Intel Raises Bar on Smartphones, Tablets and Ultrabook Devices

 

Intel Raises Bar on Smartphones, Tablets and Ultrabook™ Devices

 

Strikes Multi-year, Multi-Device Strategic Partnership with Motorola Mobility*, Including Smartphones that Motorola Will Begin to Ship in 2H 2012

 

Lenovo K800 Smartphone Based on Intel® Technology Available in Second Quarter 2012 in China

  

 

INTERNATIONAL CONSUMER ELECTRONICS SHOW, Las Vegas, Jan. 10, 2012 – Intel Corporation today announced a number of advancements across its smartphone business, including a multi-year, multi-device strategic relationship with Motorola Mobility*, Inc. and a handset by Lenovo* based on the company’s new Intel® Atom™ processor platform. Several smartphones based on the new Atom processor are expected to come to market in 2012.

 

“The best of Intel computing is coming to smartphones,” said Intel President and CEO Paul Otellini. “Our efforts with Lenovo and Motorola Mobility will help to establish Intel processors in smartphones and provide a solid foundation from which to build in 2012 and into the future.”

 

Otellini made the announcements during a keynote address at the 2012 International Consumer Electronics Show. He also detailed Ultrabook™ category momentum and described how the company is innovating to deliver superior experiences across a range of mobile devices.

 

Intel Computing Inside Smartphones and Tablets

Intel CEO highlighted the Intel® Atom™ processor Z2460 platform, formerly “Medfield,” which was specifically designed for smartphones and tablets, and delivers leading performance with competitive, energy efficiency.

 

Sanjay Jha, chairman and CEO of Motorola Mobility, joined Otellini onstage and the two executives detailed their companies’ multi-year, multi-device strategic relationship. The effort includes smartphones that Motorola will begin to ship in the second half of this year using Intel Atom processors and the Android* platform. The collaboration, which also covers tablets, combines Intel’s leadership in silicon technology and computing innovation with Motorola’s mobile device design expertise.

 

Liu Jun, Lenovo senior vice president and president of Mobile Internet and Digital Home, also joined Otellini onstage to debut the Lenovo K800*smartphone based on Intel technology and running the Android* platform. Liu Jun said the K800 smartphone will be available in China in the second quarter and will run on China Unicom’s 21Mbs network. The smartphone features the low-power Intel® Atom™ processor Z2460 with Intel® Hyper-Threading Technology, support for HSPA+ with the Intel® XMM™ 6260 Platform, and the Lenovo LeOS user interface for a localized experience in China.

 

Otellini said enabling the best mobile experience is a priority for Intel. Michael Bell, general manager of Intel’s Mobile and Communications Group, also joined Otellini onstage to demonstrate the Intel® Smartphone Reference Design that aims to shrink device development time and costs for phone OEMs and carriers. This fully functioning smartphone features sleek packaging, a 4.03-inch high-resolution LCD touch screen for crisp text and vibrant images, and two cameras delivering advanced imaging capabilities, including burst mode that allows individuals to capture 15 pictures in less than a second with 8-megapixel quality.

 

Showcasing the popular Angry Birds* application on the phone, Bell pointed to broad Android* applications support that allows Intel technology-based smartphones to run the vast majority of Android* applications, including those compiled for other architectures.

 

Otellini said Intel will raise the bar on tablet experiences by offering compatibility with the millions of existing applications and devices; an instant-on, software and apps experience; and support of the Metro* user interface. Onstage was the world’s first public demonstration of the forthcoming 32nm Intel Atom SoC for tablets and hybrids running on Microsoft* Windows* 8, codenamed “Clover Trail.”

 

Ultrabook to Completely Redefine PCs

Intel is leading the industry to re-invent personal computing again with the creation of the new category of Ultrabook devices, delivering a no-compromise computing experience in thin and elegant designs.

 

In just eight months, and built on a foundation of broad consumer appeal and ecosystem support, the category has gained strong momentum with a total of more than 75 ultra sleek, ultra responsive and secure Ultrabook systems expected to ship this year from industry partners.

 

Jeff Clarke, vice chairman of Global Operations and End User Computing Solutions at Dell*, joined Otellini onstage to announce the company’s first Ultrabook, the new XPS 13* powered by the Intel® Core™ i7 processor. Scheduled for February availability, the sleek and stylish design weighs only 2.99 lbs and provides up to 8 hours of battery life.

 

Intel is committed to the continued rapid improvement in user experience. The company’s engineers will further accelerate Ultrabook innovation in 2012 with 3rd generation Intel Core processors, codenamed “Ivy Bridge,” with the help of Intel’s revolutionary 22nm 3-D Tri-gate transistors.

 

This next generation of devices will expand the computing experience beyond anything realized today. Two Ultrabook concept designs powered by “Ivy Bridge” were demonstrated during the keynote speech.

 

Intel’s CEO promised that these devices will be more secure and eliminate the discussion on trade-offs for computing, like form factor, user interface or performance. He also said Ultrabooks will offer a flagship platform for a premium, no-compromise environment that helps deliver on the Microsoft* Windows* 8 promise of re-imagining Windows.

 

Applications specifically suited for the Ultrabook are available from the Intel AppUpSM center, a one-stop shop for the latest PC apps. Intel announced a strategic relationship between Intel and Technicolor* surrounding M-GO, an app powered by Intel AppUp that will bring high-definition, premium digital content for television, movies, music and apps to Ultrabook devices and other Intel-based devices with Intel® Insider™ in the second quarter of 2012. M-GO will provide movies and TV shows from major Hollywood studios and help manage HD premium content across multiple devices and platforms via a single intuitive, secure user interface.

 

 

Burlington Electric Department Selects RuggedCom for Smart Grid Implementation

Burlington Electric Department Selects RuggedCom for Smart Grid Implementation


CONCORD, ON, Jan. 10, 2012 /CNW/ - RuggedCom Inc. ("RuggedCom") (TSX:RCM), a leading designer and manufacturer of industrial strength networks for mission-critical applications in harsh environments, has been selected as a supplier for the smart grid deployment at Burlington Electric Department (BED) in Burlington, Vermont.

RuggedCom's communication solution will consist of wireline devices from the RuggedSwitch® and RuggedBackbone™ families of products, complemented by RuggedCom's network management software, RuggedNMS, and RuggedSolutions' CrossBow security software. The solution will support BED's objective of improving and enhancing their SCADA network.

Upon the installation of new fiber throughout the city, the RuggedSwitch® and RuggedBackbone™ devices will be located in the substation, recloser & capacitor bank enclosures, as well as in BED's primary and backup SCADA control centers. These Ethernet switches will allow device polling and reporting, configuration updates and record retrieval. The gigabit capacity of this Ethernet network will allow BED to add future services like video, VOIP or other SCADA related data.

RuggedNMS™ is a network management tool that will be used to monitor the health and status of BED's fiber network and Ethernet switches. RuggedNMS™ will also allow BED to gather network performance information, manage device configurations and provide bulk upload of software and firmware to the RuggedCom network devices.

CrossBow™ will provide BED with simplified, secure access management to all intelligent electronic devices (IEDs) on their network. BED's engineering staff can access any IED on the network through the centrally administered CrossBow™ server and its use of strong authentication methodologies for ensuring user credentials. Once the software validates a user, it provides one click access to any IED the user is authorized to access. CrossBow™ meets NERC CIP cyber security standards and shields the user from having to know firewall, switch and IED passwords and also maintains a complete set of access records that allows it to generate automated reports.

The integration of the communications solution will be supported by RuggedCom's professional services team. The scope of work will include pre-project engineering, Ethernet device configuration, network performance maximization and training.

