobile text/SMS marketing. Customers use MessageMaker as a hosted on-demand application to integrate and automate individualized cross-channel dialogues and rules-based marketing dialog that enhances the brand's marketing effectiveness, increases customer conversion rates, decreases acquisition costs, presents/resolves payments and extends the lifetime value relationships.

Twelve Horses operates in Atlanta, Las Vegas, Salt Lake City, Reno-Tahoe, Nev. and Tampa, Fla.

For more information call 1-866-846-2846.

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Contact Information Robert Payne

Twelve Horses

http://web.twelvehorses.com

813-361-1566

TJ Crawford

Twelve Horses

http://web.twelvehorses.com

866.846.2846

AspireHR Expands European Operations

AspireHR Expands European Operations

AspireHR, Inc., one of the largest global Human Capital Management HCM software, consulting, and SaaS companies, has announced the expansion of its European operation with the addition of Andy Hodges as a partner in the company’s London office.

Plano, TX (PRWEB) January 26, 2009 -- AspireHR, Inc., one of the largest global Human Capital Management HCM software, consulting, and SaaS companies, has announced the expansion of its European operation with the addition of Andy Hodges as a partner in the company’s London office.

“The addition of a professional of Andy’s caliber and experience to our London office is a noteworthy development for our organization,” said Joseph Hillesheim, AspireHR’s president and founding partner in making the announcement.

Hodges will be heading up AspireHR’s London office, managing the company’s UK operations, and supervising the company’s business development and project management ventures in Europe.

“I have been competing against AspireHR for the past ten years, and finally thought it was best just to join the organization that was leading the way in SAP HCM,” said Hodges. “It has always been impressive to see how AspireHR has led the market by developing entirely new ways of approaching the business and technical challenges that all of our clients face. That, combined with an impressive array of SAP enhancement solutions, made my decision to join the company both easy and compelling at the same time.”

The addition of Hodges and the expansion of the London office will enable AspireHR to provide the best possible customer service to its clients in the UK and other parts of Europe. AspireHR already has a significant presence with clients in France, Germany, and Norway.

“The expansion of our European operations is a significant milestone in our corporate development,” said Hillesheim. “We value the opportunity to partner with our clients in Europe, and we are looking forward to sharing our expertise and experience with even more companies.”

The AspireHR corporate headquarters is located in Plano, Texas, and the company also has offices in Dubai and Melbourne.

For Additional Information, Contact:

Susan Kern, Director of Marketing

skern (at) aspirehr.com

214-880-0099, Ext. 168

About AspireHR:

Aspire HR is a global provider of Human Capital Management (HCM) Software, Consulting, and Outsourcing support. We deliver HCM business solutions to the world’s largest employers.

Our services include cutting edge talent management solutions like E-Recruiting, E-Learning, ESS (Employee Self Service), MSS (Manager Self Service), and SAP upgrades, as well as traditional HR implementation services such as organizational management, benefits, time management, and full payroll.

For more information, please visit www.aspirehr.com or call 214-880-0099.

This press release was distributed through eMediawire by Human Resources Marketer (HR Marketer: www.HRmarketer.com) on behalf of the company listed above.

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Contact Information Susan Kern

AspireHR

http://www.aspirehr.com

214-880-0099

Using the Web to Conduct a Successful Job Search

Using the Web to Conduct a Successful Job Search

6 Simple Tips and Resources to Jumpstart Your Search, according to StarReviews.

Delray Beach, FL (PRWEB) January 26, 2009 -- December's unemployment rate rose to a whopping 7.2% and with over half a million people losing their jobs last month the nations unemployed is at a 16-year high. Whether you are a recent college grad looking for that first job, a recently laid off worker looking to get back into the workforce or a teen looking for part time work, the job market is as tough as it has been in a generation.

Even in tough times, companies still need employees. StarReviews has compiled a list of tips and suggestions to getting that sought after job.

1. Use niche job search websites (http://www.starreviews.com/Jobs.aspx), not just the major ones such as Monster and Careerbuilder. Niche websites contain more focused and specialized job opportunities.

2. Take advantage of social networking websites to try and identify employers and people within those organizations that may help you. Facebook and Linkedin are two great social networking sites to make contacts.

3. Use a professional resume writing service (http://www.starreviews.com/Resume-Writing-Service-Reviews.aspx) such as Resume Edge or Career Perfect. Your resume is your gateway into the company you wish to work for and it needs to reflect you in a positive light.

