Tech Data Canada Partners with NEC Display Solutions to Provide Custom Content

 

 

Tech Data Canada Partners with NEC Display Solutions to Provide Custom Content

Mississauga, ON – December 5, 2011 –Tech Data Canada, a leading distributor of IT products, logistics management and other value added services, today announced that it has partnered with NEC Display Solutions to provide NEC’s content creation services to its complete channel of resellers. This new service provides resellers with the potential to capitalize on increased revenue and high-margin opportunities generated from creative development.

“Tech Data is excited to add NEC’s content creation services to our digital signage offering,” said Greg Myers, Vice President of Marketing at Tech Data Canada. “The digital signage market is growing exponentially in a multitude of industries and our partnership with NEC provides a great opportunity for resellers to maximize the potential of this rapidly growing market.”

NEC’s content creation services establish a comprehensive, cost-effective digital signage network with dynamic content, regardless of budget or timeframe, enabling resellers to assist their end-users with advertising campaigns, tradeshows, corporate websites, and more.

NEC large-screen LCD displays are suited for use in digital signage applications including airports, hospitals, retail stores, corporate offices and quick-service restaurants, offering essential technologies required to lower cost of ownership. Through its expertise in digital signage deployment, NEC can produce the appropriate content for any application or content management software (CMS).

“NEC is fortunate to have Tech Data support our content creation services,” said Ashley Flaska, Vice President of Marketing for NEC Display Solutions. “This service is a necessity in the digital signage space, and content is the most critical component. With the right messaging and creative content, customers will be able to see their display investment pay off.”

For complete access to all NEC products, visit www.techdata.ca

 

About NEC Display Solutions of America, Inc.
Headquartered in Itasca, Ill., NEC Display Solutions of America, Inc., is a leading designer and provider of innovative desktop LCD monitors, commercial- and professional-grade large-screen LCD displays, a diverse line of multimedia and digital cinema projectors, and integrated display solutions. NEC Display Solutions develops leading-edge visual technology and customer-focused solutions for a wide variety of markets, including enterprise, healthcare, education and digital signage. For additional information about NEC Display Solutions of America monitors, consumers can call (866) NEC-MORE, or visit the website at www.necdisplay.com.

 

About Tech Data

Tech Data Corporation (NASDAQ GS: TECD) is one of the world’s largest distributors of technology products from leading IT hardware and software producers. Tech Data serves more than 125,000 IT solution providers in over 100 countries. Every day, these resellers depend on Tech Data to cost-effectively support the technology needs of end users, including small and medium businesses (SMB), large enterprises and government agencies. Ranked 109th on the FORTUNE 500®, Tech Data generated over $24.3 billion in net sales for its fiscal year ended January 31, 2011. To learn more, visit www.techdata.ca.

 

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For Tech Data inquiries, please contact:

Ryan McMenamie

Manager, Communications
Tech Data Canada

905-286-6743

ryan.mcmenamie@techdata.ca

 

 

 

 

Symantec Mobile Security Assessment Suite Helps Enterprises Mitigate Risks Associated with Mobile Devices and Apps

Symantec Mobile Security Assessment Suite Helps Enterprises
Mitigate Risks Associated with Mobile Devices and Apps
 

TORONTO, ON. – Dec. 5, 2011 – Symantec Corp. (Nasdaq: SYMC) today announced the Symantec Mobile Security Assessment Suite, a set of services that help enterprises evaluate their mobile security postures and develop defenses against mobile threats and vulnerabilities. Leveraging Symantec’s extensive knowledge base and deep technical and operational skill sets, the Symantec Mobile Security Assessment Suite provides enterprises with strategic and tactical recommendations for the secure deployment of mobile devices and applications.

 

 

The exploding use of mobile devices and mobile applications within enterprises creates a unique set of challenges that must be addressed in order to ensure sensitive information accessed, stored and transmitted is properly protected. These challenges have left many organizations wondering how to manage the risks associated with these devices, transitioning them from simply consumer devices on the enterprise network to properly managed and protected endpoints.

 

“When it comes to implementing mobile technology, enterprises are being thrown into the fire,” said Clint Sand, senior director of the Security Business Practice at Symantec. “Enterprises know that security is the main impediment for broader adoption of mobility, but with all the changes in operating systems and applications, IT managers are unclear on how to comprehensively address the security challenges. We want to help these organizations with an assessment of their security posture and make recommendations on the best ways to embrace BYOD.”

 

Symantec Mobile Security Assessment Suite uses a solution oriented approach based on Symantec’s exclusive Mobile Security Framework. It consists of two modules; one for holistic assessment of enterprise mobile security, and one specifically focused on mobile application security.

·         Symantec Mobile Security Assessments evaluate the level of risk inherent in the enterprise use of mobile computing devices, such as the Apple iPhone, iPad, or Android phones and tablets. The assessments provide an understanding of present or anticipated exposure to information security risk likely to result from gaps within the information security programs, policies and processes, based on mobile device use cases and available security controls.

 

·         Symantec Mobile App Security Assessments evaluate the security of an organization’s custom mobile applications against best practice criteria for mobile application security. By simulating real-world device operating system and application-level attacks, the tests provide insight into the ability of an organization’s mobile applications to resist attacks from unauthorized users and to help prevent misuse by valid users.

After completion of the assessments, Symantec delivers a written report which includes an executive summary, showing the high-level analysis and findings, a scorecard illustrating the organization’s mobile security readiness, detailed findings and recommendations, and prioritized action plans for closing any gaps that may exist. Enterprises can use the final report to formalize their mobile strategies and deployment plans around mobile device management, mobile data loss prevention, mobile encryption, mobile anti-virus and mobile authentication.

 
Availability

The Symantec Mobile Security Assessment Suite is currently available. These services can be purchased directly from Symantec.

 
Resources
 
Connect with Symantec
·         Follow Symantec on Twitter

·         Join Symantec on Facebook

 

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 atwww.symantec.com.
 