"Burlington Electric Department has taken advantage of RuggedCom's broad portfolio of distribution and substation automation products to efficiently implement an advanced smart grid communications network," said Jim Slinowsky, Vice President of Marketing for RuggedCom.

About RuggedCom Inc.
RuggedCom is a leading provider of utility grade communications networking solutions designed for mission-critical applications in harsh environments. RuggedCom's pioneering leadership in developing technologies and products for the electric power industry delivered the world's first IEC 61850-3 compliant Ethernet switch suitable for electric utility substation environments, the world's first IEEE 1613 Class 2 error free communication devices, the world's fastest network fault recovery and the world's first fully managed IP67 rated Ethernet switch.   RuggedCom's technology solutions include Ethernet switches, network routers, wireless devices, serial servers, media converters, software and professional services. RuggedCom's products are expressly designed for use in challenging environments such as those found in electric power substations and smartgrids.

For more information, visit www.ruggedcom.com or follow us on Twitter: @RuggedCom.

About Burlington Electric Department
Burlington Electric Department is the municipal utility for the city of Burlington, Vermont. It was founded in 1905 and serves 16,000 residential and 3,600 commercial customers. The utility has a strong commitment to energy efficiency and renewable energy. Because of strong energy efficiency programs the city of Burlington is using only 2 percent more electricity than it did in 1989, the year before the voters approved an energy efficiency bond. BED is a 50 percent owner of the 50 megawatt McNeil Wood Chip Generating Station in Burlington's Intervale.

ThreatMetrix Acquires TrustDefender, Unifying the Cybersecurity Landscape

ThreatMetrix Acquires TrustDefender

 

Integrating Malware Protection with Device Identification Provides Businesses with Comprehensive Security in the Battle Against Cybercrime


San Jose, CA – January 10, 2012 - ThreatMetrix™, the fastest-growing provider of integrated cybercrime prevention solutions, announced today that it has acquired the Australian-based company TrustDefender, a recognized leader of secure browsing technology to stop man-in-the-browser (MitB) attacks and provide malware protection. 


The combined companies will operate under the ThreatMetrix name with global operations in the United States, Australia and Europe. The corporate headquarters will be located in San Jose, California.


“The natural synergies between device identification and secure browsing are very obvious,” said Reed Taussig, president and CEO, ThreatMetrix. “Successful transaction profiling requires sophisticated malware detection and intelligent device identification to determine if the device is compromised or if the transaction is at risk of being fraudulent. While our customers have recognized this for a long time, the only available solution – until now – was to implement multiple products across different vendors. By integrating advanced device identification and secure browsing into a single, competitively priced, easy-to-install and easy-to-use product, ThreatMetrix is delivering the most complete online fraud management solution available in the market today.”


The Growing Global Malware Threat


According to Andreas Baumhof, co-founder and CEO of TrustDefender, who now joins ThreatMetrix as CTO, the acquisition addresses the growing global malware threat.

 

“In 2011 we saw a huge increase in sophisticated MitB Trojan activities supporting fraudulent transactions with stolen identities,” said Baumhof. “Malware protection and fraud prevention are closely related, yet no truly integrated solutions were available in the market. The merger allows ThreatMetrix to address fraud prevention and malware protection as a single problem and deliver real benefits to customers at a lower cost.”


ThreatMetrix Cybercrime Defender Platform


With the acquisition, the ThreatMetrix™ Cybercrime Defender Platform now consists of the following product solutions and associated benefits:

  • TrustDefender™ ID -- TrustDefender ID is a cloud-based, real-time device identification solution that protects companies against cybercriminals and helps validate valuable returning customers. TrustDefender ID provides businesses with a crucial first perimeter of defense to protect online transactions, including account creation, login authentication and payment authorization.
  • TrustDefender™ Cloud -- TrustDefender Cloud is a cloud-based, real-time solution that helps companies protect customer data and defend against fraud, malware, MitB and Trojan attacks, and data breaches. It mitigates the risk of hidden malware compromising authenticated sessions to steal data, identities or money.
  • TrustDefender™ Client -- TrustDefender Client is a client-based, real-time solution that mitigates the risk of hidden malware compromising authenticated sessions to steal data, identities or money. A small client component installed on end-user computers identifies and isolates malware, verifies legitimate websites, protects the online session with the business, and communicates with the business to identify potential fraud.

“Combining endpoint centric fraud prevention products is cost effective,” said Avivah Litan, vice president and distinguished analyst, Gartner. “Device identification and malware detection in particular, are two of the most prevalent and required endpoint protection products in the market today. Device identification provides a strong foundation against fraud while malware protection closes a loophole in fraud prevention caused by man-in-the-browser attacks. Combining these solutions will streamline the fraud prevention, management and administrative processes for organizations combating today’s cyberthreats.”

 

About TrustDefender

 

TrustDefender delivers security and fraud detection technology to protect enterprises and their customers at the device and transaction level from online fraud. This enables TrustDefender’s customers in banking, e-commerce, government, and cloud application providers to reduce the cost of online fraud. The company’s combination of device and page fingerprinting technologies is a world first and instantly detects the source of any attempts to compromise an organization’s online defenses. TrustDefender, founded in 2006, is headquartered in Sydney, Australia with offices in the United Kingdom, U.S. and Asia Pacific and can be found online at www.trustdefender.com.

 

About ThreatMetrix

 

ThreatMetrix is the fastest-growing provider of integrated cybercrime prevention solutions. The ThreatMetrix™ Cybercrime Defender Platform helps companies protect customer data and secure transactions against fraud, malware, data breaches, as well as man-in-the browser (MitB) and Trojan attacks. The Platform consists of advanced cybersecurity technologies, including TrustDefender™ ID, which is cloud-based, real-time device identification, as well as malware protection with TrustDefender™ Cloud and TrustDefender™ Client. The company serves a rapidly growing global customer base across a variety of industries, including financial services, e-commerce, payments, social networks, government, and healthcare.


For more information, visit http://www.threatmetrix.com or call 1-408-200-5755.


© 2012 ThreatMetrix. All rights reserved. ThreatMetrix, TrustDefender ID, TrustDefender Cloud, TrustDefender Client, the ThreatMetrix Cybercrime Defender Platform, and the ThreatMetrix logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of ThreatMetrix in the United States and other countries. All other brand, service or product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies or owners.

Brains II, Inc. is Ready to Deliver Even Smarter Service with Astea's Service Management and Mobility Solution Suite


Brains II, Inc. is Ready to Deliver Even Smarter Service with Astea's Service Management and Mobility Solution Suite


Selected Astea's Premier End-to-End Service Management Platform to Optimize Mobile Workforce; Reduce Service Costs; Increase Customer Satisfaction; and Drive Revenues

HORSHAM, Pa., Jan. 10, 2012 /CNW/ - Astea International Inc. (NASDAQ:ATEA), the leader in service lifecycle management and mobility solutions, announces that Brains II, Inc., a leading provider of manufacturer-independent IT maintenance services, has selected the Astea Alliance solution suite to further streamline and strengthen their service business reinforcing their commitment to delivering superior service.

Brains II is a privately held company headquartered in Markham, Ontario which provides IT maintenance services in more than 100 cities across Canada. Customers large and small rely on Brains II to help consolidate the Services and Support of their IT infrastructures for improved efficiency, manageability, flexibility, security and cost control. Brains II employs one of Canada's most experienced IT service teams nationwide and continues to strategically optimize their service organization to help companies maximize their technology investments and minimize the costs and risks associated with managing their IT infrastructure.

