UN Broadband Commission for Digital Development releases first global broadband report

UN Broadband Commission for Digital Development releases first global broadband report

Broadband deployment accelerating worldwide, but prices still need to come down

New York, 23 September, 2012 – The Broadband Commission for Digital Development has released its first-ever country-by-country snapshot of the state of broadband deployment worldwide.

The State of Broadband 2012: Achieving Digital Inclusion for All report evaluates the roll-out of broadband around the world and tracks progress towards achieving the four advocacy targets set by the Commission in 2011 for boosting broadband affordability and uptake. It provides country rankings across up to 177 economies on economic impact, penetration, national broadband policy, and connecting people and dwellings.

The report was released at the sixth meeting of the Commission, which was held today in New York to coincide with the 67th session of the UN General Assembly. It was welcomed by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, who called broadband a “transformative technology that has the potential to spark advances across all three pillars of sustainable development: economic prosperity, social inclusion and environmental sustainability.”

The report reveals that while household Internet access has seen strong growth over the past year and is on track to achieve the Commission’s target for Connecting Homes to Broadband, individual Internet use continues to lag behind. ITU analysts believe that mobile broadband could prove the platform for achieving the boost needed to get progress back on track – at end 2011, there were already almost twice as many mobile broadband subscriptions as fixed broadband connections.

“Broadband networks and services are transforming our way of life. The Broadband Commission is committed to ensuring that the benefits of broadband are available to all. I am delighted by the dedication and enthusiasm shown by the many senior business leaders and top policy-makers on the Commission to advancing the global broadband policy agenda,” said ITU Secretary-General Dr Hamadoun I. Touré.

The report notes a strong linguistic shift now taking place online. If current growth rates continue, it says, the number of Internet users accessing the Internet predominantly in Chinese will overtake English language users by 2015.

It goes on to outline a variety of ways in which broadband is improving the lives of people around the world, in m-health, distance education and m-learning, via m-payment systems, and in improving the lives of women, promoting innovation and fostering the acquisition of new skills. It also reinforces a clear need for policy leadership to facilitate the deployment of broadband around the world. Today, some 119 countries now have a national broadband plan or policy in place.

The State of Broadband 2012 report draws on ITU’s extensive statistical evidence base and is the result of close collaboration between Broadband Commissioners. Based on interviews, contributions and supporting material from more than 20 experts and their organizations, it highlights the importance of public private partnerships in accelerating change, presents twelve recommendations from the Commission to speed up the roll-out and deployment of broadband to accelerate progress towards achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), and includes 24 ‘featured insights’ from the Commission, which comprises 60 leaders from industry, government, international organizations and NGOs.

How does your country rank? Download the full version of the State of Broadband report at: www.broadbandcommission.org/Documents/bb-annualreport2012.pdf

View a short motion graphic on the report: www.youtube.com/watch?v=dt8x10e3V-A

Download a short ‘highlights’ document at: www.broadbandcommission.org/Documents/bb-annualreport2012-flyer.pdf

Photos from the meeting can be downloaded at: www.flickr.com/photos/itupictures/sets/72157631556083581/

For more information on the Broadband Commission, visit: www.broadbandcommission.org

Follow the Broadband Commission on Facebook: www.facebook.com/broadbandcommission

Follow the Broadband Commission on Twitter: www.itu.int/twitter

HP Introduces Entry-level, Web-connected Solutions for Large-format Printing from Virtually Anywhere

HP Introduces Entry-level, Web-connected Solutions for Large-format Printing from Virtually Anywhere

New offerings deliver simplicity, quality and mobility to AEC students, professionals and small studios

PALO ALTO, Calif., Sept. 24, 2012

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» View the press kit

HP today unveiled the industry’s first web-connected, entry-level printing solutions for architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) students and professionals, making in-house, large-format printing accessible to more users.

Delivering large-format printing through the cloud from virtually anywhere,(1) the new HP Designjet T120 and T520 ePrinter series provide on-the-go professionals with simple and affordable printing solutions. The compact, 24-inch HP Designjet T120 ePrinter series is ideal for students and freelancers, while the 24- and 36-inch HP Designjet T520 ePrinter series is designed for small AEC teams in need of fast, professional printing.

HP also announced the second generation of its free web service for AEC professionals, HP Designjet ePrint & Share, which makes it easy to access and print large-format documents using an iOS or Android tablet or smartphone, a laptop or ePrinter touch screen.(1,2)

“The economic environment has increased the number of freelancers and small studios, shortened project turnaround times and required AEC workers to be highly mobile, spending more than 50 percent of their time out of the office,” said Santiago Morera, vice president and general manager, Large-format Printing Business, HP. “The expanded HP Designjet portfolio helps our customers stay connected where the job takes them and allows first-time, large-format buyers to easily and affordably bring their printing needs in house.”

Solutions bring large-format printing in house for customers like ZELLNERPLUS

The smallest printer in its class, with a footprint of only 38.9 inches (987 mm), the HP Designjet T120 ePrinter offers the benefits of two printers in one with a built-in B+/A3 tray and convenient front-loading roll. The printer’s intuitive, full-color touch screen simplifies in-house printing and navigation for those new to large format. HP inks produce high-quality output with rich colors and sharp lines reaching 0.0016 inch (0.04 mm) minimum line width.

Available in 24- or 36-inch models, the HP Designjet T520 ePrinter improves processing power and offers twice the speed and resolution of its predecessor.(3) With 1 GB RAM and HP-GL/2 technology, the HP Designjet T520 ePrinter operates at up to 35 seconds per D/A1 print. Original HP inks and long-life printheads achieve accurate lines reaching 0.0008 inch (0.02 mm) minimum line width and sharp details with up to 2,400 dots per inch (dpi) resolution for fast, professional results in house.

