Symantec State of Mobility Survey Results

Symantec Survey Reveals Significant Adoption of Enterprise Mobile Apps,

IT Focuses on Balancing Benefits and Risks

 

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. – Feb. 22, 2012  – Symantec Corp. (Nasdaq: SYMC) today announced the results of its 2012 State of Mobility Survey, which revealed a global tipping point in mobility adoption. The survey highlighted an uptake in mobile applications across organizations with 71 percent of enterprises at least discussing deploying custom mobile applications and one-third currently implementing or have already implemented custom mobile applications.

 

Despite this adoption,  almost half (48 percent) of survey respondents mentioned that mobility is somewhat to extremely challenging and a further 41 percent of survey respondents  identified mobile devices as one of their top three IT risks. Yet in the face of these challenges, IT is striking a balance between mobile benefits and risks by transforming its approach to mobility to deliver improved business agility, increased productivity and workforce effectiveness.

 

Click to Tweet: 71% of organizations are already using or planning to use custom mobile applications:  http://bit.ly/xUEG5F

 

“We are impressed by the pace of mobile application adoption within organizations,” said CJ Desai, senior vice president, Endpoint and Mobility Group, Symantec. “This cultural change from refusing mobile devices not long ago, to actively distributing and developing mobile applications, has introduced a new set of challenges and complexities for IT staff. Encouragingly, from a security perspective, a majority of organizations are thinking beyond the simple case of lost or stolen mobile phones.”

 

Read more detailed blog posts:

·         Mobility:  Rising to the Challenge Blog

·         Mobility in Business Today Blog

 

The State of Mobility Survey reveals the challenges organizations are grappling with in accommodating the mobility tipping point and also identifies and quantifies mobility-associated risks as perceived by IT decision makers. In this survey, more than 6,000 organizations from 43 countries bring to light the change in the usage of mobile devices and mobile applications.

 

Mobile Devices Now Critical Business Tools

The significant adoption of mobile applications demonstrates remarkable confidence, by organizations, in the ability for mobility to deliver value. This confidence is further supported by a rare alignment between expectations and reality. Generally, the gains expected from new technologies far exceed the reality upon implementation.  However, for the smartphones and tablets currently in use, 70 percent of those surveyed expected to see increased employee productivity, yet 77 percent actually saw productivity gains after implementing. Furthermore, 59 percent of respondents are now relying on mobile devices for line-of-business applications, another sign that mobility has graduated to mainstream status.

 

Mobile Initiatives Significantly Impacting IT Resources

As with the adoption of any new technology, mobility is challenging IT organizations. Almost half (48 percent) of respondents mentioned that mobility is somewhat to extremely challenging, while two thirds noted that reducing the cost and complexity is one of their top business objectives. In Symantec’s view, this increased pain level indicates the transition from small pilots and tactical implementations−where policies are often bypassed and exceptions are made−to enterprise-wide deployments where policy standards across a larger scale introduce greater complexity. This also suggests that many implementations are not yet taking sufficient advantage of their existing enterprise systems and processes, which would alleviate much of the pain and cost that comes with larger scale and resource duplication.

 

Mobility Risks Impacting Organizations

Mobile adoption is not without risks, and IT organizations recognize this challenge. Approximately three out of four organizations indicate maintaining a high level of security is a top business objective for mobility and 41 percent identified mobile devices as one of the top three IT risks, making it the leading risk cited by IT. Concerns are wide-ranging, from lost and stolen devices, data leakage, unauthorized access to corporate resources and the spread of malware infections from mobile devices to the company network. With mobile devices now delivering critical business processes and data, the cost of security incidents can be significant. The average annual cost of mobile incidents for enterprises, including data loss, damage to the brand, productivity loss, and loss of customer trust was USD$429,000 for enterprise. The average annual cost of mobile incidents for small businesses was USD$126,000. 

 

Recommendations

Organizations that choose to embrace mobility, without compromising on security, are most likely to improve business processes and achieve productivity gains. To this end, organizations should consider developing a mobile strategy that defines the organization’s mobile culture and aligns with their security risk tolerance.

 

Some key recommendations include:

 

·         Enable broadly: Mobility offers tremendous opportunities for organizations of all sizes. Explore how you can take advantage of mobility and develop a phased approach to build an ecosystem that supports your plan. To get the most from mobile advances, plan for line-of-business mobile applications that have mainstream use. Employees will use mobile devices for business one way or another – make it on your terms.

·         Think strategically:  Build a realistic assessment of the ultimate scale of your mobile business plan and its impact on your infrastructure. Think beyond email. Explore all of the mobile opportunities that can be introduced and understand the risks and threats that need to be mitigated. As you plan, take a cross-functional approach to securing sensitive data no matter where it might end up.

·         Manage efficiently: Mobile devices are legitimate endpoints that require the same attention given to traditional PCs. Many of the processes, policies, education and technologies that are leveraged for desktops and laptops are also applicable to mobile platforms. So the management of mobile devices should be integrated into the overall IT management framework and administered in the same way – ideally using compatible solutions and unified policies. This creates operational efficiencies and lowers the total cost of ownership.

·         Enforce Appropriately: As more employees connect their personal devices to the corporate network, organizations need to modify their acceptable usage policies to accommodate both corporate-owned and personally-owned devices.  Management and security levers will need to differ based on ownership of the device and the associated controls that the organization requires. Employees will continue to add devices to the corporate network to make their jobs more efficient and enjoyable so organizations must plan for this legally, operationally and culturally.

·         Secure comprehensively: Look beyond basic password, wipe and application blocking policies. Focus on the information and where it is viewed, transmitted and stored. Integrating with existing data loss prevention, encryption and authentication policies will ensure consistent corporate and regulatory compliance.