"Our ongoing success and competitive differentiation is built by delivering superior service at a lower cost," stated Charles Hanna, President and CEO for Brains II. "We were looking for a robust and proven solution that could provide us with the integrated service delivery platform necessary to further improve our exemplary service capabilities. After an extensive and exhaustive search for a service management and mobile workforce management solution, we found that Astea's deep domain expertise in conjunction with their robust solution offered the breadth and depth of functionality, on a single platform, that was the perfect fit for our organization's needs."

Brains II will be leveraging Astea's solution to:

  • Provide field engineers with access to customer service history, equipment repair records, service contracts, product information, inventory, parts availability, address and driving directions in order to ensure first time fix rates and provide the best possible service in the most cost efficient manner.
  • Allow all work orders on the mobile device to be populated quickly and easily, thereby eliminating time spent on manual data entry and ensuring accurate data capture.
  • Increase Revenues
    • Seamless integration with Microsoft Dynamics GP will accelerate the invoicing process.
    • Provide field engineers with the tools and information to recognize and capture additional revenue opportunities.
  • Continue to Drive Superior Customer Service  
    • Call center and field personnel are empowered with visual alerts, automatic escalation, scripting and question trees, and a full-range of corporate knowledge stores at the tip of their fingers to optimize the customer interaction process.
    • Powerful and dynamic performance management capabilities give users, at any level, the tools they need to monitor key performance indicators to continuously drive financial and operational improvements.

     

    Brains II selected Astea for their extensive and proven experience, over 30 years, in developing and implementing global service management and mobility solutions to enterprise companies in the IT Services industry. Additionally, the Astea Alliance solution suite provides end-to-end service management & mobility functionality, incorporating industry best practices all on a single platform, with ease of integration to Microsoft Dynamics GP. Astea's solution will provide Brains II with a comprehensive and robust mix of capabilities such as, mobile, field service, contact center, depot repair, customer self-service, sales order processing, marketing automation, logistics, third party vendor portal, professional services automation, knowledge management and performance management that will help to further drive and improve the efficiency and costs of service delivery as well as support! their s trategic growth and acquisition strategy.

    "Brains II, Inc. is a perfect example of an innovative company that is constantly looking for ways to deliver value-added and differentiated services that continue to contribute to their goal in delivering superior service at a lower cost. We are delighted that they chose Astea," said Zack Bergreen, CEO of Astea International. "Astea's solution incorporates industry expertise and best practices to support an organization's total service operation on a single platform. We eliminate the need to have many disparate systems as our solution is a seamless service delivery platform, not a patchwork of systems stitched together, that makes it an ideal solution for companies looking to further streamline and optimize their service delivery process from a single provider." 

    Astea is the only solution provider that offers all cornerstones of service lifecycle management: customer management; service management; asset management; forward and reverse logistics management; and mobile workforce management with enhanced workforce scheduling optimization. Astea's solutions are seamlessly orchestrated to share and leverage information throughout the service lifecycle – removing the traditional barriers between the field and back office. With Astea's solution modularity, companies can introduce one module at a time or deploy a seamless information backbone across the entire service lifecycle continuum.

    About Brains II

    Brains II, Inc. is a leading provider of manufacturer-independent IT maintenance services to many of Canada's largest companies, outsourcers, resellers and government agencies. Our many service authorizations and business partnerships ensure that we receive the most comprehensive manufacturers' technical support, which further strengthens our expertise and the support we provide to our customers. Since our incorporation in 1979, several strategic acquisitions, including Circle Computers (1995), Focus Technologies (1996), Memorex Telex (1997) and NexInnovations' Technical Services division (2007) have enabled us to expand our range of services. The benefit to our customers is simple - Brains II is extremely well-positioned to help organizations maximize their technology investments and minimize the costs and risks associated with managing their IT infrastructure. 

    http://www.brainsii.com

    About Astea International

    Astea International (NASDAQ: ATEA) is a global provider of software solutions that offer all the cornerstones of service lifecycle management, including customer management, service management, asset management, forward and reverse logistics management and mobile workforce management and optimization. Astea's solutions link processes, people, parts, and data to empower companies and provide the agility they need to achieve sustainable value in less time, and successfully compete in a global economy. Since 1979, Astea has been helping more than 600 companies drive even higher levels of customer satisfaction with faster response times and proactive communication, creating a seamless, consistent and highly personalized experience at every customer relationship touch point.

    www.astea.com.   Service Smart.  Enterprise Proven.

    © 2012 Astea International Inc. Astea and Astea Alliance are trademarks of Astea International Inc.  All other company and product names contained herein are trademarks of the respective holders.

    SOURCE Astea International Inc.

    For further information:

    Debbie Geiger, Astea International, Vice President, Marketing, +1-215-682-2500, dgeiger@astea.com

    http://www.astea.com


    Intel to Bring Natural, Intuitive Experiences to Future Ultrabook Systems

    Ultrabook™: A New Era in Computing Just Got Started

    Intel to Bring Natural, Intuitive Experiences to Future Ultrabook Systems; Significant Marketing Campaign to Launch in April

     

    Jan. 9, 2012 — At the 2012 International Consumer Electronics Show Press Day today, Intel Corporation described a new era of computing experience that is underway, as the first wave of Ultrabook™ devices come to market. Leading the event were Mooly Eden, Intel vice president and general manager, PC Client Group, and Kevin Sellers, vice president, Sales and Marketing Group and director, Advertising and Digital Marketing.

     

    The Ultrabook Journey

    Unveiled at Computex 2011 on May 31, Intel’s vision for the Ultrabook is to deliver a no-compromise, complete, satisfying and securer computing experience in one device. Shaped by extensive research, Intel defined the Ultrabook by starting with what people want most out of their computers.

     

    In the few short months since the category was created, it is already seeing early momentum as the first wave of Ultrabook systems started to come to market last October.

    ·         More than 75 Ultrabook designs are in the pipeline for 2012 and will come in a variety of screen sizes (including 14- and 15-inch), shapes and styles. The second phase of Ultrabook devices will be powered by the upcoming 3rd generation Intel® Core™ processor family, initially available in systems starting in the spring and with increasing availability through the year.

    ·         During his presentation, Eden demonstrated several Ultrabook experiences and no-compromise usages that take advantage of the computing performance of the Ultrabook.

    ·         Security is increasingly becoming more important to consumers who want to protect their data and personal assets. Eden demonstrated a securer, “peace of mind” experience offered by the early results of a strategic collaboration between Intel and MasterCard. This collaboration was announced last year to provide more options for a safer and simpler check-out process for online merchants and MasterCard cardholders using Ultrabook devices.

    ·         Continued innovation from the industry is required to deliver the sleek, beautiful Ultrabook designs that measure less than just 18 millimeters in thickness. Components from display panels, battery technology and storage solutions to motherboard and cooling technologies all have to be redesigned to fit into the slim designs. Last year, Intel announced a $300-million Ultrabook Fund to fuel development of these and other innovations, and help bring them to market in high volume and at mainstream price points.

     

    Interaction with Computers Expands Beyond the Keyboard and Mouse

    As the Ultrabook continues to evolve, so too will the way people interact with them, as touch-based experiences are added. In a recently completed Intel research study on the use of touch-enabled applications on an Ultrabook, users found the use of touch on a clamshell design, and the seamless transition between the use of touch applications and the keyboard to be compelling and natural.

     

    Eden said the addition of the touch experience will also fuel innovation in the design and shape of future Ultrabook systems, from clamshells and hybrids, to convertibles and other styles likely not yet imagined.

    ·         An innovative concept system developed by Intel includes a clear panel at the base of the keyboard that serves as a touch pad when open in clamshell mode, but transforms into a touch-enabled display when closed for quick use on-the-go.

     

    Intel plans to add capabilities that will let people engage naturally and intuitively with an Ultrabook. Eden announced a strategic relationship between Intel and Nuance Communications, Inc., a leading provider of voice and language solutions, to develop an intuitive, multi-language, natural voice experience for these devices.

