Archive
80 Percent of IT Administrators Fear Exposure Through Mobile Devices
DURHAM, N.C., June 4, 2014 – GFI Software™ today announced the findings of an extensive independent research project examining the “Internet of Things” (IoT) and the impact IT administrators expect from the increased volume of internet-enabled and addressable devices on their network. Respondents overwhelmingly cited greater exposure to existing and undiscovered threats, particularly from mobile devices, as among their most pressing concerns about the onward march of the Internet of Things into their organization.
The survey of 202 IT decision makers in U.S. workplaces employing up to 250 people was conducted by Opinion Matters for GFI Software, and revealed that the growing relevance of IoT for small and medium-sized businesses (SMB) means growing security threats, greater device management challenges and increased costs for IT management.
Analysts expect the number of devices – or “things” – that will connect to the Internet to grow radically by 2020, with Gartner estimating that 26 billion addressable devices will find a home on a corporate network. This spike in connected devices will create billions of new unsecured endpoints that will in turn produce new vectors of attack designed to either compromise the device or gain access to the infrastructure.
Disruption is a significant concern, as 96.5 percent of IT decision makers surveyed said that IoT would produce at least some negative impacts for their organizations, with more than half (55 percent) saying it will impose new security threats while extending existing threats to a greater number of devices. Furthermore, 30 percent said IoT will result in an increased IT spend, while 26.7 percent expected device management to spiral out of control as a result of the rise of IoT. 14 percent expect that deploying patches across multiple platforms will present a particular challenge.
“The research findings reveal that the Internet of Things will transform business security, as even standard employee devices could present an opportunity for exploitation and pose a real danger to organizations if they are connected to the Internet without proper security protections,” said Sergio, Galindo, general manager, infrastructure business unit at GFI Software. “With billions of devices poised to connect to the Internet, organizations are exposed to billions of insecure new endpoints that can compromise the network. The key takeaway is clear: IT organizations must plan effectively to ensure adequate operating system, firmware and patch support within the new IoT age.”
A Sea-Change for IT Administration
Each new modern innovation requires adaption to new technologies – not only to take advantage of the new opportunities, but also to adjust to the new problems that inevitably arise from it. So it goes with the Internet of Things, as more than three-quarters (78.6 percent) of IT administrators expect their security practices to change as a result of IoT. Among these changes, nearly one-third (30 percent) expect to have to revise policies about connectivity in the workplace to manage this adaption.
Going Mobile: Danger Ahead
The increasingly prominent role wireless devices play in the daily lives of employees results in greater security risks in general for an organization. When it comes to IoT, the risks from mobile devices become particularly acute, according to survey respondents, 81.7 percent of whom indicated that mobile devices create the most potential as a point of exploitation in the IoT age.
Build That Wall
Existing anti-spam, anti-virus and anti-malware infrastructure may not do the job of protecting against the multitude of risks posed by the billions of insecure new endpoints. When asked to rank priority areas of security focus, 45 percent of IT decision makers surveyed pointed to firewalls as their very top priority, while 35.7 percent cited mobile device management. Anti-virus was cited as a top priority by less than a fifth (18.7 percent) of respondents.
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About GFI
GFI Software™ develops quality IT solutions for small to mid-sized businesses with generally up to 1,000 users. GFI® offers two main technology solutions: GFI MAX™, which enables managed service providers (MSPs) to deliver superior services to their customers; and GFI Cloud™, which empowers companies with their own internal IT teams to manage and maintain their networks via the cloud. Serving an expanding customer base of more than 200,000 companies, GFI’s product line also includes collaboration, network security, anti-spam, patch management, faxing, mail archiving and web monitoring. GFI is a channel-focused company with thousands of partners throughout the world. The company has received numerous awards and industry accolades, and is a longtime Microsoft® Gold ISV Partner.
Plextor Will Give Away SSDs Every Week to Fans as Part of Their “Life Is Better With Plextor” Campaign
Fremont, Calif., (May 20, 2014)–Plextor (www.plextoramericas.com) kicked off the year with its new lineup of M6 series solid-state drives led by the M6e PCl-e SSD. The full M6 lineup features the M6S, the M6M, and –later this year –the M6Pro.To emphasize their working premise that better computers make for a better life, they have announced the “Life is Better With Plextor” campaign. As part of this campaign, Plextor will be giving away one solid-state drive every week for the remainder of 2014. Plextor’s tech partners, YouTubers, Publishers, and prominent members of the IT Community will be joining them in this unprecedented giveaway campaign for SSD fans.
Contest Details: On May 19, 2014 the weekly sweepstakes begins. Winners will be announced Monday of every week and the contest will end every Sunday.
How to sign up: Each week fans can enter to win at Plextor America’s Facebook contest page http://win.plextoramericas.com/. Throughout the year there will be many other opportunities to win additional product from Plextor and their tech partners.
Plextor will also launch an exclusive promotion with NewEgg USA of up to $30 off certain capacities of the M6e PCI-e SSD for a limited time only. Use promo code: prm6e.
The new lineup includes:
M6S 2.5″ SATA- The M6S is the perfect hard-drive upgrade for any desktop or laptop PC, improving the computing experience for the everyday user and power-users alike providing faster boot times, faster application loading, and faster response time than a traditional hard drive (HDD).
M6M mSATA – The M6M mSATA is the ultimate ultra-book upgrade and ideal solution for users looking to upgrade any device that requires a SSD with a small footprint. At nearly one-eighth the size of a standard 2.5-inch SSD, the M6M still manages to pack in all of the performance and reliability that is expected of a Plextor drive.
M6e PCI-e – The M6e PCI-e is the first SSD specifically designed to meet the demanding requirements of the gaming community. The M6e PCI-e SSD uses a new generation of high-bandwidth components to deliver smooth, uninterrupted gameplay, allowing players to excel to the next level.
