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Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) has acquired Grouper, the fast-growing user-generated video site on the Internet, it was announced today.
Grouper.com, which is the second largest independent video community, enables its members to watch, share and create video on the Web. Under the terms of the $65 million deal, the Sausalito-based company will retain its current management, working closely with a team at Sony Pictures.
Grouper Networks enables its members to watch, share and create video on the Web, desktop and connected devices and continues to be the leading innovator in the user-generated video space. Members can browse videos on Grouper.com and post them to a wide variety of third party Web sites directly from Grouper.
Sony Pictures Entertainment has been a longtime leader in the arena of digital entertainment. It was one of the first studios in the DVD business and the first to sell television shows online and movies for mobile devices. SPE is also one of the pioneers in digital downloading, with more than 100 of its movies available for purchase on several internet sites. Sony Pictures also includes Sony Online Entertainment, a worldwide leader in massively multiplayer online games, with hundreds of thousands of subscribers around the globe.
Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) is a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America (SCA), a subsidiary of Tokyo-based Sony Corporation. SPE's global operations encompass motion picture production and distribution; television production and distribution; digital content creation and distribution; worldwide channel investments; home entertainment acquisition and distribution, operation of studio facilities; development of new entertainment products, services and technologies; and distribution of filmed entertainment in 67 countries.
Edited & Posted by the Editor | 8:57 AM | View the original post
A stylish 3G phone that blends performance with stand-out design.
LONDON - August 23, 2006 - Sony Ericsson has just announced Z610 3G phone.
The sleek mirror finish on the front cover gives the phone a jewel-like quality that is complimented by a hidden ‘magic mirror’ display which can only be seen when in use. This striking phone delivers on its good looks: its advanced feature set includes a 2.0 Megapixel camera and broadband-speed 3G connectivity. There is a choice of three eye-catching colours – Luster Black, Rose Pink & Airy Blue.
The distinctive design of the Z610 is matched by a feature set that lets the user get the most from their mobile phone. The Picture Blog application allows the user to share photographs with friends and family, via an online ‘blogsite’, within just a few clicks. Simply take a shot with the Z610’s 2.0 Megapixel camera and upload (or blog) the images directly to the site.
The Z610’s 3G capability, coupled with its large 2.0 inch screen, makes video calling and accessing the Internet a pleasure; and with support for Push Email and RSS feeds that deliver the latest news updates direct to your mobile, it’s so much more than a pretty face.
The magic of the Z610 is revealed when a call comes in or the user receives an SMS or MMS. The hidden external display illuminates, giving the effect that the caller-ID information is floating on the face of the phone itself.
Z610 is available in selected markets from Q3 2006.
Edited & Posted by the Editor | 11:05 AM | View the original post
Answer your phone with the touch of a cheek!
Synaptics & Pilotfish utilize Synaptics' ClearPad touch screen to enable new paradigms in industrial design and mobile user interfaces.
SANTA CLARA, Calif., Aug. 21: Synaptics Incorporated (NASDAQ:SYNA) , a leading developer of interface solutions for mobile computing, communications and entertainment devices, and Pilotfish, a progressive industrial design and product development studio based in Munich and Taipei, today announced the introduction of Onyx, a next-generation mobile phone concept. This concept device enables OEMs to visualize a fundamentally new form of user interface for mobile phones.
New Usage
The new concept phone uses Synaptics' ClearPad, an optically clear, capacitive touch screen solution, to create a fully adaptive user interface (UI). The ClearPad input system eliminates the traditional mechanical keys found on phones today and dramatically adapts to present the information and controls a user needs at any given moment.
More intelligent than conventional touch screens, the ClearPad accurately recognizes not only points and taps, but also shapes, complex gestures, and proximity to the user's finger or cheek. This creates new possibilities such as assigning functions to two-finger taps, closing tasks by swiping an "X" over them, sending messages by swiping them off the screen, or answering a phone by holding it up to your cheek. The prototype phone uses a dynamic UI, where applications are layered and opened simultaneously, allowing a seamless flow of information between applications.
"Mobile phones are no longer used just for making calls -- they have become a single access point for critical day-to-day information," explains Clark Foy, vice president of Synaptics. "The Onyx phone is a breakthrough illustration of how advances in interface technology and collaborative design will drive the future of mobile interactions and services."
Collaborative Design
The Onyx phone is the result of collaboration between Synaptics and Pilotfish, under the philosophy that hardware and software are not two separate fields, but interrelated parts of the overall experience of a product. Utilizing Synaptics' ClearPad touch screen technology & interaction design, Pilotfish created a cutting-edge user interface and industrial design model for OEMs to innovate upon.
"The real meaning of this product is about opening up the channels between hand, eyes, and device, and giving people access to actions and information in a way not possible with conventional buttons," says Brian Conner, leader of the design team for the Onyx at Pilotfish in Munich. "When carrying this out, we integrated the approach to designing product form and user interface, and started by focusing on the actions and experiences around the Onyx -- the result is a device where the new interaction possibilities are supported and emphasized by the simple, clear form."
Edited & Posted by the Editor | 1:32 PM | View the original post
Tennis Greats John & Patrick McEnroe, Mary Joe Fernandez Featured.
With the final tennis slam of the year beginning August 28, Nike (NYSE:NKE) unveils its first television commercial spotlighting Maria Sharapova. Maria is currently ranked No. 4 in the world and she has just won her 12th career title following her victory at the recent Acura Tennis Classic.
The campaign leads with an advertising spot that playfully communicates the message that beneath Maria's beautiful, feminine exterior lives the intense competitive appetite of one of the top athletes in the world.