    ·         The experience will be based on Nuance’s Dragon* voice recognition technology that will be optimized for Intel® architecture and is expected to be available this year.

    ·         Using this technology, people will be able to control their Ultrabook just by using their voice, from quickly and easily launching applications, playing media, checking and updating social media sites or controlling their email and calendar.

    ·         A software development kit for Dragon and other Nuance technologies will be available on the Intel® AppUpCenter to help developers create new Ultrabook experiences.

     

    Intel is also working on the next generation of computing interaction: intuitive and immersive, short-range gesture recognition. Eden gave a sneak peek of some of the progress made thus far using a slingshot game controlled by the user’s natural gestures.

     

    Most Significant Marketing Campaign Since Intel® Centrino® Technology

    In April, Intel will kick off a multi-faceted campaign, “A New Era in Computing,” to market the Ultrabook experience in exciting and innovative ways to consumers. It will include TV, print, outdoor and other advertisement placements, as well as social media, online and in-store retail components.

    ·         Sellers showed a video that gave the audience a glimpse into the creative approach that Intel is taking for its new Ultrabook campaign. The ads will highlight how Intel-inspired Ultrabook systems usher in a new era of computing and make everything else seem like ancient history.

    ·         Intel will also use a broad set of partner marketing programs, such as its globally recognized Intel Inside program with its PC manufacturer partners, to bring the Ultrabook experience to life. It plans to expand its ongoing partnership with youth media company Vice for The Creators Project to market the Ultrabook experience, as well as engage in new, yet-to-be-announced partnerships with major lifestyle brands.

     

    Additional information about the Ultrabook, including press material, photos, videos and more can be found at www.intel.com/newsroom/ultrabook.

    – 30 –


    RIM Previews BlackBerry PlayBook OS 2.0 At CES

    RIM Previews BlackBerry PlayBook OS 2.0 At CES

    Press Release

    LAS VEGAS, NEVADA–(Marketwire – Jan. 9, 2012) – (CES 2012) – This week at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES), Research In Motion (RIM) (NASDAQ:RIMM)(TSX:RIM) will be previewing new features of BlackBerry® PlayBook™ OS 2.0 that will enable customers to stay even more connected and productive in their personal and professional lives.

    “BlackBerry PlayBook is already recognized for delivering powerful performance, true multi-tasking, advanced web browsing and HD multimedia in an ultra-portable design,” said Mike Lazaridis, President and Co-CEO at Research In Motion. “With BlackBerry PlayBook OS 2.0 we are building on this strong foundation, as well as leveraging our strengths in communications, social integration and productivity, to allow people to use their BlackBerry PlayBook in new ways throughout the day.”

    CES 2012 attendees who visit the BlackBerry booth at CES (South Hall 3 Booth # 30326) will get a sneak peek of upcoming BlackBerry PlayBook OS 2.0 functionality including:

    Advanced Messaging Experience:

    • New unified inbox – a powerful unified inbox within the built-in messaging app allows users to quickly manage their personal email and work email accounts as well as the messaging capabilities of popular social networking sites like Twitter®, LinkedIn® and others – all in one place.
    • Multi-tasking within email – by extending the BlackBerry PlayBook tablet’s multitasking capabilities to ‘tabbed email’, users are able to reference one email while they compose another.
    • Rich-text email composing and editing – new features within the Messages app enable users to benefit from full support of fonts, formatting and editing of email threads, offering a robust email experience similar to that of a PC or laptop.
    • Inbox management tools – allows for powerful inbox search across multiple email accounts, as well as the ability to set out-of-office messages and email signatures directly from their tablet.

    Deep Integration of Social Relationships:

    • Innovative people-centric calendar – in addition to standard calendar features that help users plan and organize their day, the powerful built-in Calendar app provides the unique ability for users to view their calendar by who they are meeting with that day and review valuable information about that contact. Information is consolidated automatically from social networking sites about that contact and/or their company.
    • Relationship-centric contacts app – more than just an address book, the new built-in Contacts app serves as a social hub – merging and consolidating information from multiple sources (including email and social channels) into one contact file for each person in their address book. Each contact file includes information such as recent status updates, conversations, related news articles and mutual contacts that are kept up-to-date automatically.

    Making Your BlackBerry Smartphone and Tablet a Powerful Pair:

    • Remote control for the BlackBerry PlayBook – new BlackBerry® Bridge™ features allow a user’s BlackBerry® smartphone to act as a keyboard and mouse for their BlackBerry PlayBook – effectively providing a wireless remote control for their tablet. Perfect for pausing a movie when a BlackBerry PlayBook is plugged in to a TV with an HDMI connection, or for using the tactile QWERTY keyboard on a BlackBerry smartphone to compose a message or document on the BlackBerry PlayBook.
    • Opening content on the BlackBerry PlayBook – BlackBerry Bridge allows you to take documents, emails, multimedia files and web pages found on your smartphone and open them quickly and directly on the BlackBerry PlayBook so you can use the larger high resolution display for an optimized viewing and editing experience.

    Improved Mobile Productivity:

    • Updated document editing capabilities – updated Documents To Go® functionality makes it easier for users to create and edit documents while on the go. Improvements include: enhanced support for the virtual keyboard, the ability to view and update embedded charts and chart sheets within spreadsheets, a new formula wizard with over 100 functions as well as the ability to edit presentations including text, bullets and formatting.
    • Print To Go application – this app allows users to wirelessly “print” from their laptop or PC directly to their BlackBerry PlayBook over Wi-Fi®. A digital printout is created on the BlackBerry PlayBook so that users can view, sort and manage their digital printouts as though they were physical sheets of paper. The Print To Go app is the perfect way to consolidate info from various related sources like a hotel web confirmation, an airline boarding pass email, the show event schedule or even a map of the destination city and make them available for quick access on the go.
    • Increased control and manageability of corporate data – the combination of BlackBerry PlayBook OS 2.0 with BlackBerry Mobile Fusion and BlackBerry Balance will help to overcome many barriers to widespread tablet deployment, including device manageability and the ability to secure, manage and control confidential corporate information on the device. Plus BlackBerry PlayBook OS 2.0 supports dedicated shelf space inside the BlackBerry® App World™ storefront to allow IT departments to control distribution of enterprise applications and to make those approved enterprise applications easily available to the organization’s end users.

    New Apps and Content:

    • Your favorite apps plus thousands more – many exciting new applications built for the BlackBerry PlayBook will be made available on BlackBerry App World with the availability of BlackBerry PlayBook OS 2.0. From gaming and lifestyle to business and productivity, RIM is showcasing some of the latest apps available for the BlackBerry PlayBook at CES 2012 including Angry Birds, Cut the Rope, Groupon, Thomson Reuters, Zinio and many more.
    • Video store – a catalog of thousands of movies and TV shows will be available through the integrated BlackBerry Video Storefront* with new releases to be made available for purchase or rent the same day they come out on DVD. Users will be able to begin watching media as soon as they start to download the file, so users won’t have to wait for the entire file to transfer before they can enjoy great entertainment on the tablet’s high resolution display, or on an HDTV via the BlackBerry PlayBook tablet’s HDMI output.
    • Enhanced web browsing – the BlackBerry PlayBook OS 2.0 browser also includes a new reading view, which is designed to make web sites even easier to enjoy by eliminating page clutter at the touch of a button. What’s left is a cleaner format that is great for reading online news articles, blog posts, or websites that contain heavy amounts of text.

    Availability

    The BlackBerry® PlayBook OS 2.0 software update will be available as a free download for all BlackBerry PlayBook users and is expected to be available in February 2012.

