Port Washington, NY (Vocus) August 4, 2010

Riding the wave of new handset introductions and wide carrier distribution in the second quarter (Q2), the Android smartphone operating system (OS) continued its upward climb in the U.S. consumer mobile phone market, according to The NPD Group, a leading market research company. For the first time since the fourth quarter (Q4) of 2007, RIM fell to second position, as Android took the lead among operating systems in handsets sold to U.S. consumers. NPD’s latest wireless market research reveals that Android accounted for 33 percent of all smartphones purchased in Q2, ahead of RIM (28 percent) and Apple (22 percent).

“For the second consecutive quarter, Android handsets have shown strong but slowing sell-through market share gains among U.S. consumers,” said Ross Rubin, executive director of industry analysis for NPD. “While the Google-developed OS took market share from RIM, Apple’s iOS saw a small gain this quarter on the strength of the iPhone 4 launch.”

Based on U.S. consumer purchases of mobile phones in Q2, the top 5 Android smartphones were as follows:

1. Motorola Droid

2. HTC Droid Incredible

3. HTC EVO 4G

4. HTC Hero

5. HTC Droid Eris

“Blackberry 6 will soon offer features that have been popular in recently launched Android handsets, such as support for capacitive touchscreens and a WebKit-based browser. However, the Blackberry Torch lacks the large screen allure that has characterized the best selling Android devices at its price point, including the Droid Incredible and EVO 4G,” Rubin said.

Model selection and promotions continue to play a role in the race for carrier dominance. According to NPD’s Mobile Phone Track, Verizon Wireless has maintained its lead among top carriers for the last three quarters comprising a third (33 percent) of the units sold in the U.S. mobile phone market in Q2, followed by AT&T (25 percent), Sprint (12 percent), and T-Mobile (11 percent). In Q2 Verizon Wireless continued their buy-one-get-one (BOGO) offers on all smartphones, including both RIM and Android models.

In spite of an overall decline in the number of mobile phones purchased year over year, the ongoing popularity of both messaging phones and smartphones, which are generally more costly than standard feature phones, resulted in slightly higher prices for all mobile phones in Q2. The average selling price for all mobile phones reached $90, which is a 3 percent increase since Q2 last year. Smartphone unit prices, by comparison, averaged $143 in Q2 2010, which is a 9 percent decrease over the previous year.

Data Note: The information in this press release is from Mobile Phone Track — NPD’s consumer tracking of U.S. consumers, aged 18 and older, who reported purchasing a mobile phone. NPD does not track corporate/enterprise mobile phone purchases.

About The NPD Group, Inc.

The NPD Group is the leading provider of reliable and comprehensive consumer and retail information for a wide range of industries. Today, more than 1,800 manufacturers, retailers, and service companies rely on NPD to help them drive critical business decisions at the global, national, and local market levels. NPD helps our clients to identify new business opportunities and guide product development, marketing, sales, merchandising, and other functions. Information is available for the following industry sectors: automotive, beauty, commercial technology, consumer technology, entertainment, fashion, food and beverage, foodservice, home, office supplies, software, sports, toys, and wireless. For more information, contact us or visit http://www.npd.com/] and http://www.npdgroupblog.com]. Follow us on Twitter: @npdtech and @npdgroup.

Contact:

Lee Graham

The NPD Group

(212) 333-4983

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For the original version on PRWeb visit: http://www.prweb.com/releases/prwebwireless_market_research/android_smartphones/prweb4350164.htm

Myrtle Beach, SC (Vocus) July 26, 2010

As part of its 10-year anniversary, World Tour Golf Links announces a last minute special that can save golfers up to $76. Golfers who book tee times within 48 hours of playing can get an exceptional value this summer at World Tour Golf Links, an award-winning, public, 27-hole course in Myrtle Beach, S.C.

Green fees when booked through this last-minute special are only $69 per person, per day and include 27 holes of championship golf, use of a Club Car® golf cart equipped with Uplink GPS system, and a stunning 24″x36″ poster print featuring the famous holes at World Tour Golf.