 

Symantec’s 2012 State of Mobility Survey

Symantec’s 2012 State of Mobility Survey was conducted by Applied Research from August-November 2011.  The results are based on 6,275 organizations in 43 countries in North America, EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa), Asia Pacific, Japan and Latin America. Among small businesses, we spoke with the person in charge of IT. Among enterprises, we contacted senior IT and C-level professionals. For the purposes of this survey, mobile devices refer to handheld devices such as the Blackberry Smartphone, iPhone, Android, iTouch and other similar devices. Laptops are not included in the definition of mobile devices.

 

Resources

·         State of Mobility Survey Report

·         Infographic: Enterprises At The Tipping Point In Mobile Adoption

·         SlideShare Presentation: State of Mobility Global Results

·         Mobility:  Rising to the Challenge Blog

·         Mobility in Business Today Blog

·         State of Mobility Survey Press Kit

 

Connect with Symantec

 

About Symantec

Symantec is a global leader in providing security, storage and systems management solutions to help consumers and organizations secure and manage their information-driven world.  Our software and services protect against more risks at more points, more completely and efficiently, enabling confidence wherever information is used or stored. More information is available at www.symantec.com.                                                                                            

 

Norton: 50 Riskiest Online Canadian Cities

Top 10 “Riskiest” Online Canadian Cities of 2012 Presented by Norton

 

Burlington, Ontario Residents Face Highest Number of Risk Factors

 

TORONTO, ON. – Feb. 22, 2012 – Norton teamed up with independent research firm Sperling’s BestPlaces to uncover Canada’s top 10 cities[1] that have the highest number of cybercrime risk factors. 

 

This year marks the second time Norton and Sperling’s BestPlaces have collaborated to highlight the various factors that contribute to the potential risk of cybercrime.

 

The Top 10 Riskiest Online Cities in Canada are:

 

No. 1 – Burlington, ON

No. 2 – Port Coquitlam, BC

No. 3 – Vancouver, BC

No. 4 – Langley, BC

No. 5 – Calgary, AB

No. 6 – Fredericton, NB

No. 7 – Toronto, ON

No. 8 – New Westminster, BC

No. 9 – Edmonton, AB

No. 10 – Victoria, BC

 

Cities with the greatest risk factors do not necessarily correlate with the highest infection rates, reflecting the fact that many consumers are taking precautions to keep themselves safe.

 

“In our examination of the riskiest online cities, we’ve considered a number of factors that can potentially affect online safety,” said Bert Sperling, founder of Sperling’s BestPlaces and lead researcher for the analysis. “By looking at data from consumer lifestyle habits as well as cybercrime data provided by Symantec, maker of Norton products, we’re able to provide a holistic view of the various factors that put a person at potential risk.”

 

Sperling’s BestPlaces determined the per-capita rankings by examining several consumer behaviors – from the prevalence of PCs and smartphones, to social networking and accessing potentially unsecured Wi-Fi hotspots, among others. 

 

·         For the second time, leading “riskiest” online city, Burlington, ON., placed high in all four categories measuring cybercrime data per capita, including attempted malware infections, attempted web attacks, attempted spamming and attempted bots by city. Burlington also ranked high amongst internet use and expenditures. 

 

·         Port Coquitlam, BC again ranked second in the analysis this time around. Port Coquitlam scored at the top in the majority of the categories surveyed, including cybercrime data per capita. Both Port Coquitlam and Vancouver (which ranked third), reported high numbers of social networking use.

 

·         Residents of Victoria, which came in as Canada’s tenth “riskiest” online city, ranked highest among Wi-Fi hotspots and Fredericton, which ranked sixth overall, had the highest use of social networking. 

 

·         Other cities in the top 10 include Langley, Calgary, Toronto, New Westminster and Edmonton. According to the research, Toronto and Calgary both ranked amongst the highest for spending on personal computers. Langley, ranked above average across all categories, while Edmonton and New Westminster were the only cities that weren’t included on the 2010 top 10 list.

 

“This report highlights some of the factors Canadians should be considering no matter where they live,” said Lynn Hargrove, Director of Consumer Solutions, Symantec Canada. “I suggest Canadians take a good look at how they are connecting online and what security perimeters they’ve put in place – if they are not certain they are as safe as possible, it’s easy to get educated and make small changes that go a long way to protect their information.”

 

"This is the second time that Burlington has come out on top in this ranking. We choose to look at the positive aspects," said Rick Goldring, Mayor of Burlington. "This report shows our residents are connected and are reaping the benefits of using the Internet for both personal and business needs. This is a good opportunity to look at these risk factors and remind residents - even those in other cities - to protect themselves and their information online."

 

Of the Top 50 Canadian cities examined, Levis, Quebec ranked the least risky online city. Levis ranked low across all categories and had the lowest ranking for cybercrime data. Other low-ranked cities include Longueuil and Gatineau in Quebec, which placed in the 48th and 49th spots, respectively.

 

Top 3 Safety Tips from Norton

 

1.                   Proceed with caution when using Wi-Fi hotspots

Wi-Fi hotspots are a great resource, but make sure you’re using a secured network if conducting online purchases or banking from a laptop, tablet or smartphone.

2.       Use complex and unique passwords for each site

Use a combination of uppercase and lowercase letters, symbols and numbers and make your passwords as random as possible. It’s also good practice to change your passwords regularly, but managing all these passwords can be tricky. Norton offers a free, cloud-enabled service that allows consumers to easily and securely store and synchronize logins, passwords, credit cards, and other Web form information across browsers and devices. ID Safe beta is available for free download from IdentitySafe-beta.norton.com

3.       Stay educated

For more information and tips on staying safe no matter where you live, visit Norton’s Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/Norton and Norton.com for a complete list of consumer security products.