M6Pro 2.5″ SATA (available later this year) – This highly anticipated product is expected to deliver dramatically enhanced speed, massive throughput, and fault tolerant performance that is ideal for prosumers, serious gamers, and system integrators.
All Plextor M6 Series SSDs feature a server-grade Marvell controller, Toshiba 19nm NAND Flash (M6S/M6M feature Toshiba A19), and Plextor’s proprietary firmware with TrueSpeed Technology that prevents SSD speed drops by automatically returning performance to like-new speeds. Plextor knows that speed doesn’t count for much unless products are reliable–ultimately reliable. Plextor SSDs typically have an MTBF (mean time between failures) of 2.4 million hours. This level of reliability gives Plextor the highest ranking in the industry. All M6 drives are backed with a 3-5 year limited warranty and are available in 64, 128, 256, and 512 GB capacities, depending on model.
For additional product information, please visit:
Website: www.plextoramericas.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/PlextorAmericas
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/plextor-americas
Twitter: www.twitter.com/plextorusa
YouTube: www.youtube.com/plextorofficial
About Plextor
Plextor is a leading developer of high-performance digital storage equipment for professionals, consumers, and enterprises. Plextor launched its first CD-ROM drive in 1989. Since then, Plextor’s prestigious multi–award winning products have set the standard for quality and performance. Plextor will continue to deliver generations of innovative industry-leading products, including Blu-ray optical disc drives, solid state drives, digital video converters, and multimedia devices. The Plextor brand of storage and multimedia products is owned by Shinano Kenshi of Japan.
IK Multimedia ships iRing, the first motion controller for iPad, iPhone, iPod touch music apps and more
May 8, 2014 – IK Multimedia, the innovator in mobile music-creation apps and accessories for iPad and iPhone, is proud to announce that iRing™, the first motion controller for music apps and more, is now available from music and electronics retailers worldwide.
First presented at CES 2014, iRing is an affordable, wearable technology system that gives users a new level of gestural control over their favorite music apps, in real-time, using hand positioning for unprecedented music expression.
The iRing system consists of two double-sided “rings” to wear comfortably on the fingers along with a series of apps that are able to detect the iRings’ accurate positions in space using the device’s camera. Through the recognition of the dot patterns printed on the rings, the device’s camera picks up the movement and translates it into MIDI information. Users can then interact with music apps by simply moving their hands in front of their device through the precise reading of the ring position, which is converted into music commands or MIDI control messages to operate various app parameters without touching the device.
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iRing includes two identical double-sided ring controllers plus two free apps for various music applications designed for everyone from music lovers to knowledgeable DJs and musicians: iRing Music Maker and iRing FX/Controller.
iRing Music Maker is a free app that gives music lovers and DJs a fun new way to create music and grooves using hand gestures, no matter what their skill level. iRing Music Maker utilizes music “loops” that always sound good together and can be remixed in virtually limitless combinations by simply waving the hands with the iRing controllers in front of the device’s camera. Users can change beats, control rhythmic elements, play synth parts and control effects providing hours and hours of quality musical entertainment. Plus, iRing Music Maker also includes lead and bass synths with respective pattern players that can be independently operated for hours of error-free musical improvisation. Creating music has never been so much fun!
iRing FX/Controller is the app for skilled musicians and DJs that is both a real-time audio effects processor and a MIDI controller with fully assignable parameters. It can be used as a touch-less outboard audio effects processor, or can be fully configured to send multiple simultaneous MIDI parameters; such as control changes, notes or any other MIDI messages.
As an effects processor, iRing FX/Controller uses the analog or digital input of the device for processing external audio sources. FX/Controller can also be used with Audiobus and Inter-App Audio compatible apps to process the audio stream from music apps running on the device to add stunning and brilliant audio effects. The iRings can control up to six effects parameters at a time. iRing FX/Controller operates two simultaneous effects, selectable from up to 16 powerful and creative effects, including: Delay, Stutter, Phazer, Flanger, Compression, Fuzzy, Reverb, AutoWah, Crush, Twist Up & Down, Brake, Spin and Tail.
As a MIDI controller, iRing FX/Controller can transmit MIDI messages to other Virtual MIDI compatible apps running on the device or to external devices using compatible MIDI interfaces (like IK’s iRig MIDI). iRing FX/Controller can send out the complete set of MIDI messages (control change, notes, program change, pitch wheel, aftertouch, MIDI system real-time, and MMC, MIDI Machine Control) with up to 3 assignable parameters corresponding to the X, Y and Z axis positions for each of the 2 detectable rings for a new level of touch-less control. Additionally, MIDI messages can also be sent to a computer application via Wi-Fi (using MIDI network). Users can configure the app to control effects, filters, notes, patches and more for creative and dynamic “never before seen” performances.
iRing computer vision technology is also directly incorporated into the entire line of IK Multimedia DJ apps likeGroovemaker® and DJ Rig™ and will soon be included into other popular IK apps such as AmpliTube®,SampleTank®, VocaLive™ and more so that DJs, guitarists, vocalists, bass players, producers, keyboardists and engineers will have a new level of control to deliver powerful and unique performances.