    * BlackBerry Video Store will initially be available in the United States. Support for other countries is expected to be added later this year.

    IBM Closes on Acquisition of Platform Computing

    IBM Closes on Acquisition of Platform Computing

    ARMONK, N.Y. - 09 Jan 2012: IBM (NYSE: IBM) today announced it has completed the acquisition of Platform Computing, a privately held company headquartered in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Financial terms were not disclosed.

    On October 11, 2011, IBM announced that it had entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Platform Computing, a global leader in cluster, grid and cloud management software for distributed computing environments.

    Platform Computing’s focused technical and distributed computing management software helps clients create, integrate and manage shared computing environments that are used in compute- and data-intensive applications such as simulations, computer modeling and analytics. These technical and high performance computing (HPC) applications fuel product development, critical business decisions and breakthrough science in financial services, manufacturing, digital media, oil and gas, life sciences, government, research and education. More than 2,000 clients, including 23 of the top 30 largest global enterprises, use Platform Computing solutions. 

    “The acquisition of Platform Computing will help accelerate IBM’s growth in smarter computing – a key initiative in IBM’s Smarter Planet strategy – by extending the reach of our HPC offerings into the high growth segment of technical computing,” said Helene Armitage, general manager, IBM Systems Software. “Our intent is to enable clients to uncover insights from growing volumes of data so they can take actions that optimize business results.” 

    Across enterprises of all sizes, application complexity and the amount of data continue to grow significantly, driving the need for more and more compute capacity and high-performance, low latency management and analytics tools.  By combining Platform Computing’s software with IBM high performance systems and software, IBM can better serve enterprise clients who are turning to technical computing to accelerate application performance, improve infrastructure flexibility and reduce time to results. IBM intends to support Platform Computing’s software on heterogeneous systems and continue to work with many of Platform Computing’s existing partners.  

    Platform Computing will be integrated into IBM Systems and Technology Group.  

    For more information, please visit www.ibm.com/deepcomputing/platform.html   

    About IBM

    For more information about IBM technical computing solutions, visit www.ibm.com/deepcomputing  

    To learn more about IBM smarter computing, visit www.ibm.com/smartercomputing  

    Avnet Technology Solutions Introduces Cisco Data Center Demonstration Resources for Reseller Partners in Canada

    Avnet Technology Solutions Introduces Cisco Data Center Demonstration Resources for Reseller Partners in Canada

    Avnet's new Cisco Data Center Lab and Customer Test Drive Program to accelerate partners' sales cycle for Cisco data center solutions

    MISSISSAUGA, Ontario, Jan 09, 2012 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Avnet Technology Solutions, the global IT solutions distribution leader and operating group of Avnet, Inc. AVT +0.35% , today announced two new demonstration resources for Cisco value-added reseller partners in Canada -- Avnet's Cisco Data Center Lab and Customer Test Drive Program. The Data Center Lab will allow partners to demonstrate Cisco Unified Computing Systems B-Series and Cisco Unified Computing Systems C-Series servers to their customers in a variety of data center environments. In addition, the Cisco Customer Test Drive Program helps partners pilot these Cisco solutions in their customers' own data centers.

    "Because of the investments we have made in these Cisco demonstration resources, Avnet's partners can quickly and cost-effectively capture sales and profitably grow their businesses," said Brian Aebig, vice president and general manager, Avnet Technology Solutions, Canada. "Avnet's new Cisco Data Center Lab and Customer Test Drive Program are extremely effective in the sales process because partners can let their customers experience first-hand the power of Cisco's data center solutions. By using these demonstration resources, partners can collaborate with customers as they 'try out' the solutions they are interested in and ensure it aligns exactly with their business needs and requirements."

    Located in Avnet's Toronto-area office, Avnet's Cisco Data Center Lab is available to partners for customer visits and designed to help them nurture qualified leads. It includes a wide range of Cisco Unified Computing System (Cisco UCS) products and complementary technologies to create complete, tailored demonstrations and proof-of-concept solutions designs. Partners can also use the lab to provide technical hands-on training for their own staff.

    With the Cisco Customer Test Drive Program partners can provide customers in the final stages of their decision making process with the opportunity to test the latest Cisco UCS technology in their own data centers. This offering not only shortens the sales cycle for partners, but it can also reduce the deployment time for customers once they make a purchasing decision. Additionally, partners do not have to invest in demo hardware, which helps improve the profitability of their sales efforts.

    "With its extensive data center experience, Avnet understands the tools and resources partners need to nurture leads and close deals," said Mike Ansley, vice president, Partner Organization, Cisco Canada. "We have jointly invested in both the Avnet Cisco Data Center Lab and Customer Test Drive Program to help partners reduce their costs and strengthen their value propositions for end customers. Cisco is confident that once customers see our technology in action, partners will be able to demonstrate the value of Cisco's solutions throughout the data center."

    "We've been working with Avnet since 2007, most recently around Cisco data center solutions, and we see how engaged and committed the Avnet team is in helping us grow this portion of our business," said Nicholas Laine, manager of Enterprise Architecture for ESI Information Technologies, an Avnet partner. "The ability to demonstrate the Cisco UCS portfolio in action to our customers is a great sales advantage, but it can be a resource-intensive activity. Avnet's Cisco Data Center Lab and Customer Test Drive Program will provide us with all that we need to create a proof-of-concept set-up and a live environment for our customers without additional investment on our part. This allows ESI to accelerate our business value to customers while building a successful Cisco Data Center 3.0 practice."

    Avnet is a certified Cisco Unified Computing System B-Series Authorized Configurator (UBAC) and Cisco Unified Computing System C-Series Authorized Configurator (UCAC) in Canada and the U.S. Avnet also offers a wide variety of solutions assembly and integration services that allow partners to focus their resources on their core business strategies, while relying on Avnet's world-class services to complete the sales process. These integration services include application uploading; custom cabling and racking; custom image loads; configuration and testing; database installation; hardware integration; operating system installation; packaging and logistics; software configuration; and virtualization partitioning.

    Additionally, Cisco partners can access a wide variety of marketing and support services from Avnet to help them accelerate their business, ranging from growth planning to training and enablement to demand creation.

    Partners looking to gain an even deeper level of data center solutions expertise can also leverage Avnet's SolutionsPath(R) methodology and practices. Through SolutionsPath, Avnet provides partners with the education, tools, resources and skills needed around core data center technologies -- cloud computing, mobility, networking, security, storage and virtualization. Partners can further develop their capabilities by focusing on solutions sales in high-growth vertical markets through practices focused on the energy, finance, government, healthcare and retail markets.

    For more information about Avnet's Cisco Data Center Lab and Customer Test Drive Program, visit www.avnetacceleratesciscosales.com . Canadian partners can schedule a Test Drive of Cisco UCS products for their customers for January deliveries.

    Follow Avnet Technology Solutions, North America, on Twitter: http://twitter.com/AvnetAdvantage

    About Avnet Technology Solutions

    As a global IT solutions distributor, Avnet Technology Solutions collaborates with its customers and suppliers to create and deliver services, software and hardware solutions that address the business needs of their end-user customers locally and around the world. For fiscal year 2011, the group served customers in more than 70 countries and generated US $11.5 billion in annual revenue. Avnet Technology Solutions ( www.ats.avnet.com ) is an operating group of Avnet, Inc.

    About Avnet

    Avnet, Inc. AVT +0.35% , a Fortune 500 company, is one of the largest distributors of electronic components, computer products and embedded technology serving customers in more than 70 countries worldwide. Avnet accelerates its partners' success by connecting the world's leading technology suppliers with a broad base of more than 100,000 customers by providing cost-effective, value-added services and solutions. For the fiscal year ended July 2, 2011, Avnet generated revenue of $26.5 billion. For more information, visit www.avnet.com .