The ad features Maria during her pre-game routine as she travels from her hotel to center court, passing hotel bellmen, fans and other players -- all as they are singing "I Feel Pretty." Through this procession, she remains focused on the upcoming match. As she enters Arthur Ashe stadium, the crowd is singing as the song reaches a crescendo. She hits an explosive shot, letting out one of her famous grunts, silencing the audience.
The campaign premieres on Sunday, August 20th during the Teen Choice Awards on the Fox Network.
Maria Sharapova's first grand slam victory came at the age of 17 when she triumphed during an exciting final at the 2004 Wimbledon Championships. Soon after Wimbledon, she became the first Russian woman to be ranked No. 1 in the world.
Based near Beaverton, Oregon, NIKE is the world's leading designer, marketer and distributor of authentic athletic footwear, apparel, equipment and accessories for a wide variety of sports and fitness activities.
"I'm excited about this ad because not only is Nike drawing attention to women's tennis, but there's also an empowering message for female athletes that it's okay to be fierce and competitive on the court and still have a feminine side off court," said Sharapova.
"Nike has a long history of celebrating the 'beauty' of sport in many different ways," said Adam Roth, Nike's Director of Advertising. "In Maria's case, true beauty lies in her intensity, her athleticism and her competitive spirit. This campaign has some well-intentioned fun with the idea that it's a big mistake to underestimate Maria, or any other talented, hard-working female athlete."
In the ad, Maria will debut her Nike performance tennis dress for New York. However, the performance dress worn in the ad is just one half of her unique look for the New York slam. In a new twist, for the first time, Maria will unveil a separate, custom made performance dress for her evening matches in New York as well.
The commercial features appearances by tennis Hall of Fame inductee John McEnroe, his brother and captain of the 2004 U.S. Men's Olympic tennis team, Patrick McEnroe, and two-time tennis Olympic gold medalist Mary Joe Fernandez.
Edited & Posted by the Editor | 9:17 AM | View the original post
In Wake of New Security Regulations Banning Most Toiletries in Carry-On Luggage, Crest Offers Free Smile Packs of Toothpaste, Rinse and Floss at Major Avis Locations.
CINCINNATI, Aug. 16, 2006 -- Airline passengers may not have a lot to smile about lately, but America's leading oral care brand Crest hopes to brighten their day a bit. Starting this week and continuing while supplies last, Crest is offering more than 25,000 free Crest Smile Packs -- each worth more than $10 (retail value). Packs include full-size toothpaste, rinse and dental floss and will be available to travelers exclusively at Avis locations in 25 of the top US airports. The offer is being made to help travelers comply with the new TSA travel regulations prohibiting liquid and gel items in carry-on luggage.
Crest Smile Packs will include new Crest Pro-Health Toothpaste, Crest Pro- Health Rinse and Crest Glide Deep Clean dental floss. The packs will be placed on the seats of all Avis Preferred renters' cars. Distribution will continue while supplies last. Now, Avis customers can start their vacations or business trips with healthy, bright smiles and clean, fresh breath courtesy of Crest and Avis.
PARTICIPATING AIRPORTS INCLUDE
Atlanta, GA, Baltimore, MD, Boston, MA, Chicago, IL, Cincinnati, OH, Cleveland, OH, Dallas, TX, Denver, CO, Detroit, MI, Fort Lauderdale, FL, Los Angeles, CA, Miami, FL, Minneapolis-St.Paul, MN, Nashville, TN, Oakland, CA, Orlando, FL, Philadelphia, PA, Phoenix, AZ, Sacramento, CA, San Jose, CA, San Francisco, CA, Seattle, WA, St. Louis, MO, Tampa, FL and Washington, D.C.
Headquartered in Cincinnati, OH, Crest is owned and distributed by Procter & Gamble.
Avis Rent A Car System, LLC and its subsidiaries operate one of the world's leading car rental brands, providing business and leisure customers with a wide range of services at more than 2,000 locations in the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the Latin American / Caribbean region.
Edited & Posted by the Editor | 10:42 AM | View the original post
One of the Original Supermodels Rejoins Maybelline New York as the Brand's Newest Face.
NEW YORK, Aug. 14 -- Maybelline New York has announced that beauty icon Christy Turlington has returned to the company as a spokesperson. As a face for Maybelline New York, Turlington will target 35+ consumers beginning with a new TV advertising campaign debuting August 21st. Print will debut in September issues of fashion, beauty and lifestyle publications.
Christy first exploded onto the scene in the early 1990's as an internationally recognized model gracing the covers of top magazines and runways around the world and as the face for Maybelline. In the years that followed, Christy kept busy working as a smoking-prevention activist, entrepreneur, author, mother of two, and now again, a spokesperson for Maybelline New York.
Born and raised in Northern California, Christy Turlington has successfully created a diverse and multi-talented career as an entrepreneur, role model and spokesperson in the cosmetic, fashion, business and activist spheres. She has graced every magazine cover from Vogue to Time, and is an advocate for smoking cessation, women's health research and empowerment for young women. After leaving the runway in 1994, Christy completed her undergraduate education at New York University with a major in comparative religion and philosophy. She then shifted her focus to achieving certain personal and entrepreneurial aspirations. After graduating, Turlington decided to merge her avid interest in yoga and eastern practices with her extensive experience in the fashion and beauty industries by creating the Nuala and Mahanuala apparel and accessory brands and by writing her best selling book LIVING WITH YOGA (Hyperion).
Maybelline New York is available in over 90 countries worldwide. Offering more than 200 products, Maybelline New York combines technologically advanced formulations with on-trend expertise to create accessible cosmetics with a spirited style.
