Ottawa Gets First Tier 3 Data Centre

Ottawa Gets First Tier 3 Data Centre

OTTAWA, Nov. 22, 2011 /CNW/ - To support the growth of the tech sector, Granite Networks has emerged as the first and only Tier 3 data center in Eastern Ontario, by building the largest independent hosting facility of any kind in Ottawa.

James Mackenzie, CEO of Granite Networks, offers an optimistic outlook: "Ottawa had lost some of its lustre within the high-tech space, but we are bringing back the shine with a specialty data centre facility with four main features: carrier neutrality, support for super densities, high reliability, and legendary customer service."

Data centres act as warehouses for hundreds and thousands of networked computer servers, storing everything from videos and music, to emails and webpages, to online games and business transactions, and enabling users around the globe to connect and access this information around the clock.

"Our location offers access to over a hundred strands of fibre. This means we can deliver the bandwidth our customers need from any carrier they prefer, rather than dictating their choice and forcing pricing terms on them. This allows our customers to save money with economies of scale by right-sizing their infrastructure. Increasing that value with redundancy and designing to the Uptime Institute's Tier 3 standards is a perfect match to our most important goal: providing our customers with legendary customer service."

This focus on customer service comes from the strengths of the team, comments Jason van Gaal, COO. "We've made an effort to find people who are passionate about what they do, in the same way that our customers are passionate about what they do. If you combine great people, great processes and great technology, you get a winning combination that gives our customers a highly reliable and convenient solution to support their mission critical infrastructure."

Peter McGillvray, VP of Sales adds that "the market is demanding a change to something better", noting the huge growth of data centre requirements in Canada, which is estimated at $4 billion according to IDC Canada. "Small to medium businesses feel the pain quickly when services go down or their calls aren't answered. We've gone through great efforts to ensure a high level of reliability with legendary customer service, making us an obvious choice for local companies to help them do what they do best."

About Granite Networks

Granite Networks is a vendor and carrier neutral hosting company built with Tier 3 and LEED standards in mind, offering colocation, managed services, and cloud hosting services to small and medium businesses in the Ottawa area and beyond. This specialty data centre focuses on four main features: carrier neutrality, support for high densities, high reliability, and legendary customer service.

For further information: Judy Roberts
marketing@granite-networks.com

Roaring Penguin Software releases a new technical training video

Roaring Penguin Software releases a new technical training video

OTTAWA, Nov. 22, 2011 /CNW/ - Roaring Penguin Software Inc., the email filtering experts, makers of the acclaimed CanIt-PRO, CanIt-Domain-PRO, CanIt Archiver and Hosted CanIt anti-spam and email archiving solutions, announce the release of a new training video.  This is the third training video created this year introducing various aspects of Roaring Penguin Software's technology, including the email continuity product CanIt Archiver.

The new training video describes how to provision new domains for Hosted CanIt and CanIt-Domain-PRO, and explains the concept of realms: a realm is a container for one organization's domains.  There is a hierarchy of realms, with an MSP's realm at the top of their hierarchy, their customers' realms below that, the realms of their customers' customers below that, and so on.

Realms provide administrative and technical autonomy.  On the administrative side, a parent realm can see statistics such as address counts for their realm and their sub-realms individually, collectively or grouped per-realm.  On the technical side, each realm has its own administrator allowing the parent organization to delegate administration to their customers.  Each realm can have its own default settings that apply to it and its sub-realms.  In turn, each realm inherits settings from its parent realm, all the way to the base realm at the top of the hierarchy.

MSPs should create parent realms and then sub-realms for each of their clients.  The training video can be viewed at: http://www.roaringpenguin.com/resources/videos-ts/provisioning-realms/.

Roaring Penguin Software's latest product, CanIt Archiver, "The Uninterruptible Email Supply", is a highly-configurable email archiving solution focused on email continuity.  CanIt Archiver ensures that email is accessible in the event of a mail server outage and queues email to ensure that it is delivered when mail service is restored.  CanIt Archiver is also available as a Hosted Email Archiving Service.

CanIt is available as:

  • CanIt-PRO, an anti-spam software solution suitable for small and medium-sized businesses.
  • CanIt-Domain-PRO, spam filtering software for MSPs to host anti-spam for their customers.
  • Hosted CanIt, a fully outsourced, hosted anti-spam service.
  • CanIt Archiver, email archiving software.
  • Hosted CanIt Archiver, a fully outsourced, hosted email archiving service.

