Intel, Industry Shaping Future of Computing Experiences on Intel(R) Architecture

Intel, Industry Shaping Future of Computing Experiences on Intel® Architecture

Posted by IntelPR in News Stories on Jun 4, 2012 9:07:06 PM

Next Wave of Ultrabook™ Devices Now Available; Intel Signs Agreements for Touch Capacity to Meet Expected Demand

 

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS

  • The next wave of Ultrabook™ devices powered by 3rd generation Intel® Core™ processors is more responsive and offers enhanced security in a choice of designs.
  • Intel announced agreements with Cando*, HannsTouch*, TPK* and Wintek* to ensure capacity of touch technology for the expected growth of touch-enabled Ultrabook convertible designs.
  • New Ultrabook systems offer enhanced security with Intel® Anti-Theft Technology built in and free, limited-time service subscriptions out of the box from Absolute Software*, McAfee*, Norton* and Intel in select global markets.
  • Bringing the best of Intel technology to mobile devices with three Intel-based smartphones now available from Lava* International, Lenovo* and Orange*; 20 tablet design wins based on the Intel® Atom™ SoC, codenamed "Clover Trail," designed for Microsoft* Windows* 8.

 

 

COMPUTEX, Taipei, Taiwan, June 5, 2012 – Intel Corporation Senior Vice President Tom Kilroy officially introduced the next wave of Ultrabook™ systems during a keynote address at Computex Taipei 2012. Making a bold statement around the importance of touch technology, Kilroy also announced that Intel has signed agreements with several leading touch panel manufacturers to ensure adequate capacity to meet the expected demand for touch-enabled Ultrabook experiences over the next several years.

 

He also highlighted the company's efforts to deliver user-centric experiences across a range of mobile devices from the Ultrabook to smartphones and tablets, pointing to momentum across all three.

 

More than 35 new ultra-sleek, ultra-responsive Ultrabook systems are available now or will be for purchase within 30 days, with more than 110 designs expected in the next year. Powered by 3rd generation Intel® Core™ processors and made with the world's most advanced 22nm 3-D tri-gate transistors, these new Ultrabook devices are more responsive and offer enhanced security in a selection of stylish designs for consumers and business users.

 

"Our life experiences are defined by our senses -- by what we see, hear and touch," said Kilroy. "These human senses are also at the foundation of Intel's vision for the Ultrabook to deliver a no-compromise, must-have computing experience.

 

"Today, thanks to the work of the industry at-large, we are one step closer to meeting that vision with the arrival of the next wave of 3rd generation Intel Core processor-powered devices. The innovation must continue as we move to touch-based Ultrabook convertible designs, and in the future aim to give them and other devices senses, making our interaction with them natural and intuitive."

 

Next Wave of Ultrabook Devices Bring More Responsiveness, Enhanced Security

In addition to increased responsiveness and enhanced security features, Ultrabook devices powered by the new 3rd generation Intel Core processors deliver up to two times the media and graphics performance compared to the previous generation, long battery life and offer more choice of stylish, thin designs.

 

This new wave of Ultrabook devices wakes up in a flash, meaning systems will transition from hibernation mode to an active state in less than 7 seconds and will also load favorite applications quickly1. Intel® Smart Connect Technology helps keep email and social networks automatically updated even while the Ultrabook sleeps, thus conserving power and battery life.

 

As security becomes more important to consumers who want peace of mind in the protection of their data and personal assets, the next wave of Ultrabook systems is equipped with enhanced security features, including Intel® Anti-Theft Technology that lets users automatically disable the system if it is lost or stolen. Kilroy announced that people in several major markets worldwide can activate free, limited-time service subscriptions right out of the box from Absolute Software*, McAfee*, Norton* and Intel.

 

Additionally, all 3rd generation Intel Core processor-based Ultrabook devices have Intel® Identity Protection technology built in to keep peoples' identity safe and ensure that their favorite websites and social networks know it's really them when logging in.

 

The Ultrabook is also now coming to the enterprise. Built with the 3rd generation Intel® Core™ vPro™ processor platform, these Ultrabook devices provide businesses the security and performance to compute with confidence in the stylish and innovate designs business users desire.

 

Touch-Enabled, Ultrabook Convertible Designs Offer No-Compromise Experiences

First announced by Intel just over a year ago, the Ultrabook category ushers in a new era of computing that has been quickly fueled by innovation from the broad industry.

 

"Thank you to our partners here in Taiwan and the computing industry at-large for the unprecedented innovation to bring the Ultrabook to life in such a short time," said Kilroy. "But we're just getting started."

 

Later this year, Intel and the industry will further evolve Ultrabook devices with the addition of touch-based experiences. Intel believes that touch capability is a key component to the Ultrabook experience and will be increasingly important across a wide range of devices. Kilroy said touch will also help fuel even more innovation and new experiences, particularly for Ultrabook convertibles that offer a truly no-compromise computing experience.

 

To that end, Kilroy announced touch capacity agreements with several leading touch vendors including Cando, HannsTouch, TPK and Wintek. The agreements are an important element of Intel's overall industry enabling effort and the future of the Ultrabook experience.

 

Bringing the Best of Intel Technology to Smartphones, Tablets

Highlighting the company's progress in its smartphone business, Kilroy pointed to the imminent in-store availability in the United Kingdom and France of Orange's new high-performance Android* smartphone based on Intel technology. The Intel-powered Lenovo* LePhone* K800 launched online and in retail stores on May 30 in China. These phones join Lava's XOLO* X900, the first smartphone with Intel inside, which launched in India in April.

 

Kilroy said Intel is committed to delivering a great all-around and secure smartphone experience, including fast browsing and downloads, great multitasking, a brilliant camera, great graphics and video performance with competitive battery life.

 

He also said Intel-based tablets will extend the smartphone experience while offering compatibility with the extensive library of existing applications and devices. The company has 20 design wins based on the forthcoming 32nm Intel® Atom™ SoC, codenamed "Clover Trail," and designed for Microsoft* Windows* 8. Whether in slate, convertible or other innovative designs, these tablets will be capable of delivering an always-on, always-connected experience that includes very thin solutions and all-day battery life.

 

The combination of Windows 8 with Intel inside is designed to give users the ability to run new applications offered in the fast and fluid Windows 8 user interface, while also supporting the existing Windows applications people know and use today.