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FreeBalance Shares PFM Domain Expertise at ICGFM Annual Winter Conference


FreeBalance Shares PFM Domain Expertise at ICGFM Annual Winter Conference

Conference to explore PFM in the 21st Century and Modern PFM Institutions

Ottawa, Canada (December 5, 2011) – FreeBalance, a global Government Resource Planning (GRP) software company, today announced participation at the 2011 International Consortium on Governmental Financial Management (ICGFM) Winter Conference. The event runs from December 5-7, 2011 in Washington, DC at the International Monetary Fund (IMF) conference facilities. The ICGFM conference provides opportunities to discuss ideas and policies with government financial managers from around the world. Representatives from Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America, the Caribbean, and North America will share practical experiences in adopting and implementing new components in the public financial management (PFM) world. For more information, visit www.icgfm.org.

“FreeBalance looks forward to discussing modern public financial management tools and implementation methods with the ICGFM dignitaries,” said Doug Hadden, VP Products at FreeBalance. “Our mission is to help countries leverage technology to support economic growth and aid development through transparent and accountable financial systems. FreeBalance is active in all World Bank regions and has more than 25 years experience implementing government resource planning solutions worldwide.”

Attendees of the 2011 Winter Conference will also learn about the PFM institutions that provide the foundation for meeting the demands for greater accountability, transparency, and better management of public resources. As described in the 2011 ICGFM Winter Conference overview: “ICGFM is focusing on how PFM has evolved over the last 15 years to meet greater demands for accountability and transparency, and to manage through unprecedented economic changes and crises.” Key themes of this conference include: Independent accountability institutions, Performance informed resource allocation, Risk management as an element of PFM, Reporting standards, and Managing beyond the current budget year.

FreeBalance is a Sustaining Member of the ICGFM. Other members include The World Bank; The International Monetary Fund; the United States Agency for International Development – Inspector General; the Association of Government Accountants (USA); and The Development Gateway Foundation. FreeBalance President & CEO Manuel Pietra is a member of the Board of Directors at ICGFM.

Software solutions from FreeBalance are being used in 19 countries, including Antigua & Barbuda, Afghanistan, Canada, Iraq, Kosovo, Kyrgyz Republic, Liberia, Mongolia, Namibia, Pakistan, Sierra Leone, Southern Sudan, Timor-Leste, and Uganda among others.

About ICGFM
Working globally with governments, organizations, and individuals, the International Consortium on Governmental Financial Management (ICGFM) is dedicated to improving financial management by providing opportunities for professional development and information exchange. The ICGFM was established over two decades ago to serve as an international forum for public sector financial managers. More at www.icgfm.org.

About FreeBalance
FreeBalance helps governments around the world leverage robust Government Resource Planning (GRP) technology to accelerate country growth. FreeBalance software solutions for public financial and human resource management support reform and modernization to improve governance, transparency and accountability. Good governance is required to improve development results. FreeBalance solutions are active in 19 countries managing more than a quarter trillion ($US) in annual budgets worldwide. For more information, visit www.freebalance.com.

 

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FreeBalance Media Contact:
James Elrick
Email: jelrick@freebalance.com
Ph: +1 613 218 4938

   

Research In Motion Announces Third Quarter Provision Related To PlayBook Inventory and Confirms Commitment to Tablet Market; Provides Update to Q3 and Fiscal 2012 Guidance

Research In Motion Announces Third Quarter Provision Related To PlayBook Inventory and Confirms Commitment to Tablet Market; Provides Update to Q3 and Fiscal 2012 Guidance

2 Dec 2011

Waterloo, ON - Research In Motion Limited (RIM) (Nasdaq: RIMM; TSX: RIM), a world leader in the mobile communications market, today announced that it would record a pre-tax provision in the third quarter of fiscal 2012 of approximately $485 million, $360 million after tax, related to its inventory valuation of BlackBerry PlayBook tablets.  The charge is expected to be predominantly non-cash.  All figures in this release are in U.S. Dollars and U.S. GAAP, except where otherwise indicated.

As previously disclosed, RIM has a high level of BlackBerry PlayBook inventory.  The Company now believes that an increase in promotional activity is required to drive sell-through to end customers.  This is due to several factors, including recent shifts in the competitive dynamics of the tablet market and a delay in the release of the PlayBook OS 2.0 software.  As a result, RIM will record a provision that reflects the current market environment and allows it to expand upon the aggressive level of promotional activity recently employed by the Company in order to drive PlayBook adoption around the world.

Based on the positive response to the promotions that are underway in select markets, RIM believes this strategy will accelerate adoption of its QNX-based platform by consumers and enterprises, as well as help to drive the development of a vibrant application ecosystem in advance of its next generation BlackBerry smartphones.  RIM sold into the channels approximately 150,000 BlackBerry PlayBook tablets in the third quarter and sell-through to end customers, based on RIM’s internal data, was higher than this amount.  Since the launch of the new promotions across consumer and enterprise channels in the United States and Canada late in the third quarter, the Company has seen a significant increase in demand for the PlayBook.  Both consumer and enterprise customers who purchase a new BlackBerry PlayBook at the current promotional pricing, along with existing PlayBook customers, will be able to upgrade to the enhanced PlayBook OS 2.0 software at no additional charge when it becomes available in February 2012.

“RIM is committed to the BlackBerry PlayBook and believes the tablet market is still in its infancy. Although a number of factors have led to the need for an inventory provision in the third quarter, we believe the PlayBook, which will be further enhanced with the upcoming PlayBook OS 2.0 software, is a compelling tablet for consumers that also offers unique security and manageability features for the enterprise,” said Mike Lazaridis, Co-CEO at Research In Motion. “Early results from recent PlayBook promotions indicate a significant increase in demand across most channels.  We look forward to continuing to grow the installed base of PlayBook users and to attracting more and more developers to expand the volume of applications, content and services that leverage the power of the industry leading QNX-based platform.”