About Roaring Penguin
Founded in 1999, Roaring Penguin Software Inc., the email filtering experts, focuses on fighting spam at the mail server, with the acclaimed CanIt and MIMEDefang product lines.  Today, Roaring Penguin develops its anti-spam solutions and email archiving / email continuity software for customers that include enterprises, ISPs, Universities, web hosts, and government offices.  For more information, visit roaringpenguin.com.

For further information:

Bill White
Roaring Penguin Software
Tel.:  +1 613-231-6599
Email: billw@roaringpenguin.com

Ontario Parents Pull Children Out of School to Protest WiFi

Ontario Parents Pull Children Out of School to Protest WiFi

NEWMARKET, ON, Nov. 23, 2011 /CNW/ - Parents in York Region will remove their children from school today and picket their School Board, to protest against exposure to radiation from Wifi.

"This is proven to be harmful to children," said organizer Lynnette Haralampopolous. "It is wrong to force mandatory exposure to microwave radiation on children."

Radiation from WiFi and other wireless devices is a "possible carcinogen" according to the World Health Organization. In May the W.H.O. placed microwaves on the same cancer watch-list as DDT, lead, and car exhaust.

Some Canadian private schools and one public school Board have removed WiFi, but York Region and some other Boards continue to use it.

Parents will picket the York Region School Board offices from 10 am to 2pm today.

Background info:   www.safeschool.ca

For further information:

Lynnette Haralampopolous
905-773-9316
Cell: 905-868-7010
(Pronounce: HARA-lam-POPPA-luss)

Independent Research Firm Names EMC Documentum as a Leader in Enterprise Content Management

Independent Research Firm Names EMC Documentum as a Leader in
Enterprise Content Management

Evaluation Based on Current Offering, Strategy and Market Presence

News Highlights:

* Forrester Research, Inc. positions EMC Documentum as a “Leader”
in its November 2011 report, “The Forrester Wave™: Enterprise Content
Management (ECM) Q4 2011.”
* EMC Documentum is named a leader for delivering a comprehensive suite
of ECM functionality that addresses all aspects of the four ECM
technology areas, providing a one-stop shop for ECM functionality from a
single vendor.
* Forrester cites several strengths, including that EMC has long been
at the forefront of the ECM market, with a broad range of capabilities
and strengths, particularly in its document management support. EMC
offers a suite of ECM technologies packaged to deliver solutions for
case management, information governance, and traditional content
management. EMC continues its innovative strategy by private, public and
hybrid cloud environments for highly architected enterprise solutions.

Full Story:

EMC Corporation (NYSE: EMC) today announced that Forrester Research
Inc. has positioned EMC® Documentum® as a Leader in its November 2011
report, “The Forrester Wave™: Enterprise Content Management (ECM), Q4
2011
(https://emcinformation.com/36802/REG/.ashx?reg_src=IN&M=9fcc198c-186e-4b2a-9637-f8de32161ca8).


According to Forrester, content-centric technologies are the future of
ECM, and the technologies that are used to support various content types
are categorized into four areas within ECM including foundational ECM
(basic content management functionality such as workflow, search, and
record management), business ECM (drives workplace experience for
day-to-day tasks and collaboration), transactional ECM (back office
processes, combines imaging, document output, and business process
management), and pervasive ECM (multichannel marketing, lead generation,
and customer self-service).

Forrester identified EMC Documentum as a Leader for offering true
enterprise-class solutions and delivering a comprehensive suite of ECM
functionality that addresses all aspects of the four ECM technology
areas, providing a one-stop shop for ECM functionality from a single
vendor.

Documentum ECM delivers the most comprehensive and highly-integrated
ECM platform for managing the entire information life-cycle with
superior security and governance. Customers are empowered to
collaborate, manage, access, distribute and control information securely
from anywhere, at any time, from any device.

In recognizing Documentum as a Leader, the report states, “EMC is a
legacy player that has long been at the forefront of the ECM market,
with a broad range of capabilities and strengths, particularly in its
document management support. EMC offers a suite of ECM technologies
packaged to deliver solutions for case management, information
governance, and traditional content management.”

EMC Executive Quote:

Rohit Ghai, Vice President and General Manager, Content and Case
Management Group, EMC Information Intelligence Group

“We feel that our leadership position for ECM further validates and
reinforces our approach to helping our customers get maximum leverage
from their information. EMC Documentum is leading ECM by capitalizing on
the new information landscape, leveraging new information types, and
enabling the new user in the post-PC era. As pioneers in the space, we
will continue an aggressive innovation agenda to help transform our
customers’ business.”