 

The Future: Computers that See, Hear and Feel

Kilroy challenged the industry to shape the future of computing experiences by giving computers senses, or the ability to see, hear and feel much like people do. The addition of the touch-enabled experiences to the Ultrabook is only the beginning.

 

Kilroy demonstrated for the first time a multi-language voice experience based on Nuance's Dragon* engine and speech technology optimized for Intel® architecture on an Ultrabook™. Announced in January, the companies are collaborating to provide a great voice experience to consumers. With this solution, users can check and update their social media sites, initiate voice over IP calls, search the Internet and control their media. Users can also control the Ultrabook when not connected to the Internet by using their voice to quickly and easily launch applications, play local media and multi-task.

 

Kilroy said the company is working on future technologies that could let people engage more naturally and intuitively with a variety of devices, from the Ultrabook or smartphone to everyday intelligent systems. Such applications could include perceptual computing, intuitive and immersive short-range gesture recognition, using smartphones to interact with and control an Ultrabook or desktop PC, or even track a person's heart rate through technology that "sees" and analyzes the movement of a person's cheeks.

 

For more information please visit the Intel at Computex Taipei 2012multimedia press kit.

 

About Intel
Intel (NASDAQ: INTC) is a world leader in computing innovation. The company designs and builds the essential technologies that serve as the foundation for the world’s computing devices. Additional information about Intel is available at newsroom.intel.com and blogs.intel.com.

 

Intel, Intel Atom, Intel Core, Ultrabook, Thunderbolt and the Intel logo are trademarks of Intel Corporation in the United States and other countries.

 

* Other names and brands may be claimed as the property of others.


Any codenames featured are used internally within Intel to identify products that are in development and not yet publicly announced for release. Customers, licensees and other third parties are not authorized by Intel to use code names in advertising, promotion or marketing of any product or services and any such use of Intel's internal code names is at the sole risk of the user.

 

All products, dates, and figures specified are preliminary based on current expectations, and are subject to change without notice.

 

Intel may make changes to specifications and product descriptions at any time, without notice.

 

No system can provide absolute security under all conditions. Requires an Intel® Identity Protection Technology-enabled system, including a 2nd generation Intel® Core™ processor enabled chipset, firmware and software, and participating website. Consult your system manufacturer. Intel assumes no liability for lost or stolen data and/or systems or any resulting damages. For more information, visit http://ipt.intel.com. No system can provide absolute security under all conditions. Requires an enabled chipset, BIOS, firmware and software, and a subscription with a capable service provider. Consult your system manufacturer and Service Provider for availability and functionality. Intel assumes no liability for lost or stolen data and/or systems or any other damages resulting thereof. For more information, visit www.intel.com/go/anti-theft.

"Privacy by Design in the Age of Big Data" Report Addresses How Big Data & Privacy Can Successfully Coexist

"Privacy by Design in the Age of Big Data" Report Addresses How Big Data & Privacy Can Successfully Coexist

Dr. Cavoukian, Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario, Canada and IBM Chief Scientist and Fellow Jonas Release Report

WASHINGTON & TORONTO, June 8, 2012 /CNW/ - Organizations should act now to address the privacy risks associated with Big Data, and the analytics technologies used to make sense of these vast data sets, before such risks become realities. This, and other key recommendations, are detailed in a new joint report titled Privacy by Design in the Age of Big Data authored by Ontario's Information and Privacy Commissioner, Dr. Ann Cavoukian, and IBM Fellow, Jeff Jonas.

The report outlines the transformative nature of Privacy by Design when applied to Big Data, and sensemaking systems, and the importance of Privacy by Design, which shows why and how privacy protections can be embedded directly into technology as a default standard.

Cavoukian and Jonas have each been at the forefront of new approaches to understanding data and addressing privacy.

Dr. Ann Cavoukian is recognized as one of the leading privacy experts in the world. Since the 1990's, she has been advancing Privacy by Design, now an international standard, that seeks to proactively embed privacy into the design specifications of information technology, accountable business practices and networked infrastructure. Recently, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission included Privacy by Design as one of its three recommended practices for protecting online privacy - a major validation of its significance.

At IBM, Jonas has pioneered next-generation sensemaking technology with embedded privacy-enhancing features.  This new technology evaluates new data observations in relation to previous observations - much in the same way that one evaluates a jigsaw puzzle to locate its companion pieces on the table - and use this context-accumulating process to improve understanding about what is happening in real-time.

"Privacy by Design, applied to the field of sensemaking, can help create trust and foster confidence in the industries that make use of Big Data.  It can shape the future direction of technological development in a way that aligns consumer values concerning privacy.  Organizations of all sizes are now able to better leverage their hitherto trapped information assets.  This presents us with both opportunities and challenges," said Dr. Ann Cavoukian, Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario, Canada.  "While organizations and consumers will benefit from more efficient operations, better customer experiences, and less fraud, waste and abuse, new challenges will be faced as the potential for Big Data to seriously erode cherished privacy and civil liberties increases."

"Today, Big Data represents an important new domain for tomorrow's innovations.  Navigating this massive volume of information will require us to think about data in new and innovative ways. Making sense of an organization's observational space will become imperative to remain competitive," said Jeff Jonas, Chief Scientist and Fellow, IBM.  "To the extent Big Data contains personally identifiable information, increased responsibility and care is required to manage this information.  The bigger the pile of data, the greater the value - the value to legitimate business users as well as those with interests in its misuse.  We believe it is imperative that with game-changing advances in analytics one should step back and ponder design decisions that will enhance overall security and privacy."

Seen as the next frontier for innovation, competition, and productivity, the term Big Data refers to the volume, velocity, and variety of data - previously beyond the grasp of the average enterprise - that can now be organized and understood. Understanding Big Data enables organizations to make novel discoveries that were previously unattainable. Applying sensemaking technologies to Big Data will help organizations make sense of the world as observations present themselves, fast enough to do something about it while the observations are happening.  Sensemaking capabilities of this new technology are inspired by the human decision-making process and how individuals process and relate new observations to previous observations - drawing on this rich context-accumulating process to enhance decision-making.