Updated Third Quarter Fiscal 2012 Guidance and Outlook

While the Company is still in the process of finalizing its third quarter financial results, the Company shipped approximately 14.1 million BlackBerry smartphones in the third quarter ended November 26, 2011 which was in line with previous guidance of between 13.5-14.5 million.  Adjusted revenue in the third quarter, excluding a charge against revenue of approximately $50 million related to the service outage that occurred in the quarter, is expected to be slightly lower than the previously guided range of $5.3-5.6 billion, reflecting product mix and the impact of PlayBook sell-through programs in the quarter.   Gross margin is expected to be in line with previous guidance of approximately 37%.  Excluding the PlayBook provision and the outage related impact described above, RIM expects adjusted diluted earnings per share in the third quarter to be at the low to mid point of the $1.20-$1.40 per share range it previously guided.  The Company’s cash balance at the end of the quarter increased by approximately $80 million to approximately $1.5 billion.  The Company is still in the process of finalizing its fourth quarter outlook, and based on preliminary estimates, RIM expects unit shipments in the fourth quarter to be below third quarter levels.  The lower expected shipments in the fourth quarter are due to several factors including lower than expected sell-through in the third quarter and RIM’s current view of fourth quarter demand.  The Company no longer expects to meet its full year adjusted diluted earnings per share guidance of $5.25-6.00.

Note: Adjusted diluted earnings per share and adjusted revenue do not have any standardized meaning prescribed by GAAP and thus are not comparable to similarly titled measures presented by other issuers.  The Company believes that the use of adjusted diluted earnings per share and adjusted revenue enables the Company and its shareholders to better assess RIM’s operating results relative to its operating results in prior periods and improves the comparability of the information presented.  Investors should consider RIM’s use of non-GAAP financial measures in the context of RIM’s GAAP results.  A reconciliation of adjusted diluted earnings per share and adjusted revenue to GAAP diluted earnings per share and GAAP revenue will be included when RIM releases its financial results for the third quarter of fiscal 2012 on December 15, 2011.

Q3 Results Conference Call Details

RIM will be reporting results for the third quarter of fiscal 2012 on December 15, 2011 after the close of the market. The Company will discuss today’s announcement, third quarter fiscal 2012 results, and the outlook for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2012 on a conference call and live webcast beginning at 5 pm ET, December 15, 2011.  The call can be accessed by dialing 1-800-814-4859 or at www.rim.com/investors/events/index.shtml.  A replay of the conference call will also be available at approximately 7 pm by dialing 1-416-640-1917 and entering passcode 4466493#.  A replay of the webcast will be available clicking the link above. The replay will be available until midnight ET December 29, 2011.  The conference call will also appear on the RIM website live at 5 pm ET and will be archived at http://www.rim.com/investors/events/index.shtml.

Eye on Earth Enables Cloud-Based Environmental Data Sharing

Eye on Earth Enables Cloud-Based Environmental Data Sharing
The European Environment Agency, Esri and Microsoft launch new online community and application development platform.

DURBAN, South Africa — Dec. 1, 2011 — The European Environment Agency (EEA), Esri and Microsoft Corp. today announced, at the 17th Conference of the Parties (COP17) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, the launch of the Eye on Earth network, an online community for developing innovative services that map environmental parameters. The new cloud computing-based network provides a collaborative online service for hosting, sharing and discovering data on the environment and promotes the principles of public data access and citizen science. In addition, the organisations also announced NoiseWatch, a new web service available on the Eye on Earth network that measures noise in 164 European cities.

The Eye on Earth network provides organisations with a security-enhanced central location for managing their geospatial environmental content. It uses Esri’s ArcGIS Online cloud services coupled with Windows Azure and Microsoft SQL Azure, and it hosts the data in the Environmental Data Store. The network’s user interface enables the easy creation and sharing of map-based services, translating complex scientific data into accessible, interactive and visual web services. With Eye on Earth, users can create and share maps within their organisation or make the content publicly available as web-accessible services. Eye on Earth was first launched in 2008 as part of a public-private partnership between the EEA and Microsoft with the joint goal of making environmental data available to all 600 million citizens across the EEA’s 32 member and seven cooperating countries.

“The launch of the Eye on Earth network is a great leap forward in helping organisations provide the public with authoritative data on the environment and in helping citizens around the world better understand some of the most pressing environmental challenges in their local area,” said Jacqueline McGlade, executive director of EEA. “With the input of environmental stakeholders globally, we’re pleased to see the network expand and become a vital service for those interested in learning more about the environment. Environmental policy makers also have a new tool to understand and visualise environmental information to support good environmental policy making.”

The network is being launched with three Eye on Earth services available — WaterWatch, AirWatch and NoiseWatch, which are being made available today at COP17. WaterWatch uses the EEA’s environmental data to monitor and display water quality ratings across Europe’s public swimming sites. Also built from the EEA’s data, AirWatch illustrates air quality ratings in Europe. NoiseWatch combines the EEA’s data with input from citizens. Noise Meter, a new mobile application for noise level readings available on mobile operating systems Android, iOS and Windows Phone 7.5, allows users to take noise level readings from their mobile devices and instantly upload them into NoiseWatch’s database.

“With the launch of the new Eye on Earth network, citizens, governments and scientists now have an easy-to-use, scalable platform for collecting, sharing and visualising the world’s critical environmental data,” said Rob Bernard, chief environmental strategist at Microsoft. “I am excited by the possibilities that technology provides to transform data into powerful, visual maps that everyone can interact with. The impact of projects such as Eye on Earth shows the potential that new types of partnerships and technology can yield.”

“Eye on Earth allows for extensive collaboration among European agencies and communities,” said Jack Dangermond, Esri president. “This platform, based on ArcGIS Online, is putting environmental information into the hands of many. It equips people with tools and information to engage in conversation, analysis, reporting and policy making. In addition, this platform, developed for Europe, can be implemented in other countries and regions of the world.”

Next week at the Eye on Earth Summit in Abu Dhabi, a Rio+20 preparatory meeting, a consortium of partners will meet to re-affirm the importance of providing environmental data through the Eye on Earth network.

More information about Eye on Earth is available at http://www.eyeonearth.org.