The HP Designjet T120 and T520 ePrinters are the only large-format printers available with built-in Wi-Fi connectivity, so users can install the printer where it is most convenient.(4) True print previews from the new HP Designjet driver ensure accurate prints on the first try, resulting in time and cost savings when printing from a computer.

“The new HP Designjet printing technology gives us confidence that when we need to produce high-quality drawings in time for a meeting, we can handle the job—it takes a lot of stress out of my work schedule,” said Peter Zellner, principal at ZELLNERPLUS, an HP Designjet T520 ePrinter beta customer. “Now that I’ve seen how much the HP Designjet T520 ePrinter improves our daily design and build process, I can’t imagine working without it.”

HP Designjet ePrint & Share makes remote printing easier than ever

The HP Designjet ePrinter portfolio features mobile access and printing of large-format plans using HP Designjet ePrint & Share.(1) Available through a desktop web browser, mobile application or the touch screen of web-connected HP Designjet printers,(2) the latest version of HP Designjet ePrint & Share offers:

  • The ability to email projects to an HP Designjet ePrinter for printing.(1) Users simply attach a PDF or other print-ready file to an email and send it to the ePrinter’s dedicated address.
  • Automatic, secure online print history through the new HP Designjet driver. With the online print history, users have access to their latest drawings and the ability to zoom in and reprint an exact copy in just few clicks.(1)
  • Convenient file sharing using an automatically generated hyperlink for one-click access to any file in the print history. (1)
  • Access to all FTP sites in one place. Users can access multiple FTP sites in one interface with one login, making it easy to view and print files when and where needed.(1)

“The nature of our business requires staff to be out of town or at other locations, working off tablets to get instant feedback from customers,” said Ma Wenjie, designer at E+D International, an HP Designjet T520 ePrinter beta customer. “Through the use of HP Designjet ePrint & Share, we can review these changes and make timely modifications with the client, while our remote workers can send their comments to our in-house printer, greatly improving efficiency.”

Pricing and availability(5)

  • The HP Designjet T120 ePrinter series is expected to be available worldwide on Sept. 24 for an estimated retail price of $1,000.
  • The HP Designjet T520 ePrinter series, available in 24- and 36-inch models, is expected to be available worldwide on Sept. 24 for estimated prices of $1,800 and $2,500, respectively.
  • HP Designjet ePrint & Share is available at no additional cost for HP Designjet customers by creating an account at www.hp.com/go/eprintandshare. The mobile application is available through Google Play and Apple’s App Store.

More information about the latest additions to the HP Designjet portfolio is available at www.hp.com/go/DesignjetFall2012 and  www.hp.com/go/designjet. Videos and updates of the new products are available on Facebook at www.facebook.com/HPdesigners, on Twitter at twitter.com/hpgraphicarts and on YouTube at www.youtube.com/hpgraphicarts

About HP

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


(1) Requires an HP Designjet ePrint & Share account, internet connection to the printer and connected internet-capable device. When using the HP Designjet ePrint & Share mobile app, a compatible Apple iOS or Android device and internet connection are required. Data or connection charges may apply. Print times may vary. Additional information is available at www.hp.com/go/eprintandshare.

(2) Access to HP ePrint & Share from the touch screen of the HP Designjet T120 and T520 ePrinters is expected to be available by the end of 2012.

(3) Compared to the HP Designjet 510 Printer.

(4) Wireless performance is dependent on physical environment and distance from access point, and may be limited during active VPN connections.

(5) Estimated U.S. street prices. Actual prices may vary.

Canadian employees leading global BYOD adoption rates; Canadian employers playing catch up

Citrix Systems released a survey today, examining globally and regionally how organizations are coping with mobile workstyle strategies, beyond the traditional    ‘9-5’ office.  The ability to work efficiently from a number of locations on any device with real-time access to apps, network data and services is becoming increasingly widespread.  Globally, 83 per cent of organizations will have implemented ‘mobile workstyles’ by the end of 2014, rising to 91 per cent in 2020. Driven by the consumerization of IT, employees are utilizing different times of the day for both work and personal commitments, moving between devices outside the traditional workplace – be it from home, other offices around the world, customer sites or while on the move.  


Canadian employees leading global BYOD adoption rates; Canadian employers playing catch up


Consumers are also excited about using their device of choice, also known as Bring Your Own Device (BYOD), selecting options such as a new iPhone 5, Android or the latest Blackberry device for both work and personal use. The survey revealed that Canada is currently ahead of the global average with 5.39, as the number of devices each person is using to access the corporate IT network.   Globally, the current average is 4.43. 


Meanwhile, how are employers faring with the use of devices in the workplace?  The survey revealed that Canadian employers were slightly behind our American counterparts; only 34 per cent of Canadian organizations currently have a formal BYOD policy in place that allows employees to use a personally owned device for work purposes (51 per cent of US organizations have a policy in place).  It would seem as though Canadian corporations are playing catch-up to the consumer demand of using multiple devices, with expansion for BYOD opportunities high. 


Future Workplace Formula = 1 person x 6 devices @ two-thirds of a desk

Get ready for redesigned offices that reduce real estate through fewer desks, redesigned space, increased mobility and use of BYO devices

SANTA CLARA, Calif. » 9/25/2012 » By 2020 organizations are set to reduce office space by almost a fifth (17 percent) according to a new study by Citrix, a leader in mobile and cloud technology. The workplace of the future will provide just seven desks for every ten office workers, with each person accessing the corporate IT network from an average of six different computing devices. The figure for 2020 is as low as six desks for every ten workers in Singapore, the Netherlands, the USA and the UK. Some of the highest desk to worker ratios in 2020 will be in Japan (8.77), South Korea (7.95) and Germany (7.90).