To take advantage of this special, golfers must contact World Tour Golf at 877-377-7773 (toll free) or 843-236-2000 (local) and secure a tee time reservation starting within 48 hours. This special will be offered based on availability through September 29, 2010.

The 10-year-old World Tour Golf Links recreates 27 of the world’s most renowned and challenging golf layouts from 23 courses in six countries and 10 states. Its inspiration parallels the world’s most elite courses, such as Augusta National, the Seminole Club, Winged Foot, Oakmont, Pine Valley, St. Andrews, and Royal Melbourne. At World Tour Golf, players have a passport to some of the most famous golf holes in the world, all in a single day or weekend.

It is located near Highway 501 off of River Oaks Drive in Myrtle Beach, one of America’s favorite golf destinations. It is regarded for offering a private-club experience on a public golf course, most notably by its Ambassadors Program which offers golfers exceptional customer service.

World Tour Golf Links’ 27 holes are comprised of three 9-hole courses: The Open 9, The International 9, and The Championship 9. Every hole has been crafted to preserve the features and hazards of each original design, as well as the rich history of challenge and opportunity that golf embodies. The club is located at 2000 World Tour Boulevard, Myrtle Beach, SC 29579. For more information about World Tour Golf Links, visit www.theworldtourgolf.com, e-mail info(at)theworldtourgolf(dot)com or call 877-377-7773 (toll free) or 843-236-2000 (local).

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For the original version on PRWeb visit: http://www.prweb.com/releases/prweb2010/07/prweb4302114.htm

Vittorio Colao used Vodafone’s first-quarter update to declare that its minority investments were not “core” assets.

“We are not here to manage minorities,” he said.

Vodafone regards a disposal of its 3.2 per cent stake in China Mobile worth £4.2bn as the most straightforward transaction.

But Vodafone is willing to consider selling its 44 per cent of SFR, France’s second largest mobile operator, and its 45 per cent of Verizon Wireless, the leading US wireless phone group.

Mr Colao said proceeds from disposals could be returned to shareholders or used for new investments.

Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan, the activist investor that has a 0.42 per cent stake in Vodafone, is calling for board changes at the group that would lead to a restructuring.

At Vodafone’s annual meeting on Tuesday, Ontario Teachers’ is planning to vote against the re-election of Sir John Bond, chairman, although the pension fund will support Mr Colao.

Read full story

Somerville, MA (PRWEB) July 19, 2010

Social Video Marketing (SVM) not only enables a business or organization to sell or market a product or service in the most compelling and effective medium possible – video – but also to reach out to prospects utilizing the latest Internet Marketing techniques. The goal of this process is twofold: 1) to drive traffic to a company’s site through SEO, Social Media and strategic linking and 2) once on the site, to present enough engaging and informative content that it will convert “casual” web visitors to viable business prospects. At Skillman Video Group we call this the “video conversion point.”

“Not only do we do social video marketing for our clients but we do it for ourselves and have experienced dramatic results and increased our traffic 150% over a three month time frame.” – Christina Skillman, Principal Skillman Video Group.

Skillman Video Group has implemented these principles and methodology for their own corporate website http://www.skillmanvideogroup.com and has increased traffic ten-fold. The case study analyzes the methodology used and outlines considerations for an organization exploring corporate video.

About Skillman Video Group

Skillman Video Group (SVG) is a full service boston-based corporate video production company and video marketing firm. Our award winning video producers are known for creating compelling and informative content that captivates viewers and delivers a strong call to action. Our web specialists have years of experience in internet and and e-mail marketing. Our goal is simple….to leverage the power of video and the power of the internet to get our clients results. For more information, please visit skillmanvideogroup.com.

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For the original version on PRWeb visit: http://www.prweb.com/releases/prwebbostonvideoproduction/socialvideomarketing/prweb4261154.htm

Chicago, IL, and Reston, VA (PRWEB) July 19, 2010

AIS Network (www.aisn.net), a leading managed and cloud hosting provider, today announced the successful completion of its SAS 70 Type II audit, following an independent accounting firm’s exhaustive review and testing of AISN infrastructure, personnel, policies and procedures.