 

The Complete Rankings

2012 rank

2010 rank

Municipality

Province

1

1

Burlington

ON

2

2

Port Coquitlam

BC

3

4

Vancouver

BC

4

3

Langley

BC

5

5

Calgary

AB

6

14

Fredericton

NB

7

8

Toronto

ON

8

16

New Westminster

BC

9

13

Edmonton

AB

10

12

Victoria

BC

11

6

Oakville

ON

12

10

Kitchener

ON

13

9

Kelowna

BC

14

7

Markham

ON

15

11

Ottawa

ON

16

31

Halifax

NS

17

23

Barrie

ON

18

28

Kingston

ON

19

21

Regina

SK

20

22

London

ON

21

24

Saskatoon

SK

22

18

Sudbury

ON

23

29

St. John's

NF

24

27

Richmond

BC

25

19

Winnipeg

MB

26

30

Abbotsford

BC

27

32

Guelph

ON

28

17

Mississauga

ON

29

34

Burnaby

BC

30

25

Montreal

QC

31

41

Hamilton

ON

32

15

Thunder Bay

ON

33

26

Richmond Hill

ON

34

36

Surrey

BC

35

35

Whitby

ON

36

33

Oshawa

ON

37

37

Coquitlam

BC

38

20

Windsor

ON

39

38

Vaughan

ON

40

40

Cambridge

ON

41

42

St Catharines

ON

42

39

Sault Ste Marie

ON

43

43

Brampton

ON

44

47

Quebec

QC

45

46

Trois-Rivieres

QC

46

48

Sherbrooke

QC

47

44

Laval

QC

48

50

Longueuil

QC

49

49

Dell Announces Canadian Availability of Mobile Clinical Computing, an integrated end-to-end IT solution

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Dell Announces Canadian Availability of Mobile Clinical Computing, an integrated end-to-end IT solution

·         Helps improve IT management and data security for hospitals

·         Features latest virtualization and biometric authentication technologies with services that simplify implementation

·         Enables hospitals to improve efficiencies, optimize costs and meet operational objectives, while boosting staff productivity and employee satisfaction

 

TORONTO, Feb. 22, 2012 - Dell is taking another important step towards improving IT management in healthcare with the availability of Mobile Clinical Computing (MCC) in Canada. Designed to address the unique needs of healthcare providers, Dell’s end-to-end MCC solution contributes to making patient information accessible to medical professionals as conveniently as possible, without compromising the security of these medical records. By combining desktop virtualization, single-sign-on and strong authentication technologies, MCC facilitates clinical efficiency, increases IT productivity and improves data security.

 

With the explosive growth in mobile devices in the healthcare sector, including computers on wheels, notebooks, tablets and other handheld devices, healthcare providers are demanding easy access to patient data anytime, anywhere, on any device.  MCC fulfills this demand by enabling fast and secure access to patient information where and when it is needed by medical professionals, while simultaneously keeping patient data updated and secure in the data centre.

 

Findings of MCC pilot projects at 10 European hospitals demonstrate how the right information technology can help medical professionals reclaim up to three hours a week for patient care by improving access to patient information and reducing application access time by an average of 83 percent. For the hospitals, these time savings can add up to approximately $15,000 in annual productivity gains for each medical professional.[1]

 

Similar results are expected at Whitehorse General Hospital, the first Canadian installation and in upcoming trials at Markham Stouffville Hospital, Ontario, the site of Dell’s first MCC implementation in Ontario. “Our clinicians are mobile, they are constantly on the move treating our patients and they need an electronic system that can keep up with them,” says Tim Pemberton, Director of Information Systems, Markham Stouffville Hospital. “This technology will be essential to our expansion and our future Meditech Advanced Clinical deployments.”

 

Dell’s MCC solution offers numerous benefits to IT managers, hospital administrators and healthcare providers alike.  By centralizing data in the data centre through client virtualization, MCC allows IT managers to better manage client systems, data security, images and data storage. Device deployment is streamlined, issues can be resolved faster and maintenance tasks that once took hours can now be completed in minutes. Centralized data storage also helps safeguard hospital data and patient records should a client end-point device ever be compromised.

 

MCC transforms the IT manager’s role from overseeing the ever-growing number of client devices such as desktops, laptops, tablets and handhelds, to managing the medical professional’s digital identity. Multi-factor authentication using a number of options such as RFID smartcards, passwords and facial or fingerprint biometrics makes this possible. Strong, personalized authentication helps maintain the integrity and security of patient records, allowing access to information only to those authorized based on an individual practitioner’s profile.

 

MCC improves clinical efficiency by eliminating repetitive log-in and log-outs. A single sign-on by each healthcare practitioner allows users to transfer their personalized virtual desktop from one device to another as they move around the hospital, without the need to enter separate passwords for each application and device.  By creating these efficiencies, the deployment of MCC helps hospitals to achieve their operational objectives within their budget constraints.

 

Dell’s Mobile Clinical Computing solution includes:

·         Dell’s Flexible Computing infrastructure and services that allow customers to optimize IT for unique environments with On-Demand Desktop Streaming, Virtual Remote Desktop and Dedicated Remote Workstation;

·         Computing power delivered to users according to need with applications and patient information protected and secured in the data centre;

·         Ability for a medical practitioner to roam between different client devices while maintaining an active session, without the need for multiple log-ins and log-outs;

·         Single sign-on and quick and secure user authentication with contactless smartcards and other authentication devices; 

·         Industry-leading virtualization and biometric authentication technologies;

·         Simplified user and application management.

 

Dell’s assessment, design and validation, implementation and support services identify the best Flexible Computing solution based on end-user needs and simplify deployment and support.

 

Quote:  John Armstrong, National Director Healthcare and Life Sciences, Dell Canada

“Healthcare customers in Canada require solutions that increase flexibility, improve efficiency and provide the assurance that that patient data and applications are accessible and secure. We understand the importance of getting the right technology and information access into the hands of the professionals who are delivering care to patients.”

 

Quote:  Tim Pemberton, Director of Information Services, Markham Stouffville Hospital

At Markham Stouffville Hospital we take pride in being an eHealth leader. We were the first Meditech 6.0 Migration site in Canada and we continue to innovate to ensure we can provide the best possible care for our patients. MCC technology will be a key enabler for our nurses and physicians and will be a critical tool in our delivery of high quality care.”