Edited & Posted by the Editor | 11:26 AM | View the original post
Elite Schools Booming, Providing Excellent Education Outside of Ivy League Circle.
Newsweek's 'New Ivies' Include Boston College, Carnegie-Mellon, NYU, Colgate and Emory.
A generation ago, elite schools were a clearly defined group: the eight schools in the Ivy League along with such academic powerhouses as Stanford, the University of Chicago, MIT and Caltech. But, as Senior Editor Barbara Kantrowitz and Chicago Correspondent Karen Springen report in the current issue of Newsweek, the number of world-class schools has skyrocketed in the past few decades along with the booming number of college-bound students. The demand for an excellent education has created an ever-expanding supply of big and small campuses that provide great academics and first-rate faculties.
In the annual Newsweek/Kaplan "How to Get Into College" Guide, Newsweek lists 25 "New Ivies"-schools that are the beneficiaries of the boom in top students. They were selected based on admissions statistics and interviews with administrators, faculty, students and alumni. In some cases, admissions directors have also provided examples of "overlap" schools-rivals for applicants to the colleges on the list.
The schools on the list:
Boston College - Chestnut Hill, Mass.
Bowdoin College -Brunswick, Maine
Carnegie Mellon-Pittsburgh, Pa.
Harvey Mudd and Pomona Colleges - Claremont, Calif.
Colby College - Waterville, Maine
Colgate University-Hamilton, N.Y.
Davidson College-Davidson, N.C.
Emory University-Atlanta, Ga.
Kenyon College-Gambier, Ohio
Macalester College-St. Paul, Minn.
University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, Mich.
New York University-New York, N.Y.
University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, N.C.
Notre Dame University-South Bend, Ind.
Olin College of Engineering-Needham, Mass.
Reed College-Portland, Ore.
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute-Troy, N.Y.
Rice University-Houston, Texas
University of Rochester-Rochester, N.Y.
Skidmore College-Saratoga Springs, N.Y.
Tufts University-Medford, Mass.
University of California-Los Angeles, Calif.
Vanderbilt University-Nashville, Tenn.
University of Virginia-Charlottesville, Va.
Washington University-St. Louis, Mo.
Also in the excerpt:
• Reporter Andrew Romano looks at the growing popularity of studying in
Scotland. The main attraction is a quartet of medieval universities-
Edinburgh, Aberdeen, Glasgow and St. Andrews-known as the Scottish
Ivies. U.S. enrollment in Scottish colleges is up 80 percent in the past
decade. For Americans taken with the looks of an Ivy League campus,
Scotland's ancient universities can hold an ever-richer store of
history. Scottish schools still boast a four-year program that allows
undergrads to study several subjects before settling on a major.
• Silicon Valley Correspondent Brad Stone reports on the darker side of
social-networking Web sites. Students use ad-supported services like
Facebook, MySpace, TagWorld and Bebo to plan their social lives and
project their personalities. But, as Stone reports, photos from drunken
parties, recollections of sexual escapades, profanity and threats are
all indiscretions that have gotten students suspended, expelled or
harmed their job prospects. Even though companies are loath to admit it,
researching candidates on social networks is becoming as easy and
prevalent as entering their names into Google.
• Romano reports on the increase in enrollment in Arabic language courses
in U.S. colleges. Enrollment grew 92 percent between 1998 and 2002-and,
spurred by 9/11 and the Iraq war, has probably doubled since then, says
Gerald Lampe, president of the American Association of Teachers of
Arabic. While many study Arabic for better job opportunities, many of
those jobs are inside the Beltway and require applicants to wait
sometimes months for security clearance. Many seek out less lucrative
positions in the fast-growing field of Mideast non-profits.
• Detroit Bureau Chief Keith Naughton reports that not only do more
college students own their own cars, but they're spending $4.2 billion a
year customizing them, outfitting their rides with ground-shaking sound
systems, nitrous-injected engines and 20-inch rims (called dubs in
street parlance). "Just like their ringtones, their clothes and their
dorm rooms," says the Specialty Equipment Manufacturers Association's
Peter MacGillivray, "their vehicles reflect their personalities."
• Senior Writer Bret Begun reports on the dilemma many incoming freshmen
face: whether or not to end their high school romance before going to
college. Giving a long-distance relationship the old college try is a
proud tradition, Begun reports. Still, authors who've written about
college life, university psychologists and admissions advisers all sadly
conclude that most long-distance relationships just don't work. In fact,
Thanksgiving breakups occur so often that counselors at the University
of California, Santa Barbara, use the term "turkey drop."
• Contributing Editor Jay Mathews reports that with the tribulations of
the SAT, more high schoolers are taking the ACT, the SAT's less famous
and less feared rival. The somewhat shorter test is now becoming a
welcome alternative for students and their counselors who no longer see
a need to endure the usual SAT trauma. "I think that the ACT is a true
player in the college-admissions game these days," says Robyn Lady,
until recently a college counselor at Thomas Jefferson High School for
Science and Technology.
Edited & Posted by the Editor | 10:10 AM | View the original post
New Laundry Detergent Incorporates Naturally Inspired Scents.
This August, Tide(R) will launch Tide(R) Simple Pleasures(TM), a new detergent that adds an innovative dimension to the laundry experience. It incorporates naturally inspired scents, which imbue fabrics with a variety of captivating fragrances. As scent is increasingly becoming infused into people's lives, consumers will now have an opportunity to surround themselves with the fragrances they love in the clothing they adore. Washing fabrics in Tide(R) Simple Pleasures(TM) provides a unique scent experience in a detergent with amazing cleaning power.