SAS 70 Type II compliance confirms the reliability, security, high availability and integrity of AIS Network’s infrastructure, processes and operations.

“SAS 70 Type II certification has been a critical initiative for us over the last year as increasingly more businesses are responding to regulatory mandates to require documented controls, security policies and procedures relating to information technology. We believe this is an essential certification for anyone hosting or managing mission-critical IT,” said AISN President Jay Atkinson.

AISN was audited in the following key areas:

• Human Resource Practices
• Control Environment
• Risk Assessment
• Monitoring and Response
• Physical Access/Security
• Data Center Facilities
• Environmental Controls
• Availability and Access
• Network Security
• Computer Operations
• Data Communications
• Application Change Control
• Data Storage and Backup
• Disaster Recovery

“AISN clients have known for years that our dedicated hosting experts and support staff are second to none in the industry,” said Atkinson. “We have been SAS 70-certified for a number of years, and this successful, more stringent Type II audit provides strong third-party validation yet again that AISN maintains the highest level of controls and safeguards for the IT systems, applications and data that we host and manage 24×7x365. Achieving SAS 70 Type II certification also enables our customers to meet their compliance requirements for Sarbanes-Oxley, HIPAA and other regulations and standards.”

With network operations centers in Chicago and the Washington, DC metropolitan area, the 17-year-old AISN is recognized as a pioneer in managed hosting technologies. The company also maintains a secure Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard- and HIPAA-compliant hosting environment for its mix of managed and cloud hosting solutions.

For information: www.aisn.net

Contact: laurie(dot)head(at)aisn(dot)net

Phone: 301-523-3165

About SAS 70 Type II Certification

Statement on Auditing Standards (SAS) No. 70 is an internationally recognized auditing standard developed by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA). SAS 70 is the authoritative guidance that allows service organizations to disclose their control activities and processes to their customers and their customers’ auditors in a uniform reporting format. SAS 70 Type II certification addresses all five components of internal control outlined in the Sarbanes-Oxley legislation – namely the control environment, risk assessment activities, control activities, information and communication systems, and monitoring activities. A SAS 70 Type II examination signifies that a service organization has had its control objectives and activities examined by an independent accounting and auditing firm and that the resulting auditor’s report can be distributed and relied upon by the service organization’s clients. For more information on SAS 70 auditing, visit www.aicpa.org.

About AIS Network, LLC

AIS Network frees organizations from buying and hassling with servers, so those companies can run their business more efficiently. AISN clients no longer maintain applications servers in their office, because we secure and care for those servers 24×7x365 in a world-class, disaster-resistant facility and ensure their capacity grows with the client’s business. Fully managed hosting is what we do best, and AISN has been delivering it in the form of managed, cloud and email hosting since 1993. Unlike most hosting companies, AISN, a SAS 70 Type II-certified organization, personalizes client service at every level, inspiring full confidence that mission-critical data, applications and email are in reliable hands. Visit www.aisn.net.

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For the original version on PRWeb visit: http://www.prweb.com/releases/prwebAISNetwork/07192010/prweb4273864.htm

(Vocus) July 6, 2010 — Newly discovered evidence in the form of the Ruby Pipeline project contract ties BP (formerly known as British Petroleum) to another environmental catastrophe under way in the western states of the US, the systematic removal and eventual destruction of federally protected wild mustang horses from public land, with the aid of the US Department of The Interior, in violation of federal law.