Almost every organization says they will redesign office space to be more appealing. The workplace of the future will foster creativity, be inspiring and encourage collaboration by enabling people to work from wherever, whenever and on whatever device so that work becomes something people do, not a place people go.

The Citrix Workplace of the Future report, which polled 1,900 senior IT decision-makers across 19 countries, shows that a third of people (29 percent) will no longer work from their traditional office. Instead employees will base themselves from various semi-permanent locations including the home (64 percent), field and project sites (60 percent), and customer or partner premises (50 percent). People are also expected to access corporate applications, data and services from locations such as hotels, airports, coffee shops and while in transit.

The trend towards fewer office-based employees – who use multiple computing devices to access corporate apps, data and services from a range of locations outside of the traditional office – is part of a global trend called mobile workstyles. Globally, a quarter (24 percent) of organizations have already fully adopted mobile workstyles. By the middle of 2014, 83 percent of organizations will have embraced mobile workstyles.

Mobile workstyles have been adopted widely and rapidly because it offers a number of benefits.

  • For organizations, workshifting  - where people move work to more optimal times and locations - creates a more flexible, agile workplace (73 percent), lower employee-related costs (53 percent), reduce real estate costs (48 percent) and help attract (47 percent) and retain (44 percent) top talent.
  • Employees benefit from workshifting with more flexibility (65 percent), increased personal productivity (62 percent), less commuting time (61 percent), and a better work/life balance (55 percent). It also helps them spend more time with customers (48 percent).
  • The majority of organizations (83 percent) will use bring-your-own-device (BYOD) initiatives to manage the growing number of devices that people use to access the corporate network. Employees will generally choose and purchase their own computing devices, with 76 percent of organizations reimbursing the employee in-part or fully.
  • Eighty percent of organizations that have already implemented workshifting and BYOD have seen cost-related benefits as a direct result. Ninety-six percent of organizations implementing mobile workstyles will invest in redesigning the workplace to create a more inspiring, collaborative and flexible environment equipped with the latest technology.
  • Organizations expect to reduce workplace space by seven percent within just two years, and 16 percent by 2020. Organizations that have implemented workshifting already have 15 percent fewer desks than those who have not implemented such a policy, helping to deliver real estate savings.

Proactively managing the global mobile workstyles trend
To securely manage data across a mobile workforce that accesses corporate resources from multiple locations, using a range of devices that operate on different platforms, organizations need to proactively manage people, data and apps through policy and technology solutions.

While driving the implementation of mobile workstyles, organizations have to ensure sensitive data is managed correctly. Sixty-five percent of organizations consider eligibility a key part of their mobile workstyles policy. Similarly, the key drivers for an organization to provide funding for BYOD are to ensure it retains a degree of legal and technical control over the device and the management of its data and to take advantage of potential cost savings by shifting procurement and maintenance to employees and contractors.

Organizations are relying on multiple complementary technologies to manage their current and future mobile workstyle strategies.  All enabling technologies are focused on the secure management of data and apps, including desktop virtualization and an enterprise mobility management as well as online file-sharing, meetings and collaboration services for a distributed workforce.

Mick Hollison, vice president, integrated marketing and strategy Citrix
“Organizations are encouraging people to operate outside of the traditional workplace on their own personal devices to improve the bottom line – by making the organization more responsive, improving productivity and reducing the cost of real estate and device management. At the same time, organizations are investing in the space they have to create enticing workplaces that foster collaboration, innovation and creativity. The result is a stronger organization, with high caliber people performing at their best. The technology to enable the workplace of the future is already available and proven, and plans for workplace redesign can easily be put in place. The real winners will be those that get the people management and culture right, to empower the workforce of the future.”

Methodological Notes:
The research for the Citrix Workplace of the Future report was conducted independently by Vanson Bourne in August 2012, and is based on interviews with 1,900 senior IT professionals around the globe. The survey polled one hundred IT professionals across all industries from nineteen different countries including; Europe: France, Germany, Russia, Sweden the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom; Americas: Brazil, Canada and the United States of America; Asia Pacific: Australia, China, Hong Kong, India, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan and Thailand. Three-quarters of respondents were from organizations of 1000 or more employees; one-quarter were from organizations of 500-999 employees.

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About Citrix
Citrix (NASDAQ:CTXS) transforms how businesses and IT work and people collaborate in the cloud era. With market-leading cloud, collaboration, networking and virtualization technologies, Citrix powers mobile workstyles and cloud services, making complex enterprise IT simpler and more accessible for 260,000 organizations. Citrix products touch 75 percent of Internet users each day and it partners with more than 10,000 companies in 100 countries. Annual revenue in 2011 was $2.21 billion. Learn more at www.citrix.com.

NetApp Storage System Plug-In Achieves Oracle Validated Integration with Oracle Enterprise Manager 12c

NetApp Storage System Plug-In Achieves Oracle Validated Integration with Oracle Enterprise Manager 12c

Integration of Storage and System Monitoring to Reduce Cost and Complexity of Managing Business-Critical Applications

SUNNYVALE, Calif., Sept. 25, 2012 — NetApp (NASDAQ: NTAP), a Gold-level member of Oracle PartnerNetwork (OPN), today announced that it has achieved Oracle Validated Integration of the NetApp Storage System Plug-In version 1.0 with Oracle® Enterprise Manager 12c, extending the application-to-disk coverage of Oracle Enterprise Manager environments that include managed NetApp storage. The NetApp Storage System Plug-In delivers comprehensive availability, performance, and configuration information for NetApp storage controllers used in enterprise cloud environments and is part of the NetApp solution for Oracle Databases.

To achieve Oracle Validated Integration, Oracle partners are required to meet a stringent set of requirements that are based on the needs and priorities of the customers. This achievement can significantly reduce the cost and complexity of managing applications that run on NetApp® systems and Oracle technologies. Application administrators can now consolidate monitoring information in the Oracle Enterprise Manager 12c console and can perform detailed root cause analysis. Storage administrators can perform proactive monitoring of NetApp systems, assess the impact of storage performance problems on end-user services, and better align their efforts with business needs.