For third-party developers who want to incorporate and implement iRing technology directly into their apps, IK is offering a free SDK (software development kit) and licensing program which makes it easy to take advantage of this new breakthrough technology. iRing can also be easily utilized beyond music for a wide variety of applications including gaming, health & fitness, utilities and more. Developers can take advantage of the technology and improve the functionality of their apps by contacting IK via the link provided on the iRing product page.
iRing features
- Advanced motion-tracking technology provides remote control of iOS apps using hand positions and gestures
- Includes two identical, double-sided reversible rings allowing for numerous control combinations and control of up to 6 effects’ parameters simultaneously with two hands
- iRings are unique looking, light, comfortable and provide a universal fit
- Free Apps are available on the App Store: iRing Music Maker app, which gives the ability to make music using hand gestures with no previous musical knowledge, and also the iRing FX/Controller app, which lets musicians and DJs create custom MIDI control setups, plus add and control audio effects, using compatible apps or external devices
- iRing computer vision technology can be licensed and incorporated into other third-party apps including gaming, health & fitness, utilities and more
Pricing & Availability
iRing controllers cost only $24.99/€19.99 (excluding taxes), are available in three colors (white, green and grey) and are now shipping from music and electronics retailers worldwide and from the IK Multimedia online store.
iRing FX/Controller and iRing Music Maker apps are available as free downloads from the App StoreSM.
For more information about iRing™ for iPad, iPhone and iPod touch, please visit:
www.ikmultimedia.com/iring
To view the iRing video playlist, please visit:
www.ikmultimedia.com/products/iring/video
For more information about the free iRing development kit and licensing program, please visit:
www.ikmultimedia.com/iringsdk
harmon.ie Integrates Office for iPad, OneDrive for Business and Microsoft Enterprise Mobility Suite
BARCELONA, BOOTH #44 — May 7, 2014 – Enterprise mobile collaboration leader, harmon.ie, today announced the full integration of Office for iPad, OneDrive for Business and the Microsoft Enterprise Mobility Suite into its enterprise mobile collaboration hub to give mobile workers a more efficient way to work and collaborate while on the go.
“One of the keys to successful adoption of enterprise collaboration software is seamless integration into the workflows that people follow to get their jobs done. With the rise of mobile device usage, integration is more important than ever, as navigating multiple applications on phones and tablets can be complicated and frustrating,” said Alan Lepofsky, VP and Principal Analyst, Constellation Research.
While the iPad is undeniably the most popular mobile tablet for business, the complicated user experience has stunted user adoption as business users were forced to make due with unfamiliar, third-party Office substitutes for their go-to enterprise tools. Until now, iPad users were forced to spend time focusing on Office compatibility rather than the work they had to get done.
Office for iPad, OneDrive for Business and the Enterprise Mobility Suite are integral pieces of a disconnected mobile puzzle as business users toggle in and out of Microsoft’s growing array of apps and services. harmon.ie combines the depth and familiarity of all of Microsoft’s collaboration tools and business apps into a cohesive, easy-to-use, single-screen experience – making the iPad an effective business tool. Offering the only single-screen experience of Microsoft enterprise collaboration tools, harmon.ie now gives mobile workers an efficient and secure way to work on projects from the road as well as share and collaborate with colleagues
“Microsoft has officially sanctioned the iPad as a work tool – marking a monumental shift for the mobile enterprise and an overall win for user experience,” noted Yaacov Cohen, CEO of harmon.ie. “Adding the last piece of our integrated mobile work apps suite, the latest integrations with Office for iPad, OneDrive and the Microsoft Enterprise Mobility Suite give workers the tools they rely upon daily, like Word, Excel and PowerPoint, directly from the iPad in the secure, single-screen experience they need to get work done.”
These integrations are the latest additions to the vast collection of business tools unified into a single-screen experience in the harmon.ie Mobile app, which was recently awarded a prestigious Best App Award at the Microsoft SharePoint Conference 2014. Certified by all leading mobile device management (MDM) vendors, harmon.ie provides unmatched collaboration across all of the Microsoft document and social tools (e.g., Office 365, SharePoint, Lync, OneDrive, Yammer, email, phone) on any platform – desktop, mobile, and cloud. harmon.ie Mobile invokes and closes the required apps within a single-screen experience to support the specific work task at hand – users no longer need to open an app and try to find the right resource to create, edit, share or collaborate.
The Office for iPad, OneDrive and Microsoft Enterprise Mobility Suite integrations are available immediately on the harmon.ie Mobile app.
About harmon.ie
harmon.ie empowers the social collaboration workforce by delivering the single-screen experience today’s mobile enterprises and tech-saturated users demand. Giving companies a way to securely support their employees’ changing work dynamic, harmon.ie now delivers a seamless user experience anytime, anywhere and on any device. An established global company, harmon.ie combines the power of the top social and collaboration platforms – including IBM, Microsoft and Yammer – to help its thousands of customers around the globe achieve the promise of the mobile enterprise.
Blumoo Entertainment Remote Control and Mobile Streaming Device Now Available
(Kansas City, MO – May 6, 2014) – Flyover Innovations, LLC announces the availability of Blumoo,™ a new universal home entertainment device and corresponding app. Blumoo is simple to install, easy to use, and provides the convenience of combined wireless home entertainment system control and music streaming from mobile devices to existing home entertainment equipment.
Combining Bluetooth, infrared, and mobile app technology, Blumoo is a universal remote for more than 200,000 TVs, Blu-ray players, cable provider boxes, and home audio systems. Compatible with virtually any mobile music source, Blumoo streams Google Play, Pandora, Spotify and iTunes to existing home audio systems, creating superior sound. Multiple devices can be paired with Blumoo at one time, and using patent-pending algorithms, user prioritization preferences are ensured, intelligently transmitting the correct audio at the right time.
“With Blumoo, there’s no more tethering your mobile device to a docking station or having to keep track of multiple remotes,“ said Jason Carman, CEO of Flyover Innovations. “Consumers no longer have to sacrifice sound quality while streaming music, as Blumoo allows them to enjoy elite sound through high-quality stereo equipment.”