    SOURCE: Avnet Technology Solutions

    Symantec Shows Largest Growth in SSL Certificates, Dominating the EV SSL Market

     Symantec Shows Largest Growth in SSL Certificates, Dominating the EV SSL Market

     

     TORONTO, ON. – January 9, 2012 – Symantec Corp. today announced that it achieved the largest overall SSL certificate growth, with a gain of 10,400 total certificates, according to the January 2012 Netcraft Survey. Symantec also leads the growing extended validation (EV) SSL market with a market share of 40.02 percent, further demonstrating that when it comes to web security, the majority of organizations online rely on Symantec.

     

    Click to Tweet: Symantec has more active EV SSL certificates in use than all other Certificate Authorities combined, according to Netcraft: http://bit.ly/zFtwFB

     

    EV SSL adoption continues to grow at an astounding rate. Year over year growth of installed EV SSL certificates is up by 52.25 percent from January 2011. Symantec is the EV SSL provider of choice, maintaining a 65.6 percent share of EV SSL market. Netcraft’s January 2012report also shows that Symantec has more active EV SSL certificates in use across the web than all other Certificate Authorities combined.

     

    The January report follows a year riddled with high-profile attacks and targeting of Certificate Authorities—attacks that highlight the need for a strong, reliable, and responsible Certificate Authority community. The increasing popularity of SSL certificates and EV SSL certificates, as reflected in this month’s report, confirms that consumers and organizations are taking the necessary extra steps to protect themselves from malware, data breaches and other IT security threats. 

     

    Quote

    “In 2011 we witnessed a variety of bad actors targeting Certificate Authorities ranging from recreational hackers to serious cyber terrorists,” said Fran Rosch, vice president, Identity and Authentication Services, Symantec.  “As a Certificate Authority, Symantec is in the very serious business of trust, and maintaining that trust is our highest priority. In 2012, Symantec will continue to lead the charge against cyber criminals by providing a secure online experience, thus making Symantec the clear choice for organizations’ security and SSL certificate needs.”

     

    Additional Resources

    ·         VeriSign SSL Certificates

    ·         Netcraft SSL Survey

    ·         Extended Validation (EV) SSL

    ·         VeriSign Home Page

     

    Connect with Symantec

    ·         Follow Symantec on Twitter

    ·         Join Symantec on Facebook

    ·         Subscribe to Symantec News RSS Feed

    ·         View Symantec’s SlideShare Channel

    ·         Visit Symantec Connect Business Community

     

     

    About Business Solutions from Symantec

    Symantec helps organizations secure and manage their information-driven world with endpoint security, messaging security, web security, data protection, identity authentication and security management solutions.

     

    About Symantec

    Symantec’s Canadian operations are headquartered in Toronto with offices in Montreal, Ottawa, Calgary and Vancouver.  For more information on Symantec products or current promotions, access Symantec’s Canadian Web site at www.symantec.ca. Symantec is an active member of the Business Software Alliance (BSA).


    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.

     

    ###

     

    NOTE TO EDITORS: If you would like additional information on Symantec Corporation and its products, please visit the Symantec News Room at http://www.symantec.com/news. All prices noted are in U.S. dollars and are valid only in the United States.

     

    Symantec and the Symantec Logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Symantec Corporation or its affiliates in the U.S. and other countries. Other names may be trademarks of their respective owners.

    Forward-looking Statements: Any forward-looking indication of plans for products or programs is preliminary and all future release or delivery dates are tentative and are subject to change. Any future program plans, or release of the product or planned modifications to product capability, functionality, or feature are subject to ongoing evaluation by Symantec, and may or may not be implemented and should not be considered firm commitments by Symantec and should not be relied upon in making program participation or product purchasing decisions.

     

    Symantec and the Symantec Logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Symantec Corporation or its affiliates in the U.S. and other countries. Other names may be trademarks of their respective owners.

     

    Technorati Tags

    Certificate Authorities, Certificate Authority, EV SSL, Extended Validation, Extended Validation SSL, SSL Certificate, Symantec, Symantec Corp, VeriSign, VeriSign SSL, VeriSign SSL certificates

     

     

     

     

    Four Screens Are Better than One with Lenovo’s New “Personal Cloud” Vision

    Four Screens Are Better than One with Lenovo’s New “Personal
    Cloud” Vision
    Latest Product Development Links Gadgets in Pockets, Briefcases and
    Home

    CES 2012, Las Vegas - January 8, 2012: Lenovo, the world’s number two
    PC company, is flexing its innovation muscle at this year’s
    Internatioanl Consumer Electronics Show (CES) and beyond, to create a
    seamless digital experience for its customers acros
    s multiple devices
    whether they be PCs, tablets, smartphones or Smart TVs. Lenovo recently
    unveiled its “Personal Cloud” vision, marking the transformation of
    the company from a “personal computer” manufacturer to a “personal
    cloud solution” provider that integrates hardware, software and cloud
    computing. The Company's direction is evident in a variety of new
    products, including the IdeaTab S2, Smartphone S2 and K91 Smart TV.

    “Lenovo is breaking down the barriers of device differentiation and
    weaving together hardware, software and cloud services that are
    connected, experiential and dynamic,” said Liu Jun, senior vice
    president and president, Mobile Internet and Digital Home business
    group. “We understand our users need more than just the traditional
    keyboard and screen for a truly satisfying digital experience. Our
    Personal Cloud vision integrates all devices, from tablets to TVs, for a
    comprehensive mobile Internet experience anytime, anywhere.”

    IdeaTab S2 10 Struts New Specs and Multimedia Prowess
    Thinner than its predecessors, the IdeaTab S2 10-inch is just one-third
    of an inch thin and, at a feather-light 1.1lbs, is one of the lightest
    10-inch tablets available today. IdeaTab S2 features the new Qualcomm
    Snapdragon 8960 dual core CPU and Android 4.0 operating systems to offer
    a better multimedia experience. Running Lenovo Mondrian UI, the
    user-friendly IdeaTab S2 10” displays customized content and includes
    easy access to the Lenovo App Shop and the Android Market for thousands
    of useful apps, such as Amazon Kindle, ooVoo, Angry bird and mSpot. Its
    detachable design, combined with a light keyboard dock, can deliver an
    incredible 20 hours of battery life, which is great for both
    entertainment and productivity.

    S2 Smartphone Boasts Security and Photography Creds
    The S2 smartphone includes the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon technology
    and Android 2.3 operating system. The device includes a unique
    Kernel-level security system to protect personal data, prevent phishing,
    and control network and SMS traffic. Users can also take advantage of
    its 8MP super camera to capture amazing panoramic photos on the go. S2
    is also ready for the Cloud, and instantly syncs photos, music, videos
    and personal information with a dedicated online storage space for easy
    sharing across multiple devices.

    K91- The World’s First Smart TV to Run Android 4.0 OS
    As the world’s first smart TV powered by Qualcomm’s 8060 Snapdragon
    dual core CPU, the K91 is also the world’s first smart TV running the
    Android 4.0 operating system - which will revolutionize technology in
    the living room. Its smart “Sandwich” UI unites three major smart TV
    functions including Video On Demand (VOD), Internet applications and
    traditional TV programs. The online HD VOD is tailored to an individual
    consumer’s viewing history, and delivers the best picture and audio
    quality with 3D FPR technology delivering flicker-free video on a full
    HD IPS panel at 240hz with SRS TruSurround. Internet applications
    include thousands of choices from the Android Market and Lenovo Store,
    which also offers console games. Additional smart TV features include
    voice control with natural language processing and speech recognition
    technology, allowing viewers to use voice commands to control the
    remote. Video interaction is even possible with the built-in 5MP webcam,
    which integrates face recognition technology for security benefits and
    advanced parental control. With cloud support, consumers can access
    their favorite songs and videos with ease, share files between the TV
    and their tablet, smartphone or PC, and even control the TV via tablet
    and smartphone.