"NetApp and Oracle share a common vision of providing solutions that can help reduce IT cost and complexity and empower agile businesses," said Brendon Howe, vice president, Product and Solutions Marketing, NetApp. "For more than a decade, NetApp’s relationship with Oracle has involved product testing, enabling essential interoperability and innovation that accelerate business success. Customers can benefit from improved risk management and smoother upgrade capability, leading to lower total cost of ownership and greater overall satisfaction."

"Oracle Enterprise Manager’s rich partner ecosystem helps ensure that Oracle Enterprise Manager can provide deep, integrated manageability for heterogeneous environments, leveraging the collective expertise of our integration partners such as NetApp," said Dan Koloski, senior director, Product Management, Oracle. "An Oracle Validated Integration gives our joint customers confidence that the integration between the NetApp Storage System Plug-In version 1.0 and Oracle Enterprise Manager 12c has been validated and that the products work together as designed. We congratulate NetApp on their achievement and look forward to the adoption of this plug-in by our mutual customers."

Visit the NetApp Booth (#1301) at Oracle OpenWorld to learn more about innovative data management solutions for Oracle environments, and join NetApp for an Oracle OpenWorld speaking session (UGF10389), "Monitoring Storage Systems for Oracle Enterprise Manager 12c," on September 30 at 8 a.m. in Moscone West – 2016.

Key Features of the NetApp Storage Plug-In

Deploying the plug-in in an Oracle Enterprise Manager environment can provide the following management features for NetApp storage controllers:

·         Comprehensive availability and performance monitoring

·         Detailed information about NetApp storage capacity, volumes, Snapshot™ copies, and more

·         Graphical information about CIFS and NFS protocols, network load, CPU statistics, and more

·         Configuration inventory and drift tracking for NetApp storage products, licenses, and disks

·         Consolidated information about NetApp storage and Oracle Database in the form of a database-to-NetApp-storage topology mapping report

·         Comparison of configuration management information and generation of differential data reports

Additional Resources

·         Learn more about NetApp Storage Solutions for Oracle

·         Follow NetApp on Twitter: www.twitter.com/NetApp

·         Get the latest on NetApp culture: www.facebook.com/NetAppCulture

·         Join NetApp on Facebook: www.facebook.com/NetApp

·         View NetApp videos on YouTube: www.youtube.com/NetAppTV

·         Connect with NetApp on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/groups?about=&gid=111681

About Oracle Validated Integration 
Oracle Validated Integration, available through the Oracle PartnerNetwork (OPN), gives customers confidence that the integration of complementary partner software products with Oracle Applications and specific Oracle Fusion Middleware solutions has been validated, and that the products work together as designed. This can help customers reduce risk, improve system implementation cycles, and provide smoother upgrades and simpler maintenance. Oracle Validated Integration applies a rigorous technical process to review partner integrations. Partners who have successfully completed the program are authorized to use the "Oracle Validated Integration" logo. For more information, visit Oracle.com atwww.oracle.com/us/partnerships/solutions/index.html.

About Oracle PartnerNetwork 
Oracle PartnerNetwork (OPN) Specialized is the latest version of Oracle's partner program that provides partners with tools to better develop, sell, and implement Oracle solutions. OPN Specialized offers resources to train and support specialized knowledge of Oracle products and solutions and has evolved to recognize Oracle's growing product portfolio, partner base, and business opportunity. Key to the latest enhancements to OPN is the ability for partners to differentiate through Specializations. Specializations are achieved through competency development, business results, expertise, and proven success. To find out more, visit www.oracle.com/partners.

About NetApp
NetApp creates innovative storage and data management solutions that deliver outstanding cost efficiency and accelerate business breakthroughs. Our commitment to living our core values and consistently being recognized as a great place to work around the world are fundamental to our long-term growth and success, as well as the success of our pathway partners and customers. Use of the word "partner" or "partnership" does not imply a legal partnership between NetApp and any other company. Discover our passion for helping companies around the world go further, faster at www.netapp.com.

Press Contact:
Jeremiah Glodoveza 
NetApp PR
(408) 822-4567
xdl-uspr@netapp.com

Mobile Advertising Gets a Boost With Neuralitic Profiling Engine

 

 

Neuralitic Launches SevenFlow Profiling Engine to Monetize Mobile Data

 

New mobile marketing solution enables ad agencies and ad networks to target precise customer segments for mobile advertising and content personalization.

 

MONTREAL – September 25, 2012 – Neuralitic Systems, a leading provider of mobile data monetization and big data solutions, today announced the launch of the SevenFlow Profiling Engine, a newly added component to Neuralitic’s SevenFlow Solution Suite. The SevenFlow Profiling Engine creates new revenue streams for Communication Service Providers (CSPs) by enabling the delivery of highly targeted and relevant content, including advertising, to mobile subscribers.

 

The SevenFlow Profiling Engine gives CSPs the opportunity to monetize their mobile data by enabling them to exchange anonymous subscriber profiling information in real-time with registered partners, such as ad agencies and ad networks. The SevenFlow Profiling Engine is currently being deployed by a leading CSP.

 

“The SevenFlow Profiling Engine opens a new chapter in mobile advertising by enabling the mobile industry to deliver targeted ads based on reliable and real-time data,” said Jean-Philippe Goyet, Senior Director of Product Management at Neuralitic Systems. “It is a powerful solution that can be used to add depth and relevance to any customer interaction, from pre-paid stimulation to customer care calls.”