With the Blumoo app installed, mobile devices gain full control of home entertainment systems, even from outdoors or other rooms. Blumoo allows iOS devices to remotely switch TV and receiver inputs, power devices on/off, adjust volume and control nearly any existing home entertainment device. The Blumoo app provides a simple interface to access media directories, channel guides and push reminders for favorite shows and sports teams. Controlling home entertainment devices via smartphone or tablet has never been easier.
The Blumoo hardware device retails for $129.99 and is currently available for purchase at Blumoo.com. For more information on Blumoo, follow on Facebook and Twitter.
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About Flyover Innovations? Flyover Innovations, LLC is dedicated to designing, developing and delivering “technology made simple,” in order to improve our experiences and the ways we interact with our home entertainment and media devices. Flyover Innovations is headquartered in Kansas City, MO.
Twitter: @BlumooUSA
Facebook: BlumooUSA
LinkedIn: Flyover Innovations, LLC.
Micron and Crucial Introduce Next-Generation SSD for Personal Storage, Media and Entertainment Markets
New M550 SSD Offers Faster Performance, Longer Battery Life and High-Capacity Storage with Advanced Feature Set
Key Messages:
- Reaches 20 times higher performance[i] than conventional hard drives for lightning fast boot, file and application load times
- Stretches battery life through dramatically better power efficiency, consuming as little as 6 percent as much power versus a traditional hard drive on comparable workloads[ii]
- Offers an advanced feature set that includes hardware-based encryption, data protection against unexpected power loss and an advanced adaptive thermal monitoring system
- Available in 2.5-inch, mSATA and M.2 form factors with capacities up to 1TB
Multimedia Elements:
1. Media Kit
2. How We Make Our SSDs (video)
3. The Benefits of Upgrading to an SSD (video)
4. Installing an SSD Is Easier Than You Think (video)
Boise, ID, March 18, 2014 – Micron Technology, Inc. today announced a new personal storage class, solid state drive (SSD), continuing a legacy of developing foundational memory technology into reliable, high-performance storage solutions. The M550 SSD is designed to meet the increasingly demanding needs of high-performance computing, ultrathin, and media/video applications. It is available today to consumers, businesses and system builders under the Crucial® brand and to OEM customers under the Micron® brand.
Faster Storage Performance
The M550 SSD offers 20 times higher performance1 than a traditional hard drive, while consuming significantly less power. It enables quick boot-up, speedy file and program access, near instant wake from sleep, as well as ultra-efficient power management for increased battery life. In fact, the M550 draws as little as 0.15 watts during normal operation1.
The M550 design tightly integrates Micron NAND and firmware to deliver up to 95,000 input/output operations per second (IOPS). The drive’s sequential speeds reach up to 550 MB/s for reads and 500 MB/s writes, which maxes out the capabilities of the SATA 6 Gb/s interface.[iii] To understand the benefits of upgrading to an SSD and see the dramatic performance gains compared to traditional hard drives, watch our video.
Advanced Feature Set
The M550 SSD incorporates a host of advanced features to provide users with a powerful computing experience:
- Best-in-Class Hardware Encryption: Keeps personal files and sensitive information secure in the event of device theft or loss.
- Device Sleep Low-Power Mode: Enables the drive to draw practically no power while in sleep mode and respond instantly when the laptop is opened.
- Data Protection: Employs onboard power-loss protection and advanced error recovery techniques to protect the integrity of stored data.
- Adaptive Thermal Management: Dynamically adjusts power consumption based on system temperature for ultra-small, thermally constrained systems.
- Reliability: Our proprietary RAIN technology provides built-in fail-over protection at the NAND level.
Micron Quality You Can Trust
The M550 SSD is built start-to-finish by Micron, providing the comprehensive quality control that only a NAND Flash memory manufacturer can supply. With more than 35 years of technology leadership, Micron is one of the world’s largest and most trusted Flash storage manufacturers. The new drive utilizes Micron’s proven 20-nanometer (nm) multilevel cell (MLC) NAND Flash to achieve terabyte capacity on the 2.5-inch form factor. Watch this behind-the-scenes video to see how Micron designs and builds SSDs.
“Built on our years of storage expertise, the M550 SSD combines leading-edge performance with an advanced feature set to create a powerful computing experience,” said Darren Thomas, vice president of Micron’s storage business unit. “For consumers, the Crucial M550 SSD offers a reliable storage solution from a trustworthy brand. For OEM customers, the Micron M550 SSD offers a slim, lightweight form factor for ultrathin designs, and advanced features for media and video applications.”
Micron’s advanced NAND Flash technology provides more storage in a smaller footprint, making it possible to pack half a terabyte of storage onto an SSD module the size of a stick of gum (80mm x 22mm). This M.2 form factor, along with the mSATA form factor, are key designs for current and next-generation ultrathin computers, including Ultrabook™ devices, tablets and convertible PCs. Visit micron.com/ultrathin to see how Micron SSDs transform the ultrathin experience to meet the needs of the mobile computing market.
High-Performance Storage for Video Applications
The M550 has also been chosen as the preferred storage solution for AJA, a leading manufacturer of high-quality digital video interface, conversion and desktop solutions for professional broadcast and post-production. “Our customers demand high reliability for capturing the very high data rates of HD and 4k video. Whether it’s a motion picture or a Major League Baseball broadcast, data degradation is unacceptable,” said John Abt, CEO of AJA. “The Micron M550 easily meets AJA’s performance requirements.”
The M550 also leverages controller technology from the industry leaders at Marvell. “Marvell is excited to collaborate with Micron to bring a new generation of cutting-edge SSDs to the video market,” said Rajan Pai, General Manager and Vice President of the Data Storage Business Unit at Marvell. “The combination of Micron’s leadership in NAND flash memory coupled with Marvell’s industry-leading 88SS9189 SSD controller creates a powerful solution that fuels exceptional delivery of digital entertainment and video content to meet the next wave of consumer demand.”