About the European Environment Agency

The European Environment Agency is the European Union body dedicated to providing sound, independent information on the environment. The agency aims to achieve significant and measurable improvements in Europe’s environment through the provision of timely, targeted, relevant and reliable information to policy-makers and the public. More information about the EEA is available at http://www.eea.europa.eu.

About Esri

Founded in 1969, Esri (esri.com) is the world leader in the GIS software industry. Esri offers innovative solutions that help users create, manage, analyze, and display information to make timely decisions and solve problems they encounter every day. Esri’s comprehensive product line ranges from desktop GIS to GIS for the enterprise.

About Microsoft

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT”) is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realise their full potential.

About Microsoft EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa)

Microsoft has operated in EMEA since 1982. In the region Microsoft employs more than 16,000 people in over 64 subsidiaries, delivering products and services in more than 139 countries and territories.

Note to editors: For more information, news and perspectives from Microsoft, please visit the Microsoft News Center at http://www.microsoft.com/news. Web links, telephone numbers and titles were correct at time of publication, but may since have changed. For additional assistance, journalists and analysts may contact Microsoft’s Rapid Response Team or other appropriate contacts listed at http://www.microsoft.com/news/contactpr.mspx.

Helping transform today's waste into tomorrow's resources


Helping transform today's waste into tomorrow's resources

Polytechnique Montréal researchers obtain
$3.2M grant from NSERC and Total

MONTREAL, Dec. 2, 2011 /CNW Telbec/ - This morning, in the presence of its partners and numerous guests, Polytechnique Montréal inaugurated the NSERC/Total Industrial Research Chair in Hydrodynamic Modelling of Multiphase Processes at Extreme Conditions. This Chair will specifically investigate the potential for transforming domestic and industrial waste through the development of green processes, with the aim of helping to meet the world population's energy and goods-production needs using resources that are difficult to process, such as waste and refractory mineral ores.

It is well known that the scarcity of resources, especially those that are easy to process, is creating growing uncertainty. The problem is particularly acute today because the world's energy consumption is accentuated by the increased demands in emerging and developing countries and the needs resulting from new products being brought to market—so energy consumption is not about to decline. The management and conservation of natural resources are the main challenges we face in working to create green processes and sustainable development. In the 21st century, economic growth will require us to use safe, sustainable resources to meet society's growing needs. So it is crucial that we find innovative solutions and technologies that draw on much more complex raw materials, from both renewable and non-renewable resources. The Chair's co-holders, Professors Jamal Chaouki and Louis Fradette, will work in this direction.

"The population's energy needs are growing, resources are becoming scarcer, and environmental and social concerns absolutely must be central to responsible research," Professor Chaouki said. "Our research team is powerfully inspired by the desire to transform today's waste into tomorrow's resources."

The Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) and Total have joined forces with Polytechnique to create an industrial research chair that aims to contribute to the development of new processes that are respectful of the environment. "It is crucial that we take into account environmental questions that result from the rapid world population growth and the increased use of energy resources," added Professor Fradette, co-holder of the Chair. "This is a hugely strategic issue, since new technologies will be at the forefront of any breakthroughs."

To carry out its work, the Chair will benefit from a five-year operating budget of $3.2 million, with $1.25 million from NSERC and $1.25 million from Total, along with $700,000 in support from Polytechnique. Other contributions earmarked for infrastructure and equipment required for the Chair's work will be added to this base amount. Among others, that includes contributions from the Canada Foundation for Innovation ($400,000), Total ($150,000) and the Gouvernement du Québec ($400,000). The research team will have a total budget approaching $4.2 million.

"Today, we are celebrating two research leaders who are using their talents and knowledge to spearhead innovation for one of Canada's energy production sector," said Suzanne Fortier, President of NSERC. "The research work by Drs. Chaouki and Fradette has shown impressive initiative and ambition when it comes to tackling issues faced by industry. As Chair co-holders, they will enjoy a strong position from which to contribute new ideas and improve operations within the sector."

For his part, Philippe Tanguy, Vice-President of R&D Programs, Partnerships and International Relations/Scientific at Total, said: "We are proud to support this new chair, whose research work is motivated by the major societal challenges of access to energy and development of clean technologies. The energy and petrochemical industries need to marshal major research efforts in order to be able to improve their knowledge of the physical and chemical processes and — why not? — culminate in technological jumps."

A research team dedicated to the industry's needs
Over the next five years, Professors Chaouki and Fradette will work closely with more than 20 researchers, including some students. The students taking part in the research work will be specifically trained and educated about the problems faced in the field, which will be a clear benefit to the businesses that hire them in the future.

"Thanks to the research program of this Chair, Canada can become a world player in the development of green processes for upgrading difficult natural resources and  transforming domestic and industrial waste," noted Christophe Guy, CEO of Polytechnique Montréal. "The Chair will benefit from infrastructure unique in Canada and will train a pool of high-quality researchers and specialists."

About NSERC
NSERC is a federal agency that helps make Canada a country of discoverers and innovators for all Canadians. The agency supports some 30,000 postsecondary students and postdoctoral fellows in their advanced studies. NSERC promotes discovery by funding more than 12,000 professors every year and fosters innovation by encouraging more than 1,500 Canadian companies to participate and invest in postsecondary research projects.

About TOTAL
Total is one of the largest integrated oil and gas companies in the world, with activities in more than 130 countries. The Group is also a first-rank player in chemicals. Its 93,000 employees put their expertise to work in every part of the industry - exploration and production of oil and natural gas, refining and marketing, new energies, trading, and chemicals. Total is working to help satisfy the global demand for energy, both today and tomorrow. 

About Polytechnique Montreal
Founded in 1873, Polytechnique Montréal is one of Canada's leading engineering teaching and research institutions. It is the largest engineering university in Québec for the size of its student body and the scope of its research activities. With over 38,500 graduates, Polytechnique Montréal has graduated 25% of the current members of the l'Ordre des ingénieurs du Québec. Polytechnique provides training in 16 engineering specialties, has 242 professors and more than 7,100 students. It has an annual operating budget of over $200 million, including a $72-million research budget.

Professors Chaouki and Fradette are available for interviews.

Photos are available upon request.