 

Quote: Patrick von Wiegen, Technical Analyst, Whitehorse General Hospital

“When doctors access the up-to-date information, they provide better care. We are helping deliver information quickly, efficiently, and securely with the solution from Dell.”

 

 

About Dell

Dell Inc. (NASDAQ: DELL) listens to customers and delivers innovative technology and services that give them the power to do more. As the leading provider of healthcare IT services in the world, Dell helps healthcare organizations harness the power of information to simplify administration; coordinate and manage patient care; transition from episodic care to prevention and wellness management and ultimately to deliver personalized medicine. For more information, visit:  www.dell.ca

 

[1] Based on use by Senior Doctors (senior reviewer usage category) – Dell Mobile Clinical Computing Whitepaper, Ignetica 2010. The time released and associated economic value varies by usage categories. Please see the whitepaper for further details.

IMPORTANT NOTICE: The Dell products described are not medical devices and are not certified as Medical Electrical Equipment under UL 60601-1 or the Canadian Medical Device Conformity Assessment System (CMDCAS). For more information, please visit www.dell.com/healthcare/certification.

 

Contacts

Janet Fabri

Dell

416.758.3398

Janet_fabri@dell.com  

Gal Wilder

Cohn & Wolfe for Dell

416.924.5700

Gal.wilder@cohnwolfe.ca

 

 

 

OCAD U partners with Guardly to put code blue emergency phones directly into students’ pockets

Image001

OCAD University partners with Guardly to put code blue emergency phones directly into students’ pockets

 

Guardly Safe Campus Program infrastructure developed
within OCAD U’s own mobile incubator, MEIC

   

(Toronto—February 22, 2012) OCAD University has teamed up with mobile start-up Guardly to launch a revolutionary new service aimed to improve the safety of students, faculty and staff both on and off campus.

 

The Guardly Safe Campus Program transforms personal smartphones into code blue emergency phones, the type of emergency consoles typically found installed on campuses across the country. Instead of needing to find one of these devices to signal distress, students can now activate a personal safety network, including campus security, simply by activating the Guardly application on their personal phones. 

 

During an active emergency incident on campus, Guardly uses a combination of GPS, WiFi and cell tower triangulation to track location and provides this information to a campus security dispatcher. For privacy purposes, location tracking is only enabled once a student triggers an alert. A caller’s extended safety network can provide input to campus security to aid in response efforts.

 

Guardly Safe Campus also makes it easier for those with physical disabilities or sensory impairments to reach help. Since Guardly Safe Campus is built upon the Guardly infrastructure, if students or staff members have an emergency off-campus, the Guardly mobile application can still be used to notify up to 15 emergency contacts as well as 9-1-1 services, further extending the value of the service to OCAD U community members.

 

“Guardly’s Safe Campus Program has been designed in tandem with campus security administrators and unlocks the capabilities for security managers to immediately identify callers, track location in real-time and communicate with emergency callers by voice or instant messaging,” said Josh Sookman, CEO, Guardly Corp.

 

The subscription-based Guardly mobile personal safety system has been available to individuals since April 2011. A graduate of OCAD U’s Mobile Experience Innovation Centre (MEIC) incubator program, Guardly developed its core infrastructure and its first mobile application for iPhone during its six month residency. It was also during this key period that Guardly, through discussions with key personnel at OCAD U’s campus security and security teams at other universities, learned about how the technology could help higher educational institutions keep campuses safe. Guardly is currently available for iPhone, BlackBerry, Android and Windows Phone 7 devices.

 

“The Guardly Safe Campus Program will undoubtedly revolutionize security services in higher education environments,” said OCAD University President, Dr. Sara Diamond. “Guardly is a powerful communications tool for campus security teams, giving them the critical information they need to effectively respond to emergency incidents ever more quickly. We’re even more proud that the infrastructure for the service was developed within OCAD U’s mobile incubator at the Mobile Experience Innovation Centre. This is one of many research commercialization successes coming through OCAD U’s research and innovation initiatives.”

 

OCAD U is currently undergoing a rigorous testing period with a plan to roll out the app to the entire OCAD U community by September.


OCAD University (OCAD U): 135 Years of Imagination

OCAD University (www.ocadu.ca) is Canada’s “university of the imagination.” The University, founded in 1876, is dedicated to art and design education, practice and research and to knowledge and invention across a wide range of disciplines. OCAD University is building on its traditional, studio-based strengths, adding new approaches to learning that champion cross-disciplinary practice, collaboration and the integration of emerging technologies. In the Age of Imagination, OCAD University community members will be uniquely qualified to act as catalysts for the next advances in culture, technology and quality of life for all Canadians.

 

Guardly Corp.
Guardly (https://www.guardly.com) is a platform for emergency communication that facilitates rapid social, mobile and location-aware responses to calls for assistance. Smartphone users who find themselves in an emergency situation can alert, connect and collaborate with local authorities, campus security as well as their own safety groups in a single tap. Guardly is based in Toronto and raised venture funding from Golden Venture Partners, Extreme Venture Partners and angel investors. Guardly is committed to dramatically decreasing the amount of time it takes responders to arrive at an emergency.