The Privacy by Design in the Age of Big Data report is intended to demonstrate how responsible privacy measures can coexist with Big Data and analytics innovations.  Ninety per cent of the data in the world today was created in the last two years, and the pace of data creation continues to increase exponentially. This increasing flood of diversified information brings new challenges - how to make sense and garner insight from Big Data - while simultaneously protecting public privacy and fundamental freedoms.

The report recommendations will be shared during keynote presentations at The Annual Privacy Law Scholars Conference in Washington, DC, and the Future of Energy Summit - 2012, MaRS Discovery District, Toronto.

About the IPC
The Information and Privacy Commissioner is appointed by and reports to the Ontario Legislative Assembly, and is independent of the government of the day. The Commissioner's mandate includes overseeing the access and privacy provisions of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act and the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, as well as the Personal Health Information Protection Act, which applies to both public and private sector health information custodians. A vital component of the Commissioner's mandate is to help educate the public about access and privacy issues.

About IBM Big Data & Analytics
IBM has a broad focus on business analytics and optimization, which spans hardware, software, services and research. The company has established the world's deepest portfolio of analytics solutions; grown its business and industry expertise to approximately 9,000 business analytics and optimization consultants, 400 researchers, and created global analytics solution centers in Berlin, Beijing, Dallas, London, New York, Tokyo, Washington and Zurich.  IBM has acquired 33 companies to build targeted analytics and information expertise since 2005, and continues to expand its ecosystem, which today consists of more than 27,000 IBM business partners. IBM has also secured hundreds of patents a year in analytics.

These investments have enabled IBM to develop breakthrough technologies like IBM Watson, a new class of industry specific analytical capability that uses deep content analysis, evidence-based reasoning and natural language processing to identify relationships buried in large volumes of data that can be used to improve decision making.

For more information about IBM, Privacy and Data Protection visit: http://ibmprivacy.com/

For more information about IBM and Analytics visit:
http://www-03.ibm.com/press/us/en/presskit/27163.wss

For further information:

Media Contacts

Rob McMahon
IPC Communications Director
Office 1.416.326.3902
Rob.McMahon@ipc.on.ca

Kristine A. Nalbone
IBM Media Relations
Office 1.917.472.3656
knalbon@us.ibm.com

Government of Canada Awards Seccuris CPSA

Government of Canada Awards Seccuris CPSA Enabling the Company to Deliver Information Security Services to Federal Departments and Agencies

WINNIPEG, June 8, 2012 /CNW/ - The Government of Canada awarded the Cyber Protection Supply Arrangement (CPSA) under Work Stream 3 to Seccuris, positioning Seccuris as a preferred vendor to provide information assurance services to the government. The CPSA enables Seccuris to provide experienced information security professionals to the federal government. Seccuris will be offering a highly skilled and qualified team of security architects with SABSA and TOGAF designations to assist the federal government with existing and new security initiatives as part of their risk mitigation strategies in today's cyber threat environment.

Under Work Stream 3, the government hires a pool of qualified information security consultants to work on project and operational teams in government departments and agencies that have a skills shortage. The consultants assist with all facets of information risk management, including providing vulnerability assessments, development of government policies and procedures, information security engineering, security audits, and information security education programs.

"Getting on the CPSA list of approved vendors is instrumental for the success of our company in this region," says Seccuris Eastern Canadian Director Mansoor Khan. "This award enables us to showcase our expertise in the field of information security and leverage our experience assisting numerous public and private organizations in enhancing their security posture with structured security frameworks like SABSA." The arrangement recognizes Seccuris as a leader in information security with highly qualified teams that can provide the expertise to design and implement flexible and leading-edge enterprise security programs tailored to the needs of virtually every government department and agency.

About Seccuris
Seccuris (www.seccuris.com), an international information assurance company headquartered in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, provides clients with security and risk management consulting services, managed security services, security solution integration, and education services. Seccuris also maintains an active research and development portfolio, working collaboratively with organizations across Canada and internationally. Through a commitment to quality, research, and knowledge transfer, Seccuris delivers innovative and comprehensive information assurance services and solutions that provide value to its clients.

For further information:

Benjamin Dorge - Marketing Communications - bdorge@seccuris.com or 204-255-4136 ext. 244.

Palais des congrès de Montréal to embark on a major technology revamp

Palais des congrès de Montréal to embark on a major technology revamp that will position it among North America's top convention centres

MONTREAL, June 6, 2012 /CNW Telbec/ - The Société du Palais des congrès de Montréal is pleased to announce they have selected the consortium formed by Bell and Cisco as their project integrator for the improvement of the Palais des congrès de Montréal's technology environment and services. The selection followed a public bidding process. The initial phase of the project will involve upgrading the wired and wireless internet network infrastructures, and installing a dynamic signage network equipped with touch screens.

"We are proud to team up with world IT leaders with operations in Montréal. Their expertise will contribute to the renewal of the business customer experience and to promoting Montréal's know-how locally and internationally," indicates Marc Tremblay, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Palais des congrès de Montréal. Adds Élaine Legault, Client Experience Director and the person in charge of the project's development: "The Palais already enjoys a distinctive reputation for its personalized and solution-driven approach. Adding technology to our service offering means our customers will be guaranteed an unforgettable experience in the heart of a city widely reputed for its creative flair."

The technological optimization of the Palais is already underway as the convention centre prepares to host 2,100 delegates from 80 countries for the World Congress on Information Technology (WCIT) October 21 to 24, 2012.

"As Québec's leading communications company, Bell is very pleased that the Palais des congrès has chosen our innovative business communications solutions. We look forward to helping make the Palais a world-class showcase for the latest broadband communications technology and services," said Martine Turcotte, Executive Vice-President, Québec, Bell.

"The Cisco team in Québec, backed by Cisco's worldwide expertise in event technology, is proud to contribute to the Palais' growing reputation nationally and internationally. We adapt business technologies to conventions and all types of events for the purpose of improving the customer experience on an ongoing basis," underscores Jean-Claude Ouellet, Vice-President, Sales and Operations, Eastern Canada, Cisco.

A strategic project
The Palais des congrès de Montréal is in the process of a major hi-tech modernization project. During the course of 2012, it will become one of the leading technology-friendly convention centres in North America, where event organizers, exhibitors and convention-goers will enjoy a high performance environment.