For further information:

Annie Touchette
Communications and Recruitment Service
Polytechnique Montréal
Tel.: 514 340-4711, ext. 4415
Cell: 514 231-8133
communications@polymtl.ca


Gartner Reveals Top Predictions for IT Organizations and Users for 2012 and Beyond

Gartner Reveals Top Predictions for IT Organizations and Users for 2012 and Beyond

Predictions Show IT Budgets Are Moving Out of the Control of IT Departments

STAMFORD, Conn., Dec 01, 2011 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Gartner, Inc. has revealed its top predictions for IT organizations and users for 2012 and beyond. Analysts said that the predictions herald changes in control for IT organizations as budgets, technologies and costs become more fluid and distributed.

This year's selection process included evaluating several criteria that define a top prediction. The issues examined included relevance, impact and audience appeal. A list of this year's predicts reports is available on the Gartner Predicts website at www.gartner.com/predicts .

Gartner's top predictions for 2012 and beyond showcase the trends and events that will change the nature of business today and in years to come. Selected from across Gartner's research areas as the most compelling and critical predictions, the trends and topics they address underline the reduction of control that IT has over the forces that affect it.

"The continued trends toward consumerization and cloud computing highlight the movement of certain former IT responsibilities into the hands of others," said Daryl Plummer, managing vice president and Gartner fellow. "As users take more control of the devices they will use, business managers are taking more control of the budgets IT organizations have watched shift over the last few years. As the world of IT moves forward, CIOs are finding that they must coordinate their activities in a much wider scope than they once controlled. While this might be a difficult prospect for IT departments, they must now adapt or be swept aside."

Gartner analysts said that going into 2012 there is an increase in the amount of information available to organizations, but it's a challenge for them to understand it. Given the shifts in control of systems that IT organizations are facing, the loss of ability to guarantee consistency and effectiveness of data will leave many struggling to prevent their organizations from missing key opportunities or from using questionable information for strategic decisions. No regulatory help is on the near horizon, leaving each business to decide for itself how to handle the introduction of big data.

"Any organization which wishes to accelerate in 2012 must establish in itself a significant discipline of coordinating distributed activities," Mr. Plummer said. "They must establish relationship management as a key skill and train their people accordingly. The reason for this is that the lack of control can only be combated through coordinative activities. The IT organization of the future must coordinate those who have the money, those who deliver the services, those who secure the data, and those consumers who demand to set their own pace for use of IT."

Gartner's top predictions for 2012 include:

By 2015, low-cost cloud services will cannibalize up to 15 percent of top outsourcing players' revenue.

Industrialized low-cost IT services (ILCS) is an emerging market force that will alter the common perceptions of pricing and value of IT services. In the next three to five years, this new model will reset the value proposition of IT. Low-cost cloud services will cause the cannibalization of current and potential outsourcing revenue. Similar to what happened with the adoption of offshore delivery, it will be incumbent upon vendors to invest in and adopt a new cloud-based, industrialized services strategy either directly or indirectly, internally or externally. The projected $1 trillion IT services market is at the beginning of a phase of further disruption, similar to the one the low-cost airlines have brought in the transportation industry.

In 2013, the investment bubble will burst for consumer social networks, and for enterprise social software companies in 2014.

Vendors in the consumer social network space are competing with each other at a rate and pace that are unusually aggressive, even in the technology market. The net result is a large crop of vendors with overlapping features competing for a finite audience. In the enterprise market, many small independent social networking vendors are struggling to reach critical mass at a time when market consolidation is starting, and megavendors, such as Microsoft, IBM, Oracle, Google and VMware, have made substantial efforts to penetrate the enterprise social networking market. While substantial excitement will be raised by private firms going public, valuations of smaller independent vendors will diminish as recognition sets in that the opportunities for market differentiation and fast growth has eroded.

By 2016, at least 50 percent of enterprise email users will rely primarily on a browser, tablet or mobile client instead of a desktop client.

While the rise in popularity of mobile devices and the growing comfort with browser use for enterprise applications preordains a richer mix of email clients and access mechanisms, the pace of change over the next four years will be breathtaking. Email system vendors are also likely to build mobile clients for a diverse set of devices for the same reason. Market opportunities for mobile device management platform vendors will soar. Increased pressure will be on those suppliers to accommodate an increasing portfolio of collaboration services, including instant messaging, Web conferencing, social networking and shared workspaces.

By 2015, mobile application development projects targeting smartphones and tablets will outnumber native PC projects by a ratio of 4-to-1.

Smartphones and tablets represent more than 90 percent of the new net growth in device adoption for the coming four years, and increasing application platform capability across all classes of mobile phones is spurring a new frontier of innovation, particularly where mobile capabilities can be integrated with location, presence and social information to enhance the usefulness. Innovation is moving to the edge for mobile devices; whereas, in 2011, Gartner estimates that app development projects targeting PCs to be on par with mobile development. Future adoption will triple from 4Q10 to 1Q14, and will result in the vast majority of client-side applications being mobile only or mobile first for these devices.

By 2016, 40 percent of enterprises will make proof of independent security testing a precondition for using any type of cloud service.

While enterprises are evaluating the potential cloud benefits in terms of management simplicity, economies of scale and workforce optimization, it is equally critical that they carefully evaluate cloud services for their ability to resist security threats and attacks. Inspectors' certifications will eventually become a viable alternative or complement to third-party testing. This means that instead of requesting that a third-party security vendor conduct testing on the enterprise's behalf, the enterprise will be satisfied by a cloud provider's certificate stating that a reputable third-party security vendor has already tested its applications.

At year-end 2016, more than 50 percent of Global 1000 companies will have stored customer-sensitive data in the public cloud.

With the current global economy facing financial pressure, organizations are compelled to reduce operational costs and streamline their efficiency. Responding to this imperative, it is estimated that more than 20 percent of organizations have already begun to selectively store their customer-sensitive data in a hybrid architecture that is a combined deployment of their on-premises solution with a private and/or public cloud provider in 2011.

By 2015, 35 percent of enterprise IT expenditures for most organizations will be managed outside the IT department's budget.