 

 

- 30 -

 

For more information and images, please contact:

 

Sarah Mulholland, Media & Communications Officer, OCAD University

416.977.6000 Ext. 327 (mobile Ext. 1327)

smulholland@ocadu.ca

 

 

 

SARAH MULHOLLAND

MEDIA & COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER

MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS

 

416 977 6000 x327  

416 977 6000 x1327  

E smulholland@ocadu.ca

 

Twitter @OCAD

Facebook www.facebook.com/OCADUniversity 

 

OCAD UNIVERSITY

100 McCaul Street, Toronto, Canada  M5T 1W1

www.ocadu.ca

 

Acer Canada expands commercial business unit for SME customers

Acer Expands Commercial Business Unit to Focus on IT Needs of Small and Medium Enterprise Customers in Canada

Acer Takes Comprehensive Approach to Meeting Demands of IT Departments and Commercial Customers; Call Centres Now Based in North America


MISSISSAUGA, Ontario, Canada, Feb. 22, 2012 – Acer America today announces that it has expanded its commercial business unit in Canada to meet the needs of small and medium enterprise (SME) customers and their IT departments. To support this new focus, Acer has moved call centre support services from off-shore to North America and made considerable investments in resources including service and support.
All commercial customers in Canada who purchase Acer commercial products will receive a premier level of technical service and support from Acer’s North American call centres, now located in Windsor, ON and Temple, Texas. This new premier service includes toll-free access to customer support that is designed to provide more immediate and complete issue resolution to commercial customers.
The technicians responding to commercial customer inquiries are equipped to troubleshoot, diagnose and solve complicated end-user issues in both English and French. Acer’s new premier technical service level applies to all commercial customers who purchase Acer Veriton desktops, TravelMate notebooks or Acer servers, regardless of the quantities of products they purchase.  In addition, Acer has enhanced its programs for Authorized Service Providers (ASPs) to provide commercial customers with improved on-site support options.
“Acer means business in every sense – and we’ve made the investments to positively impact our commercial customers – from our superior and professional technical and customer support as well as to our product enhancements ranging from design and development, software integration, and installation,” said Terry Tomecek, general manager, Acer Canada. “Customers will be especially impressed by the superior level of technical support they receive from our North American call centres. Our highly-skilled technical support representatives will be able to provide guidance and resolve issues quickly and reliably to get our customers back to work.”

Leads North American Commercial Personnel
As part of its expanded commitment to commercial customers, Acer has announced that Michael O'Beirne will be leading the new commercial product management team as senior director, commercial product marketing. In this new role, O'Beirne will oversee product management and programs related to the Acer’s commercial business for both Canada and the United States. Prior to this position, O'Beirne worked in various roles at Acer Canada. He has more than 20 years of experience in various sales, marketing, and management roles with leading IT solutions providers including Electronic Data Systems, Novell and HP.

Acer made additional investments in personnel to better address the unique needs of Acer’s commercial customers and their IT departments. The company now has a dedicated commercial product management team that will report to O’Beirne, new engineering resources, and has expanded its commercial sales team by 50 percent.

Acer is the number two PC provider in Canada and has held the number one Canadian market share position in LED and LCD displays for 26 consecutive quarters.(1)

About Acer
Since its founding in 1976, Acer has achieved the goal of breaking the barriers between people and technology. Globally, Acer ranks No. 2 for notebook PCs.(2) A profitable and sustainable Channel Business Model is instrumental to the company's continuing growth, while its multi-brand approach integrates Acer, Gateway, Packard Bell, and eMachines brands in worldwide markets. Acer designs environmentally friendly products and has established a green supply chain through collaboration with suppliers. Acer is proud to be a Worldwide Partner of the Olympic Movement, including supporting the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games and London 2012 Olympic Games. The Acer Group employs 8,000 people worldwide. Revenues for 2010 reached US$19.9 billion. Visit www.acer-group.com for more information.


© 2012 Acer America Corp. All rights reserved. Acer and the Acer logo are registered trademarks of Acer Inc. Other trademarks, registered trademarks, and/or service marks, indicated or otherwise, are the property of their respective owners.

1.      Source:  Partner Research Corporation (PRC)
2.      Source: Gartner data Q3 2011.
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Bell committed to bringing the latest broadband wireless services to rural Canada

Bell committed to bringing the latest broadband wireless services to rural Canada

  • Rollout of next-generation LTE network to rural and remote communities depends on open and transparent 700 MHz spectrum auction
  • Key government decision sets the stage for our broadband mobile future - global wireless leadership benefitting all regions of Canada, or a new rural-urban digital divide

MONTREAL, Feb. 21, 2012 /CNW Telbec/ - Bell today urged the federal government to ensure the forthcoming auction of 700 MHz spectrum is open and transparent, with no special measures to favour some companies over others. Any other approach risks leaving Canadians, especially in rural and remote areas, out of the next generation of wireless broadband innovation and the economic benefits it will bring.

"Bell has the scale, the commitment and the proven track record to keep Canada at the forefront of global mobile wireless technology, fostering ongoing productivity, investment and innovation here at home. But to deliver leading-edge mobile services like LTE to Canadians across the country, Bell needs a fair and equal opportunity to bid on the spectrum required," said Wade Oosterman, President of Bell Mobility. "Bell now offers next-generation LTE service in urban centres across Canada and we're eager to extend this next generation mobile service to rural and remote communities - just as we've consistently done with earlier mobile network technologies such as HSPA+. But fair and equitable access to spectrum is crucial."

Bell undertakes capital expenditures surpassing $3 billion a year to develop Canada's digital communications infrastructure, spending more on new next generation networks and investing more in Canadian R&D than any other communications provider. LTE is the newest broadband technology being deployed by Bell, which now serves 14 urban centres across Canada, with plans to expand to more centres in 2012. Bell LTE complements the company's broadband HSPA+ network introduced in November 2009, which now serves more than 97% of the Canadian population in rural, remote and urban locations from coast to coast.

To undertake a similarly extensive national network build with LTE, Bell requires access to the 700 MHz spectrum that is ideal for carrying wireless signals over long distances, increasing the speed and reducing the cost of network deployment. An auction for this spectrum that isn't open and transparent would limit the amount of spectrum available to Bell, forcing a focus on more densely populated centres in order for Bell to compete with new carriers already given special access to new spectrum in 2008. In order to maximize their profits, new carriers have since concentrated all their resources in major urban centres to the detriment of rural Canada.