ATS News, the investigative journalism arm of number-one “alternative topics” web site, AboveTopSecret.com, has discovered that BP Energy’s habitual destruction of vital habitats is not limited to the Gulf of Mexico, but extends to the desert and western states as well. In a hard hitting collaboration with 17 time Emmy Award Winner George Knapp, of KLAS TV in Las Vegas, ATS News’ Mark Allin presents the “smoking gun” contract that absolutely ties BP to the Ruby Pipeline (a natural gas pipeline) which will be built through federally protected lands. George Knapp, who has been covering and exposing the US Bureau of Land Management (BLM) for decades brings us up to date on the latest round ups of these magnificent animals, at the behest of major multinational corporations in a conspiracy of collusion with the US Department of Interior.

http://www.abovetopsecret.com/mustangconspiracy/

“The public that the Department of Interior and the BLM serve is not the John and Mary U.S. Citizen public, it’s the big corporate agriculture and big oil public that gets all the benefits of exploiting our public lands” said Knapp. “We have the real facts and the proof that the BLM has systematically removed the mustangs from the lands set aside for their preservation. What’s more, there is ample reason to believe BLM’s most recent horse roundup, the bloodiest roundup in modern history, was conducted—at least in part—to pave the way for a gargantuan pipeline project” he went on to say.

“Many of the people who are at the top of these agencies, who are supposed to be making sure these big corporations are doing what they are supposed to be doing, have long histories as executives in or employees of the very corporations they are supposed to be keeping honest” said Allin. “Additionally, when the agencies start throwing around bogus data to support what they are doing, which is in direct violation of the intent of Federal Law, the writing is on the wall. We need to get people to READ IT”.

The Ruby Pipeline, a 675 mile long, 42″ diameter, natural gas pipeline that is being built right through the Mustang’s protected lands is a project of The El Paso Corporation in Houston, Texas. El Paso Corporation has almost as besmirched a past as BP Energy and some of their own contractors have come forward and said the construction of the pipeline will be devastating to not only the Mustangs but also to the protected habitats, “it’s going to look like Hiroshima after the nuclear bomb” one El Paso employee was quoted as saying.

“After doing some serious, old fashioned, investigative journalist digging I discovered that BP is contracted to be one of the biggest beneficiaries of this pipeline” Allin said. “BP’s record since 1999 is terrible. They’ve been fined hundreds of millions of dollars, their own employees have turned them in for safety and environmental violations, they’ve blocked state inspectors and forced them to get search warrants, and they keep getting away with it because the people who are supposed to be enforcing our laws give them just about anything they want, including self inspection and extremely low royalty fees for exploiting our public lands. They are never going to change unless we the people demand it.”

This interview exposes the truth behind what can only be seen as rank corruption and sheer incompetence at the expense of not only the U.S. Taxpayer but one our national treasures, the Wild Mustangs of the Great Southwest.

http://www.abovetopsecret.com/mustangconspiracy/

AboveTopSecret.com is the Internets largest and most popular website dealing with “alternative topics” such as government conspiracies, with more than 2.3 million pages of content and over 5 million monthly visitors. The Above Network, LLC, a virtual company with executives in three states and two countries, owns and operates AboveTopSecret.com, among other online properties. The company was founded in 2007 with a goal of creating compelling user-generated content ecosystems on issues of importance to people. For more information, contact Mark Allin at 480.304.5680 or pr(at)theabovenetwork(dot)com.

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For the original version on PRWeb visit: http://www.prweb.com/releases/2010/07/prweb4225164.htm

(Vocus) June 22, 2010 — Ventraq, a leading provider of highly scalable Data Integration and Business Analytics solutions for communication service providers (CSPs), announced today its inclusion in a May 2010 Yankee Group study which identifies Ventraq as one of the market leaders using analytics to provide intelligence on network data and customer experience.

The report, ‘Surviving the Mobile Data Revenue Roller Coaster,’ focuses on primary data collected from mobile network operators (MNOs) and end-users to build an accurate picture of how subscriber visibility can improve the customer experience and transform MNOs into power players in the new mobile Internet ecosystem.

Ventraq Customer Experience Management (CEM) leverages the operators’ often-untapped information assets – huge volumes of network, handset, business and customer data spread throughout the enterprise – to qualitatively analyze, trend and optimize the customer experience. The insight is then used in a variety of ways: creating personalized campaigns for affected customer segments, deciding what content and applications to acquire and retire, prioritization of network improvement initiatives, triggering over-the-air updates to misconfigured handsets, all with the goal of enhancing the customer experience.