Compatibility and Availability
The Crucial M550 2.5-inch SSD is offered in 128GB, 256GB, 512GB and 1TB capacities, and it is available for immediate purchase through select global channel partners or direct through www.crucial.com. The smaller M.2 and mSATA form factors will be available through Crucial later this year, in capacities up to 512GB. The drive is backed by a three-year limited warranty[iv] and is compatible with both PC and Mac® systems.
The Micron M550 SSD is also available in a 64GB capacity; all configurations are available for immediate sampling and are sold direct to OEMs and via the company’s distribution network.
[i] Performance level based on averaged PCMark Vantage HDD test scores of five leading hard drives compared to the M550 SSD. Actual performance level may vary based on benchmark used and individual system configuration. Test setup: 256GB M550 SSD (firmware MU03), 2TB Western Digital® WD20EURS 7200RPM hard drive, 2TB Seagate® ST2000DM001 7200 RPM hard drive, 1TB Western Digital WD10EZEX 7200RPM hard drive, 750GB Seagate ST3750640AS 7200RPM hard drive, and 500GB Western Digital WD5000AVDS 7200RPM hard drive, all tested on an Intel® DZ87KLT-75K motherboard, Intel i7-4770K 3.50GHz processor, BIOS Rev. 0446, and Windows® 8 Pro 64-bit operating system using PCMark Vantage HDD test suite.
[ii] Power calculations are based on published specs for the 500GB Seagate® Momentus® 7200 rpm internal laptop hard drive, one of the most popular hard drives according to NPD data published in September 2013. The Momentus uses 2.5 watts of power on an average workload, compared to 0.15 watts on the M550 SSD. In everyday terms, this means significantly more battery life and substantial savings on power costs.
[iii] Quoted performance figures are based on 256GB, 512GB and 1TB capacities.
[iv] Micron-branded and Crucial-branded M550 SSD warranty terms may vary. Contact your Micron or Crucial sales representative for complete warranty terms.
Smith Micro Celebrates 10th Edition of Anime Studio with Wacom Cintiq and Intuos Tablet Giveaway
ALISO VIEJO, CA – March 4, 2014 – Smith Micro Software, Inc. (NASDAQ: SMSI) Productivity and Graphics Group today announced the availability of Anime Studio® Pro 10 and Anime Studio Debut® 10, the most intuitive animation software available that allows artists of all ages and skill levels to craft high-quality 2D animations for personal or professional expression. With enhanced features that provide increased bone control, more movement options and new tools, Anime Studio 10 gives artists improved ways to easily and quickly create stunning animated content.
“Anime Studio has evolved with artist needs and its new features are focused on delivering an increasingly comprehensive animation tool,” said Fahim Niaz, senior product manager for Smith Micro Software. “We’ve worked with our expert community to both develop new time-saving features and also enhance existing features to give artisans complete control over their all aspects of their work. Anime Studio 10 keeps animators at the forefront of their craft with its drawing tools, bone technology and rendering processes, to name a few.”
To celebrate the 10th edition of Anime Studio, Smith Micro has teamed up with Wacom Technology, makers of digital interface solutions, for a giveaway with no purchase necessary. From March 4th, 2014 to April 4th, 2014 users can enter for the chance to win a Wacom Cintiq Companion grand prize or a Intuos Pro Medium or Intuos Medium tablet for second and third place prizes. As well, award-winning animator Victor Paredes has created an exclusive animation clip with Anime Studio 10, highlighting the various ways users can utilize preloaded content available immediately in the software.
“Anime Studio 10 interacts seamlessly with Wacom tablets for an intuitive and natural-feeling animation experience,” said Don Varga, professional products brand director for Wacom Technology. “Wacom’s pen and touch tablets work so well with Anime Studio that we wanted to share the experience with Anime Studio fans, commemorating the launch of Anime Studio 10 with a Cintiq Companion, Intuos Pro Medium and Intuos Medium tablet giveaway.”
Anime Studio Pro 10 is the perfect addition to any experienced artist’s repertoire. The latest bone features include rigging options to help set up more complex characters. The independent angle constraints allows bones to keep their global angle and are not affected by inverse kinematics, while the squash and stretch feature allows bones to retain their shape and direction as they move. The new Smart Bone Dials allow users to set up movement templates for characters – simply select the bones, adjust to the desired angle, input the duration and name the movement.
Anime Studio Debut 10 introduces users to the world of 2D animation with useful tools and elements that allow any graphic artist to produce work of the same caliber as experienced animators. New design tools such as the Paint Bucket, Blob Brush, Eraser and Reduce Points make it painless to manipulate objects into desired shapes.
“Anime Studio 10 is among the best animation products on the market as it is both powerful and easy to use with tools that users of all skill levels can harness,” said Victor Paredes, renowned award-winning Anime Studio artist of Fluor Films. “Software features such as the Bone Constraints and Smart Bone Dials allow animators to quickly, efficiently and cost effectively bring their imaginations to life with the utmost control. I was thrilled to work with the new content and characters when creating the Anime Studio 10 animated clip and hope that fellow animators enjoy them as much as I did.”
Anime Studio 10 New Key Features:
- New Bone Constraints and Smart Bone Setup for streamlined character movement
- New Bounce, Elastic and Stagger Interpolation for adding realism to character movements
- Enhanced Drawing Tools that make creating and adjusting animated content faster
- New and improved content library provides pre-loaded characters and material for easy animating
For the full feature and enhancement listing please visit: http://anime.smithmicro.com/as10new/
Pricing and Availability:
Anime Studio Pro 10 is available for $299.99 and Anime Studio Debut 10 is $49.99. More detailed product, pricing and upgrade information is available here.