    The IdeaTab S2 tablet, S2 smartphone and K91 smart TV are available
    immediately in China. Lenovo will be releasing these products worldwide
    at a later date. More information on these products is available at
    www.lenovo.com

    Join Lenovo at the LVCC and the AquaKnox Restaurant in The Venetian
    During CES 2012
    Lenovo has once again transfo
    rmed the AquaKnox Restaurant located in
    the Venetian Hotel into the Lenovo Showcase during CES. Members of the
    press are invited to stop in to speak with Lenovo’s product experts
    and to see the company’s latest products across the Think, Idea and
    MIDH (Mobile Internet & Digital Home) lines. Additionally, Lenovo will
    have a unique product showcase for press in the Central Plaza just
    outside of the LVCC Central Hall. Those not attending CES can experience
    the show through video commentary provided by Lenovo executives and
    partners in Las Vegas on LenovoVision, Lenovo’s YouTube channel.
    Lenovo’s CES activities will also be promoted via Twitter using the
    #lenovoces hashtag.

    For the latest Lenovo news, subscribe to Lenovo RSS feeds or follow
    Lenovo on Twitter  and Facebook.

    About Lenovo
    Lenovo (HKSE: 992) (ADR: LNVGY) is a $US21 billion personal technology
    company - and the second largest PC company in the world, serving
    customers in more than 160 countries. Dedicated to building
    exceptionally engineered PCs and mobile internet devices, Lenovo’s
    business is built on product innovation, a highly-efficient global
    supply chain and strong strategic execution. Formed by Lenovo Group’s
    acquisition of the former IBM Personal Computing Division, the company
    develops, manufactures and markets reliable, high-quality, secure and
    easy-to-use technology products and services. Its product lines include
    legendary Think-branded commercial PCs and Idea-branded consumer PCs, as
    well as servers, workstations, and a family of mobile internet devices,
    including tablets and smart phones. Lenovo has major research centers in
    Yamato, Japan; Beijing, China; and Raleigh, North Carolina. For more
    information, see www.lenovo.com.

    -30-

    For more information, please contact:
    Dianna Lai/Anita Wong
    StrategicAmpersand Inc. (for Lenovo Canada)
    416 961-5595
    dianna@stratamp.com / anita@stratamp.com

    Ann Mahdy
    Lenovo Canada
    416 383-4974
    annmahdy@lenovo.com

    ==========

    Lenovo Rings in 2012 with Colourful, Slim and Powerful New IdeaPad
    Laptops and IdeaCentre Desktops

    CES 2012, Las Vegas -January 8, 2012: Lenovo today announced an
    exciting lineup of new consumer laptops and desktops at the 2012
    International Consumer Electronics Show (CES), providing a variety of
    PCs to suit every computing need, style desire and palette preference,
    with the debut of new colours including Peony Pink, Electric Blue and
    Ruby Red.

    New laptops in the IdeaPad U Series, Y Series, S Series and Z Series
    provide a full spectrum of styles, colours and performance for every
    consumer - from mobile professionals to students and everyone in
    between. New models of IdeaCentre desktops range from the performance K
    Series to the space-saving multi-touch IdeaCentre B Series All-In-One
    (AIOs).

    “Our new lineup of consumer laptops and desktops for 2012 reflects
    our commitment to deliver bold products that set the standard for
    innovation and style in consumer technology,” said Peter Hortensius,
    senior vice president, Product Group, Lenovo. “But as technically
    innovative as these products are, we are more than ever focused on fun.
    With improved sound and entertainment capabilities on the inside and
    unexpected candy-colours on the outside, we believe that these new
    consumer devices will help deliver the complete computing experience
    that individual customers are seeking.”

    IdeaPad U310 and U410 - Ultra Laptops for Style and Performance
    Following the recently announced IdeaPad U300s, Lenovo is expanding its
    Ultrabook portfolio with the IdeaPad U310 and U410, two “ultra”
    laptops with attractive price points. Powered by the Intel® CoreTM
    Processor family, these thin and light performance laptops include
    Ultrabook versions with 64GB SSD drives for caching data, and versions
    with up to 500GB Hard Disc Drive (HDD) storage. Both versions feature
    ultra-responsive performance with fast boot times and quick resume from
    sleep by leveraging Lenovo’s Windows 7 Enhanced Experience tuning. The
    PCs
     also features other smart elements including Lenovo Smart Update
    which automatically updates mailbox, instant messaging and social media
    messages even in sleep mode, with up to eight of hours of battery life.

    The ultra slim and light U310 and U410 are ideal for any and all mobile
    needs, weighing 3.74lbs (1.7kg) and 4.18lbs (1.9kg), and measuring only
    0.7” (18mm) and 0.83” (21mm) thick respectively. For optimal visuals
    when consuming or creating content, the U310 has a 13.3” HD 16:9
    display featuring Intel® GMA 3000 HD graphics, while the U410 features
    NVIDIA® GeForce® 610M 1GB graphics. Weaving fun into a stellar computing
    experience, the U310 and U410 come with Intel® Wireless Display (WiDi)
    Technology1 for wireless use on any big screen. Created with today’s
    fashion-savvy consumer in mind, the U310 and U410 are available in an
    array of fun colours including Aqua Blue, Cherry Blossom, Graphite Grey,
    Ruby Red, Sapphire Blue and Spearmint.

    IdeaPad S200 and S206 - Say Hello to the Fashionable Mini Laptops
    Lenovo introduced two mini laptops to fill the computing needs between
    the netbook and the notebook. The IdeaPad S200 and S206 are lightweight
    and super thin, without sacrificing computing excellence. Making mobile
    computing even more convenient, the S200 and S206 come with a large 11.6
    inch HD widescreen and are just 0.81 inches (20.7mm) thick2 and weigh
    2.8 pounds (1.3kg). These slimmer-than-ever mini laptops also showcase
    design details beyond the standard netbook including a high-quality
    tactile finish and Accutype keyboard with individual rounded keys.

    The S200 comes with an Intel® Atom dual core processor and up to 32GB
    SSD3 storage, while the S206 features an AMD dual core processor.
    Created to be an ideal travel companion with up to four hours of battery
    life, these mini laptops allow users to get online in seconds and run
    basic apps without starting Windows by leveraging the Lenovo Quick Start
    ‘instant on’ function. Additional features include an integrated
    0.3M HD Webcam for seamless video chatting and Web calling, and
    802.11b/g/n Wi-F. Select models also have integrated Bluetooth®3
    capability. As a lightweight solution for Web browsing, both mini
    laptops are available in the following bold hues - Cotton-candy Pink,
    Crimson Red, Electric Blue, Graphite Grey and Pearl White.

    IdeaPad Y480 and Y580 - Laptops for Ultimate Entertainment
    For a high-performance laptop capable of handling intensive multimedia
    applications, look no further than the new IdeaPad Y480 and Y580.
    Powered by the Intel Core Processor family, these new Y Series 14” and
    15” Full HD display laptops provide the highest level of graphics and
    processing performance when working on intensive multimedia and gaming,
    featuring up to NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX660M 2GB GDDR5 graphics.

    Entertainment abounds with Dolby Home Theatre V4 enhanced audio, JBL®
    designed speakers and OneKey™ Theater II for one-touch audio-visual
    optimization providing clearer, brighter images and richer audio. The
    Y580 also supports back-lit keyboard and HD camera with night view. With
    an optional TV tuner3 and Intel® Wireless Display (WiDi) Technology1
    users can take the advanced multimedia features to the largest screen in
    the house for an unbeatable and completely immersive experience.