Noteworthy improvements include:

  • Upgraded network infrastructure for unparalleled connectivity;
  • New e-commerce-enabled web platform also featuring dedicated intranet zones for customers to facilitate event and exhibition planning and foster efficient information sharing;
  • An event-focused customizable mobile app organizers, exhibitors and convention-goers can use throughout the course of their stay;
  • New digital signage and touch screens for broadcasting rich content tailored to each event;
  • An event intelligence infrastructure focused on further enhancing the networking experience for convention-goers, and also tracking strategic statistical data for convention and exhibition organizers.

The Palais will also launch a new mobile-adapted website that will feature a user friendly and thoroughly enjoyable browsing experience. Designed in tandem with the firm Inpix, the site will quickly set a new industry standard by offering rich content and superior quality graphics.

Québec Tourism Minister Nicole Ménard states: "The Palais' new technology offering will render the convention centre top-of-mind with decision-makers from major associations who want their delegates to benefit from hi-tech know-how and a high performance environment. The record number of 368 events hosted by the Palais in 2011-12 and the more than $200 M they generated speaks to the importance of investing in growth-generating projects that will make it possible for the city and the province to maintain their favourable reputation as business destinations."

Connected to the world and in synch with the needs of customers continually seeking the latest trends in high performance user-friendly solutions, the Palais will become a global platform for major events where success will be measured by the extent and quality of the technological experience.

About the Palais des congrès de Montréal
The mission of the Palais des congrès de Montréal is to attract and host conventions, exhibitions, conferences, meetings and other events. A public institution with a commercial vocation, the Palais generates major economic spinoffs for Québec and has contributed proudly for over 28 years to sharing knowledge and enhancing Montréal's international reputation as a first-rate destination. To learn more about the Palais des congrès de Montréal, visit our website at www.congresmtl.com.

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

Bell is wholly owned by BCE Inc. For Bell products and service information, please visit Bell.ca. For information about Bell Media, visit BellMedia.ca. For information about BCE, visit BCE.ca.

About Cisco
Cisco (NASDAQ: CSCO), is the worldwide leader in networking that transforms how people connect, communicate and collaborate. Cisco Canada Co., a wholly owned subsidiary of Cisco, has offices across Canada dedicated to customer support, sales and service. Its Québec City and Montréal offices employ over 150 people. The company is very active in the field of education in Québec through its Cisco Networking Academy Program, which is taught to 4,600 students in more than 45 schools across the province. For ongoing news, please go to http://newsroom.cisco.com/canada/.

For further information:

Source:
Chrystine Loriaux, Adm.A., B.A.A.
Director, Marketing and Communications
Société du Palais des congrès de Montréal
Phone: 514 871-3104

For information:
Amélie Asselin
Advisor, Communications and Public Affairs
Société du Palais des congrès de Montréal
amelie.asselin@congresmtl.com
Phone: 514 871-5897

Marie-Ève Francoeur
Associate Director, Media Relations
Bell
Phone: 514 391-5263
marie-eve.francoeur@bell.ca

Jade Lavallée-Labossière
Consultant, Public Relations
H+K Stratégies for Cisco
Phone: 514 395-0375 ext. 224
Cell. : 514 349-9090
jade.lavallee-labossiere@hkstrategies.ca

Vancouver's PEER 1 Hosting to Acquire Leading UK-Based Managed Hosting Provider

PEER 1 Hosting to Acquire Leading UK-Based Managed Hosting Provider

-- COMPANY SECURES US$150 MILLION IN NEW CREDIT FACILITIES –

 

VANCOUVER, June 6, 2012 /CNW/ - PEER 1 Network Enterprises, Inc. (TSX:PIX), operating as PEER 1 Hosting ("PEER 1" or the "Company"), a leading provider of IT infrastructure, today announced it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire all of the outstanding shares in the capital of NetBenefit (UK) Limited ("NetBenefit"), a division of London-based Group NBT Limited, and a leading UK-based managed hosting company, for cash consideration of GBP25 million (US$38.5 million).

 

Transaction highlights 

 

·         The fully funded, all cash US$38.5 million transaction establishes PEER 1 as a leader in the UK managed hosting market;

·         The transaction is expected to deliver substantial financial benefits through the integration and migration of NetBenefit's business and servers into PEER 1's new 57,800 square foot flagship datacenter in the UK;

·         The transaction is expected to be immediately accretive to PEER 1's earnings per share excluding acquisition-related and integration costs;

·         PEER 1 will finance the acquisition with cash on hand and availability under the Company's existing credit facilities, including a US$25 million accordion facility that National Bank Financial Inc. ("NBF") has underwritten in support of the acquisition; and

·         Closing of the transaction is expected to occur on or before June 30, 2012.

 

"This transaction vaults us into a clear leadership position in the UK managed hosting market and further underscores our commitment to the dynamic and growing EMEA region," said Fabio M. Banducci, President and CEO of PEER 1. "NetBenefit shares our passion and reputation for quality and service and we are thrilled to welcome its employees, customers and other stakeholders to the PEER 1 Hosting family.  We believe our combined operating scale will allow us to market our shared leading-edge solutions to an even broader customer base across the EMEA region."

 

Founded in 1995, NetBenefit is a division of London-based Group NBT Limited and is one of the UK's longest-operating and most experienced providers of managed hosting services to small and medium sized businesses. NetBenefit has approximately 50 employees providing nearly 700 customers with hosting solutions and professional 24 x 7 x 365 technical support, provisioned and deployed principally from two leased datacenters located in the Greater London area. For the fiscal year ending June 30, 2012, NetBenefit is forecast to generate approximately US$12.5 million in revenue and US$3.8 million in EBITDA. Following the acquisition, NetBenefit will provide managed hosting services back to Group NBT under a three year contract valued at approximately GBP1.5 million (US$2.3 million) per year.

 

With PEER 1's established operating presence in the UK and the opening of its 57,800 square foot green flagship datacenter in Portsmouth last fall, the Company has identified material cost synergies that can be realized from this acquisition, principally from datacenter lease cost savings, office rent savings, reduced support costs and certain headcount rationalization. PEER 1 plans to migrate NetBenefit's server deployments from their existing leased datacenter space to PEER 1's new wholly-owned datacenter on expiration of the datacenter leases. These cost synergies are expected to amount to approximately US$2.0 million and should be fully realized within 18 months following closing of the acquisition.

