tagged w/ RealWire
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UK company unveils new handsets to fulfil consumer demand
London, 20th August 2009: A range of stylish, new, dual-sim handsets have been launched today. The exciting new dual-sim handsets mean users can insert an additional sim-card to their main number allowing them to make full use of all the money-saving tariffs on offer, to save money on calls and texts at home or abroad; or conveniently to have only one handset for both business and personal calls.
The handsets being launched today are:
– FLIP – A lightweight and stylish clamshell dual-sim handset. The FLIP is perfect for the style conscious looking to use multiple tariffs that best match their usage or save money on calls and texts while abroad.
– SLIDER – A smart, music-player that also has email functionality and a 2MP camera, combined with a dual-sim mobile phone. With the SLIDER you can stay connected and save money while abroad; or have all your personal and business needs in one handset.
– NERO – A handset that combines touch screen desirability, with dual-sim practicality. The NERO also has email functionality and a 2MP camera.
The range of dual-sim handsets has been launched to provide an alternative choice for consumers that might want:
– To save money – by taking advantage of two different networks and tariffs on one handset, whether they have got two UK sims cards to make the most of the multiple offers in the market; or they use an international sim card to save money on calls and texts whilst abroad
– Added convenience – having two contact numbers on the same handset means they can easily combine personal and business numbers, making life easier as they only need to carry one handset and set of accessories
– A stylish solution – no longer do they need to fill pockets with two handsets
– An environmental solution – as they now only need to charge one handset rather than two
The handsets are being launched by Onyx (www.onyxinnovation.com), a British handset company that is finding and serving the gaps in the current handset market, both in the UK and internationally. Onyx’s experienced team brings together sales expertise, design and engineering and will introduce more handsets over the coming months.
“These new handsets offer consumers a different choice, one that many people have been crying out for,” said Zafar Mirza, Chairman of Onyx. “They are stylish, practical and will be very competitively priced. And the dual-sim function means that consumers can shop around for the best tariffs or have a great phone to take with them as they travel abroad.”
Mirza continued, “these are exciting times for Onyx and for the UK handset market. What is particularly exciting is that the FLIP, SLIDER and NERO are just the first three handsets that we are launching and we’re equally excited about the next handsets in the range.”
Additional handsets that are in development include a dual-sim handset with an 8MP camera, a Windows Mobile smartphone and a dual-sim Android handset with a 5MP camera.UK company unveils new handsets to fulfil consumer demand
London, 20th August 2009:... more
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52% of American workers admit to searching the internet for information about their colleagues and managers; hoping to find some juicy gossip to spread around the office.
A study of 1,092 American workers, commissioned by Yasni people search, has revealed that 52% admit to searching online for their colleagues’ and managers’ social networking pages, blogs they have commented on and forums they are members of, in the hope of finding out some hidden secrets about those they work with.
By searching on social networking sites, forums and blogs, Americans are able to find pictures, comments or status updates that may give a deeper insight into their fellow workers and management. This may ultimately lead to better relationships within the workplace, as people will know who they share similar interests with and how to strike up a conversation that will truly impress the boss.
For searches like this, Yasni reveals accurate results; checking a person simultaneously on more than 100 online sources within seconds and collating the most relevant information.
Andy Barr, CCO of Yasni had the following to say;
“The statistics represent how U.S. people are benefitting from the services Yasni has to offer. More than half of employees have the advantage of knowing what their manager likes to do in their spare time and what better way to impress your boss than to show an interest in their favourite hobby?
“However, we are also highlighting the importance of checking your own online reputation as there have been incidents across the world whereby members of staff have been disciplined and even sacked for writing inappropriate comments about fellow members of staff, phoning in sick and then uploading photos of a wild night out or just updating their social networking status throughout the day, when they should be working.
“As we always stress, it is important for people to remember that social networking is just that; ‘social’. Therefore all information should be used intelligently and with discretion.”52% of American workers admit to searching the internet for information about their... more
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Butlins website platform increases web traffic
Maidenhead, UK, 13th August 2009 – SDL Tridion, leader in Web Content Management (WCM) and part of SDL, leader in Global Information Management (GIM), today announces that Butlins’ new website (www.butlins.com) has resulted in significant net benefits, notably a 21% increase in web traffic. Working with Building Blocks to implement SDL Tridion’s content management platform, combined with a site re-design, has provided Butlins with a significantly more robust online environment. Butlins can now take new, competitive offers to market quicker, increase the frequency of such offers, handle the subsequent spike in online traffic, and ultimately convert more sales.