    IdeaPad Z580, Z480, Z380 - Stylish and Colourful Laptops
    Striking the right balance of value and performance, the new IdeaPad Z
    Series laptops fit the bill perfectly. With the latest processor and
    graphics technology options, the Z Series laptops are ideal for
    multimedia tasks and are available in a range of dazzling colours -
    Amber Orange, Apple Green, Cherry Red, Coral Blue, Graphite Grey, and
    Peony Pink.

    The Z series comes with smart features like the Intelligent Touchpad
    for easy scroll, zoom and rotate functions, and the Lenovo OneKey®
    Rescue System for simple data backup and recovery. For a superior
    entertainment experience, the Z Series come with OneKey® Theater II for
    one-touch audio-v
    isual optimization for clearer, brighter images and
    richer sound, and up to NVIDIA® GeForce® GT640M 2GB graphics with
    DirectX® 11. Available with screen sizes of 13.3”, 14”, or 15.6”,
    these laptops come with a backlit LED HD display (1366x768), 16:9
    widescreen, integrated DVD reader or Blu-ray Disc™ drive4 and HD
    graphics support. HDMI output and Intel® Wireless Display (WiDi)
    Technology1 allow for easy enjoyment of all multimedia on a large
    screen.

    Lenovo G480, G580, G780 - Affordable, Essential Laptops
    In addition to the other new laptops, we announced new laptop models in
    our G Series. The three new G Series laptops G480, G580 and G780 14”,
    15.6” and 17.3” HD screens, OneKey® Rescue System for simple data
    backup and recovery, and Veriface facial recognition, offer durable
    build quality, smart Lenovo technologies and basic multimedia functions
    at an affordable price.

    IdeaCentre B540 and B340 - High-Performance Touchscreen AIOs
    The digital home gets a sleek upgrade with the new IdeaCentre B Series
    AIO desktops. The B540 uniquely combines a 23-inch Full HD frameless
    screen with state-of-the-art multi-touch and optional 3D vision for a
    truly powerful and interactive entertainment experience. Powered by the
    Intel Core Processor family and supporting an adjustable VESA mount, it
    provides a rich entertainment experience anywhere in the living room.
    The IdeaCentre B540 also features superior graphics technologies for a
    great gaming experience with up to NVIDIA GeForce® GT 650M 2GB graphics
    with DirectX®11.

    Featuring a compact design suitable for any room of the home, the B340
    comes with a 21.5” Full HD touch-screen display and Lenovo IdeaTouch
    for an enhanced range of touch-optimized multimedia applications. Along
    with the B540, the B340 can optionally be configured with OneKey® TV4 -
    a unique function to turn the desktop screen into an HD TV at the click
    of a button, making it easy to switch between TV and PC modes with the
    picture-in-picture (PIP) function. Users can even watch TV without
    powering on the PC as the TV hardware is independent of the PC itself.
    These new AIOs come integrated with entertainment features, such as the
    Lenovo High-Sense (720p HD) Webcam for high-quality video chats, and a
    DVD reader or Blu-ray Disc™ drive, making them a great PC for the
    family.

    IdeaCentre K430 - Performance and Upgradeability
    The new IdeaCentre K430 traditional tower desktop takes performance and
    upgrade capabilities to new heights with powerful processing, optional
    dual graphics support3 and twin hard drives3 along with massive memory
    and storage. It packs a powerful punch with super-fast processing
    powered by the Intel Core Processor family and up to 32GB of DDR3
    memory. For extreme gamers and those that need intensive multimedia
    support, the IdeaCentre K430 does the job with high-performance dual
    graphics cards featuring NVIDIA SLI or AMD CrossFireX technology and
    optional twin hard drives in a RAID0 configuration.

    With the K430, users have plenty of storage space with its huge
    capacity of up to 4TB HDD and up to 128GB SSD storage. The K430 also
    comes with a custom designed portable 500GB hard drive complete with a
    Universal Storage Module (USM) interface dock on the front of the PC for
    convenience that is compatible with other USM portable hard drives. The
    energy-efficient Power Control Switch with three colour-coded speed
    options lets users choose between turbo, auto and cool-running modes
    based on the computing load.

    Lenovo H520s - Slim, Easy-to-Use Desktop
    The new Lenovo H520s offers a slim solution for home computing, at half
    the size of a standard desktop PC. The H520s combines affordability with
    a great range of entertainment and processing features, plus Lenovo
    Assistant - a simple new interface that helps organize favourites, clean
    history and junk files, and manage the PC’s network connections and
    energy consumption settings.

    Pricing and Availability5
    The new IdeaPad U Series laptops will be available beginn
    ing in May
    from US $699.
    The new IdeaPad Z Series laptops will be available beginning in April
    from US $599.
    The new IdeaPad S Series laptops will be available beginning in June
    from US $349.
    The new IdeaPad Y Series laptops will be available beginning in April
    from US $899.
    The new Lenovo G Series laptops will be available beginning in June
    from US $399.
    The new IdeaCentre B Series AIOs will be available beginning in June
    from US $699.
    The new IdeaCentre K430 tower will be available beginning in May from
    US $599.
    The new Lenovo H520s desktop will be available beginning in June from
    US $499.

    Note: Availability within Canada is to be determined.

    Join Lenovo at the LVCC and the AquaKnox Restaurant in The Venetian
    During CES 2012
    Lenovo has once again transformed the AquaKnox Restaurant located in
    the Venetian Hotel into the Lenovo Showcase during CES. Members of the
    press are invited to stop in to speak with Lenovo’s product experts
    and to see the company’s latest products across the Think, Idea and
    Mobile Internet lines. Additionally, Lenovo will have a unique product
    showcase for press in the Central Plaza just outside of the LVCC Central
    Hall. Those not attending CES can experience the show through video
    commentary from Lenovo executives and partners in Las Vegas on
    LenovoVision, Lenovo’s YouTube channel. Lenovo’s CES activities will
    also be promoted via Twitter using the #lenovoces hashtag.

    For the latest Lenovo news, subscribe to Lenovo RSS feeds or follow
    Lenovo on Twitter and Facebook.

    About Lenovo
    Lenovo (HKSE: 992) (ADR: LNVGY) is a $US21 billion personal technology
    company - and the second largest PC company in the world, serving
    customers in more than 160 countries. Dedicated to building
    exceptionally engineered PCs and mobile internet devices, Lenovo’s
    business is built on product innovation, a highly-efficient global
    supply chain and strong strategic execution. Formed by Lenovo Group’s
    acquisition of the former IBM Personal Computing Division, the company
    develops, manufactures and markets reliable, high-quality, secure and
    easy-to-use technology products and services. Its product lines include
    legendary Think-branded commercial PCs and Idea-branded consumer PCs, as
    well as servers, workstations, and a family of mobile internet devices,
    including tablets and smart phones. Lenovo has major research centers in
    Yamato, Japan; Beijing, China; and Raleigh, North Carolina. For more
    information, see www.lenovo.com.

    1 Wireless display (WiDi) requires dedicated WiDi transmitter box.
    2 Measured at thickest point.
    3 Optional feature.
    4 OneKey® TV is an optional feature, which is not supported in all
    countries and configurations with OneKey® TV should be subject to local
    country import duties for TV sets.
    5 Prices do not include tax or shipping and are subject to change
    without notice and is tied to specific terms and conditions. Reseller
    prices may vary. Price does not include all advertised features. All
    offers subject to availability. Lenovo reserves the right to alter
    product offerings and specifications at any time without notice.