Next generation digital enterprises are being driven by a new wave of business managers and individual employees who no longer need technology to be contextualized for them by an IT department. These people are demanding control over the IT expenditure required to evolve the organization within the confines of their roles and responsibilities. CIOs will see some of their current budget simply reallocated to other areas of the business. In other cases, IT projects will be redefined as business projects with line-of-business managers in control.

By 2014, 20 percent of Asia-sourced finished goods and assemblies consumed in the U.S. will shift to the Americas. Political, environmental, economic and supply chain risks are causing many companies serving the U.S. market to shift sources of supply from Asia to the Americas, including Latin America, Canada and the U.S. Except in cases where there is a unique manufacturing process or product intellectual property, most products are candidates to be relocated. Escalating oil prices globally and rising wages in many offshore markets, plus the hidden costs associated with offshore outsourcing, erode the cost savings that didn't account for critical supply chain factors, such as inventory carrying costs, lead times, demand variability and product quality.

Through 2016, the financial impact of cybercrime will grow 10 percent per year, due to the continuing discovery of new vulnerabilities.

As IT delivery methods meet the demand for the use of cloud services and employee-owned devices, new software vulnerabilities will be introduced, and innovative attack paths will be developed by financially motivated attackers. The combination of new vulnerabilities and more targeted attacks will lead to continued growth in bottom-line financial impact because of successful cyber attacks.

By 2015, the prices for 80 percent of cloud services will include a global energy surcharge.

While cloud operators can make strategic decisions about locations, tax subsidies are no long-term answer to managing costs, and investments in renewable-energy sources remain costly. Some cloud data center operators already include an energy surcharge in their pricing package, and Gartner analysts believe this trend will rapidly escalate to include the majority of operators -- driven by competitive pressures and a "me too" approach. Business and IT leaders and procurement specialists must expect to see energy costs isolated and included as a variable element in future cloud service contracts.

Through 2015, more than 85 percent of Fortune 500 organizations will fail to effectively exploit big data for competitive advantage.

Current trends in smart devices and growing Internet connectivity are creating significant increases in the volume of data available, but the complexity, variety and velocity with which it is delivered combine to amplify the problem substantially beyond the simple issues of volume implied by the popular term "big data." Collecting and analyzing the data is not enough -- it must be presented in a timely fashion so that decisions are made as a direct consequence that have a material impact on the productivity, profitability or efficiency of the organization. Most organizations are ill prepared to address both the technical and management challenges posed by big data; as a direct result, few will be able to effectively exploit this trend for competitive advantage.

Additional details are in the Gartner report, "Gartner's Top Predictions for IT Organizations and Users, 2012 and Beyond: Control Slips Away," which is available on Gartner's website at www.gartner.com/predicts . The Gartner Predicts Special Report includes links to more than 70 predicts reports broken out by topics, industries and markets.

Mr. Plummer will be the host of the upcoming webinar, "Gartner Top Predictions for 2012 and Beyond," at 8 a.m. and 11 a.m. EST on December 21. To register for the webinar, please visit http://my.gartner.com/portal/server.pt?open=512&objID=202&mode=2&PageID=5553&resId=1842125&ref=Webinar-Calendar .

About Gartner

Gartner, Inc. /quotes/zigman/131838/quotes/nls/it IT -0.87% is the world's leading information technology research and advisory company. Gartner delivers the technology-related insight necessary for its clients to make the right decisions, every day. From CIOs and senior IT leaders in corporations and government agencies, to business leaders in high-tech and telecom enterprises and professional services firms, to technology investors, Gartner is a valuable partner to 60,000 clients in 11,500 distinct organizations. Through the resources of Gartner Research, Gartner Executive Programs, Gartner Consulting and Gartner Events, Gartner works with every client to research, analyze and interpret the business of IT within the context of their individual role. Founded in 1979, Gartner is headquartered in Stamford, Connecticut, USA, and has 4,500 associates, including 1,250 research analysts and consultants, and clients in 85 countries. For more information, visit www.gartner.com .

SOURCE: Gartner, Inc.

Smartphone Adoption Reaches 40 Percent in Canada

Smartphone Adoption Reaches 40 Percent in Canada

RIM continues to Lead Smartphone Market, with Apple a Close Second Google Android Doubles its Smartphone Market Share in Past Six Months to 25 Percent

TORONTO, Nov. 30, 2011 /CNW/ -- comScore, Inc. (NASDAQ: SCOR), a leader in measuring the digital world, today released data from the comScore MobiLens service, reporting key trends in the Canada mobile phone industry for September 2011. The report ranked the leading mobile original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and smartphone operating system (OS) platforms in Canada according to their share of current mobile subscribers ages 13 and older, and reviewed the most popular activities and content accessed via the subscriber's primary mobile phone. The September report found Samsung to be the top handset manufacturer overall with 25.2 percent market share, while RIM led among smartphone platforms with 35.8 percent share of that market segment.

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OEM Market Share

In September, 20.1 million Canadians ages 13 and older used mobile devices. Device manufacturer Samsung ranked as the top OEM with 25.2 percent of mobile subscribers in Canada, followed by LG with 20.0 percent share and RIM with 14.3 percent share. Apple ranked fourth with 12.0 percent share of subscribers, while Nokia rounded out the top five at 10.1 percent.

Top Mobile OEMs September 2011 Total Canada Mobile Subscribers (Smartphone & Non-Smartphone) Ages 13+ Source: comScore MobiLens -------------------------  Share (%) of Mobile Subscribers ------------------------------- Total Mobile Subscribers  100.0% ------------------------ ----- Samsung 25.2% -------  ---- LG 20.0% --- ---- RIM  14.3% --- ---- Apple 12.0% -----  ---- Nokia 10.1% ----- ---- Smartphone Platform Market Share

8 million people in Canada owned smartphones in September 2011, representing 40 percent of the mobile market in Canada, a gain of 7 percentage points in the past six months. RIM ranked as the top platform with 35.8 percent of the smartphone market, followed by Apple at 30.1 percent. Google Android gained ground among the competition by doubling its market share to 25.0 over the past six months. Symbian ranked fourth with 4.2 percent share, followed by Microsoft with 3.2 percent.