 

The Company expects to incur approximately US$2.6 million in one-time transaction, re-financing, and transition and integration costs, with the majority of these costs being recorded in the current fiscal fourth quarter and the first quarter of fiscal year 2013.

 

PEER 1 also announced today it has entered into an arrangement letter with NBF to act as sole lead arranger to syndicate US$150 million in new credit facilities.  The new facilities will comprise a US$100 million committed term loan facility and a $US50 million committed revolving credit facility.  In addition, the credit agreement will also include an un-committed accordion feature that will provide PEER 1 with up to a further USD $25 million, bringing the total potential credit available under the new credit facilities to US$175 million. The credit facilities are subject to completion of NBF's syndication, the preparation, execution and delivery of mutually acceptable amended and restated loan documentation, and other customary conditions and closing is expected to occur on June 30, 2012. The Company intends to use the proceeds of the new credit facilities for the repayment of existing credit facilities, capital expenditures, permitted acquisitions, and for working capital and general corporate purposes. "Securing increased credit facilities on favourable terms ensures we retain access to non-dilutive capital, providing us with the financial flexibility to act on further opportunities in the wake of this transaction," said Gary N. Sherlock, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of PEER 1. "We continue to evaluate an array of initiatives to grow both organically and through acquisition in multiple geographies, domestic and international."

 

Conference Call and Webcast Details


PEER 1 will hold a conference call on Wednesday, June 6, 2012 at 11:00 a.m. Eastern Time, to provide further details on the transaction.

 

To access the conference call by telephone, dial (647) 427-7450 or 1-888-231-8191. The conference call will be archived for replay until Wednesday June 13, 2012, at midnight. To access the archived conference call, dial (416) 849-0833 or 1-855-859-2056 and enter the reservation number 88591106 followed by the number sign.

 

A live audio webcast of the conference call and slide presentation will be available at: http://event.on24.com/r.htm?e=471933&s=1&k=BD609A5D10EF33E9240AD7AD1B640257. Please connect at least 10 minutes prior to the conference call to ensure adequate time for any software download that may be required to join the webcast. The webcast will be archived at the above website for 90 days.

 

About NetBenefit


Established in 1995, NetBenefit is one of the UK's most experienced managed hosting companies. NetBenefit specialises in providing tailored managed hosting solutions that deliver security, resilience and online performance for business critical websites, applications and online advertising campaigns. NetBenefit has evolved with the internet to its current position today as a leading provider of bespoke, flexible managed hosting solutions to well known brands, while remaining small enough to be committed to the success of all its customers. Net Benefit's team consists of experienced consultants, pre-sales, project managers, technical architects and engineers, dedicated to helping guarantee the online success of customer businesses. They are focused on delivering hosting peace of mind so that customers can focus on what they do best.

 

About PEER 1 Hosting


PEER 1 Hosting is one of the world's leading IT hosting providers. The company is built on two obsessions: Ping & People. Ping, represents its commitment to best-in-breed technology, founded on a high performance 10Gbps FastFiber Network™ connected by 18 state-of-the-art datacenters, 22 points-of-presence and 10 colocation facilities throughout North America and Europe.  People, represents its commitment to delivering outstanding customer service to its more than 10,000 customers worldwide, backed by a 100 percent uptime guarantee and 24x7x365 FirstCall Support™. Info-Tech Research Group recently named PEER 1 Hosting as a "Champion" in its Canadian colocation and managed services Vendor Landscape report, recognizing the company's strength in product offerings and enterprise strategy in the global IT marketplace. PEER 1 Hosting's portfolio includes Managed Hosting, Dedicated Servers under the ServerBeach brand, Colocation and Cloud Services under the Zunicore brand. Founded in 1999, the company is headquartered in Vancouver, Canada, with European operations headquartered in Southampton, UK. PEER 1 Hosting shares are traded on the TSX under the symbol PIX. For more information visit: www.peer1.com or www.peer1hosting.co.uk.

Dell Donates $1 Million to Support Catalyst Research on Gender Issues in Business

Dell Donates $1 Million to Support Catalyst Research on Gender Issues in Business











 

  • Commitment will support Catalyst, a leading nonprofit membership organization focused on expanding opportunities for women and business
  • Endowment will help create a research center to study and address root causes of gender gaps

Dell today announced a $1 million donation to Catalyst, a leading nonprofit membership organization expanding opportunities for women and business, to help create the Catalyst Center for Career Pathway Research. The multiyear commitment contributes to Catalyst’s Changing Workplaces, Changing Lives campaign, which aims to boost Catalyst’s work in workplace inclusion.

The funds will help establish an endowment to support new, larger research panels and data sets in regions around the world — tracking an array of previously unstudied trends and demographics about women’s careers. The research will provide a foundation for fact-based information to both document and measure change. It will also provide funding to attract and develop the best research talent with endowed fellowship positions. The center will convene thought leaders, researchers and practitioners in this area to develop practical strategies for eliminating gender disparities.

By helping businesses develop and retain talented women, Catalyst and its supporters believe they can accelerate the momentum of women’s advancement in the business world. Dell’s support will aid Catalyst in its initiative to drive sustainable global impact.
Dell has a long-standing relationship with Catalyst and has worked with the group since 2004 to leverage Catalyst’s expertise, benchmark best practices and fulfill a shared mission to build inclusive working environments for women. The company and Catalyst began discussing the Center for Career Pathway Research last year. Dell’s donation was pledged in early 2012 and will be paid over five years (2012-2016).

Dell supports and promotes the idea that empowering women in business will lead to greater prosperity for all. The company’s contribution to the advancement of women is an ongoing commitment, with many of programs spanning several years to date. Dell’s women’s initiatives include:

  • Women in Search of Excellence (Wise): A Dell Employee Resource Group that represents a community of team members whose interest aligns with women’s issues, rooted in advancing the role of women in the Dell workforce.
  • Women Powering Business: A company initiative that strives to help women entrepreneurs and technology leaders expand their networks while offering capabilities to help them use technology to do more.
  • Dell Women’s Entrepreneur Network (DWEN): As part of the Women Powering Business program, DWEN brings together women business owners from around the world to share best practices, build business opportunities through collaboration and access new resources. Now in its third year, the network provides hundreds of business owners with actionable advice and tools. The cornerstone of the program is an annual Dell-sponsored event that spotlights female entrepreneurial success and creates an atmosphere where women can connect with one another, share best practices, build business opportunities, and recognize women’s influence in business and technology.