Butlins selected content management platform, SDL Tridion R5, as the foundation to achieve scalable integration with a range of Web 2.0 tools and better utilisation of user generated content to improve customer engagement, encourage repeat visits and ultimately convert more online traffic to sales.
“Since implementation of SDL Tridion R5 in December 2008 it has vastly improved our competitive advantage. The technology allows us to better handle the display and update of content and a wealth of other options not previously available to us. Consequently, more people are able to get the information they want and book a holiday with us and in less time,” commented Stephen Belgrave, Senior Projects Manager (E-Commerce) at Butlins. “The flexibility and ease of use of the SDL Tridion platform with its continued interface and functionality upgrades secures our commitment to the product.”
Tim Norman, sales director of Northern Europe at SDL Tridion, added: “This implementation has enabled Butlins to start fulfilling its aggressive web strategy while also illustrating a complete understanding of its customer base. By offering content in the appropriate format to visitors and Web 2.0 tools where relevant, it is using the website to deploy its marketing strategy and engage with customers at the right level.”
Four brand sites – Butlins, the Big Weekend, Shoreline and Blue Skies websites – have been migrated onto the single, scalable SDL Tridion WCM platform. The Big Weekend site also incorporates a community section, allowing users to upload photos and comments from their stays at the holiday resorts. In addition, visitors are able to vote for their photo of the week in an online poll. Technology partner Building Blocks has also delivered integrations with the real-time booking engine and the live entertainments database enabling customers to review the wealth of entertainment available on each Butlins break.
The SDL Tridion platform enables content to be re-used and shared across the four sites, with each one retaining its unique identity. This alleviates time pressures for the marketing team when they have new content to upload. Management of content is now undertaken by the marketing team, allowing new offers and marketing initiatives to be taken from concept to deployment. The website includes a real-time booking engine interface which displays the true level of availability left.Butlins website platform increases web traffic
Maidenhead, UK, 13th August 2009... more
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Leading mobile phone tracking service www.traceamobile.co.uk and www.mobilelocators.com have announced they are now offering price conscious consumers and businesses customers Pay As You Go mobile locating price tariffs for as little as 15p per search.
Managing Director, Jonathan Cook explains "this is to help us remain competitive in the rapidly growing Location Based Service market. As business and consumers are forced to tighten their belts during the recession they are now looking for even better value for money from LBS providers. We also realise a lot of people just want to try the service without the need to be locked in to an ongoing subscription and with the arrival of the school holidays parents want budget tracking that gives them piece of mind."
The new tariffs mean it's now possible to find a mobile for a one off payment of just £19.98p for 15 search credits on any of the four major networks (Orange, T-Mobile, Vodafone and O2). GSM tracking is accurate to within 50 - 100 metres in mainland Great Britain in areas of good network coverage. Greater accuracies of up to 1 metre are possible from a range of GPS Tracking devices, which are also available from both websites.
Trace A Mobile and it's business offshoot Mobile Locators were both established in 2003. Since then customer numbers have been steadily growing as families recognise the safety benefits of registering their kids mobiles and businesses with staff working away from base, such as the haulage and sales force sectors where it is vital to know where staff are at all times for strategic planning.
As Cook reveals this is not the only application people are interested in. "We also get a lot of interest from being who want to locate a lost mobile phone! Unfortunately many people only discover our service after it's too late, as due to safety procedures we can only trace a lost mobile phone if it is already registered with us first."
On the new pricing tariff Cook explains, "We want to ensure we have a mobile phone tracking service that is suitable for all budgets and requirements. In the past we have seen huge spikes of interest following a high profile missing person investigations, such as that for Madeline McCann and more recently missing chief Claudia Lawrence and the new tariff mean people can now try our tracking service for limited periods such as the Summer school holidays."Leading mobile phone tracking service www.traceamobile.co.uk and... more
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MORRISTOWN, NJ, – July 28, 2009 - TM Forum, the world’s premier industry group focused on business effectiveness for the communications and media sectors, today warned service providers to start building bridges between where they are now and where they want to be in the digital economy of information, media and entertainment delivery, in a newly released TM Forum Insights Report: Strategic Transformation For the Digital Economy.
The report concludes that although service providers may have managed to stretch their margins around voice and voice-related services for longer than expected, the writing is on the wall. They will be relegated to the role of "dumb pipe" unless they consider new retail, wholesale and value-add business models where they can be enablers to all stakeholders, including advertisers, retailers, media companies, content suppliers, financial institutions, government agencies and utilities.