With only half as much spectrum available compared to the 2008 auction, spectrum set asides or other extraordinary favours for certain companies would permanently disadvantage a truly national wireless operator like Bell.

"The economic reality in a country as geographically large and diverse as Canada is that you need scale both to partner with global technology leaders and to invest at the level required to ensure that all Canadians are part of the mobile broadband revolution," said Mr. Oosterman. "Without a fair and open spectrum auction, companies like the new carriers that have chosen to operate only in the most profitable urban areas would be the only ones to benefit. We risk a new rural-urban digital divide in which Bell is forced to focus its resources on urban centres in order to compete."

"Bell has the resources and a proven track record of bringing the best of global wireless to every region of Canada. This spectrum auction is a key decision point for our government, a moment that determines whether our approach to technology leadership puts a superphone in the hands of Canadians wherever they may live - or just those who happen to live in the biggest cities," said Mr. Oosterman.

Bell offers Canada's most impressive portfolio of superphones and other mobile devices including the LG Optimus 4G LTE, HTC Raider 4G LTE, Samsung Galaxy Nexus, Galaxy Tab LTE and the newly introduced Galaxy Note. With Bell Mobile TV, customers have on-the-go access to Canada's best content available directly on the industry's best superphones, smartphones and tablets.

About Bell
Bell is Canada's largest communications company, providing consumers and business with solutions to all their communications needs: Bell Mobility wireless, high-speed Bell Internet, Bell Satellite TV and Bell Fibe TV, Bell Home Phone local and long distance, and Bell Business Markets IP-broadband and information and communications technology (ICT) services. Bell Media is Canada's premier multimedia company with leading assets in television, radio and digital media, including CTV, Canada's #1 television network, and the country's most-watched specialty channels.

The Bell Mental Health Initiative is a multi-year charitable program that promotes mental health across Canada via the Bell Let's Talk anti-stigma campaign and support for community care, research and workplace best practices. To learn more, please visit Bell.ca/LetsTalk.

Bell is wholly owned by BCE Inc. (TSX, NYSE: BCE). For Bell product and service information, please visit Bell.ca. For Bell Media, please visit BellMedia.ca. For BCE corporate information, please visit BCE.ca.

For further information:

Jacqueline Michelis
Bell Media Relations
1 855-785-1427
jacqueline.michelis@bell.ca
@Bell_News

Oracle Delivers Updates to Oracle Enterprise Healthcare Analytics

Oracle Delivers Updates to Oracle Enterprise Healthcare Analytics

New Features Enable Faster Analytics Deployment, Provide Efficient End-to-End Data Integration, and Enhance Capabilities for Outcomes, Cost, and Revenue Analysis

HIMSS 12, Las Vegas – Feb. 21, 2012

News Facts

Oracle today announced several significant enhancements to Oracle Enterprise Healthcare Analytics, a pre-built business intelligence and performance management solution that helps healthcare organizations make informed decisions that improve financial performance, care quality and outcomes.
Addressing a growing demand across the healthcare industry for mobile, easy-to-use and rapidly deployable analytical applications, the latest updates help customers:
Accelerate time-to-value and reduce deployment risk with Oracle Healthcare Analytics Data Integration, which consolidates, integrates, validates and loads source data from clinical, financial, administrative and research systems into Oracle’s comprehensive healthcare data model. The new component, which can save healthcare organizations many person-years in development and implementation time, tackles one of the most complex and time-intensive aspects of analytics and data management.
Drive revenue and improve resource allocation through new attributes in the solution that enable organizations to map staffing requirements to patient scheduling and optimize utilization of critical resources, such as operating rooms.
Improve care and outcomes through new attributes that support comparative effectiveness research and formulary modeling.
Support the mobile workforce via out-of-the-box functionality for iPad and iPhone, which includes the ability to initiate actions and workflows directly from mobile devices in conjunction with Oracle Business Intelligence Enterprise Edition.
In addition, Oracle Enterprise Healthcare Analytics provides out-of-the-box integration with multiple best-of-breed third-party analytics applications for cost analytics, safety monitoring, accountable care, registry reporting and meaningful use compliance.

Supporting Quote

“The need for actionable business intelligence is no longer a ‘nice-to-have,’ but is now mission-critical as healthcare organizations work to improve outcomes, cut costs and enable more accountable care,” said Neil de Crescenzo, senior vice president and general manager, Oracle Health Sciences. “The newest release of Oracle Enterprise Healthcare Analytics makes it easier, faster and more cost-effective for healthcare organizations to integrate and analyze clinical, financial and research data, delivering the information and insight they need to drive efficiencies, support evidence-based medicine initiatives and improve outcomes.”

Supporting Resources

About Oracle

Oracle engineers hardware and software to work together in the cloud and in your data center.  For more information about Oracle (NASDAQ:ORCL), visit www.oracle.com.

About Oracle in Industries

Oracle industry solutions leverage the company's best-in-class portfolio of products to address complex business processes relevant to health sciences, helping speed time to market, reduce costs and gain a competitive edge.

Trademark

Oracle is a registered trademark of Oracle Corporation and/or its affiliates. Other names may be trademarks of their respective owners.

# # #

Contact Info

Greg Lunsford
Oracle
+1.650.506.6523
greg.lunsford@oracle.com

Mary Tobin
O’Keeffe & Company
+1.503.658.7396
mtobin@okco.com

HP Announces Healthcare Alliance Program

HP Announces Healthcare Alliance Program

Hospitals and healthcare organizations to benefit from HP and software partner technology offerings

LAS VEGAS, Feb. 21, 2012

HP today announced a new healthcare affiliate program that combines offerings from independent software vendors with hardware from HP so hospitals and healthcare organizations can better deliver cost-effective, efficient and high-quality care.

Members of the HP Healthcare Alliance program include renowned healthcare providers, such as Quest Diagnostics and its Care360® EHR, Greenway Medical Technologies and Central Logic. HP and several software partners will exhibit their joint offerings at the annual Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS) conference and exhibition in HP booth 3845 today through Feb. 23.