“Catalyst’s overall mission helps Dell live out our promise of giving women the opportunities they need to succeed professionally and personally, and stimulate their advancement in the working world,” said Lisa Mink, executive director, Global Diversity & Inclusion at Dell. “Our commitment and donation will allow Catalyst to continue to thrive and will help give women in businesses across the world the power to do and achieve more.”

Founded in 1962, Catalyst is the leading nonprofit membership organization expanding opportunities for women and business. With offices in the United States, Canada, Europe and India, and more than 500 preeminent corporations as members, Catalyst is the trusted resource for research, information and advice about women at work.

About Dell
Dell Inc. (NASDAQ: DELL) listens to customers and delivers innovative technology and services that give them the power to do more. Learn more at www.dell.com/diversity.

Dell is a trademark of Dell Inc. Dell disclaims any proprietary interest in the marks and names of others.

PivotLink Expands Into Canada, Appoints Jim Broadley as Country Manager

PivotLink Expands Into Canada, Appoints Jim Broadley as Country Manager

Taps Former MicroStrategy Exec to Accelerate Next Stage of Growth in Retail Analytic Applications

SAN FRANCISCO, CA and TORONTO, Jun 06, 2012 (MARKETWIRE via COMTEX) -- PivotLink, the leading provider of retail performance management solutions delivered via Software as a Service (SaaS), today announced it is expanding its presence into Canada with the appointment of business analytics veteran Jim Broadley as country manager. The announcement accelerates PivotLink's growth by addressing the strong market opportunity for retail analytics among Canadian retailers and their value chain partners.

Leading retailers use PivotLink to improve sales, streamline operations, increase competitive advantage and enhance customer satisfaction, including Canadian customers in retail pharmacy and one of the world's leading apparel brands.

"We see a lot of growth potential in expanding PivotLink's footprint to regions like Canada where retailers are expressing tremendous optimism and turning to SaaS solutions to harness the data deluge," said Bruce Armstrong, president & CEO, PivotLink. "Bringing someone of Jim's caliber to the team is strong testament to PivotLink's commitment to serving the North American market."

A report from American Express Canada's Canadian Retail Insights confirms "85 percent of Canadian retailers consider their financial outlook to be positive for the next 12 months," adding "The optimistic outlook among businesses can be attributed to the fact that more than half (52 percent) of those surveyed say their sales have grown compared to this time last year."

Broadley oversees direct sales and Canadian marketing and alliance partnerships for PivotLink Canada, reporting to Richard Nieset, PivotLink's chief customer officer. He brings a successful track record building high-growth companies in enterprise software segments such as business intelligence, big data and data warehousing.

Highlights include:

-- Building MicroStrategy's presence as Canadian country manager, where he led Sales, Marketing, Services and Alliances and helped grow the business from $2 million to more than $25 million in revenues, including many customers in the retail sector; -- Managing strategic accounts in manufacturing, telecommunications and other sectors as a sales executive for SAP Canada from 2002 to 2006; -- Spearheading data warehousing and decision support sales for some of Oracle Canada's largest accounts, serving as client services director of Business Intelligence & Data Warehousing through 2002; -- Sales leadership positions at EMC, Pyramid Technology Corporation and GE Capital ITS.

Richard Nieset, chief customer officer, added, "Jim's track record and skills are perfectly suited to grow our presence in this region. He's highly solutions oriented, with a deep understanding of customer needs, and is a great addition to our leadership team."

Broadley added, "This is great opportunity to join a fast-growing company at the inflection point in retail, where shoppers are more connected and better informed than ever. The positive response I'm already seeing from Canadian retailers reaffirms that PivotLink is well positioned to capitalize on these trends, given its passion and focus around Retail and CPG, proven suite of on-demand analytic applications and track record helping customers achieve rapid time to value."

PivotLink Canada is based in Toronto.

About PivotLink Corporation

PivotLink is the leader in on-demand retail performance management applications for customer-centric retailers and retail-related companies such as Fifth & Pacific Companies (formerly Liz Claiborne); Kelly-Moore; Timbuk2; Party City; Car Toys; Rossignol; Shaklee; and Zones. Encompassing retail best practice reporting, customer performance analytics and marketing optimization, PivotLink's suite of retail applications and third party content empower business users with actionable insights to serve their increasingly connected, mobile, omni-channel consumers. PivotLink is a privately held company backed by Trident Capital, Emergence Capital Partners, StarVest Partners and Pelion Venture Partners.

Follow @PivotLink on Twitter at www.twitter.com/pivotlink and Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/PivotLink .

PivotLink is a trademark of PivotLink Corporation. Other product and company names may be the trademarks of their respective owners. This press release is for informational purposes only and no offer to buy or solicitation of an offer to sell any securities is made hereby. The forward-looking statements in this release are subject to unknown risks and uncertainties and do not constitute guarantees of future performance. Actual results, performance or achievements of the company may differ materially from results, performance or achievements of the company expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements.

Sources:

[1] American Express Merchant Services, "Retail health: Canadian merchants confident about the year ahead," April 30, 2012.

Oracle Unveils Industry’s Broadest Cloud Strategy

Oracle Unveils Industry’s Broadest Cloud Strategy

Adds Social Cloud and Showcases early customers

Redwood Shores, Calif. – June 6, 2012

“Almost seven years of relentless engineering and innovation plus key strategic acquisitions. An investment of billions. We are now announcing the most comprehensive Cloud on the planet Earth,” said Oracle CEO, Larry Ellison. “Most cloud vendors only have niche assets. They don’t have platforms to extend. Oracle is the only vendor that offers a complete suite of modern, socially-enabled applications, all based on a standards-based platform.”