Additional Resources:

* Download
(https://emcinformation.com/36802/REG/.ashx?reg_src=IN&M=9fcc198c-186e-4b2a-9637-f8de32161ca8)
the Forrester report
* Learn more about EMC Enterprise Content Management
(http://www.emc.com/products/category/enterprise-content-management.htm)
* Learn more about EMC Documentum
(http://www.emc.com/products
/family/documentum-standard-family.htm)
* Learn more about ECM in the Cloud
(http://www.emc.com/campaign/global/cloud/deploy-ecm-cloud-emc-ondemand.htm
)
* Join the EMC Documentum communities on Twitter (
http://www.twitter.com/EMC_Documentum), Facebook
(http://www.facebook.com/emcdocumentum), YouTube
(http://www.youtube.com/user/EMCsoftware), the EMC Community Network
(https://community.emc.com/community/connect/documentum)

About EMC

EMC Corporation is a global leader in enabling businesses and service
providers to transform their operations and deliver IT as a service.
Fundamental to this transformation is cloud computing. Through
innovative products and services, EMC accelerates the journey to cloud
computing, helping IT departments to store, manage, protect and analyze
their most valuable asset – information – in a more agile, trusted
and cost-efficient way. Additional information about EMC can be found at
www.EMC.com.

EMC Canada (www.EMC2.ca), headquartered in Toronto with nine offices
from coast to coast, is a wholly owned subsidiary of EMC Corporation.

- 30 -

For more information contact:
Mike Martin/Michelle Chang
StrategicAmpersand
416-961-5595
mike@stratamp.com
michelle@stratamp.com


EMC and Documentum are registered trademarks or trademarks of EMC
Corporation in the United States and other countries. All other
trademarks herein are the property of their respective holders.


If you do not wish to receive news releases from EMC Canada please
reply to this e-mail with "remove" in the subject header.

Will Shared Services provide an Improved ROI with Lower TCO for the Government of Canada?

Will Shared Services provide an Improved ROI with Lower TCO for the Government of Canada?

FreeBalance offers Government of Canada Customers a Shared Services ROI & TCO calculator during Financial Management Institute (FMI) PD Week 2011

Ottawa, Canada (November 23, 2011)FreeBalance, a global Government Resource Planning (GRP) software company, announced the release a Shared Services ROI & TCO tool to Government of Canada customers during FMI PD Week 2011, November 22 to 25, 2011 at the Ottawa Convention Centre. FreeBalance has over 25 years experience working with public financial management managers in the Government of Canada and through implementing “whole-of-government” Government Resource Planning (GRP) solutions around the world. This experience including the FreeBalance Shared Services solution, provides FreeBalance with unique capabilities to optimize shared services returns for Government of departments and agencies. Members of the FreeBalance team will be available during the conference to discuss the new FreeBalance Shared Services ROI & TCO tool and how it will provide valuable insight for Government of Canada decision makers.

As part of the Shared Services Initiative, Government of Canada departments will need to migrate from departmental budget, financial and human resources systems to centralized shared services. Version 1 of the shared service calculator will be provided exclusively to FreeBalance Government of Canada customers. FreeBalance has modelled the costs for changing departmental practices, compliance inefficiencies, governance mechanisms, personnel training, system upgrades and elasticity.

"We commend the Government of Canada Economic Action Plan to reduce costs and nurture innovation, especially as a Canadian company providing next-generation good governance solutions around the world,” said Manuel Pietra, President & CEO of FreeBalance. “We realize the challenges of calculating ROI and TCO in government software. Costs are often hidden because consulting and training are often acquired separately from software. And, old proprietary technology designed originally for the client/server world increases maintenance costs.”

The FreeBalance Accountability Suite Version 7 supports public and private cloud GRP Shared Services. Benefits of FreeBalance GRP Shared Services include:

  • Mission
: optimize mission effectiveness through agile deployments, consistent citizen-facing systems, ease of reform and modernization
  • Consolidation: optimize systems costs by eliminating duplication, reducing power consumption, centralizing management
  • Predictability: optimize change and compliance costs through standardization, simple cost and growth models, improved security, controls and disaster recovery
  • The FreeBalance Accountability Suite is one of the most widely deployed financial management systems inside the Government of Canada. More than 50 government departments and agencies use FreeBalance software for enhanced public financial management. 
    The FreeBalance Accountability Suite is web-based and has been optimized for rapid government deployment, operational effectiveness and performance. FreeBalance technology supports Web Services standards that enable departments and agencies to integrate with existing ERP, HR, and other government information systems.