Tide(R) Simple Pleasures(TM) fills clothing with peaceful and invigorating scents. The detergent will be available in the USA in three distinct varieties: relaxing Vanilla and Lavender, refreshing Water Lily and Jasmine, and romantic Rose and Violet.
People can try each fragrance from the Tide(R) Simple Pleasures(TM) collection or choose their own favorite scent. Regardless of their choice, Tide(R) Simple Pleasures(TM) makes the acts of washing and wearing the most treasured pieces of clothing enjoyable and meaningful.
Edited & Posted by the Editor | 7:34 AM | View the original post
Paris-Based International Daily Launches New Audio News Service Online.
Visitors to IHT.com can now go to audionews.iht.com and select stories they would like to hear on the spot, or download articles to create a personalized audio feed that can be easily imported into iTunes or other podcasting software.
IHT.com is the first English language Web site to launch a service of this kind -- audio for the articles are dynamically generated using voices from professional readers.
This service is launched in conjunction with the Swedish company ReadSpeaker, the European leader in speech enabling the Web. ReadSpeaker has recently been named as a "global innovator" by Guideware Group, a technology research firm, and was selected among the most innovative European companies at Innovate!Europe 2006.
IHT readers can access this new section directly at audionews.iht.com. The service is launched in beta version, meaning that changes and improvements will continue.
Edited & Posted by the Editor | 8:40 PM | View the original post
A WORLDWIDE INITIATIVE TIED TO GLOBAL CONSUMER INSIGHTS.
Disney Parks have announced a global initiative, "Where Dreams Come True," which will unify its global efforts like never before and go to the very heart of what makes Disney Parks unique. Incorporating key insights from the successful Disneyland 50th anniversary, this new organizing principle will usher in a new era of broader global marketing and guest customization at Disney Parks and will be highlighted by Disney's "Year of a Million Dreams" celebration.
The ideology of "Where Dreams Come True" will permeate virtually every consumer touch-point, beginning with the vacation planning process and continuing during the Disney Park vacation experience through to the return home. Consistent global messaging and visual iconography will be centered on the universally understood principle of dreams to ensure emotional resonance with audiences around the world.
Ushering in an exciting era of interactivity, Disney Parks will employ new technologies that allow guests to customize aspects of their Disney vacations like never before. These technologies will allow the Disney Parks experience to begin for guests as soon as they begin planning their vacation, then deliver an unparalleled level of convenience and guest service during their "custom" visit to a Disney Park.
"Where Dreams Come True" will be Disney's first-ever initiative that fully integrates and encompasses its entire global portfolio of parks and resorts. It is rooted heavily in consumer insight – gained through two years of extensive research around the world – that reveals a singular view of Disney Parks.
"We have a great history of listening to our guests and through our research they have told us consistently, whether surveyed in London, New York City, Hong Kong, Los Angeles or Paris, that Disney Parks are synonymous with the idea of 'Where Dreams Come True,' " said Jay Rasulo, chairman of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts. "The very notion is core to our DNA – our parks are indeed the places 'Where Dreams Come True.' "
"This initiative is global in reach from a marketing perspective because of the intrinsic power of the idea. After all, everybody has a dream – the notion crosses all cultures, languages and geographies," said Michael Mendenhall, executive vice president, global marketing for Disney Destinations, LLC. "This initiative will speak in one voice to guests around the world and will permeate multiple consumer touch-points, taking our guests' vacation experience to an altogether new level."
The creative elements of the campaign leverage the findings of the consumer research insight that identified Disney Parks as transformational experiences. The series of inspirational video assets being created in to support the event and campaign are designed to evoke an emotional response and convey in magical ways the emotional transformations that happen every day at Disney Parks worldwide.
Disney Parks has tapped a world-class team of creative visionaries to bring this global campaign to life. A team of top advertising talent, including top photographer Gus Butera and famed directors Tarsem and Leslie Dektor, will work in collaboration with agencies Leo Burnett, McGarry-Bowen and Yellow Shoes (Disney Parks' in-house creative team) to implement Disney Parks' first-ever worldwide advertising campaign.
In addition, Disney Parks announced that it has added world-renowned photographer Annie Leibovitz to the creative team. Leibovitz will be creating a celebrity-based campaign that will convey how these experiences transport people from the ordinary to the extraordinary. In addition to photography, Leibovitz will – for the first time ever – use film production.
"This array of talent represents a true 'Dream Team,' " Rasulo said, "and speaks to our excitement and commitment to our 'Where Dreams Come True' initiative."
The unifying theme of "Where Dreams Come True" will be the platform for communications at each Disney Park across the world. And each park will add to the mix messages about events and milestones with special appeal for guests there – whether it is the 15th anniversary of Disneyland Paris Resort, the 25th anniversary of Tokyo Disneyland Resort or the continued introduction of the Disney Park experience to a new region of the world at Hong Kong Disneyland.
In the United States, Disney will launch the "Year of a Million Dreams" celebration on Oct. 1, 2006, at Disneyland Resort in California and Walt Disney World Resort in Florida. Building on the core equity of guest service that sets Disney apart from other brands, cast members at these Disney parks, for this year only, will award a million dreams, both large and small, to guests selected through a random process as part of the "Disney Dreams Giveaway."
Dreams, granted on both coasts, will include an overnight stay in Cinderella Castle at Walt Disney World Resort or the Mickey Mouse Penthouse at Disneyland Resort, unique Disney vacation experiences, admission to special parties and theme park experiences, private meetings with favorite Disney characters, or a Golden FASTPASS ticket with unique access entitlements to some of Disney's most popular attractions.