News Facts

In a major strategy update today, Larry Ellison announced the industry’s broadest and most advanced Cloud strategy and introduced Oracle Cloud Social Services, a broad Enterprise Social Platform offering.
Oracle Cloud delivers a broad set of industry-standards based, integrated services that provide customers with subscription-based access to Oracle Platform Services, Application Services, and Social Services, all completely managed, hosted and supported by Oracle.
Offering a wide range of business applications and platform services, the Oracle Cloud is the only cloud to enable customers to avoid the data and business process fragmentation that occurs when using multiple, siloed public clouds.
Oracle Cloud is powered by leading enterprise-grade infrastructure, including Oracle Exadata and Oracle Exalogic, providing customers and partners with a high-performance, reliable, and secure infrastructure for running critical business applications.
Oracle Cloud enables easy self-service for both business users and developers. Business users can order, configure, extend, and monitor their applications. Developers and administrators can easily develop, deploy, monitor and manage their applications.
As part of the event, Oracle also showcased several early Oracle Cloud customers and partners including system integrators and independent software vendors.

Oracle Cloud Platform Services

Built on a common, complete, standards-based and enterprise-grade set of infrastructure components, Oracle Cloud Platform Services enable customers to speed time to market and lower costs by quickly building, deploying and managing bespoke applications. Oracle Cloud Platform Services will include:

Database Services to manage data and build database applications with the Oracle Database.
Java Services to develop, deploy and manage Java applications with Oracle WebLogic.
Developer Services to allow application developers to collaboratively build applications.
Web Services to build Web applications rapidly using PHP, Ruby, and Python.
Mobile Services to allow developers to build cross-platform native and HTML5 mobile applications for leading smartphones and tablets.
Documents Services to allow project teams to collaborate and share documents through online workspaces and portals.
Sites Services to allow business users to develop and maintain visually engaging .com sites
Analytics Services to allow business users to quickly build and share analytic dashboards and reports through the Cloud.

Oracle Cloud Application Services

Oracle Cloud Application Services provides customers access to the industry’s broadest range of enterprise applications available in the cloud today, with built-in business intelligence, social and mobile capabilities. Easy to setup, configure, extend, use and administer, Oracle Cloud Application Services will include:

ERP Services: A complete set of Financial Accounting, Project Management, Procurement, Sourcing, and Governance, Risk & Compliance solutions.
HCM Services: A complete Human Capital Management solution including Global HR, Workforce Lifecycle Management, Compensation, Benefits, Payroll and other solutions.
Talent Management Services: A complete Talent Management solution including Recruiting, Sourcing, Performance Management, and Learning.
Sales and Marketing Services: A complete Sales and Marketing solution including Sales Planning, Territory Management, Leads & Opportunity Management, and Forecasting.
Customer Experience Services: A complete Customer Service solution including Web Self-Service, Contact Centers, Knowledge Management, Chat, and e-mail Management.

Oracle Cloud Social Services

Oracle Cloud Social Services provides the most broad and complete enterprise social platform available in the cloud today.  With Oracle Cloud Social Services, enterprises can engage with their customers on a range of social media properties in a comprehensive and meaningful fashion including social marketing, commerce, service and listening. The platform also provides enterprises with a rich social networking solution for their employees to collaborate effectively inside the enterprise. Oracle’s integrated social platform will include:

Oracle Social Network to enable secure enterprise collaboration and purposeful social networking for business.
Oracle Social Data Services to aggregate data from social networks and enterprise data sources to enrich business applications.
Oracle Social Marketing and Engagement Services to enable marketers to centrally create, publish, moderate, manage, measure and report on their social marketing campaigns.
Oracle Social Intelligence Services to enable marketers to analyze social media interactions and to enable customer service and sales teams to engage with customers and prospects effectively.

Supporting Resources

Oracle Cloud – learn more
cloud.oracle.com – sign up now
Webcast – watch the replay

About Oracle

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

Trademarks
Oracle and Java are registered trademarks of Oracle and/or its affiliates. Other names may be trademarks of their respective owners.

Contact Info

Letty Ledbetter
Oracle
+1.650.506.8071
letty.ledbetter@oracle.com

Kristin Reeves
Blanc & Otus
+1. 415.856.5145
kreeves@blancandotus.com

New IBM Software Helps Strengthen Security of Mobile Devices in the Workplace

New IBM Software Helps Strengthen Security of Mobile Devices in the Workplace

Increases in mobile exploits and concerns from security executives around BYOD adoption leads to enhanced security intelligence capabilities

ORLANDO - 05 Jun 2012: IBM (NYSE: IBM) today announced new software to help organizations develop mobile applications that are more secure by design. Now, clients can build security into the initial design of their mobile applications so that vulnerabilities will be detected early in the development process. Today's announcement further expands IBM's strategy to provide clients with a mobile platform that spans application development, integration, security and management.

With more than five billion mobile devices in the world - and only 2 billion computers - the shift to mobile devices as the primary form of connecting to corporate networks is increasing rapidly. Securing those devices is becoming a top priority for security executives and CIOs. As companies embrace the growing "Bring Your Own Device" (BYOD) trend, the need to secure the applications that run on these devices is becoming more critical. According to the 2011 IBM X-Force Trend and Risk Report, mobile exploits increased by 19 percent in 2011. In addition, according to the recently released data from the IBM Center for Applied Insights study, 55 percent of respondents cited mobile security as a primary technology concern over the next two years.

The rapid consumerization of mobile endpoints, applications and services has created the urgent need to secure corporate applications on employees' devices. With the latest release of the IBM Security AppScan portfolio, IBM now offers a robust application development security solution, allowing clients to integrate mobile application security testing throughout the application lifecycle.

"We are seeing increased demand from companies looking to extend their corporate applications to mobile devices," said Stuart Dross, Vice President of Sales and Marketing, Cigital, Inc. "The ability to scan native and hybrid mobile applications for security vulnerabilities is a major step forward in securing sensitive data and mitigating security risks."

Security On the Go

Mobile applications represent a new threat target, since they carry a higher risk of attack compared to web application vulnerabilities. Attackers are increasingly focusing on mobile applications because many organizations are not aware of the security risks introduced by the most basic mobile applications. Beyond the traditional threats, for example, a hacker could perform a SQL injection or scripting attack on the applications. Mobile applications also come under attack from malware and phishing, or scanning QR codes with malicious scripts. Additionally, mobile applications have vulnerabilities specific to mobile devices because they often store sensitive data that can be leaked to malicious applications. This data, once stored locally, typically is outside the protection of the corporate security programs. The new AppScan analysis capabilities will find these vulnerabilities to help developers build more secure mobile applications.