4. Clean up your credit report (http://www.starreviews.com/Credit-Report-Service-Reviews.aspx). With the competition for jobs, employers are screening potential employees more carefully than ever before and credit checks are becoming a standard part of the screening process .

5. Research the company you are interested in. Spending time investigating your potential employer can help in several ways:

• Avoid help wanted scams.

• Learn about the company's products/services and any recent news.

• Get contact information.

• Job opportunities with your preferred company.

6. Clean up your online profile. While you can research a company online, the company can research you too. Clean up email addresses, profiles on social networks and any online postings or photos of you. You may think those college photos are funny but your future employer may not.

"At StarReviews (http://www.starreviews.com) we have always been committed to the consumer," said Jeffrey Rosenzweig, Vice President of Marketing. "We realize that in today's economy that commitment reaches far beyond just purchasing decisions and into life decisions."

The web can be a great resource to help anyone find the ideal job. The key is leveraging the Internet to be more efficient in conducting a job search. The tips provided here, as well as the detailed reviews at StarReviews, from both experts and consumers alike, will help job hunters find the best sites to be successful in using the web to land their next job.

About StarReviews

StarReviews (http://www.starreviews.com) is located in Delray Beach, FL and was developed in the summer of 2005. The company is comprised of Internet marketing professionals who truly enjoy reviewing products and websites. After years of experience consulting with various online businesses and combing through hundreds of websites daily we noticed a need to compare web services so that consumers can make well informed decisions before making purchases online big or small. To find out more about the industry's leading review and comparison website please visit, StarReviews

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Contact Information Arthur Frischman

Star Advertising

http://www.starreviews.com

561-251-7198

Admax Network and Sinchew-i.com Announces New Partnership to Explore Advertising Market in Malaysia

Admax Network and Sinchew-i.com Announces New Partnership to Explore Advertising Market in Malaysia

Admax Network has announced a new partnership with Sinchew-i.com, one of the most visited Chinese websites in Malaysia to deliver online advertisement in Malaysia and the Southeast Asia region.

Singapore (PRWEB) January 26, 2009 -- Admax Network, Southeast Asia's leading website representation and digital advertising network (http://www.admaxnetwork.com/) of premier local and international sites, has announced a partnership with Sinchew-i.com to extend its reach into Malaysia market. The new partnership is set to strengthen the network as a leading advertising platform in the Southeast Asia region.

Sinchew-i.com is one of the most visited Chinese web portals in Malaysia (http://www.sinchew-i.com/) and the official website of Malaysia's biggest Chinese media group, Sin Chew Media Corp Bhd. With over 145 million monthly page views and three million unique visitors, the portal is an ideal addition to Admax's extensive advertising network. The new partnership is expected to significantly increase revenues and exposure for both entities. "Admax provides us an excellent opportunity to explore the value of working with digital advertising networks to maximize monetization opportunities," says Ooi Hooi Chong, General Manager of Sinchew-i.

"With Southeast Asia representing an enormous potential, internet-based advertising is yet still a largely untapped market. This partnership with Sinchew-i.com is vital to our success in Malaysia. At the same time highlights our attempt to become a leading and preferred advertising platform for advertisers," commented Gilbert Lo, Director of Media Development for Admax Network.

Admax Network develops advertising platform for Southeast Asia and reaches into each individual nation including Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, the Philippines and Vietnam. In addition to the new partnership, Admax Network is also continuing to seek additional websites and expand its advertising network in Southeast Asia to create high quality, targeted advertisement yet cost effective platform for advertisers.

For more information on the network please visit www.admaxnetwork.com (http://www.admaxnetwork.com/).

About Admax Network

Admax Network was launched in 2006 as a subsidiary of the Digital Marketing Solutions (http://www.dmsasialimited.com/) (DMS) Group. With operations in Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, the Philippines, and Vietnam, the network represents leading local and global digital publishers in Southeast Asia and has a network of over 200 premier sites offering relevant local media content via online and mobile platforms. Admax is committed to providing marketers with simple but effective access to targeted consumers whilst enabling top agencies and publishers the ability to grow their advertising revenue and measure results.

About Sinchew-i.com

Sinchew-i.com was set up in 2000 to establish an online media presence for Sin Chew Media Corp. Today, it is the leading Chinese news portal in Malaysia (http://www.sinchew-i.com/), offering a wide range of content in a variety of formats, from online multimedia offerings to SMS / MMS and 3G news services. Sinchew-I also provides innovative ad formats for advertisers beyond traditional banners.