About Smith Micro Software, Inc. – Productivity and Graphics Group:
Based in Santa Cruz, Calif., the Smith Micro Software Productivity and Graphics Group produces award-winning software that inspires consumer creativity and enables efficiency. The group’s creative suite of programs provides artists of all skill levels – from novice to professional – with the tools to illustrate, animate and create 2D and 3D art. Some of the Productivity and Graphics Group’s award-winning creative and utilities products include Poser, Anime Studio, Manga Studio and StuffIt. For more information, please visit: http://my.smithmicro.com/
About Wacom:
Wacom’s vision to bring people and technology closer together through natural interface technologies has made it the world’s leading manufacturer of pen tablets, interactive pen displays and digital interface solutions. The advanced technology of Wacom’s intuitive input devices has been used to create some of the most exciting digital art, films, special effects, fashion and designs around the world. Today, millions of hobbyist, enthusiast and professional customers are using Wacom’s pen and touch technology to express their creativity.
Safe Harbor Statement:
This release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties, including without limitation, forward-looking statements relating to the company’s financial prospects and other projections of its performance, the existence of new market opportunities and interest in the company’s products and solutions, and the company’s ability to increase its revenue and regain profitability by capitalizing on these new market opportunities and interest and introducing new products and solutions. Among the important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements are changes in demand for the company’s products from its customers and their end-users, customer concentration given that the majority of our sales depend on a few large client relationships, including Sprint, new and changing technologies, customer acceptance and timing of deployment of those technologies, new and continuing adverse economic conditions, and the company’s ability to compete effectively with other software companies. These and other factors discussed in the company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its filings on Forms 10-K and 10-Q, could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in any forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements contained in this release are made on the basis of the views and assumptions of management regarding future events and business performance as of the date of this release, and the company does not undertake any obligation to update these statements to reflect events or circumstances occurring after the date of this release.
Smith Micro, the Smith Micro logo, Anime Studio, Anime Studio Debut and Anime Studio Pro are trademarks or registered trademarks of Smith Micro Software, Inc. All other trademarks and product names are the property of their respective companies.
Introducing the Jackery Leaf Integrated Battery and Case for iPhone 5 and 5S
iPhone 5 and 5S Users Enjoy Extended Talk and App Time with the Jackery Leaf Integrated Battery/Case Solution Powerful and Lightweight Battery Enables Fast Charging on the Go –Jackery Leaf Doubles the Operational Time of the iPhone Battery
Santa Clara, CA (January 21, 2014) — Jackery, Amazon’s #1 provider of premium portable battery products for mobile devices, announced today the release of the Jackery Leaf, the company’s first powerful rechargeable battery for iPhone 5 and 5S devices that is integrated within a protective phone case.
Available in Jackery’s signature orange, black, or white, the Jackery Leaf allows iPhone users to charge their phone while they are mobile due to the battery being integrated within the protective case. The Apple Certified product features a micro-USB to Lightning connector converter, so users can plug in and charge the battery and their iPhone at the same time for optimal efficiency. Full charging takes only two and a half hours. The capacity of the Jackery Leaf gives users up to 50 extra hours of operational time depending on what types of applications they are running or tasks they are performing.
“The Jackery Leaf was built to fit specifically with iPhone 5 and 5S devices within a protective case structure” said York Wu, CEO of Jackery. “A significant differentiator for our product is the battery is detachable from the case, so users can still have the benefits of our great case while the Jackery Leaf is charging. It’s also a considerable value, as users get Jackery’s legendary craftsmanship with two protection cases and an additional battery at a price that is very reasonable. It’s this relentless focus on quality and value that has established us as the industry’s number one provider of premium portable batteries.”
The Jackery Leaf features a three-color LED charging status indicator for simple operation and a four-layer smart safety protection circuit. Each order includes two cases, the battery, a premium audio extension cable and micro-USB charging cable. It is available now at Amazon.com.
In 2013 Jackery established itself as the provider of the most affordable and powerful portable chargers available in the marketplace. Many of Jackery’s products are compatible with Android and iOS devices and also Windows phones, various smartphone and tablet platforms, multiple gaming devices, and MP3 players. The Jackery Leaf joins the Jackery Air, Jackery Fit, Jackery Giant+, Jackery Giant, Jackery Bar and Jackery Mini products. Consumers can purchase the entire Jackery lineup at: http://www.amazon.com/gp/browse.html?ie=UTF8&marketplaceID=ATVPDKIKX0DER&me=AZF6YB7UVA7OU or http://store.jackeryusa.com/.
About Jackery
Jackery is a Santa Clara, California-based technology company focused on developing premium battery products for smartphones and tablets. The company offers a lineup of four products, the Jackery Air, Jackery Giant+, Jackery Giant, Jackery Bar, and Jackery Mini, which all offer considerable charging time and small form factors for owners of the most popular smartphones, tablet devices, MP3 players and gaming devices. For more information, visit www.jackeryusa.com.
IBM Introduces X6 Architecture, Optimizes x86-Based Servers For Cloud, Analytics
IBM Introduces X6 Architecture, Optimizes x86-Based Servers For Cloud, Analytics
Industry-first integrated flash storage for high performance, modular design for long life cycles to help reduce costs, improves resiliency for increased uptime
New IBM FlashSystem 840 doubles performance, ideal for virtualization and cloud
Armonk, N.Y. – 16 Jan 2014: IBM (NYSE: IBM) today announced the sixth generation of its enterprise X-Architecture for System x and PureSystems servers, providing industry-leading improvements in the performance and economics of x86-based systems for analytics and cloud.