Edited & Posted by the Editor | 2:55 PM | View the original post
eBay has just introduced eBay Alerts, an extension of eBay Wireless which enables users to win more listings on eBay even while on the go. eBay Alerts, unveiled at the fifth annual eBay Live! Community Conference, notify users with eBay listing updates through phone calls, text messages and instant messages, and allow users to bid on auction-style listings from their wireless devices.
eBay buyers can elect to receive a phone call alerting them that three minutes remain before a listing ends. The service gives buyers an easy and convenient way to check an item's status or place bids by phone.
In addition, eBay buyers can choose to receive bidding update alerts and bid on items via text messages on mobile phones. Known as SMS alerts, users can receive "outbid" and "item ending soon" text messages for any item they choose and can re-bid via SMS.
Similarly, buyers can now receive "outbid" and "item ending soon" alerts using AOL Instant Messenger, Yahoo! Messenger, or MSN Messenger for any of the items they are bidding on. This service will also be available via Skype in 2007. As a part of this free notification service, eBay will send a link leading back to the item on eBay, where buyers can increase their bid if they wish.
At this time, eBay Alerts are available in the U.S. only. Links for all three methods have been added to item pages across the eBay site, so buyers can simply choose any or all types of alerts for a particular item. Plus, users can set their overall preferences in "My eBay" to receive a text message or instant message.
Founded in 1995, eBay created a powerful platform for the sale of goods and services by a passionate community of individuals and businesses. On any given day, there are millions of items across thousands of categories for sale on eBay. eBay enables trade on a local, national and international basis with customized sites in markets around the world. Through an array of services, such as its payment solution provider PayPal, eBay is enabling global e-commerce for an ever-growing online community.
Edited & Posted by the Editor | 7:13 PM | View the original post
The Time inc. business and finance titles - FORTUNE, FORTUNE Small Business, Money, and Business 2.0 magazines - along with the website CNNMoney.com have been organized into a new sales and marketing structure. The new organization, called The Time Inc. Business and Finance Network, is supported by one sales team representing all the magazine brands working in tandem with the dedicated sales force of CNNMoney.com.
The new sales organization will be led jointly by Michael Dukmejian and Michael Federle, formerly publisher of Money magazine and group publisher of FORTUNE, respectively. Each will have the new title Group Publisher, The Time Inc. Business and Finance Network, and they will continue to work closely with Greg Schwartz who retains his role as the Vice President for Sales at CNNMoney.com.
The Network's total unduplicated reach of 20 million business decision makers and affluent consumers represents the single largest audience in the category's competitive set.
"This new approach is another example of Time Inc.'s commitment to assemble the world's most trusted media brands in unique ways that broaden our customer reach and allow us to create exciting new print and digital communication opportunities for our advertisers," said John Squires, co-COO, Time Inc.
The Time Inc. Business and Finance Network is part of Time Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Time Warner.
Edited & Posted by the Editor | 12:46 PM | View the original post
Mitsubishi Triton takes Best Pickup Truck, Space Wagon takes Best MPV awards.
Mitsubishi Motors Corporation has announced that the company's Triton pickup truck and Space Wagon (Japan market name "Grandis") minivan models both emerged as prize winners in the Thai Car of the Year Awards held at the 27th Bangkok International Motor Show.
Mitsubishi Triton
Triton won the Best Realistic Fuel Economy Pickup Truck, 2.5L Engine Class, and the Best Pickup Truck. While Space Wagon took the Best MPV award.
Triton has found favor with customers for its sedan-like ride, its original exterior and interior design features and the powerful performance delivered by a new diesel engine that uses common rail direct fuel injection technology.
Domestic market sales of the Triton pickup, which was launched in Bangkok on August 25 2005, are growing healthily. In addition, export shipments to Europe (European market name "L200") started in December 2005. As a global strategic model, a full export program to about 140 countries has begun now.
Mitsubishi Grandis Space Wagon
The Space Wagon minivan took the Best MPV award for the second year running, winning the judges' votes for its next-generation minivan qualities that enhance and enrich user lifestyles.
Edited & Posted by the Editor | 1:48 PM | View the original post
Extensive Blogs and Videos on NYTimes.com and IHT.com
Reporters from The Times and the International Herald Tribune are Covering Soccer's Premier Event.
The New York Times is featuring live blogging on www.nytimes.com/worldcup and www.iht.com of the 2006 World Cup soccer tournament with extensive coverage that includes daily video and running game commentary, along with a blog by Roger Cohen, editor at large of the International Herald Tribune, and reporting by a team of sports writers and columnists.
This year's World Cup competition is being held in Germany, from June 9 to July 9. Throughout the monthlong international tournament, The Times and the IHT will offer up-to-the-minute coverage including comprehensive statistics, standings and match information and running commentary of the games played. Interactive flash graphics; multimedia features; daily video casts; reader commentary; and blogs by New York Times writers and columnists ("World Cup '06"), Roger Cohen ("The Beautiful Game") and World Cup fans ("From the Fans...") will enhance the coverage. Important matches and games involving the United States soccer team will be covered via live "match tracking" by commentators who will also incorporate reader reactions.
In addition, TimesSelect, the premium tier Web site of The New York Times, will offer a blog called "Kicking and Screaming: Watching World Cup Soccer in Six Countries," featuring observations by fans in Angola, Argentina, England, Iran, Japan and Mexico.
Edited & Posted by the Editor | 8:23 AM | View the original post
Windows Vista Customers can prepare for the future with the help of new Get Ready Web site.