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Contact Information Kelvin Tan

Admax Network (Malaysia)

http://www.admaxnetwork.com/

603 2096 9613

DeSilva+Phillips Announces its 7th Annual Media Dealmakers Summit, 5 February in New York City

DeSilva+Phillips Announces its 7th Annual Media Dealmakers Summit, 5 February in New York City

DeSilva+Phillips, Media Investment Bankers, announces that its seventh annual Media Dealmakers Summit will take place at The Pierre, New York City, on February 5th. For the media industry, the 21st century ushered in a permanent state of revolution. With a new administration in Washington, an industry that has been utterly transformed by the impact of the Internet, and a dramatic change in the relationship between between content, audience, and advertiser, the Dealmakers Summit is more relevant than ever as it addresses media M&A in the century's second decade. The event is a by-invitation-only, not for profit event with no sponsors - any surplus will be donated to charity. For information and invitations, contact sam (at) mediabankers (dot) com.

New York, NY (PRWEB) January 26, 2008 -- DeSilva+Phillips, Media Investment Bankers, announces that its seventh annual Media Dealmakers Summit will take place at The Pierre, New York City, on February 5th. For the media industry, the 21st century ushered in a permanent state of revolution. With a new administration in Washington, an industry that has been utterly transformed by the impact of the Internet, and a dramatic change in the relationship between content, audience, and advertiser, the Dealmakers Summit is more relevant than ever as it addresses media M&A in the century's second decade. The event is a by-invitation-only, not for profit event with no sponsors - any surplus will be donated to charity in honor of the late William Reilly, co-founder of PRIMEDIA.

As always, the members of the invited audience as well as the speakers include the most active and influential dealmakers in the media industry. Its attendees are equally divided between the leaders of media companies - both digital and traditional - and the principals of private equity firms and major lenders.

The Summit's keynote interviewees are:

Edward A. Finn, Jr., Editor and President, Barron's; Chairman and Editorial Director of SmartMoney

Thomas Gensemer, Managing Partner, Blue State Digital (which managed the online Obama campaign)

Eric Hippeau, managing partner of SoftBank Capital (a member of the Yahoo board and of the CNET board until the company was sold last year to CBS Interactive for $1.8 billion)

Mike Rusbridge, Chairman and CEO of Reed Exhibitions, the world's largest events company

During the day, five panel discussions feature the past year's most active buyers discussing what they've done and what they see ahead.

Digital Media:

Brian Berger, VP Strategy & Development, Comcast Interactive Media (bought DailyCandy, Fandango and Plaxo)

Habib Kairouz, Managing Partner, Rho Capital Partners and General Partner, Rho Ventures (current and former board seats include iVillage (sold to NBC), Tripod (sold to Lycos), Tacoda (sold to Time Warner), Intralinks, and ReachLocal)

Pat Kenealy, Managing Director, IDG Ventures SF (IDG's investment in SideStep was merged into Kayak.com)

B2B Media:

Sean Madden, Advisory Director, Investcorp (bought Randall Reilly for $180 million)

Scott Mozarsky, EVP & Chief Strategy and Development Officer, PR Newswire (United Business Media)

Todd Tauber, Director, Corporate Development, The Economist Group (bought Capital Advantage for The Economist's Roll Call subsidiary for $43 million

Consumer Media:

Andrew J. Armstrong Jr., Managing Member, Spire Capital Partners (owner of SkyMall and the Professional Bull Rider's Association)

J. Scott Crystal, Chief Executive Officer, TV Guide (acquired by OpenGate in a deal valued over $50 million)

Joseph Holland, VP, Strategy & Corporate Development, Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, LLC

Chairman & CEO (acquired Emeril Lagasse's businesses)

Healthcare Media:

Bruce A. Eatroff, Partner, Halyard Capital (which bought HCPro)

Jagruti Oza, EVP, Strategic Marketing & Business Development, Wolters Kluwer (bought UpToDate in a $400 million deal)

Benjamin Wolin, Co-founder & CEO, Waterfront Media (merged his firm with Steve Case's Revolution Media in a deal that valued it at $100 million)

Marketing Services:

Thomas L. Harrison, Chairman & CEO, Diversified Agency Services, A division of OmnicomGroup (who continued his acquisitions last year, making 130 in all, which built DAS into the world's largest group of marketing services companies with almost $5 billion in revenues)

Sheila Spence, SVP Corporate Development, WPP Group plc (who acquired TNS for WPP for $1.9 billion)

Luke Taylor, Chief Executive Officer, LBi International AB (the Sweden-based digital marketing agency and holding company which acquired New York-based Special Ops Media last year)

The panel moderators and interviewers are:

Henry Blodget, CEO, co-founder and editor-in-chief, Silicon Alley Insider

Roger C. Holstein, Managing Director, Vestar Capital (former CEO, WebMD)

Lorne Manly, Film Editor, The New York Times

Richard Morgan, Assistant Managing Editor, The Deal

Andrew Ross Sorkin, Chief M&A Reporter, The New York Times

Attendance is $1,095 and space is strictly limited. Registration begins at 7:45 AM; the program begins at 9:00 AM and concludes at 4:45 PM. Those who interested in receiving an invitation may contact Sam Schulman, Managing Director, DeSilva+Phillips (sam (at) mediabankers (dot) com).

About DeSilva+Phillips, Media Investment Bankers:

DeSilva+Phillips is a New York-based investment bank specializing in the media, digital media and healthcare communications industries. The firm provides M&A services and private placements of debt and equity to the media industries. It also offers operational restructuring services to improve financial results. Its clients include leading companies in the traditional and digital media industries, including B2B, consumer, medical and healthcare media, newspaper, book publishing, trade shows & events, information, educational, and marketing-services sectors. DeSilva+Phillips has completed more over 200 transactions since 1996. DeSilva+Phillips Corporate Finance LLC is a member of FINRA and SIPC. For more information visit www.Mediabankers.com.

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Contact Information SAM SCHULMAN

http://www.mediabankers.com

212.651.2604

iPhone, Android Developers Flock to Flurry for Analytics

iPhone, Android Developers Flock to Flurry for Analytics

Flurry Beta Tag removed after 300 developers use Flurry Analytics in first 60 days

San Francisco (PRWEB) January 26, 2009 -- Flurry, a cross-platform mobile application analytics provider, rang in the New Year with over 300 developers using its free service within the first 60 days of launching its Beta. Today Flurry is making available its free service to all iPhone, Android, Blackberry and Java ME developers as well as providing a demo with live data (http://www.flurry.com/demo/) for developers to preview the service.

With new markets like the App Store reporting over 15,000 available games and applications, developer competition for consumers is fierce. Flurry's easy-to-integrate technology allows developers to gather live consumer usage data to improve their products, increase user retention and compete more effectively in these new markets.

"Rapid adoption of Flurry Analytics validates we're solving a significant pain point for game and application developers. The response has exceeded our own expectations," said Flurry CEO, Simon Khalaf. "With more platforms supported than any other mobile analytics provider -- and new features being added all the time -- Flurry offers the most complete solution on the market."

During its recent Beta, Flurry stress-tested its service for aggressive and reliable scaling. "As a company whose legacy includes handling millions of mobile emails, we are using our experience to smoothly scale our back-end in order to satisfy the sharp demand for Flurry Analytics," said cofounder and CTO, Sean Byrnes. "Flurry Analytics has already supported millions of user sessions and has been put through high volume testing to prepare for its next phase of expansion."

Among the most powerful new features available is the ability for developers to track custom user events within games and applications. Similar to Google Analytics, but for mobile applications, developers can monitor custom-defined user actions within their applications to better understand how their products are used and where to make improvements. Comparing user behavior and application performance across different versions enables teams to perform reliable A/B testing.

To learn more about Flurry Analytics, please visit www.flurry.com.

About Flurry Analytics

Flurry Analytics helps developers make better iPhone, Android, Blackberry and Java ME games and applications. The service is free, requires minimal integration and occupies a negligible amount of space in an application. Through analytics, developers can track consumer behavior and application performance to identify user needs, increase retention and grow revenue.

About Flurry

Founded in 2005, Flurry's Analytics platform is built by developers for developers, based on its pioneering experience as one the first developers to build, deploy and market direct-to-consumer applications. Flurry is venture-backed and based in San Francisco.