“Providing clients with the ability to scan mobile applications for vulnerabilities--including applications developed in-house and outsourced is the next step of our mobile strategy," said Marc van Zadelhoff, vice president of Strategy and Product Management, IBM Security Systems." With more than 120,000 of our own employees accessing IBM's network through mobile devices, we have had to focus heavily on developing a way for employees to work safely and securely."

Mobilizing the Workforce

With today's announcement, IBM extends its market leading static application security testing to native Android applications, which allows clients to conduct their own testing for mobile applications. In the past, for mobile application security testing to be done, clients would have to send their applications and software IP (Intellectual Property) to an offsite vendor to test for vulnerabilities. This approach doesn't scale and the response time is too slow, as mobile applications undergo constant revisions and updates. Organizations need to address mobile application security testing in-house early in the software development life cycle.

In addition to the mobile application testing capabilities, there are significant new capabilities from which customers can benefit:

· Integration with IBM's QRadar Security Intelligence Platform allows for increased Security Intelligence when an application is moved into production.
By correlating known application vulnerabilities with user and network activity, QRadar can automatically raise or lower the priority score of
security incidents.
· A new Cross Site Scripting (XSS) analyzer which uses a learning mode to quickly evaluate millions of potential tests from less than 20 core tests.
This new XSS analyzer finds more XSS vulnerabilities faster than any previous version of AppScan.
· New static analysis capabilities help companies adopt broad application security practices through simplified on-boarding of applications
and empowering non-security specialists to test faster than with prior releases.
· Predefined and customizable templates that provide development teams the ability to quickly focus on a rule set prioritized by their security
teams,helping corporations focus on key issues for them across their organization.

In addition to the QRadar integration, AppScan offers integration points with IBM Security Network IPS and IBM Security SiteProtector, and is a regular complement sold with IBM Guardium and IBM Security Access Management solutions for end-to-end application security. The approach is to provide a comprehensive and integrated security framework for applications across the development and production lifecycle.

IBM has a broad portfolio of mobile security solutions, ranging from helping secure data on the device, to running safer mobile applications. IBM has been steadily investing in the mobile space for more than a decade, both organically and through acquisitions, building a complete portfolio of software and services that delivers enterprise-ready mobility for clients.

IBM Security AppScan will be generally available this quarter.

About IBM Security
IBM's security portfolio provides the security intelligence to help organizations holistically protect their people, data, applications and infrastructure. IBM offers solutions for identity and access management, security information and event management, database security, application development, risk management, endpoint management, network security and more. IBM operates the world's broadest security research and development organization and delivery organization. This comprises nine security operations centers, nine IBM Research centers, 11 software security development labs and an Institute for Advanced Security with chapters in the United States, Europe and Asia Pacific. IBM monitors 13 billion security events per day in more than 130 countries and holds more than 3,000 security patents.

For more information on IBM security, please visit: www.ibm.com/security.

Contact(s) information

Nicole Trager
IBM Media Relations
1 (781) 487-8639
NTrager@us.ibm.com

Sandvine equips South East Asia operator for IPv6

Sandvine equips South East Asia operator for IPv6

Sandvine's Network Policy Control system paves the way for IPv6 transition

WATERLOO, ON, June 6, 2012 /CNW/ - Sandvine, (TSX:SVC; AIM:SAND) a leading provider of intelligent broadband network solutions for fixed and mobile operators, today announced it has successfully completed IPv6 protocol testing with its Policy Traffic Switch (PTS) in a South East Asian DSL network hosting close to two million subscribers.

The explosive growth of web-connected devices has created a need for more IP addresses than are possible with IPv4, thus IPv6 is being introduced.  Accordingly, communications service providers worldwide, including those rolling out LTE, are upgrading their networks with IPv6-capable equipment. The migration to IPv6 is imminent, evidenced by the number of major ISPs, content providers and networking equipment manufacturers who are permanently launching IPv6 for their products and services by June 2012.

"We are committed to delivering our customers the products and intelligence they need today, so they can make strategic decisions for tomorrow," said Tom Donnelly, COO, Sales and Global Services, Sandvine.  "Service providers, especially those in Asia, are adding a significant number of new broadband subscribers each year and have a real need to bring IPv6 to their networks.  Our platform scales from the smallest to the largest networks worldwide, making us an ideal partner for our customers as they expand and evolve their networks."

Sandvine offers tools for service providers to analyze their network capabilities of native and transitional IPv6 protocols (such as Teredo and 6RD).  Service providers can assess the impact on network operations and on the quality experienced by end users. Sandvine's PTS provides the measurement and management of IPv4 and IPv6 traffic simultaneously for operators of all access technologies.

Visit Sandvine's blog tomorrow for an overview of what transpires on World IPv6 Launch 2012.

ABOUT SANDVINE

Sandvine's network policy control solutions focus on protecting and improving the quality of experience on the Internet. Our award-winning network policy control equipment and software helps fixed and wireless and mobile operators better understand network traffic, manage network congestion, create new services and revenues, mitigate traffic that is malicious or undesirable to subscribers, deliver QoS-prioritized multimedia services and increase subscriber satisfaction. With over 200 service provider customers in over 85 countries, serving hundreds of millions of broadband and mobile data subscribers, Sandvine is enhancing the Internet experience worldwide. For more information, please visit: www.sandvine.com

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

Certain statements in this release which are not historical facts constitute forward-looking statements or forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws ("forward-looking statements") and are made pursuant to the "safe harbour" provisions of such laws. Statements related to potential benefits of, and demand for, Sandvine's products are forward looking statements which are subject to certain assumptions, risks and uncertainties that may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of Sandvine to differ materially from the results, performance, achievements or developments expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such statements. 

For further information:

MEDIA CONTACT
Sacha DeGroot
Sandvine
+1 519 880 2232
sdegroot@sandvine.com

INVESTOR RELATIONS CONTACT
Rick Wadsworth
Sandvine
+1 519 880 2400 ext. 3503
rwadsworth@sandvine.com

AIM NOMAD
Andrew Chubb/Simon Bridges
Canaccord Genuity Limited
+44 0207 050 8000