 

To date, the ability to benefit from mobile big data has proven to be a challenge for CSPs due to a lack of technology and expertise to handle large volumes of subscriber data, which is essential todrive new sources of revenue. The SevenFlow Profiling Engine solves this issue by extracting tremendous value from the mobile data gold mine that CSPs aresitting on by generating accurate subscriber groups and profiles that can be used to create monetization opportunities for the mobile ecosystem.

 

Once CSPs install the SevenFlow Profiling Engine onto their network, they can partner with ad agencies or ad networks to define the subscriber segments they want to reach based on contextual and behavioural criteria. The solution works alongside SevenFlow’s Knowledge Portal, which analyzes mobile subscriber usage with high granularity, to discover opted-in subscribers on the operator’s network that demonstrate specified behaviours and data patterns.

 

Click here to view a video explaining how the SevenFlow Profiling Engine enables greater efficiencies in the mobile advertising ecosystem or visit www.neuralitic.com for more information.

 

About Neuralitic Systems

Neuralitic Systems is the leading provider of Mobile Data Monetization and Big Data solutions. The company’s mission is to enable Communication Service Providers (CSPs) to unlock the value of their subscribers’ data. Neuralitic offers the fundamental building blocks that allow CSPs to generate new revenue streams by improving decision-making aimed at subscriber acquisition, conversion and retention.

 

Neuralitic’s SevenFlow solution transforms massive volumes of unstructured data into compact and usable data sets, making themfunctional for multiple applications. By transparently extracting and analyzing 100% of data usage from 100% of mobile subscribers on a wireless network, SevenFlow provides a complete, 360-degree view of subscribers’ and roamers’ data activities.  The solution is designed specifically for understanding mobile data and has an optimized process for extracting, transforming and storing mobile Big Data without requiring lengthy or custom integration work.

 

Neuralitic draws its expertise from employees in a variety of fields related to its core business, including IP infrastructure, business intelligence, high-throughput databases, dimensional data modeling, mathematics and wireless network engineering. To find out more, visit www.neuraltic.com

 

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iPhone 5 First Weekend Sales Top Five Million

iPhone 5 First Weekend Sales Top Five Million

CUPERTINO, California—September 24, 2012—Apple® today announced it has sold over five million of its new iPhone® 5, just three days after its launch on September 21, and more than 100 million iOS devices have been updated with iOS 6, the world’s most advanced mobile operating system. iPhone 5 is available in the US, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore and the UK, and will be available in 22 more countries on September 28 and more than 100 countries by the end of the year. Demand for iPhone 5 exceeded the initial supply and while the majority of pre-orders have been shipped to customers, many are scheduled to be shipped in October.

“Demand for iPhone 5 has been incredible and we are working hard to get an iPhone 5 into the hands of every customer who wants one as quickly as possible,” said Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO. “While we have sold out of our initial supply, stores continue to receive iPhone 5 shipments regularly and customers can continue to order online and receive an estimated delivery date. We appreciate everyone’s patience and are working hard to build enough iPhone 5s for everyone.”

iPhone 5 is the thinnest and lightest iPhone ever, completely redesigned to feature a stunning new 4-inch Retina™ display; an Apple-designed A6 chip for blazing fast performance; and ultrafast wireless technology*—all while delivering even better battery life.**

Pricing & Availability
iPhone 5 comes in either white & silver or black & slate, and is available in the US for a suggested retail price of $199 (US) for the 16GB model and $299 (US) for the 32GB model and $399 (US) for the 64GB model. iPhone 5 is available from the Apple Online Store (www.apple.com), Apple’s retail stores, and through AT&T, Sprint, Verizon Wireless, select Best Buy, RadioShack, Target and Walmart stores and select Apple Authorized Resellers. iPhone 4S is also available for just $99 (US) and iPhone 4 is available for free with a two-year contract.***

iPhone 5 will be available on September 28 in Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland.

* LTE is available through select carriers. Network speeds are dependent on carrier networks, check with your carrier for details.
** Battery life depends on device settings, usage and other factors. Actual results vary.
*** Qualified customers only. Requires a new two year rate plan, sold separately.

Apple designs Macs, the best personal computers in the world, along with OS X, iLife, iWork and professional software. Apple leads the digital music revolution with its iPods and iTunes online store. Apple has reinvented the mobile phone with its revolutionary iPhone and App Store, and is defining the future of mobile media and computing devices with iPad.

Press Contacts:
Trudy Muller
Apple
tmuller@apple.com
(408) 862-7426

Natalie Kerris
Apple
nat@apple.com
(408) 974-6877

Gartner Says Windows 8 Is a Big Gamble Microsoft Must Make to Stay Relevant in World Where Mobile Devices with New Experiences Are Becoming the Norm

Gartner Says Windows 8 Is a Big Gamble Microsoft Must Make to Stay Relevant in World Where Mobile Devices with New Experiences Are Becoming the Norm

Analysts to Debate the Future for Windows 8 at Gartner Symposium/ITxpo 2012, October 21-25

STAMFORD, Conn., September 24, 2012—             Microsoft is taking a big gamble over the next few months with Windows and Office, the two products responsible for most of its revenue and profit, according to Gartner, Inc. It is a risk that Microsoft must take to stay relevant in a world where mobile devices with new modern experiences are becoming the norm. 

"When the PC dominated personal computing by providing a single device for messaging, Internet access, gaming and productivity, Windows was a powerhouse for Microsoft," said Michael Silver, vice president and distinguished analyst at Gartner. "However, smartphones and tablets, led by the iPhone and iPad, have changed the way people work, making the PC just one of several devices people use. The PC is increasingly simply a peer with other devices."

With Windows 8, Microsoft is trying to address the excitement of the tablet market by adding tablet interface to Windows. 

"Microsoft's approach is very different from Apple's and Google's, where phones and tablets have much more commonality than PCs and tablets," Mr. Silver said. "This plays to Microsoft's strength in PCs, leveraging it not only to enter the tablet market, but also to improve its share of the smartphone market." 