    The FreeBalance Accountability Suite is one of the most widely deployed financial management systems inside the Government of Canada. More than 50 government departments and agencies use FreeBalance software for enhanced public financial management.

    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.

     

    ###

     

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


    G Data Software Computer Security Products Debut in Canada Exclusively at Best Buy and Future Shop Stores Nationwide

    G Data Software Computer Security Products Debut in Canada Exclusively at Best Buy and Future Shop Stores Nationwide

    BusinessWire · Nov. 21, 2011 

    G Data Software, the recognized world leader in antivirus and malware protection for home and business computing, today makes its debut in the Canadian retail market. The company’s premium home security product line is available exclusively in Best Buy and Future Shop stores nationwide. G Data’s Internet security, antivirus and malware protection software – distinguished by 99.9 percent virus detection rates and award-winning dual-engine scanning technology – is ranked among the world’s best by independent organizations, including PCWorld, AV-Test, AV-Comparatives, and Virus Bulletin.

    “G Data products, engineered in Germany since 1985, have experienced rapid adoption within U.S. and Canadian markets since the company opened its North American headquarters last year, and we’re thrilled about new retail distribution opportunities continuing to open up,” said Ed Johnson, senior vice president, G Data Software. “Best Buy and Future Shop clearly maintain a leadership position and strong foothold in the Canadian retail marketplace, presenting an ideal setting for us to introduce our superior performance and ease-of-use products.”

    The company’s home security products, designed for home and small business computing, offer malware, antivirus and spyware protection to safeguard online banking, protect families from Internet child predators, and ensure safe social media interactions. They also provide adware, virus removal andID theft. A highly intuitive interface ensures the software is easy-to-install and easy-to-use. The 2012 product line includes proactive protection against banking Trojans, a plug-in for Microsoft Outlook, and an Idle Scan technology, which maximizes productivity and efficiency.

    “Best Buy is excited to offer our customers products from G Data, one of the world’s oldest and most highly regarded computer security software companies,” said Kevin O’Shea, merchandise manager, Best Buy Canada. “With its attractive price point and proven technology, we believe G Data software will quickly become a preferred product for our customers.”

    G Data Software provides all customers with free U.S.-based support services accessible 24/7/365 via phone or email. Products available in all Canadian Best Buy and Future Shop stores and online at www.futureshop.ca and www.bestbuy.ca include:

    • TotalSecurity 2012
      This easy-to-use software is the ultimate solution for providing a seamless online security experience. With all the functionality of their flagship PC solutions, TotalSecurity 2012 provides expanded data recovery and security tuning. The new image backup feature allows for creation of full, incremental or differential hard and partial backups. TotalSecurity protects up to three PCs sells for $49.95 retail.
    • InternetSecurity 2012
      Ideal for consumers who frequently browse the Internet, this solution builds on AntiVirus 2012, effectively blocking viruses and spam emails with an add-in for Microsoft Outlook 2007/2010 and allowing for easy management of white and black lists. Additionally, users can limit web surfing times and allow or block undesired web content with an easy-to-use parental control. InternetSecurity 2012 for three PCs sells for $44.95 retail.
    • AntiVirus 2012
      The ultimate foundation for consumer protection, this product is ideal for strong, easy-to-use protection against viruses, malware, phishing and spyware. AntiVirus 2012 for three PCs sells for $39.95 retail.

    About G Data Software

    G Data Software is the recognized world leader in antivirus and malware protection for home and business computing since 1985. With headquarters in Germany, G Data maintains offices and distribution across nearly 100 countries, including North American headquarters, established in 2010 in Research Triangle Park, NC. The company holds a world record for award-winning security software technology in Europe, offering the industry’s most powerful protection, while maintaining ease of use. Their products, recently ranked among the global top 10 by PCWorld, are available in the U.S. and Canada through leading retailers, as well as channel partners. The company’s enterprise and consumer product lines include antivirus, anti-spyware, anti-phishing, firewall, and policy management solutions. Additionally, their world-class malware research lab, G Data SecurityLabs, monitors and analyzes computing threats in real time and on a global basis. www.gdata-software.com.