Media contact:

Peter Farago

VP Marketing

Flurry, Inc.

peter (at) flurry (dot) com

510-461-4450    

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Contact Information Peter Farago

Flurry

http://www.flurry.com

510-461-4450

Furnitureland South Utilizes New Interactive Technologies to Launch Dream Home Marketing Platform

Furnitureland South Utilizes New Interactive Technologies to Launch Dream Home Marketing Platform

Furnitureland South brought their new Dream Home marketing campaign to life this week with the release of their cutting-edge, interactive website and orientation film.

Jamestown, NC (PRWEB) January 26, 2009 -- Furnitureland South (http://www.furniturelandsouth.com/)brought their new Dream Home marketing campaign to life this week with the release of their cutting-edge, interactive website and orientation film. The new website and film feature a virtual tour (http://www.furniturelandsouth.com/campus-tour.php)of the 150 acre campus that includes video and photography of nearly 50 points of interest throughout the 1.3 million square feet of showroom space. In collaboration with Provis Media Group out of Wilmington, NC, Furnitureland South was able to leverage interactive web technologies, streaming video and 3D animation to prepare consumers for the unique shopping experience from The World's Largest Home Furnishings Showplace.

"The new website offers an immersive, best-in-class experience in which users can search and learn about furniture and ultimately create their dream home," explained Matt Summers of Provis Media Group.

The cutting-edge website utilizes technology that simplifies the often complicated interior design process. An interactive Design Consultant (http://www.furniturelandsouth.com/interactive-design-consultant.php)is available to assist clients through a simple 4-step process that employs the user's style and quality preferences to find items and manufacturer collections that best fit their needs. Additional design tools include intuitive Room Planning (http://www.furniturelandsouth.icovia.com/)software and video tips (http://www.furniturelandsouth.com/video-tips.php)providing valuable information about space planning, rug and fabric selection, and the quality aspects of casegoods and upholstered furniture.

For those clients seeking inspiration, Furnitureland South offers an online tour of their most recent Dream Home. An archive of client projects is also available as well as video testimony from satisfied clients and executive interviews outlining company history, community involvement, the Furnitureland South staff and plans for the future.

In addition to technology enhancements, Furnitureland South has also improved the fundamental utility of the site through a refined furniture search (http://www.furniturelandsouth.com/furniture-search.php)that allows clients to search for home furnishings by room, product, style, manufacturer, or quality. The new search database is meticulously populated to ensure that best sellers from Furnitureland South's 500 vendors are included.

New technology is also available to clients who can't resist adding Furnitureland South to their travel schedule. Two state-of-the-art theaters have been installed near the main showroom entrances that feature a 5-minute orientation film that includes 3D animation of the campus and a beautifully shot High Definition overview of the Furnitureland South experience.

"I'm thrilled with the culmination of nearly a year of development for our new interactive website and orientation theaters," explains Executive Vice President, Jason Harris. "Our research confirmed that the internet is an important step in the high-end furniture shopping cycle. However, it's not the step. Our business is very tactile and personal. To create a personalized dream home interior, the client should be part of the creative process which includes enlisting the help of an experienced Sales & Design Consultant as well as seeing, touching and feeling the furnishings they're investing in. No technology can replace those two elements. Our primary goal with our website was to best prepare clients for that experience. Once they arrive at Furnitureland South, new theaters that feature a 5 minute Blu-ray DVD presentation will help to inspire and ensure an efficient visit."

About Furnitureland South

With more than 1 million square feet of home furnishings and accessories, Furnitureland South provides acres of exquisitely designed vignettes, expert designers and a white-glove national delivery service. The store is a multi-day destination for discerning consumers from every state and many foreign countries.

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Contact Information Leslie Frye

Furnitureland South

http://www.furniturelandsouth.com/

336.822.3057

Stacy Dove

Furnitureland South

http://www.furniturelandsouth.com/

336.822.3025

Testbeds to Breed Next-generation Systems

Testbeds to Breed Next-generation Systems

When a friend's face pops up on your cellphone, or a climatologist in France taps data from Antarctica, it doesn't happen by accident. Every new device or service needs extensive simulation and testing to interface smoothly with other systems. A European research initiative promises to speed up that vital process.

Brussels, Belgium (PRWEB) January 26, 2009 -- The systems that let you zap a photo to a friend, or an astronomer to control a telescope continents away, require intensive simulation and testing. European research has now made those key steps far easier.

Two years ago, the European research programme UNITE (http://www.ist-unite.org) took on the challenge of creating a virtual testbed that IT developers across Europe could use easily and effectively to fine-tune new devices and services, and make sure that they will interact smoothly with existing systems.