“Through our close collaboration with technology leaders in the Healthcare Alliance program, HP is providing an easy path for vendors to bring their most innovative healthcare solutions to market with the reliability of HP hardware,” said Chris Mertens, vice president, Americas Healthcare Practice, Personal Systems Group, HP.

HP will offer customers a wide range of hardware and specialized equipment – such as medical carts, digital signage and clinical reference technology – combined with software from HP Healthcare Alliance program partners. Collaborative solutions on display at HIMSS include:

  • MedWeb will showcase its picture archiving and communication systems (PACS) viewer on the new HP Slate 2 and its virtual PACS solutions on HP Mobile Workstations. In addition, MedWeb will use HP hardware with its web-based telemedicine solutions to provide integrated medical imaging and consultations for teledermatology, teleophthalmology, teleradiology, telestroke, teledentistry and telewound care.
  • ACR 2 Solutions provides state-of-the-art automated enterprise risk-management software to help the healthcare industry meet information security compliance requirements. HP partners and customers who are developing electronic health record (EHR) solutions also will have access to ACR 2’s meaningful-use compliant risk-management software through HP.
  • Status Solutions uses HP workstations to power its SARA (Situational Awareness and Response Assistant) solution, which allows caregivers to remotely monitor their patients’ vital information and alerts status. SARA enables nurses using the HP TouchSmart 9300 All-in-One business PC at care station endpoints, or physicians on the move with an HP Slate 2, to stay connected with their patients’ well being.
  • Brainlab develops software-driven medical technology that supports targeted, less-invasive treatment. The company takes full advantage of HP touch technology as a part of its core offering, including the HP TouchSmart 9300 and 42-inch HP Digital Signage displays powered by HP Z210 Workstations.
  • DigitalPersona offers healthcare IT managers a centrally managed suite of authentication and access management solutions that protect data, PCs, applications and networks. With its remote administration for HP ProtectTools, DigitalPersona’s software allows IT managers to enforce and monitor security for an entire fleet of laptops and desktops from any location.
  • The Astound Technologies Virtual Specialist™ is powered by HP Z400 and Z600 Workstations that streamline and standardize video communications and collaboration among primary care physicians, specialists and their patients. Virtual Specialist also uses the HP TouchSmart 9300 All-in-One business PC at care station endpoints, extending the use of visual communications to affiliated care facilities with minimal investments and hassle.

More information about HP healthcare solutions is available at www.hp.com/go/healthcarealliance.

Partner quotes

“Our relationship with HP has been a key factor in promoting our solution,” said Dr. Darin M. Vercillo, chief executive officer, Central Logic. “The goal is to improve patient care while maximizing hospital efficiency. Optimizing patient flow helps accomplish these critical objectives and our collaboration with HP as part of the Healthcare Alliance program is creating new opportunities for hospitals nationwide.”

“Through our longtime collaboration with HP, Greenway has been helping healthcare organizations automate and streamline delivery processes, increase efficiency and improve quality of care with EHR solutions,” said Greg Schulenburg, chief operating officer, Greenway Medical Technologies. “As a charter member of the Healthcare Alliance program, we are excited to continue working with HP to provide healthcare organizations with functionality and service excellence.”

“The Healthcare Alliance program is testament to the relationship we’ve delivered with HP in the past several years,” said Richard Mahoney, president, MedPlus, and vice president, Healthcare Information Solutions, Quest Diagnostics. “Combining our easy-to-adopt Care360 EHR solution from Quest Diagnostics with one-stop shopping for HP’s hardware and services has given physicians an easy path to EHR adoption that allows them to take full advantage of its benefits to achieve better patient care, capitalize on meaningful use incentives, and improve efficiency for their practice.”

About HP

HP creates new possibilities for technology to have a meaningful impact on people, businesses, governments and society. The world’s largest technology company, HP brings together a portfolio that spans printing, personal computing, software, services and IT infrastructure to solve customer problems. More information about HP (NYSE: HPQ) is available at http://www.hp.com.

Biomni Announces Release of Free IT Service Catalog Software for Enterprise Information Technology Service Management (ITSM)

Biomni Announces Release of Free IT Service Catalog Software for Enterprise Information Technology Service Management (ITSM)

Information contained on this page is provided by companies via press release distributed through PR Newswire, an independent third-party content provider. PR Newswire, WorldNow and this Station make no warranties or representations in connection therewith.

SOURCE Biomni

Customer-Focused Service Catalog Extends IT Department's Business Value

LAS VEGAS, Feb. 20, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- PINK ELEPHANT -- Biomni, the pioneer of User-Centric Enterprise Service Catalog and Request Fulfillment solutions, today announced their free, entry-level edition of Front Office Essentials is available in the United States. Biomni's iTunes-like approach to the presentation of IT Service Catalogs provides business users with a single point of contact for viewing and requesting new IT services. Biomni Front Office Essentials allows IT Departments to easily define, manage and publish their service offerings, deliver tangible cost savings, improve business operations and increase customer satisfaction.

"A well-run Information Technology Department is a tremendous asset to any global enterprise, especially when it eliminates paperwork, streamlines shopping and ordering, and delivers great customer service," said Angus Gregory, Chief Executive Officer, Biomni. "In-house business customers expect an Amazon or iTunes-like experience. Biomni Front Office Essentials quickly helps IT departments establish a strong foundation for a customer-centric IT Service Catalog and Request Fulfillment solution with zero up-front investment and limitless potential for future expansion."

Front Office Essentials is Biomni's stand-alone, flexible, intuitive and free solution that allows IT departments to clearly define and publish the services that they offer to the business as a customer-focused IT Service Catalog.

Gregory added, "The industry is changing on a fundamental level and there is more need than ever before for Front Office Essential. We are launching in the U.S. in direct response to the market. Biomni is educating the market, eliminating confusion and bringing a level of maturity to ITSM."