"Windows 8 is not your normal low or even high impact major release of the OS," said Steve Kleynhans, research vice president at Gartner. "It's the start of a new era for Microsoft — the RT era — which follows the NT era, which began in 1993 and is just now starting to fade out. Microsoft eras seem to run about 20 years, so the technology underlying Windows 8 will last a long, long time." 

Making radical changes to Windows poses a risk for Microsoft as organizations like to reduce technology risk by deploying mature, stable, well-supported products. Windows Vista, for example, never gained significant success in corporate environments, and its lack of success — Gartner estimates that just 8 percent of PCs run by Gartner clients ran Vista at its peak — has reduced its useful life as third parties have already started cutting support for it. The bottom line is that IT leaders are questioning whether Windows 8 will suffer a similar fate.

In addition, the new "Metro-style" UI — which includes large buttons for touch and eliminates the ability to boot to the familiar Windows Desktop and have a traditional Windows start menu — is probably the most controversial decision Microsoft has made in Windows 8. The result is an OS that looks appropriate on new form factors of PC hardware including tablets, hybrids and convertibles, but has people questioning its appropriateness for traditional desktop and notebook machines, which comprise the majority of the existing PC market.

Gartner believes that if Windows 8 on tablets is successful, it will have many impacts on organizations. There will be many new device form factors to choose from and users may have very different needs and likes from one another. Some will still want to use an iPad and a traditional notebook and others may want different, new devices. As users gain more power, due to consumerization, IT is less able to mandate that certain products be used or not used in their environment. This makes it harder for IT to buy and support PCs the way they have for the past 20 years and may lead to more bring your own device (BYOD) programs. Organizations also need to decide whether they want to create applications expressly for Windows 8 and Metro, write iOS applications, or something more neutral.

Microsoft licensing is also an important topic in many organizations because it can represent a significant percentage of the annual IT budget. Organizations need to decide if they require Software Assurance (SA) on Windows or an Enterprise Agreement as well as reevaluating their decisions based on changes Microsoft is making to the Windows 8 SKU lineup and SA benefits.

"Windows 8 has been released to manufacturing and will be formally launched in October, but the reality is that most organizations are still working on eliminating Windows XP and deploying Windows 7," said Mr. Silver. "Organizations will need to decide whether they continue with Windows 7 and or consider Windows 8."

Additional information is available in the Gartner Special Report, "Is Windows 8 in Your Future?" The Special Report highlights our latest research on Windows 8, its tablet-like interface, and this new era for Microsoft's flagship OS. The Special Report is available at http://www.gartner.com/technology/research/microsoft/windows-8.jsp

Mr. Silver and Mr. Kleynhans will examine the outlook for Windows at Gartner Symposium/ITxpo in Orlando 2012, October 21-25.

About Gartner Symposium/ITxpo

Gartner Symposium/ITxpo is the world's most important gathering of CIOs and senior IT executives. This event delivers independent and objective content with the authority and weight of the world's leading IT research and advisory organization, and provides access to the latest solutions from key technology providers. Gartner's annual Symposium/ITxpo events are key components of attendees' annual planning efforts. IT executives rely on Gartner Symposium/ITxpo to gain insight into how their organizations can use IT to address business challenges and improve operational efficiency. 

Additional information for Gartner Symposium/ITxpo 2012 in Orlando, October 21-25, is available at www.gartner.com/symposium/us. Members of the media can register for the event by contacting Christy Pettey at christy.pettey@gartner.com

Additional information from the event will be shared on Twitter at http://twitter.com/Gartner_inc and using #GartnerSym.

Upcoming dates and locations for Gartner Symposium/ITxpo include:

August 28-30, Cape Town, South Africa: www.gartner.co.za
October 3-5, Tokyo, Japan: www.gartner.com/jp/symposium
October 10-12, Goa, India: www.gartner.com/in/symposium
October 21-25, Orlando, Florida: www.gartner.com/us/symposium
October 29-31, Sao Paulo, Brazil: www.gartner.com/br/symposium
November 5-8, Barcelona, Spain: www.gartner.com/eu/symposium
November 12-15, Gold Coast, Australia: www.gartner.com/au/symposium
March 5-7, 2013, Dubai, UAE: www.gartner.com/technology/symposium/dubai/

Gartner will host a complimentary webinar on September 27 at 9:30 a.m. EDT titled, "The Evolution of the Powerful New Nexus: Gartner Symposium/ITxpo 2012 Preview." Peter Sondergaard, senior vice president and global head of research at Gartner, will discuss why the Nexus of Forces is such a crucial concept for all CIOs and IT leaders and how it has evolved. He will also explain why this year's theme "Focus, Connect, Lead" is so central to Gartner Symposium/ITxpo 2012. To register for this free webinar, please visit http://my.gartner.com/webinardetail/resId=2142416.

Contacts:

Christy Pettey
Gartner
+1 408 468 8312
christy.pettey@gartner.com

Rob van der Meulen
Gartner
+44 0 1784 267892
rob.vandermeulen@gartner.com


About Gartner:
Gartner, Inc. (NYSE: IT) 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 the valuable partner to clients in 12,000 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, U.S.A., and has 5,000 associates, including 1,280 research analysts and consultants, and clients in 85 countries. For more information, www.gartner.com.

McAfee Names IT Industry Veteran Luc Villeneuve to lead its Canadian Operations

McAfee Names IT Industry Veteran Luc Villeneuve to lead its Canadian
Operations

New leadership and focus in telecommunication sector with the
appointment of Tyson Macaulay as Vice President

Markham, Ont. - September 24, 2012 - McAfee today announced that Luc
Villeneuve has joined McAfee® as vice president of its Canadian
operations taking over the role and responsibilities of Ross Allen,
former vice president for Canada and Northeast United States. Allen has
relocated to the United Kingdom to assume responsibility for the
company’s UK and Ireland operations.