“CEM is of immediate relevance to operators worldwide as they strive to enthrall, attract and retain their subscribers,” said Rich Evans, SVP Global Sales and Marketing for Ventraq. “While data ARPUs have increased along with the ready availability of smart devices and digital content, poor experiences may deter some subscribers from otherwise consuming additional revenue-enhancing services. Unaddressed, this may even result in unhappy customers whose departure threatens not only their own spend, but that of their friends and family.”

The study leveraged data from the Yankee Group’s ‘Anywhere Consumer: 2009 U.S. Survey Suite, Wave 1-12,’ along with interviews with content service providers and key vendors, including Ventraq. To view the report, ‘Surviving the Mobile Data Revenue Roller Coaster,’ visit About Ventraq
VENTRAQ provides data integration and business analytics solutions for communication service providers (CSPs). These solutions enable CSPs to integrate all their data sources, analyze the data to enhance their operational performance, make the data available for multiple users and systems across the enterprise, and scales to levels unmatched by most competing solutions. Learn more about Ventraq at www.ventraq.com.

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For the original version on PRWeb visit: http://www.prweb.com/releases/2010/06/prweb4171474.htm

(PRWEB) June 11, 2010 — Colonel Chris Jonck, Commanding Officer of SAPS said,
“The soccer officials could not spot the dome antennas, they blend in with the surrounding structure and are just what they wanted!”

Christopher Jesman, Managing Director of Panorama Antennas added, “This demonstrates once again that Panorama’s products are at the forefront of TETRA technology. Deployment at key events such as this only goes to reinforce Panorama’s position as the world leader in TETRA antennas. Security is paramount in South Africa and the police recognise that they must use the best quality products to ensure the World Cup will be a success.”

or additional information on the new WM11-ABOX & WM11-DBOX range or to order samples, call Panorama Antennas or visit http://www.panorama-antennas.com/uk/products/inbuilding_tetra.html

About Panorama Antennas Ltd:
Panorama Antennas, a family business now in its 3rd generation, is a leading designer and manufacturer of antennas for radio communications. Established in London in 1947, Panorama started life as a company manufacturing consumer products. By 1952, buoyed by huge demand for TV’s in the UK, Panorama had moved into the manufacturing of components for televisions including antennas. Today, Panorama is a major producer of antennas for telecommunications and electronics companies around the world employs over 50 people and has 8 overseas sales offices.

Contact:
Mark Jesman, head of marketing
Panorama Antennas Ltd
+44 (0)20 8877 4444
http://www.panorama-antennas.com

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For the original version on PRWeb visit: http://www.prweb.com/releases/2010/06/prweb4119264.htm

(PRWEB) June 5, 2010 — Apple’s new iPhone has come in two colors - white and black, with two memory sizes - 16 GB and 32 GB. 3GS phones have a wide display screen, 3 MP video camera, amazing internet connectivity speed, GPS, and a magnetic compass. Its gaming capabilities rival the Nintendo DSi. Both consoles allow downloading games via Wi-Fi and both allow functions via Applications for further entertainment.

Orange has launched a free iPhone into market, in competition with other service providers with two types of schemes: 1) Pay and Go and, 2) Monthly contract. Mobile providers offer different deals on their services with various price ranges specific to Apple iPhone. Customers in UK can now easily make a comparison of tariffs, schemes, and incentives offered by different websites to find the best online deal.

At iPhonePrices.co.uk compare iPhone deals amongst four network operators: Vodafone, O2, Orange and Tesco Mobile. As per the headings, under the ‘Contract’ scheme, a person is required to pay a monthly line rental, for a 12, 18, or 24 month contract period without paying any lump sum amount upfront. Buyer’s can take advantage of choosing more free minutes, or more free text, or unlimited 3G internet data transfer with Tesco Mobile (O2). All that remains is to figure out the cheapest iPhone contract as per requirements before ordering. On the other hand, under the ‘Pay as you Go’ scheme, the total purchase price for the phone handset is a one of cost, without binding to a data usage contract. There is no monthly rental except for exceeding the monthly bandwidth limit on Orange network; (refer to the fair usage policy for more details). Vodafone however, only provide iPhone only on Contract basis. Furthermore rumors circulating around the Internet seem imminent a new http://www.iphone-prices.co.uk/iphone-4g[iPhone 4G on three __title__ iPhone 4G prices (3) mobile is coming soon.

iPhonePrices.co.uk is updated frequently using real-time technology to source the latest prices and in stock status. One other benefit offered on site allows visitors to use discount codes, which gives shoppers a discounts and can also inform of special offers before making a purchase.