Top Smartphone Platforms September 2011 Total Canada Smartphone Subscribers Ages 13+ Source: comScore MobiLens ------------------------- Share (%) of Smartphone Subscribers ----------------------------------- Total Smartphone Subscribers 100.0% ----------------------------  ----- RIM 35.8% --- ---- Apple  30.1% ----- ---- Google 25.0% ------  ---- Symbian 4.2% ------- --- Microsoft  3.2% --------- --- Mobile Content Usage

Canadians use their mobile devices to access a wide variety of content. In September, 67.4 percent of the total Canada mobile audience used text messaging on their mobile device, compared to 88.1 percent of the Smartphone audience. Downloaded applications were used by 40.9 percent of the total mobile audience, compared to 84.2 percent of smartphone subscribers. Mobile browsers were another popular way of accessing mobile content, used by 36.9 percent of the total audience and 74.8 percent of the smartphone audience. 39.5 percent of the total audience and 79.3 percent of the smartphone audience used their phones to stay up-to-date on the latest news. Other popular mobile behaviors included accessing maps (44.4 percent of smartphone subscribers), accessing bank accounts (28.8 percent of smartphone subscribers) and scanning QR codes (18.1 percent of smartphone subscribers).

Select Mobile Content Usage September 2011 Total Canada Mobile Subscribers and Smartphone Subscribers Ages 13+ Source: comScore MobiLens ------------------------- Share (%) of Mobile Subscribers Share (%) of Smartphone Subscribers ------------------------------- ----------------------------------- Total Mobile Subscribers 100.0% 100.0% ------------------------ ----- ----- Sent text message 67.4 88.1 ----------------- ---- ---- Used downloaded application 40.9 84.2 --------------------------- ---- ---- Accessed news and information 39.5 79.3 ----------------------------- ---- ---- Used browser 36.9 74.8 ------------ ---- ---- Used email (work or personal) 32.7 69.3 ---------------------------- ---- ---- Accessed Social Networking Site or Blog 29.2 60.7 --------------------------------------- ---- ---- Played games 28.0 53.2 ------------ ---- ---- Accessed weather 27.5 60.2 ---------------- ---- ---- Accessed search 24.2 51.2 --------------- ---- ---- Listened to music on mobile phone 20.8 40.7 --------------------------------- ---- ---- Accessed maps 20.1 44.4 ------------- ---- ---- Accessed sports information 14.8 31.5 --------------------------- ---- ---- Accessed entertainment news 14.2 29.5 --------------------------- ---- ---- Accessed bank accounts 13.5 28.8 ---------------------- ---- ---- Scanned QR/bar code with mobile phone 8.1 18.1 ------------------------------------- --- ---- About MobiLens

MobiLens data is derived from an intelligent online survey of a nationally representative sample of mobile subscribers age 13 and above. Data on mobile phone usage refers to a respondent's primary mobile phone and does not include data related to a respondent's secondary device.

About comScore

comScore, Inc. (NASDAQ: SCOR) is a global leader in measuring the digital world and preferred source of digital business analytics. For more information, please visit www.comscore.com/companyinfo.

Xerox Canada Launches New Recycling Program

Xerox Canada Launches New Recycling Program

Supply chain partnership enables efficient collection of spent imaging supplies and helps reduce the environmental footprint of document-intensive business processes

TORONTO, Dec. 1, 2011 /CNW/ - Xerox Canada today announced the roll out of a new waste prevention program aimed at keeping hundreds of thousands of kilograms of spent imaging supplies out of landfills.

"By simplifying the way Xerox Canada customers return spent imaging supplies for recycling, this initiative can divert an estimated 673 thousand kilograms of consumables waste from landfills annually," said Emechete Onuoha, vice president, Citizenship and Government Affairs, Xerox Canada. "The more responsive  and efficient the process, the more sustainable the outcome."

As part of a comprehensive partnership with PurolatorSCI Logistics and Close the Loop - one of the world's largest recyclers of imaging supplies - Xerox Canada customers will no longer need to deliver recyclable cartridges, bottles and other spent imaging supplies to Canada Post locations. Xerox customers across Canada can visit the Green World Alliance website to register, print detailed shipping labels and arrange for convenient pickup of these waste materials by Purolator for recycling at no extra cost. Close the Loop's patented material separation processes will see used printing supplies recycled and raw materials re-used in new products.

"The Xerox environmental record of achievement is notable and lengthy," said  Dr. Rick Smith, executive director, Environmental Defence. "The new recycling program is yet another compelling example of Xerox Canada's unswerving commitment to environmental stewardship."

Xerox Canada's new recycling program is an extension of the company's Green World Alliance (GWA) program. GWA established Xerox as a leader in sustainability and environmentally responsible recycling programs more than a decade ago, and diverts an average of 5.5 million kilograms of waste per year from landfills around the world.

About Xerox
Xerox Corporation is a $22.5 billion leading global enterprise for business process and document management. Through its broad portfolio of technology and services, Xerox provides the essential back-office support that clears the way for clients to focus on what they do best: their real business. Headquartered in Norwalk, Conn., Xerox provides leading-edge document technology, services, software and genuine Xerox supplies for graphic communication and office printing environments of any size. Through ACS, A Xerox Company, which Xerox acquired in February 2010, Xerox also offers extensive business process outsourcing and IT outsourcing services, including data processing, healthcare solutions, HR benefits management, finance support, and customer relationship management services for commercial and government organizations worldwide. The 134,000 people of Xerox serve clients in more than 160 countries.

For more information on Xerox Corporation visit www.xerox.com, www.news.xerox.com, www.realbusiness.com or www.acs-inc.com. For investor information, visit www.xerox.com/investor.

For information about Xerox Canada visit www.xerox.ca.

For further information:

Media Contacts: 

John Quinn, Xerox Canada - 416-733-6828john.quinn@xerox.com

Express Scripts Canada Announces Strategic Supply-Chain Relationship with SCI Logistics Ltd.