“Luc brings a wealth of sales and management experience and
leadership capabilities to his new role as vice president for McAfee
Canada,” said Mike Carpenter, senior vice-president, North America at
McAfee. “He will be instrumental in leading our Canadian business as
we continue our efforts to be the leader in the software security
field.”

Villeneuve joins McAfee from NCR Europe where he was president of the
company and helped to launch Pharmatrust Inc., where he later served as
the company’s chief business officer. Prior to this, Villeneuve has
served as president of NCR Canada and directed the enterprise sales
effort at Sun Microsystems Canada as vice president of sales. Throughout
his career, Villeneuve held several senior executive sales and marketing
positions at companies including, BCE, GE Capital and CNC Global Ltd.

Bilingual in English and French and a certified Six Sigma practitioner,
Villeneuve is a graduate of the University of Western Ontario’s
Marketing Management Executive Program and also holds a Business
Administration degree from Algonquin College. In 2011, he was nominated
by the Ontario Premier for a lifetime achievement award in business. He
is also on the advisory boards for organizations such as La Cité
collégiale, People To Go and Microland Technologies, and has provided
assistance to technology startup companies. Villeneuve has also
supported charitable organizations including Big Brothers Big Sisters
and Ronald McDonald House.

Other appointments to the McAfee management team include the
following:

● Tyson Macaulay, vice president of global telecommunications
strategy, is responsible for defining and implementing McAfee’s global
go-to-market strategy for the telecommunications sector. Prior to
joining McAfee, Macaulay was the security liaison officer at Bell
Canada. He is also the author of several security patents and
publications and is a supporter of the development of engineering and
security standards through the International Standards Organization
(ISO). Macaulay is based in Ottawa.

About McAfee
McAfee, a wholly owned subsidiary of Intel Corporation (NASDAQ:INTC),
is the world's largest dedicated security technology company. McAfee
delivers proactive and proven solutions and services that help secure
systems, networks, and mobile devices around the world, allowing users
to safely connect to the Internet, browse and shop the Web more
securely. Backed by its unrivaled Global Th
reat Intelligence, McAfee
creates innovative products that empower home users, businesses, the
public sector and service providers by enabling them to prove compliance
with regulations, protect data, prevent disruptions, identify
vulnerabilities, and continuously monitor and improve their security.
McAfee is relentlessly focused on constantly finding new ways to keep
our customers safe. http://www.mcafee.com

McAfee Canada is headquartered in Markham, Ontario, with regional
offices across Canada. The company's Consumer Software Research and
Development facility in based in Waterloo, Ontario.

NOTE: McAfee is a registered trademark or trademark of McAfee or its
subsidiaries in the United States and other countries. Other marks may
be claimed as the property of others.

McAfee Canada maintains a website called "The State of Consumer and
Enterprise Security in Canada" (http://mcaf.ee/canadastats) in order to
provide a one-stop shop for writers looking for information on a variety
of trends and issues affecting and shaping the Canadian security
landscape. Feel free to check out the McAfee Canada resource site for
security information, statistics, story ideas, and access to published
McAfee surveys and studies.
 


IBM Invests $90 million in Canadian Tech Infrastructure - new Smarter Data Centre Opens in Ontario

 IBM Smarter Data Centre Opens in Canada

New Barrie, Ontario facility uses advanced modular and green design for maximum efficiency to help organizations reduce costs and effectively manage risk

TORONTO, ON and BARRIE, ON – September 21, 2012: IBM (NYSE: IBM), together with the Governments of Canada and Ontario and the City of Barrie today unveiled one of the nation’s most advanced computing facilities: the IBM Canada Leadership Data Centre. The Barrie, Ontario-based centre has been designed from the ground-up with the latest advancements in energy efficient data centre management, business continuity, resiliency, security and disaster recovery services to help organizations efficiently manage growth while reducing costs and securely mitigating risk. 

The data centre represents a $90 million investment from IBM and will establish 20 skilled jobs in Barrie, as a portion of the $175 million IBM invested and 145 jobs created through the April 2012 launch of the IBM Canada Research and Development Centre network. In time, the new data centre is expected to provide key infrastructure and personnel to help underpin ongoing research and development initiatives tied to this network. The IBM funding is supported through the Government of Ontario’s previous $15 million investment towards these initiatives.

 

“Canadian organizations are seeking more strategic ways to increase operational efficiencies and position themselves for sustainable growth,” said John Lutz, president, IBM Canada.  “We continue to invest in smarter infrastructure within Canada because businesses can’t afford downtime with today’s economic pressures. This new facility provides a flexible foundation ingrained in best-practices so we can deliver essential services to help organizations and partners better manage data, reduce operating costs, improve productivity and gain competitive advantage.”

Fifty percent of Canadian organizations recently surveyed reported that providing sufficient data centre space and ensuring the availability required to meet customer service demands are among their top challenges.* This is particularly important for high availability industries like financial services, government and retail. Yet, organizations typically spend about 70 percent of their IT budgets simply maintaining existing environments.

 

Leading organizations are taking steps to address these issues. In an IBM survey of 300 IT leaders, the 21% of organizations who ran efficient data centres were able to spend 50% more on new projects and innovation to make their organizations more successful.

 

The highly efficient, modular centre is uniquely designed to a set of global best-practice metrics that best demonstrate productivity and effectiveness in space, energy and data management These attributes will help organizations adapt existing processes and infrastructure or cost-effectively invest to more efficiently support business growth and mitigate the risk of costly system outages.

 

For example, the centre will provide synchronous replication of data with another centre that is within 100 kilometres. This means organizations that rely on critical 24/7 systems can locate their primary IT operations in one centre and establish a data recovery centre far enough away to reduce the risk of a geographic disaster impacting both sites, but close enough to ensure operational or customer data is always available.