For more information on comparing the free iPhone deals and cheapest iPhone contract, please visit the given link.

Contact:

Andy - IT Director
Game Stock LTD
+44 7748278792
http://www.gamestock.co.uk/

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For the original version on PRWeb visit: http://www.prweb.com/releases/iphone/deals/prweb4086454.htm

(PRWeb UK) May 21, 2010 — Online retailer and independent bottler, Master of Malt, have launched a revolutionary whisky sample service called “Drinks by the Dram”.

For the first time ever, whisky lovers and drinks connoisseurs will be able to purchase inexpensive 3cl (30ml) samples of a rapidly growing range of Scotch whisky and other spirits from across the globe.

The inability to sample high-end drinks like Scotch whisky before making a purchase has been a clear stumbling block for online off-licenses since their emergence in the late 1990s. “Drinks by the Dram” neatly solves this problem allowing by connoisseurs and beginners alike to ‘try before they buy’ on a huge range of whiskies and other spirits.

Master of Malt’s Sales Director, Ben Ellefsen, explains that the idea originally grew out of an informal sample service for friends and staff:

“As pretty serious whisky fans ourselves, we wanted a way that we could sample new releases from our favourite distilleries and bottlers without the expense of committing to a whole bottle of each before we’d even tried it.

Drinks by the Dram started life as a way of allowing our staff and friends to compare and contrast a range of whiskies safe in the knowledge that the investment required was not one that was likely to land them in the dog-house on a semi-regular basis.”

He continues “We soon found the friends we gave samples to often came back and bought the rest of the bottle! When we showed the idea to the distilleries and brand owners, the reaction was so unequivocally positive we decided make the service available to our customers as well.

A few months down the line, and we’re starting to see excellent results, grateful customers, and slightly more haggard-looking employees… We hope to have several hundred drams available soon, and are currently working tirelessly to offer an even bigger selection for whisky fans everywhere.”

Try before you buy

One of the most exciting parts of the service is the wide range of samples available. The selection is vast, and numerous styles of spirits and whiskies are available; from 10 year old Bourbon, to 40 year old single malt Scotch whisky.

The range isn’t just high end malts though; there are samples of “everyday” whiskies, with prices starting from only £1.95.

The drams are labeled with handmade paper, and each bottle individually wax dipped to seal it.

The initial range includes samples from many world famous brands including Glenfarclas, Bruichladdich and Edradour whisky distilleries, and several outstanding independent bottlers, including Murray McDavid; Renegade Rum; Alchemist; Signatory and The Vintage Malt Whisky Company.

The range is expanding rapidly, and there will be several hundred more samples available by the end of May, with over a thousand expected by Christmas. A full list of samples is available at: www.masterofmalt.com/drinks-by-the-dram

About Drinks by the Dram

- Inexpensive 3cl (30ml) samples to try before you buy
- Revolutionary new concept in online drinks retail
- 50 drinks currently available as “drams” with over 200 expected by the end of May
- See a list of available drams at: www.masterofmalt.com/about-drinks-by-the-dram

About Master of Malt

- Award winning Independent Bottler
- Online Whisky and Spirits retailer with over 25 years of experience.
- Website: www.masterofmalt.com

Follow Master of Malt on Titter: http://twitter.com/masterofmalt

Keep up to date with whisky and spirits news on the Master of Malt blog: www.masterofmalt.com/blog

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For the original version on PRWeb visit: http://uk.prweb.com/releases/Master_of_Malt/whisky/prweb4028574.htm