Windows Vista Sidebar Microsoft
As they prepare for the arrival of Windows Vista™, customers shopping for new PCs or upgrading their hardware now have more comprehensive guidance to aid them in their decisions. Microsoft Corp. has announced the launch of the Windows Vista “Get Ready” Web site.
The Best Place to Go to Get Ready
The new site, available at http://www.windowsvista.com/getready, provides a variety of information and tools customers can use to prepare for Windows Vista. Today, this includes information on Windows Vista Capable and Windows Vista Premium Ready PCs, details on how customers can use the Windows Vista Upgrade Advisor beta, and background on the different editions of Windows Vista. The site will be regularly updated with more information related to the forthcoming release of Windows Vista.
Windows Vista is the first operating system that truly scales based on the hardware capabilities of the computer on which it is installed. All editions of Windows Vista will deliver innovations in core operating system experiences, including security, reliability and management of the PC, organizing, managing and finding information, and methods for connecting with people, places and devices at home, at work or on the go.
“Customers have many options and choices to make when it comes to buying a PC today. A wide range of form factors, price points and new technologies figure into their decisions,” said Mike Sievert, corporate vice president of Windows Product Management and Marketing at Microsoft. “With that in mind, Microsoft and OEMs are making it easier to prepare for the arrival of Windows Vista. Customers now have the information they need to get a great Windows XP-based PC today that will deliver rich Windows Vista experiences tomorrow.”
Windows Vista Capable PCs and Windows Vista Premium Ready PCs
To help customers make informed decisions when buying new PCs, Microsoft today announced the availability of Windows Vista Capable PCs and the forthcoming availability of Windows Vista Premium Ready PCs. Through the Windows Vista Capable program, Windows XP-based PCs that are powerful enough to run Windows Vista are now available from leading PC manufacturers worldwide, including Acer Inc., Dell Inc., Fujitsu Limited, Gateway Inc., HP, Lenovo, NEC Corp., Sony Corp., Toshiba and more. The Windows Vista Capable logo is designed to assure customers that the PCs they buy today will be ready for an upgrade to Windows Vista and can run the core experiences of Windows Vista.
Microsoft also is working with PC manufactures to introduce Windows Vista Premium Ready PCs. Windows Vista Capable PCs can earn the Premium Ready designation by meeting or exceeding the requirements outlined below. A Premium Ready designation ensures that the PC will deliver even better Windows Vista experiences, including Windows Aero™, a new user experience designed to deliver a productive, high-performing desktop interface. Microsoft recommends that customers seeking the best experiences with Windows Vista ask for PCs that are Premium Ready or choose PCs that meet or exceed the Premium Ready requirements.
“Dell is focused on designing systems today that will enhance the effectiveness of the features of Microsoft Windows Vista tomorrow,” said John Medica, senior vice president of the Product Group at Dell. “We are working closely with Microsoft to ensure the best user experience on currently shipping performance desktops, workstations and notebooks, and customers can be confident that their high-performance Dell configuration can make the most of the next-generation capabilities of Microsoft Windows Vista.”
“Gateway PCs are optimized to take advantage of the increased usability, reliability, security and functionality that will be available with Windows Vista,” said Greg Memo, senior vice president of Products, Marketing and Web at Gateway. “The vast majority of our consumer and business PCs are already Windows Vista Capable and many are Premium Ready, ensuring that they will seamlessly run Windows Vista when it becomes available.”
“Windows Vista will create a more dynamic computing environment for both corporate and small-business users, and customers need to know that they can buy a system today fully capable of running Windows Vista when it becomes available,” said Philippe Davy, vice president of Strategic Alliances at Lenovo. “Lenovo is working closely with Microsoft to ensure that we deliver a powerful, innovative PC experience. Windows Vista Capable PCs and Premium Ready PCs from Lenovo will help provide customers that peace of mind.”
“Microsoft and Toshiba are working closely together to ensure our notebook customers worldwide are aware of the dramatically enhanced computing experience Vista will offer,” said Hisatsugu Nonaka, Toshiba corporate senior vice president and president and CEO, Toshiba PC and Network Company. “We want our customers to choose a Toshiba notebook computer that is Windows Vista Capable or Windows Vista Premium Ready so they are prepared for this exciting new operating system.”
Edited & Posted by the Editor | 11:35 AM | View the original post
In a joint message welcoming the opening of the 2006 FIFA World Cup Germany, United Nations Secretary-General Kofi A. Annan and FIFA President Joseph S. Blatter made an appeal for peace, tolerance and development. Their message is addressed to the whole world as it comes together in Munich to witness the start of the world's biggest sporting event.
MESSAGE WELCOMING THE OPENING OF THE FIFA WORLD CUP June 2006
Football is a global language. It can bridge social, cultural and religious divides. It enhances personal development and growth, teaches us teamwork and fair play, builds self-esteem and opens doors to new opportunities. This, in turn, can contribute to the well-being of whole communities and countries.
That is why the United Nations is using football as a tool in our work to reach the Millennium Development Goals - the set of powerful, people-centred objectives adopted by all countries as a blueprint for building a better world in the 21st century.
And it is why the United Nations is turning to football in our efforts to heal the emotional wounds of war among young people in refugee camps, and in countries recovering from armed conflict.
At the World Summit last year, all of the world's Governments declared that "sports can foster peace and development, and can contribute to an atmosphere of tolerance and understanding".
Over the next few weeks, as billions of people worldwide focus on the FIFA World Cup, we appeal to players and fans everywhere to support to us in our mission. Let us harness the magic of football in our quest for development and peace.