“Our enterprise X-Architecture for x86-based servers and solutions delivers high performance and the highest customer satisfaction in the industry, making us number one in high-end x86 systems,” said Adalio Sanchez, general manager for IBM System x and PureFlex. “We continue to innovate and deliver leadership performance, reliability and investment protection for mission-critical workloads with X6.”
Clients are rapidly adopting analytics for greater business insight and moving critical workloads like ERP, analytics and database to the cloud for increased efficiency and lower costs, and x86-based systems are the first choice for many. The X6 architecture represents IBM’s continuing R&D investment and industry leadership in x86-based systems, and is specifically designed to provide new levels of performance and resiliency for enterprise applications. For memory-hungry applications, X6 delivers three times the scalable memory of current competitors’ and IBM x86-based systems to support cloud and analytics.*
The X6 architecture is:
- Fast, with integrated eXFlash memory-channel storage–an industry first, this DIMM-based storage provides up to 12.8 terabytes of ultrafast flash storage close to the processor, increasing application performance by providing the lowest system write latency available, essential for analytics applications. X6 can provide significantly lower latency for database operations, which can lower licensing costs and reduce storage costs by reducing or eliminating the need for external SAN/NAS storage units;**
- Agile, with a modular, scalable design that supports multiple generations of CPUs–another industry first–and can reduce acquisition costs, up to 28 percent in comparison to one competitive offering.*** X6 provides stability and flexibility through forthcoming technology developments, allowing users to scale up now and upgrade efficiently in the future. Fast set-up and configuration patterns simplify deployment and life-cycle management;
- Resilient, with features that can help extend cloud delivery models to mission-critical applications. Memory and storage increase virtual machine capacity to allow SaaS delivery of applications. Autonomous self-healing CPU and memory systems maximize application uptime by proactively identifying potential failures and taking action to correct them. In addition, Upward Integration Modules can help reduce the cost and complexity of system administration by allowing operators to perform management tasks through virtualization tools.
Server models supported by this new architecture currently include the System x3850 X6 four-socket system, System x3950 X6 eight-socket system, and the IBM Flex System x880 scalable compute nodes. IBM also is introducing the System x3650 M4 BD storage server, a two-socket rack server supporting up to 14 drives delivering up to 56 terabytes of high-density storage — the largest available in the industry. It provides 46 percent greater performance than previous comparable IBM System x servers and is ideally suited for distributed scale-out of big data workloads.****
New Solutions for X6
Clients moving enterprise applications to cloud models and adopting analytics for quick business insights require integrated solutions for fast deployment, efficiency and performance. To help clients achieve these results, IBM is announcing new solutions for its X6 architecture for analytics, database and cloud deployment, including IBM System x Solution for DB2 with BLU Acceleration on X6 for accelerating analytics, IBM System x Solution for SAP HANA on X6 for analytics, and System x Solution for VMware vCloud Suite on X6 for infrastructure-as-a-service capabilities.
New Storage for cloud, analytics
IBM has announced the general availability of the new IBM FlashSystem 840. The new system provides nearly double the bandwidth and double the performance — 1.1M IOPS — of its predecessor, the FlashSystem 820 — making it ideally suited for analytical databases, virtualization infrastructures, and public and private clouds.***** Supporting up to 48 terabytes of usable capacity in a 2U unit, the all-Flash array also features IBM MicroLatency technology that significantly speeds data access times from milliseconds to microseconds (less than 135 microseconds) giving organizations faster actionable insights from real-time data analytics. In addition, a new management GUI, as well as datacenter-optimized features such as hot-swap components and concurrent code load, enable fast installation and easy management.
IBM also is introducing the FlashSystem Enterprise Performance Solution, which bundles the FlashSystem 840 and IBM System Storage SAN Volume Controller (SVC) technology. The solution includes a suite of advanced data management features ranging from Real-time Compression, snapshots, thin provisioning, VAAI, and application aware copies, to FlashCopy, and storage virtualization with IBM Easy Tier.
New SDE capabilities for cloud
IBM is strengthening its software defined environment (SDE) portfolio with the introduction of IBM Platform Resource Scheduler for private and hybrid IBM SmartCloud clients who want to accelerate time-to-results, improve infrastructure flexibility and reduce operating costs. IBM Platform Resource Scheduler provides a fully virtualized, open and programmable architecture that ensures enterprises are taking advantage of all available IT resources — from application software licenses to available network bandwidth.
Integrated with OpenStack, this dynamic resource management tool provides a comprehensive set of intelligent, policy-driven scheduling features that automatically allocate the right resources to the right job, balances workload demand with infrastructure supply and ensures adherence to service level agreements, improving overall application performance and efficiency. The open and extensible architecture also allows enterprises to easily reconfigure and add customized policies to meet their specific sharing and scheduling needs.
Financing for cloud and analytics
IBM Global Financing has announced new financing offerings today to help clients quickly adopt new cloud and analytics solutions by helping reduce upfront costs and speed return on investment. Credit-qualified clients can obtain Fair Market Value leasing when acquiring X6 architecture solutions. Other offerings announced include 0-percent financing and deferred payments for 90 days when they acquire IBM PureSystems, SDE and Storage technology.
Also, IBM’s new mobile financing application can help IBM Business Partners close more business with their clients, allowing credit-qualified clients to acquire financing to deploy solutions for analytics, mobile computing, social business and Smarter Planet technologies quickly.
IBM Systems and Technology Group offers a full range of offerings supporting public, private and hybrid cloud implementations that integrate with IBM’s cloud software and services. This Systems portfolio includes IBM System x racks and BladeCenter, NeXtScale, PureFlex, Power Systems and System z servers, and IBM Storage solutions. For more information on IBM Global Financing, please go here.