 

The new facility will provide 25,000 square feet of initial capacity with the ability to grow to 100,000 square feet. IBM has designed and delivered more than 1,000 similar modular data centres for customers worldwide. Modular data centre design uses small increments of standardized components to match business requirements with IT requirements and only add data centre capacity when needed. Modular centres can be expanded in half the time of a traditional data centre to easily accommodate growing demand. They help clients save up to 30 percent per year in energy costs compared to traditional centres.

 

This newest addition to IBM’s existing network of 17 data centres within Canada bolsters the company’s $75 million investment in Markham and Montreal-based data centres during 2011.

 

Quotes

“It is with great pride that we welcome IBM’s Leadership Data Centre to Barrie. To be selected as the global destination for the first newly constructed Leadership Data Centre in North America is a tremendous honour and sends the message globally that Barrie’s wealth of competitive advantages make it a strategic business location in the new economy,” comments Barrie Mayor Jeff Lehman.  “Barrie is open for business and we look forward to growing a relationship of mutual benefit for both IBM and the Barrie community.”

“The progress of this unprecedented research partnership is wonderful to see. This project will help to improve how we deal with challenges in health care, infrastructure and cities, energy, and water conservation while making use of Ontario’s greatest resource — our people,” said Brad Duguid, Minister of Economic Development and Innovation, Government of Ontario

 

“This Centre is designed to act as a catalyst for innovative collaborations with researchers and businesses here in Barrie and across southern Ontario,” said Patrick Brown, Member of Parliament for Barrie. “The advanced knowledge coming from the collaborative research and innovation platform funded by our government will be a strategic asset for Canada to advance home-grown innovation on the world stage.”

For Editors:

 

 

About IBM
For more information about the IBM Canada Leadership Data Centre, please visit:
http://www.ibm.com/smarterdatacentre/ca

 

IBM Data Centre information may be found at:  www.ibm.com/services/siteandfacilities

More information about IBM’s Sustainability solutions:  www.ibm.com/green





























































































































































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Heart and Stroke Foundation’s free <30 Days Mobile App gives users control and rewards them for heart-healthy action

Heart and Stroke Foundation’s free <30 Days Mobile App gives users control and rewards them for heart-healthy action

The free <30 Days Mobile App gives users control and rewards them for heart-healthy action. Every day the app delivers a focused, easy-to-do challenge that channels the user’s motivators. It can be downloaded at heartandstroke.ca/YourRisk

Ottawa – September 19, 2012. The Heart and Stroke Foundation, in partnership with Desjardins Financial Security, today launched a free mobile app – an easy tool to help Canadians make important lifestyle changes that could add healthy years to their lives.

The Heart and Stroke Foundation’s <30 Days Mobile App gives users a customized risk profile showing the long-term impact of their daily health choices – then guides them to break bad habits and adopt a healthier lifestyle in 30 days or less.

“We want to help Canadians take their heart health seriously,” says David Sculthorpe, CEO of the Heart and Stroke Foundation. “Heart disease and stroke are a leading cause of death. We know that nine out of 10 adults have at least one risk factor for heart disease and stroke. Our new app gives Canadians the power to take control of their health and lower their risks.”

Forty per cent of Canadians have three or more risk factors for heart disease and stroke. But there is good news - 80 per cent of premature heart disease and stroke is preventable.

The <30 Days app was designed and developed by leading Canadian experts to empower Canadians with the information and support they need to reduce their risk of heart disease and stroke.

Key features such as tracking of progress, reminders, positive reinforcement and social support are included to ensure that the user is able to sustain the recommended healthy behaviours. Overcoming unhealthy habits and reducing risk factors can be overwhelming; the Foundation’s <30 Days app helps users achieve a healthy heart by suggesting simple and practical daily challenges. After only 30 days, individuals will be more aware of how their actions impact their heart’s well being.

“Diet, physical activity, maintaining a healthy weight, being smoke-free and reducing stress are just a few of the keys in taking control,” says Dr. Beth Abramson, cardiologist and spokesperson for the Heart and Stroke Foundation. “This app is a virtual trainer, nutritionist and cheerleader wrapped up together. It gives you one healthy action a day. This quickly adds up to 30 healthy actions – putting you on the path to a lifetime of healthy choices.”

Every day the app delivers a focused, easy-to-do challenge that channels the user’s motivators. Users are rewarded with electronic “badges” when they reach new milestones. Digital badges can be used for online bragging rights on social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter.

“We’re proud to support a tool that has the potential to have a huge impact on the health and lives of Canadians,” says Denis Berthiaume, President and Chief Operating Officer of Desjardins Financial Security.

The app helps users inventory their health and risk factors by completing a mini-assessment. They then prioritize the risk factors that are most important to them and highlight what motivates them most.

“It is great that <30 Days reminds me of why I should work towards a healthy heart,” says Shivani Goyal, who has been using the app for a couple of weeks. “At the beginning it was challenging because the app was making me adopt healthier habits, but now I feel like it is easier because these new habits are just a part of my daily routine.”

The free app is currently available in English or French for iOS devices only (iPhone, iPad and iTouch) and can be downloaded at Apple App Stores. Canadians can download it at heartandstroke.ca/YourRisk.

This is the fourth smartphone app developed by the Heart and Stroke Foundation to give Canadians e-tools to manage their health. Others include a risk assessment, a HealthCheck® recipe app and a blood pressure action plan.

The Heart and Stroke Foundation, (heartandstroke.ca), a volunteer-based health charity, leads in eliminating heart disease and stroke, reducing their impact through the advancement of research and its application, the promotion of healthy living and advocacy.

Healthy lives free of heart disease and stroke. Together we will make it happen.