Without an improved testing and simulation infrastructure, it will be extremely difficult to achieve the "network of wireless networks" that communications researchers envision and hope to create.

The goal the UNITE researchers set for themselves was to build an online platform that would let groups across Europe share existing test equipment and protocols, easily add new capabilities, and use the platform to optimise new communications products and store and share results.

"Until now, when a research group wanted to test something, they often had to 're-invent the wheel,'" says Georgios Kormentzas, UNITE's technical manager. That might mean modifying an existing simulator or writing a new one, running extensive tests, and then laboriously searching the literature for comparable results.

Making matters worse, researchers often kept their results, and the simulation and testing tools they developed, to themselves.

"One research team might develop a new simulator," says Kormentzas, "but this more or less remained hidden from the rest of the community".

Inspired by the spirit of open-source software, the UNITE team wanted to accelerate progress within and across technologies, such as cellular, wireless, and digital video broadcasting, by encouraging researchers and developers to share and add to one another's work.

"This is the most important thing," says Kormentzas. "If you give your testing tool to the research community, you gain access to the tools of the other teams."

Finding the common thread

When the EU-funded (http://cordis.europa.eu/ictresults/index.cfm?section=home&tpl=eu-funded) UNITE project took a close look at the testing and simulation tools already being used by their ten academic and industrial partners, they were struck by their diversity.

"There were software tools, hardware tools, single-layer simulators, system simulation tools, traffic generators - a heterogeneity of tools," says Kormentzas.

The team had to identify the common features that would allow all these tools to interface. And, says Kormentzas, they had to look to the future so they could easily incorporate new tools in the UNITE platform.

Building the testbed

The UNITE platform, which was featured at the 4th IEEE/IFIP International Week on Management of Networks and Services, in Samos, Greece, consists of three main components.

The first is the visual display terminal (VDT), or graphical user interface, through which users communicate with the virtual testbed. "It lets them have access to the entire functionality of the system," says Kormentzas.

The VDT links users to the UNITE controllers, which offer access to all of the testing and simulation tools that are connected to and supported by the system.

The controllers also define and designate UNITE time slots for specific actions, such as testing a specified communications protocol.

"For a simulator, for example, one time slot may have an actual duration of one hour, while for a hardware device that might mean just milliseconds," says Kormentzas. "But it's all synchronised according to the UNITE time slots."

The UNITE controllers also maintain a database of prior simulations that can be accessed through the VDT. The team recognised the importance of easy access to the database and intuitive ways to view results.

"We had to find a way to navigate through thousands of results from hundreds of algorithms and be able to illustrate those results in a friendly way," says Kormentzas.

The controllers also manage the stand-alone simulators that perform the actual tests and simulations. Right now, UNITE links researchers to seven different simulators scattered across Europe. Its generic design ensures that new tools can readily be added to the system.

"The tools are distributed all around Europe," Kormentzas says, "but in terms of your access to the virtual testbed, you feel that you have everything in your own lab."

Up and running

With UNITE up and running, Kormentzas now hopes to get more communications companies and researchers to link to the platform.

"We have to convince the research community that it is to their advantage to share their tools and findings," says Kormentzas. "The more UNITE is recognised, accepted and used, the more tools and results it will offer and the more effective it will be."

UNITE received funding from the ICT strand of the Sixth Framework Programme (http://cordis.europa.eu/fp6/dc/index.cfm?fuseaction=UserSite.FP6HomePage) for research, and hopes to expand the platform's capabilities and reach more users under a subsequent European grant.

Media note: This feature can be republished without charge provided ICT Results (http://cordis.europa.eu/ictresults/index.cfm?section=press&tpl=presspack) is acknowledged as the source at the top or the bottom of the story. You must request permission before you use any of the photographs on the site. If you do republish, we would be grateful if you could link back to the ICT Results (http://cordis.europa.eu/ictresults) site (http://cordis.europa.eu/ictresults). Let us know if you republish so as to help us provide you with a better service. If you want further contact information on any of the projects cited in this story please contact us at ictresults (at) esn (dot) eu.

Source: Georgios Kormentzas, University of the Aegean, Samos, Greece.

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Contact Information Christian Nielsen

ICT Results

http://cordis.europa.eu/ictresults/index.cfm?section=home&tpl=home

+32 2 639 02 77