    Contacts

    BIG DOG Communications
    Dayna Guzik, +1 781 9348332
    pr-us@gdatasoftware.com
    www.gdata-software.com

    Regulators pull back from usage-based billing after half-a-million Canadians speak out

    Regulators pull back from usage-based billing after half-a-million Canadians speak out

    VANCOUVER, Nov. 15, 2011 /CNW/ - The CRTC has released its decision on Internet metering (usage-based billing), and pro-Internet organization OpenMedia.ca is celebrating it as a step forward for the open and affordable Internet. The decision comes as the result of public pressure, channeled primarily though the group's Stop The Meter campaign, which included a petition that attracted over half-a-million Canadians.

    Read more here: http://openmedia.ca/news/regulators-pull-back-usage-based-billing-after-half-million-canadians-speak-out

    For further information:

    Lindsey Pinto
    Communications Manager, OpenMedia.ca
    778-238-7710
    lindsey@openmedia.ca

    Websense Security Survey: Canadian IT Stresses as Data Breaches Put Jobs on the Line

    November 21, 2011

    Websense Security Survey: Canadian IT Stresses as Data Breaches Put Jobs on the Line

    Canadian IT managers feel that getting a divorce or losing their job is less stressful than looking after company confidential data

    TORONTO, Nov. 21, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- How are IT managers coping with today's fast-changing threat landscape? Are they properly protected against the latest data-stealing malware? And would employees report if they compromised corporate data? To find out these answers and more, Websense, Inc. (NASDAQ: WBSN), a global leader in content security and data theft protection, commissioned independent research firm Dynamic Markets to survey 1,000 IT managers and 1,000 non-IT employees in the U.S., UK, Canada, and Australia about the latest threats to corporate and personal security, including modern malware and advanced persistent threats (APTs).

    The Canadian research reveals that serious data breaches have occurred compromising CEO and other executives' data, confidential customer data, and data necessary for regulatory compliance. IT managers are feeling the pressure and saying that data loss incidents put their jobs on the line and that the stress of managing their company confidential data is greater than divorce, managing personal debt, or a minor car accident. But help is on the horizon as headline-grabbing security incidents have promoted data security talks amongst top management and have driven focus on security, including the need for additional budget. Click here to download the full report entitled Security Pros & 'Cons': Canadian IT professionals on confidence, confidential data, and today's cyber-cons.

    Key Canadian Findings:

    Stress of Security

    • Data breaches put IT jobs on the line. More than 80 percent said that their job would be at risk if a security incident were to occur, including if a CEO or other executive's confidential data is breached (38 percent); data needed for compliance is lost (32 percent); and if confidential information is posted on a social networking site (34 percent).
    • Confidential data breaches. Shockingly, a full 30 percent report that the CEO's or other executives' confidential data had been breached. 22 percent report losing data needed for compliance. 23 percent state that confidential information has been posted on a social networking site and 40 percent say that data has been lost by employees.
    • Hidden data loss – A suspiciously large gap in the experience of IT managers and confessions from employees indicate extensive under-reporting on security breaches. Just two employees for every 100 admit to posting confidential information on a social networking site, but 23 percent of IT managers say that it has indeed occurred in their organization. One employee in 100 reveals they have introduced malware onto the network – but 32 percent of IT managers have already seen it happen. And it gets worse: if employees did accidentally compromise company data, 30 percent of them would not tell their boss.
    • Canadian IT managers feel that getting a divorce or getting married was LESS stressful than protecting the company's confidential data. In addition, 11 percent said that losing their job was a less stressful event and 20 percent would rather start a new job!

    Sufficient Protection?

    • Necessary but not sufficient. There are indications that antivirus and firewall solutions may have been oversold as a panacea, creating a false sense of security. While AV and firewalls are still certainly necessary, they are not sufficient to stop modern malware and advanced data-stealing attacks. Only 49 percent of respondents use systems that prevent confidential data from being uploaded to the web. Yet 61 percent worry about advanced persistent threats and 21 percent said they have been a victim of this type of attack. However, as a result of recent high-profile data breaches, 19 percent began or accelerated a data loss prevention project.