*Triple the memory capacity (Up to 6TB in 4S system; up to 12TB in 8S system) and support up to 24 DDR3 DIMMs per socket and up to 64GB LRDIMM density, based on published Intel specifications, compared with x86 competitors with offerings based on Intel’s current processors.
**5-10 microseconds write latency for eXFlash DIMMs in preliminary testing vs. 15-19 microseconds latency for PCIe-based flash storage from Fusion IO, Micron, and Virident, and 65 microseconds latency for Intel S3500 and S3700 SSDs. (Pending final IBM performance testing.)
Using internal eXFlash storage reduces or eliminates the need for external SAN/NAS storage. Less SAN hardware means fewer software licenses.
***28 percent acquisition cost savings based on pricing of x3850 X6 at announcement on 2/18 vs. current pricing of a comparable x86 based system that includes 2 x Intel Xeon E7-4820 (v1) processors, 1TB of memory (16GB RDIMMs) 3.6TB of HDD storage, and Dual Port 10GBe SFP+ controller. x3850 X6 includes 2 Compute Books, 2 x Intel Xeon E7 processors, 1TB of memory (16GB RDIMMs), 3.6TB of HDD storage, and Dual Port 10GBe SFP+ controller.
****Compared to HP two-socket servers supporting a maximum of 48 TB storage with 12 x 3.5″ drives, and Dell two-socket servers supporting a maximum of 51.2 TB storage with 12 x 3.5″ and 2 x 2.5″ drives.
46-percent figure based on Intel Internal Test Report #1310, using SPECjbb*2013 benchmark, July 2013.
*****The performance data discussed herein is presented as derived under specific operating conditions by IBM. Actual results may vary.
This post was written as part of the IBM for Midsize Business program, which provides midsize businesses with the tools, expertise and solutions they need to become engines of a smarter planet.
I’ve been compensated to contribute to this program, but the opinions expressed in this post are my own and don’t necessarily represent IBM’s positions, strategies or opinions.
Overwhelming Majority of IT Professionals Still Running Windows XP As End-of-Life Nears (Survey Results)
AUSTIN, Texas – December 18, 2013 –Spiceworks, the vertical network for IT, today announced the results of a new report exploring the plans, considerations and issues IT professionals are addressing as Windows XP end-of-life (EOL) nears. The study, “Getting Over Your XP,” revealed that 76 percent of IT professionals run Windows XP on some devices today, and of those, 36 percent will leave Windows XP on at least one device as the operating system EOLs. The independent study was sponsored by CDW, a provider of integrated information technology solutions.
“The data clearly illustrates how prevalent Windows XP remains 12 years after its initial release,” said Kathryn Pribish, Voice of IT program manager at Spiceworks. “The next four months will be a busy time for the majority of IT professionals migrating XP-based systems and for the vendors who can provide professional services and support for resource-strained IT departments.”
Survey highlights include:
IT professionals clearly favor a migration to Windows 7
- Ninety-six percent of IT professionals said they’re running Windows 7 on their network today compared to 42 percent running Windows 8 or 8.1, and 30 percent running Apple’s OS X.
- Of those IT professionals who still run Windows XP on company desktops and/or laptops, 49 percent plan to upgrade at least some of their devices to Windows 7, while seven percent of IT professionals plan to upgrade to Windows 8 or 8.1.
- Forty-eight percent of the IT professionals who still run Windows XP on company desktops and/or laptops plan to decommission some of these devices and purchase new Windows 7-based machines. Twelve percent plan to decommission and purchase Windows 8 or 8.1-based devices.
- Seventy-four percent of IT professionals cited the importance of “maintaining a similar user experience” as the primary reason why they’re planning to upgrade to Windows 7-based devices.
IT professionals expect bumps along the migration road
- When IT professionals were asked why they haven’t already migrated their company’s XP devices, 55 percent cited a lack of budget, 39 percent referenced a lack of time, and 31 percent said they didn’t have the resources needed.
- Sixty-eight and 59 percent of respondents have already started the process of upgrading device operating systems or purchasing entirely new devices respectively.
- Seventy-four percent of respondents are “somewhat,” “very” or “extremely” confident their XP migration plan will work, while 26 percent are “not very” or “not at all” confident in their plans.
“Organizations currently maintaining PCs on Windows XP need to understand that they will put their networks and data at high and increasing risk if they continue to use it after Microsoft discontinues support in April,” said Scott DeTota, senior director, product and partner management, CDW. “Upgrading to a more current version of Windows, though, also brings the benefit of newer, more powerful functionalities as well as improved security and productivity. CDW is prepared to help our customers work through the decisions they need to make and help them capture the benefits of upgrading their systems.”
Methodology
The survey was conducted in October 2013 and included more than 1300 respondents. Eighty-five percent of respondents were from North America and 15 percent from EMEA. Respondents represented a variety of industries including manufacturing, healthcare, education, government, finance and IT service providers.
About Spiceworks Voice of IT
The Spiceworks Voice of IT market insights program publishes statistics, trends and opinions collected from IT professionals worldwide. More than 620,000 IT professionals in over 100 countries have joined the program to share information and feedback on the technology issues important to them.
About Spiceworks
Spiceworks is the vertical network for IT more than 4 million IT professionals use to connect with one another and over 2,700 technology brands. The company simplifies how IT professionals discover, buy and manage more than $500 billion in technology products and services each year. Headquartered in Austin, Texas, Spiceworks is backed by Adams Street Partners, Tenaya Capital, Institutional Venture Partners (IVP), Shasta Ventures and Austin Ventures.
For more information visit http://www.spiceworks.com.
Follow Spiceworks on Twitter: http://twitter.com/spiceworks and connect with Spiceworks on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/Spiceworks.
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