Edited & Posted by the Editor | 8:48 PM | View the original post
Considered one of the most innovative fixtures of film education in the world, the New York Film Academy (NYFA), with campuses in Manhattan New York, Universal Studios Los Angeles, and St. Catherine’s College Oxford University England, recently purchased 12 Panasonic hand-held, production-quality AG-HVX200 DVCPRO HD camcorders.
NYFA workshops offer an intensive, hands-on experience that gives students the opportunity to develop their creative skills to the fullest extent possible. In all filmmaking workshops, each student writes, produces, directs, and edits his own films. In addition, they each assist other members of the crew in the roles of director of photography and assistant camera person, providing all with extensive set experience.
According to the academy instructors, “The Panasonic HVX200 allows the new student filmmaker to work in the HD world earlier. The camera makes it more accessible to reach a higher-quality picture, and reduces the cost to achieve that image. And the solid-state medium challenges the filmmaker to go back to a more decisive and economical approach to shooting.”
These camcorders are supplied by Panasonic Broadcast & Television Systems Co, - a unit company of Panasonic Corporation of North America. PANASONIC is the brand of Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. of Japan.
Edited & Posted by the Editor | 3:23 PM | View the original post
BusinessWeek explores the trends that fueled the growth of hot small companies in the USA.
VAALCO Energy tops BusinessWeek's annual "Hot Growth" list of 100 companies to watch. Other companies making the cut this year include Hansen Natural (No.2), Under Armour (No.6), Blue Nile (No.10), and Netflix (No.29).
BusinessWeek's cover story "Hot Growth Companies" is available online at http://www.businessweek.com and will be on newsstands later today.
The 100 companies in BusinessWeek's 2006 ranking may not be big, but they're strong, agile, and fiercely competitive. Together, they're a powerful economic force in the USA. Small businesses produce 14 times as many patents per employee as large companies do, and they are twice as likely to turn those inventions into successes, according to a US congressional report. They account for half of the private gross domestic product, create more than 60% of net new jobs each year, and pay 44.3% of the private payroll.
To determine who's hot and who's not, BusinessWeek combs a database of 5,275 public companies with revenues of $50 million to $1.5 billion a year. They are then ranked by sales and earnings growth, as well as return on capital over three years. To be considered for the final ranking, companies must have a market cap of $25 million or more and a stock that trades for at least $5 a share. Only finalists whose shares rose at least 5% over the past 12 months were included. Recent profit shortfalls can also cause companies to get the ax. Of those still standing, the top 100 make the list.
During the vetting of the Hot Growth contenders, an economic quirk emerged. The rising thirst for petroleum has driven prices up, translating to gold for the 14 oil and energy-services companies on the list. Over the past three years, VAALCO Energy Inc.'s revenues have increased more than eightfold, while profits are up 75 times, to $33.7 million, from just $445,000 in 2002. That not only put VAALCO on BusinessWeek's Hot Growth list for the first time, it allowed it to debut at No.1.
The top 10 companies on BusinessWeek's annual list of 100 "Hot Growth Companies" are:
Rank Company
1 VAALCO Energy (EGY)
2 Hansen Natural (HANS)
3 Palomar Medical Technologies (PMTI)
4 W&T Offshore (WTI)
5 NAVTEQ (NVT)
6 Under Armour (UARM)
7 VASCO Data Security Intl. (VDSI)
8 Programmer's Paradise (PROG)
9 LCA-Vision (LCAV)
10 Blue Nile (NILE)
Edited & Posted by the Editor | 4:40 AM | View the original post
World Cup 2006
The BBC will broadcast its 2006 World Cup coverage and major Wimbledon matches in high definition this summer as part of its pioneering trial.
The BBC HD trial will kick off with the BBC's share of World Cup matches up to and including the Sunday 9 July final. World Cup 2006 will be the first major sporting event to be broadcast in HD in the UK.
The BBC's summer of HD sport will continue with Wimbledon matches from Centre Court and Court One.
HD is a new kind of television which delivers more detailed pictures and sharper shots of fast-moving action than conventional 'standard definition'. The HD format will be an extra stream alongside conventional analogue and digital broadcasts.
The first live HD programme will be the opening World Cup match Germany Vs Costa Rica on Friday 9 June.
It will only be accessible to viewers who have all of the following: HD Ready televisions, HD set top boxes and HD services from satellite or cable providers.
News about the World Cup and Wimbledon in HD follows finalisation of the technical and partnership arrangements for the trial.
The BBC's HD trial will last for about 12 months. It will enable the BBC to test technical delivery of HD and to understand how the audience values a BBC HD service. Any ongoing BBC HD service will be subject to approval by the BBC Trust.
Director of Sport Roger Mosey said: "High definition works particularly well for sport. It gives fantastic picture quality, from the blades of grass that are being played on right to the back of the stands, and although only limited numbers of people will be able to see this trial we hope it will be a glimpse of the future."
Head of BBC HD TV Seetha Kumar said: "We believe that in the long term the BBC can help provide the benefits of HD to everyone, free to air, in the same way that we backed colour, stereo, widescreen and online in the past.
"With this trial, the BBC is taking the first crucial steps to support the development of HD broadcasting in the UK."
The first live HD programme will be the opening World Cup match Germany Vs Costa Rica on Friday 9 June.
BBC commentary and studio coverage in HD will wrap up the HD feed from German host broadcasters HBS (Host Broadcast Services).
Standard definition digital and analogue BBC ONE coverage will also draw on high definition images, both for the World Cup and for Wimbledon where the BBC is the host broadcaster.
Edited & Posted by the Editor | 7:50 PM | View the original post
BBC/Reuters/Media Center Poll: Trust in the media.