Express Scripts Canada Announces Strategic Supply-Chain Relationship with SCI Logistics Ltd.


  • SCI Will Build, Facilitate Logistics of Express Scripts Canada Pharmacies Across Canada to Enable Home Delivery Of Maintenance Prescription Medications

MISSISSAUGA, ON, Nov. 30, 2011 /CNW/ - Express Scripts Canada, one of the largest providers of health benefits management services in Canada, today announced that it has entered into a supply-chain agreement with SCI Logistics Ltd., to provide integral services related to the development and delivery of Express Scripts Canada's recently announced pharmacy benefit management service (PBM) and home delivery pharmacies.

The expanded PBM service is the latest in a line of solutions that will enable Express Scripts Canada to better meet current and emerging needs of plan sponsors and significantly reduce the cost of providing a prescription drug benefit to employees.

"With SCI Logistics providing for the delivery of prescription medications and assisting with the construction and logistical operations of our home delivery pharmacies, we have placed another important building block in the foundation of our PBM business model," said Michael Biskey, president of Express Scripts Canada. "To provide plan sponsors - many of which have a presence in multiple provinces and territories - with our PBM service, we will work with a partner capable of delivering prescription medications in a timely manner to all parts of the country."

"SCI Logistics will manage delivery service providers, including Canada Post and Purolator Courier, to offer the capability to deliver packages to all 10 provinces and three territories, including remote areas, in a safe, reliable, timely manner. This capability, combined with historically strong track records for safety and reliability, make Canada Post and Purolator logical choices as our preferred partners for the delivery of maintenance prescription drugs."

John Ferguson, President and Chief Executive Officer of SCI Group, said that SCI Logistics has a proven track record of delivering end-to-end supply-chain solutions to help companies ensure seamless delivery of their important goods to Canadians.

"We're pleased to work with Express Scripts Canada to both build and maintain the order-management and inventory-management processes required to provide safe, secure and timely delivery of maintenance prescription medications," said Mr. Ferguson. "The SCI team's unique combination of expertise in e-commerce fulfillment, combined with its expertise and experience in health-care logistics, will help deliver success for Express Scripts Canada."

Expanded Pharmacy Benefit Management Service

Express Scripts Canada's expanded PBM service, which can be added by companies and organizations without changing insurance carriers, leverages research and proven best practices in behavioral sciences to actively engage members of health benefits plans to more effectively manage benefit costs and their health. Plan members will interact with a team of highly qualified professionals about their maintenance medication alternatives so that they can make informed choices with the support of their physician. The result will be informed decisions that offer the best possible health outcome while reducing costs for both the member and their plan sponsor.

Working in conjunction with the expanded PBM service, each Express Scripts Canada Pharmacy facilitates the dispensing and delivery of prescription drugs to treat ongoing medical conditions, such as asthma, diabetes, high cholesterol and high blood pressure. A supply of up to 90 days of these prescription medications will be delivered, via free standard shipping, to patients' homes, or to the address they designate.

Delivery of Prescription Medications through Xpresspost, Purolator Courier

To facilitate the delivery of prescription medication packages from the Express Scripts Canada pharmacies to plan members throughout Canada, SCI Logistics will leverage the vast resources in the service networks of their delivery partners, Canada Post and Purolator Courier. Combined, Canada Post, with its Xpresspost service, and Purolator, are experienced in delivering prescription medication and health-care products, and have the capability to deliver to any address in Canada as Express Scripts Canada expands its service.

Pharmacy Update

The Express Scripts Canada Pharmacy in Ontario, which is located in Mississauga, will open on December 1, 2011. The 8,500 square-foot facility, which received its operating license from the Ontario College of Pharmacists in late October, includes state-of-the-art pharmacy management technology to manage patient records and to enter, fill, dispense and track prescriptions for registered plan members, along with climate-controlled storage space for temperature-sensitive medications.

The facility also houses an adjoining Product Development & Customer Experience Centre, where plan sponsors and other interested parties can learn more about Express Scripts Canada's expanded PBM service and the Express Scripts Canada Pharmacy.

For more information about Express Scripts Canada's PBM service and the Express Scripts Canada Pharmacy, go to www.express-scripts.ca.

About SCI Group Inc.

SCI is a leading Canadian third-party logistics provider, offering value-added  warehousing, distribution, contract logistics and transportation services to a wide range of industries, including telecommunication, retail/etail, health-care, industrial and technology. SCI's innovative supply- chain solutions, national network of advanced facilities and skilled team help optimize supply chains from sourcing to final delivery. For more information about SCI, visit the company's Web site at www.scigroup.ca.

About Express Scripts Canada

Express Scripts Canada, a registered business name of both ESI Canada and Express Scripts Canada Services, each an Ontario partnership indirectly controlled by Express Scripts, Inc., is one of Canada's leading providers of health benefits management services. From its corporate headquarters in Mississauga, Ontario, just outside Toronto, Express Scripts Canada provides a full range of integrated pharmacy benefit management (PBM) services to insurers, third-party administrators, plan sponsors and the public sector, including health-claims adjudication and processing services, Home Delivery Pharmacy Services, benefit-design consultation, drug-utilization review, formulary management, and medical and drug-data analysis services, to better facilitate the best possible health outcomes at the lowest possible cost. For more information about Express Scripts Canada, visit its Web site at www.express-scripts.ca.

About Express Scripts, Inc.

Express Scripts, Inc., one of the largest pharmacy benefit management companies in North America, is leading the way toward creating better health and value for patients through Consumerology®, the advanced application of the behavioral sciences to health care. This approach is helping millions of members realize greater health-care outcomes and lowering cost by assisting in influencing their behavior.

Headquartered in St. Louis, Express Scripts, Inc. provides integrated PBM services, including network-pharmacy claims processing, home delivery services, specialty benefit management, benefit-design consultation, drug-utilization review, formulary management, and medical and drug data analysis services. The Company also distributes a full range of biopharmaceutical products and provides extensive cost-management and patient-care services. More information can be found at http://www.express-scripts.com.