"Biomni Front Office Essentials has helped us gain a competitive advantage by increasing efficiencies, and decreasing costs," said Adrian Hodder, Managed Services Operations Director, Computacenter. "As a service provider to our company, Biomni has simplified day-to-day business interactions between our IT Department and other teams, delivered great customer service, and streamlined the procurement process for new IT goods and services with our vendors."

How it works: Facts about Front Office Essentials

Biomni Front Office Essentials is a cost-effective, powerful, easy to configure, and dedicated Front Office solution for IT Departments. Front Office Essentials displays a catalog of standard IT services – from devices to cloud provisioning – and defines these services in a language that customers can easily understand.

Biomni is platform agnostic and its point-and-click configuration is optimized for the way services are requested, approved and fulfilled, with maximum automation and minimal human involvement.  IT teams do more with less with an actionable service catalog that automates repetitive and often mundane tasks.   Automated request fulfillment frees valuable IT resources and improves IT service quality, which ensures consistency and transparency.

IT Departments choose Front Office Essentials when starting Services Catalog projects to define, manage and publish service offerings to the business.  Some IT organizations deploy Front Office Essentials as a way to automate existing services definitions from spreadsheets, documents or custom web pages to the next level.

Availability: Front Office Essentials is available either via SaaS or hosted on premise at no cost, without the need to purchase a license or ongoing support.  Register for a free copy of Essentials herehttp://www.biomni.com/essentials_reg/

About Biomni

Biomni is an international pioneer of Service Catalog and Request Fulfillment solutions. With Biomni in play, IT departments transform into the agile business partner that the overall business demands. Biomni is ideal for the business customer who expects a self-service shopping experience with excellent customer service from IT.  Biomni helps IT departments deliver and support an ever-increasing range of physical devices, software and virtual infrastructures. Well over 1.4 million users are in production worldwide at leading global service providers and in corporate enterprises. Biomni is a proud member of VMware's Tap Alliance Program, an Amazon Web Services (AWS) Solutions Provider, a certified Microsoft ISV, and an accredited Symantec™ Developer Partner.  www.biomni.com  

Global Bank Expands March Networks Solution to 8,000 Branches in $2.5 Million Deal

Global Bank Expands March Networks Solution to 8,000 Branches in $2.5 Million Deal

OTTAWA, Feb. 21, 2012 /CNW/ - March Networks® (TSX: MN), a global provider of intelligent IP video solutions, today announced more than $2.5 million in orders from a top ten global financial institution for new video recording systems. The financial institution is deploying the hybrid network video recorders (NVRs) to outfit new retail banking branches, as well as existing branches as part of a planned upgrade program. In addition, it plans to use the company's integrated Searchlight software applications in a number of locations to more aggressively reduce losses from ATM skimming, cash harvesting and other banking crime.

These latest orders will bring the bank's total March Networks video surveillance installation to approximately 8,000 locations once the rollout is complete in August 2012. The customer continues to standardize on the financial solution because of its centralized video management capability, which enables authorized staff to access video and conduct investigations remotely at a much faster pace. The solution also provides the demonstrated reliability, scalability, and advanced health monitoring and maintenance needed to ensure optimum system performance across the extensive surveillance network.

"Our financial solutions help banks maintain a competitive advantage by enhancing customer asset protection and increasing operational efficiency," said Peter Strom, President and CEO, March Networks. "We are pleased to announce new business with one of the world's largest financial institutions and look forward to showcasing the significant fraud fighting capabilities of our Searchlight portfolio."

March Networks Searchlight applications provide financial institutions with critical business intelligence that makes it faster and easier to detect and reduce losses from fraud and other crimes. The portfolio includes Financial Transaction Investigation software, which synchronizes ATM and teller transaction records with high-quality video to streamline case management and investigator performance. It also includes powerful Skimming Detection, Image Tracker and License Plate Tracker applications that enable banks to proactively detect fraudulent activity at ATMs and gather strong case evidence through centralized searches that correlate video, transaction information, facial images and license plate data.

More than 450 banks and credit unions worldwide currently use March Networks' financial solutions to improve security, fraud investigation and operations. The company is also ranked the #1 provider of banking video surveillance systems in the Americas by IMS Research.

About March Networks
March Networks® (TSX:MN) is a leading provider of intelligent IP video solutions. For more than a decade, the company has helped some of the world's largest commercial and government organizations transition from traditional CCTV to advanced surveillance technologies used for security, loss prevention, risk mitigation and operational efficiency. Its highly scalable and easy to use Command video management platform incorporates a web-based client interface to enable rapid system deployment and complete system control. It is complemented by the company's portfolio of high-definition IP cameras, encoders, video analytics and hybrid recorders, as well as outstanding professional and managed services. March Networks systems are delivered through an extensive distribution and partner network in more than 50 countries. For more information, please visit www.marchnetworks.com.

Forward-Looking Statements
This release contains certain forward-looking information, including expectations of future business. This information is based on the Company's current expectations and assumptions that are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties that are difficult to predict and that may be beyond March Networks' control. Actual results could differ materially from those expressed in any forward-looking statements due to factors such as customer demand and timing of purchasing decisions, increased levels of competition, technological changes and the successful development of new products, dependence on third-party manufacturers, risks relating to intellectual property infringement claims, and other risks and factors identified in March Networks' public filings with regulatory authorities in Canada. March Networks assumes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements as a result of new information or future events.

MARCH NETWORKS, March Networks Command, March Networks Searchlight and the MARCH NETWORKS logo are trademarks of March Networks Corporation. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

For further information: MEDIA INQUIRIES: 
Erica Miskew
March Networks
+1 613.591.8228 x5760
emiskew@marchnetworks.com

INVESTOR INQUIRIES: 
Ken Taylor
March Networks
+1 613.591.8181
ktaylor@marchnetworks.com