The Reuters Building, London
A 10-nation poll conducted for Reuters, the BBC and The Media Center across four continents, finds that in a world of committed news junkies, trust in the news provider is a key issue. While some 72 percent of respondents characterized themselves as keen news followers, almost three in ten people have abandoned a media source over the past year due to a lack of trust in its content.
In developing nations the media is trusted more than government, but government wins out over the media in the US, Britain, and Germany. Americans are the most critical of news providers, with 69 percent not believing that news media report all sides.
Reuters at Bangkok
Conducted by polling company GlobeScan as part of Reuters / BBC / Media Center ‘We Media’ Forum, a major 10-nation public opinion poll exploring trust in the media has found that even though the media is more trusted than the national government in half the countries surveyed, significant numbers of people are switching news sources because they do not trust the information they receive.
A total of 10,230 adults were questioned in the UK, USA, Brazil, Egypt, Germany, India, Indonesia, Nigeria, Russia, and South Korea in March and April 2006.
National TV was the most trusted news source overall (trusted by 82%, with 16% not trusting it) - followed by national/regional newspapers (75% vs 19%), local newspapers (69% vs 23%), public radio (67% vs 18%), and international satellite TV (56% vs 19%). Internet blogs were the least trusted source (25% vs 23%) – with one in two unable to say whether they trusted them or not.
TV was also seen as the most 'important' news source (56%) followed by newspapers (21%), Internet (9%), and radio (9%).
Overall trust in the media varies across the 10 countries, with the greatest trust expressed in developing countries such as Nigeria (88% have a lot or some trust), Indonesia (86%), India (82%), and Egypt (74%). These are the countries where trust in national governments tends to be lower in comparison.
Trust in media has increased overall over the last four years — in Britain up from 29 percent to 47 percent and in the US from 52 percent to 59 percent. Germany bucks the trend, with trust in the media down from 49 percent to 43 percent. Trust has also increased over the last four years in Nigeria (from 61% to 88%), India (76% to 82%), and Russia (48% to 58%).
In spite of this, over one in four people (28%) across the 10 countries surveyed either strongly agrees (13%) or somewhat agrees (15%) with the statement, “In the past year I have stopped using a specific media source because it lost my trust.”
This is particularly the case in Brazil (44%), Egypt (40%), South Korea (39%), and the US (32%).
GlobeScan President, Doug Miller, said: "The poll suggests that media is generally trusted across the world - more so than national governments, particularly in the developing world.
“National TV is still the most trusted news source by a wide margin, although the Internet is gaining ground among the young. The jury is still out on ‘blogs’ – just as many people distrust them as trust them.”
Young urban men turning off the TV
Those most likely to have stopped using a news source because of a breach of trust (the 13% strongly agreeing they have done so in the past year) are more likely to be urban males, aged 18-24. Further analysis suggests this young male audience is moving away from television towards the Internet – 10 percent fewer of them, compared to the average, name television as their most important news source (46% as opposed to 56% overall); and 15 percent say the Internet is now their most important news source in an average week, compared to just 9 percent of respondents as a whole. Internet wins out for young people, but blogs are the least trusted of the sources tested.
The younger people are, the less likely they are to get their news from either television or newspapers, and the more likely they are to rely on the Internet. One in five (19%) of those aged 18 to 24 names the Internet as their most important news source, compared to 9 percent overall. Women are more likely than men to name television as their more important source of news while men are more likely than women to name newspapers and the Internet
Internet news sources appear to be winning audiences as a result of distrust in traditional sources – especially attracting young urban men. However, just as many people distrust blogs as trust them.
Perceptions of the media: too much bad news and focus on Western values The findings across the 10 countries paint a varied picture of both threats and opportunities for those involved in the news media:
• Seven in ten (72%) say they follow the news closely every day; even among the 18-24 age group 67 percent say this.
• People are equally split on whether they get the news they want from mainstream media, with 46 percent saying they do not.
• Six in ten (59%) agree that the media covers too many bad news stories, especially Brazilians (80%), South Koreans (69%), Americans (68%), and Britons (63%).
• One in two (52%) agree the media is too focused on Western values and concerns, especially in Brazil (67%), South Korea (66%), and Egypt (61%).
• More people disagree (46%) than agree (42%) that “journalists are able to report the news freely, without interference from owners,” especially in South Korea (63% disagree) and Germany (59%).
• Seventy-seven percent of people agree that they prefer to check several sources of news rather than relying on just one. This is particularly true of Internet users.
Americans don’t agree that the media report all sides of a story Americans stand out from citizens of the other countries surveyed on a number of dimensions. They are the most critical of the news media’s reporting of all sides of a story; 69 percent disagree that the media does this. They are also significantly more inclined to disagree (46%) that the media reports news accurately; and more likely to agree (68%) that the media covers too many ‘bad news’ stories.
UK citizens are strikingly similar to those in the US regarding many of their attitudes to the media. Like those in the US, they are much less likely than citizens in other parts of the world to think that the media reports all sides of a story, with 64 percent disagreeing that the media achieves this. Also 43 percent disagree that the media reports news accurately.
Germans are unique among the populations surveyed in that more name a newspaper (45%) than television (30%) as their most important news source.
In India a solid majority of 64 percent agree that the media strikes the right balance between freedom of speech and respect for other cultures. Nonetheless 58 percent say that there is too much foreign influence in their media and 60 percent that the media is too focused on Western values and concerns.
A substantial 76 percent of Nigerians believe that the news is reported accurately, although there are also three-quarters who believe government interferes too much with the media.
Edited & Posted by the Editor | 6:25 AM | View the original post
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