Martin Creaner, president and COO, TM Forum commented, “Most stakeholders in the digital media value-chain don’t want to reinvent the wheel, and service providers have a chance to leverage their networks, support systems and real-time "knowledge" of the customer to become indispensable enablers of digital services.
“Profitability in the face of increasing competition will be key in the new digital economy, which means business transformation and operational excellence have a critical role to play in driving service innovation, customer loyalty and cost reduction. To achieve all three, service providers have to also look at technology transformation: establishing the flexible, tightly integrated systems required to support new services. The ease with which service providers handle Procurement, Resource Management and Product Lifecycle Management will be key factors.”
The three-part report builds on the insight and guidance the Forum offers members in the necessary steps towards successful business and technology transformation. It shows that by helping service providers to think holistically about transformation from a business and technology standpoint, providers will be able to:
• De-risk investments;
• Lower integration costs;
• Re-use existing components to build new services;
• Enable new business models and unlock new revenue streams.
Part one examines the communications, media and entertainment market as it exists today, and what is predicted for it in the years to come. Part two examines which standards, frameworks and interfaces will enable service providers to fill different roles that service providers can play as retailers, wholesalers and VAS suppliers, while part three of the report demonstrates real-world case studies of actual service providers that are in various stages of “Transformation,” whether planning, execution, or evolution to the next phase.
Service providers have more to gain than to lose with Business and Technology Transformations, as they are the only means by which they can both make very significant savings in software customizations, as well as generate millions of dollars with innovative services that will evolve in a Web 2.0 world.
This evolution will happen whether traditional service providers are part of it or not. Survival and longevity will come from creating a brand and services that win customers’ loyalty in an expanding value chain, but it can only happen through support systems, business processes, and data that all work with the same goal in mind.
Strategic Transformation for the Digital Economy was written by TM Forum with contributions from Telco 2.0, and sponsored by Nokia Siemens Networks, Martin Dawes Systems and Transverse and is available to all TM Forum members at http://www.tmforum.org/ResearchPublications/StrategicTransformation/7139/Home.html.
Members of the press interested in obtaining a copy should contact Geoff Devlin, PR Director, TM Forum at gdevlin@tmforum.org.MORRISTOWN, NJ, – July 28, 2009 - TM Forum, the world’s premier industry... more
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London and Helsinki, July 16, 2009 - Dopplr, the online service for smart travel, today announced the launch of Dopplr - The Social Atlas, a free iPhone application available worldwide in the iPhone App Store.
This mobile location-based application puts the combined wisdom of the world’s smart travellers in your pocket.
Wherever you are in the world, you can use it to find nearby recommended places to eat, stay and explore. If you make new discoveries of your own, you can add them to the Social Atlas with a few taps of your finger. And every new addition helps to expand the Social Atlas, which is starting small but growing rapidly with the input from Dopplr travellers using their mobile devices.
You don't even need an account at Dopplr.com to use the app. The built-in directory of city tips and advice works for everyone.
But if you do have a Dopplr account, the application offers a rich social location-based experience. You can keep in touch with your fellow travellers, find out what city and timezone they are in, and what future trips they have planned. You can view your own planned trips, and find co-incidences when fellow travellers will be nearby. You can even contact them directly from inside the app.
"We are taking the Social Atlas mobile and putting the intelligence of the Dopplr community in the hands of smart travellers everywhere. This has been a key request from our users," says Marko Ahtisaari, Dopplr CEO. "The iPhone application is the first step. Dopplr will make the Social Atlas available on all major mobile location-based devices in 2009 including Nokia Nseries and Eseries, Blackberry and Google Android."
Recent research by Dopplr into the travel patterns and preferences of the world’s best-connected frequent travellers highlighted the importance of recommendations in travel decisions. Over 95% of digital influencers claimed to be strongly or slightly influenced by recommendations in their choice of hotels and restaurants. In addition, the Dopplr digital influencer community prefers unique travel experiences with over 40% going for boutique hotels when they travel, and 25% choosing a trusted chain.
According to Informa Telecoms and Media the mobile social networking market is forecast to grow at CAGR 54% to 2012 reaching $28.9bn. According to recent research by O'Reilly Media travel is the second fastest growing application category in the iPhone App store (O’Reilly Radar, May 2009).London and Helsinki, July 16, 2009 - Dopplr, the online service for smart travel,... more
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