    Hope on the Horizon

    • Data security talk now involves top management. More than 90 percent of IT security managers report that new levels of management have engaged in data security conversations in the last year, including the head of IT (42 percent), managing director (37 percent), and CEO (36 percent). This means that until recently, the head of IT was often not involved.
    • Headline-grabbing security incidents are impacting IT planning. More than 60 percent of IT managers concede that recent well-publicized security incidents have affected their planning. Most have made multiple changes: more than 40 percent have focused attention internally on testing policies, increased spending, imposed new restrictions on users, and 35 percent have implemented new solutions. Nearly a fifth have begun or accelerated a full DLP project.

    Quotes

    "This survey shows that companies need to recalculate their assumptions about how well their data is protected," said Fiaaz Walji, Websense Canadian country manager. "Advanced threats are using attack elements and methods that AV was not designed to address—and are written and tested specifically to bypass AV. Companies need a robust, layered security strategy—like our Websense® TRITON solutions—that can truly protect them from modern malware in the wild and effectively keep their confidential data protected however it's being used."

    Multimedia Elements:

    A full copy of the Websense survey on "Security Pros & 'Cons': Canadian IT professionals on confidence, confidential data, and today's cyber-cons" can be downloaded at http://www.websense.com/content/websense-security-survey-security-pros-and-cons-canada.aspx?cmpid=prnr11.11.21.

    Click to share the Websense "Security Pros & 'Cons': Canadian IT professionals on confidence, confidential data, and today's cyber-cons" survey on Facebook.

    Click to share on Twitter:
    Canadian IT managers feel getting a divorce or losing their job is less stressful than looking after data http://ow.ly/72LIT @Websense

    Websense Links:

    Facebook: "Like" Websense.

    Twitter: Follow @Websense.

    About Websense, Inc.

    Websense, Inc. (NASDAQ: WBSN), a global leader in unified web security, email security, and data loss prevention (DLP) solutions, delivers the best content security for modern threats at the lowest total cost of ownership to tens of thousands of enterprise, mid-market and small organizations around the world. Distributed through a global network of channel partners and delivered as appliance-based software or Security-as-a-Service (SaaS), Websense content security solutions help organizations leverage web 2.0 and cloud-based communication, collaboration, and social media, while protecting from advanced persistent threats and modern malware, preventing the loss of confidential information, and enforcing internet use and security policies. Websense is headquartered in San Diego, California with offices around the world. For more information, visit www.websense.com.

    Follow Websense on Twitter: www.twitter.com/websense

    Join the discussion on Facebook: www.facebook.com/websense

    Websense Media Contact:
    Hally Wax
    Websense, Inc.
    (206) 353-0888
    hwax@websense.com 

    Microsoft Acquires Video Content Discovery Company VideoSurf

    News Press Release

    Microsoft Acquires Video Content Discovery Company VideoSurf
    VideoSurf’s technology will enhance video discovery capabilities for Xbox LIVE.

    REDMOND, Wash., and SAN MATEO, Calif. — Nov. 22, 2011 — Microsoft Corp. has announced the acquisition of California-based video discovery technology company VideoSurf Inc.

    Founded in 2006, VideoSurf offers a back-end computer vision technology that “sees” frames inside videos to make discovering content fast, easy and accurate. Over time, Microsoft will integrate this technology across its entertainment platform to augment the Xbox 360 ecosystem and evolve search and discovery of entertainment content on Xbox LIVE.

    “VideoSurf’s content analytics technology will enhance the search and discovery of entertainment content across our platform,” said Alex Garden, director of Xbox LIVE for the Interactive Entertainment Business at Microsoft. “This holiday we will launch voice search across our entertainment partners on Xbox LIVE. Over time, as we integrate VideoSurf’s technology into our system, we are excited about the potential to have content tagged in real time to increase the speed and relevance of the search results.”

    “Microsoft’s Interactive Entertainment Division is at the leading edge of connected entertainment,” said Lior Delgo, CEO and co-founder of VideoSurf. “We are incredibly excited to be working together on our mutual passion for creating amazing consumer experiences and reinventing how consumers search, discover and enjoy content on their televisions.”

    In the coming months, Microsoft will bring nearly 40 world-leading TV and entertainment providers to Xbox LIVE, including Bravo, Comcast, HBO GO, Verizon FiOS and Syfy in the U.S.; BBC in the U.K.; Telefónica in Spain; Rogers On Demand in Canada; Televisa in Mexico; ZDF in Germany; and Mediaset in Italy. This acquisition will also make it easier for world-class video partners to take full advantage of advanced features such as voice search enabled by Kinect for Xbox 360. With Kinect, users will be able to easily search and discover content across multiple entertainment providers within Xbox LIVE and then interact with and enjoy content in extraordinary ways using voice search powered by Bing on the Xbox 360.

    About Xbox LIVE

    Xbox LIVE is the online entertainment service for your Xbox 360, connecting you to an ever-expanding world of games, movies, TV, music, sports and social entertainment. Xbox LIVE lets you play the best games, enjoy one of the world’s largest on-demand libraries on any console, listen to millions of songs and share the fun with friends around the world. Xbox LIVE is also the exclusive home of controller-free online entertainment through Kinect, making your Xbox 360 more intuitive and interactive than ever before. With an active community of nearly 35 million people across 35 countries, Xbox LIVE, together with Xbox 360, provides you with instant access to the entertainment you want, shared with the people you care about, wherever you are. More information about Xbox LIVE can be found online at http://www.xbox.com/live.

    About Xbox 360

    Xbox 360 is a premier home entertainment and video game system. Thanks to the addition of Kinect, Xbox 360 will forever transform social gaming and entertainment with a whole new way to play — no controller required. Xbox 360 is also home to the best and broadest games as well as one of the world’s largest on-demand libraries of music, standard- and high-definition movies, TV shows and digital games, all in one place. The entertainment center of the living room, Xbox 360 blends unbeatable content with a leading social entertainment network of nearly 35 million Xbox LIVE members to create a limitless entertainment experience that can be shared at home or across the globe. More information about Xbox 360 can be found online at http://www.xbox.com.

    About Microsoft

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

    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 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.

    FreeBalance Promotes Government Resource Planning (GRP) Shared Services at FMI PD Week 2011

    FreeBalance Promotes Government Resource Planning (GRP) Shared Services at FMI PD Week 2011

    Key conference theme: Shared services benefits for government financial management

    Ottawa, Canada (November 22, 2011)FreeBalance, a global Government Resource Planning (GRP) software company, will be advocating next generation shared services at the Financial Management Institute (FMI) of Canada Professional Development (PD) Week. The annual conference at the Ottawa Convention Centre in Ottawa, Canada runs from November 22 to 25, 2011.

    Next generation financial and human resources shared services information technology is designed to overcome the high cost and limited benefits associated with traditional approaches. Process standardization to reduce costs has been an elusive shared services goal. Standardization should reduce training, support and upgrading costs. Yet, experience in governments around the world shows that standardization can introduce inefficiencies and higher infrastructure cost. Next-generation Government Resource Planning technology overcomes the standardization problem through configuration and provides a viable option to governments looking to accelerate speed to savings. Visit the FreeBalance booth at FMI PD Week to learn more about GRP Shared Services and speed to savings.

    Relevant presentations about shared services at FMI PD Week 2011 include:

    • Liseanne Forand, President, Shared Services Canada, who will provide insight about the Government of Canada timelines
    • Doug Hadden, VP Products at FreeBalance, will host an interactive session that details a risk-based approach to shared services that provides an acceleration of speed to savings titled “Seizing the Shared Services Opportunity

    “The FreeBalance Accountability Suite Version 7 was designed specifically to overcome government shared services challenges for financial and human resource management," said Manuel Pietra, President & CEO of FreeBalance. "Governments need to avoid “rust” when moving to private clouds. Unlike traditional approaches, Version 7 does not use legacy technology, while supporting multiple configurations and migration to standardization. "

    Members of the FreeBalance team will be available throughout the conference to discuss FreeBalance web-based Government Resource Planning (GRP) solutions. The FreeBalance approach differs from traditional methods of deploying finance and human resources software in the following ways:

    • Service configuration approach eliminates the burden for government organizations to customize software to meet unique needs.
    • Multiple configurations operating in the same data centre enables government organizations to migrate to standard processes over time and supports unique configurations where necessary because of legal mandate.
    • Modern web-based technology, rather than web-enabled, optimizes performance and reduces data centre size providing green benefits.
    • Component-based Service-Oriented Architecture enables granular integration with software in use by government organizations.

    The FreeBalance Accountability Suite represents a significant technology leap forward. The suite has been optimized for rapid government deployment, operational effectiveness and performance. FreeBalance technology supports Web Services standards that enable departments and agencies to integrate with existing ERP, HR, and other government information systems.

    The FreeBalance Accountability Suite is one of the most widely deployed financial management systems inside the Government of Canada. More than 50 government departments and agencies use FreeBalance software for enhanced public financial management.

    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