News

Coffee, Controversy and Connectivity: Why Internet Cafes Concern Governments

The Digital Policy Council's latest research examines the mounting public policy challenges of Internet Cafes as governments around the World escalate crackdowns and regulation.

WASHINGTON, July 30 -- The Digital Policy Council (DPC), an international, non-partisan "think tank" on 21st Century Governance, investigates the swirling controversy around internet cafes across the globe as these establishments are sprouting into hot spots for illicit gambling, teenage gaming, terror e-mails, and other nefarious activities.

The DPC is the research and public advocacy arm of Digital Daya ('digital influence'), a new generation strategic consultancy that empowers leaders in the public sectors to leverage the new media of the Internet to communicate their message, build public influence, and execute high-impact programs to reshape governance and public policy.

According to The Digital Policy Council's most up-to-date research, governments around the world are struggling to regulate the growing number of cybercafes in their communities and whether open or autocratic, all authorities are intensifying surveillance and enforcements tactics to try and gain control over the situation.

Time For New Policy Actions

Governments at first deeply encouraged Internet cafes as a means to offer access to modern technology to its citizens and create opportunities for social and economic development. They are now heavily retreating from this idea.  Internet cafes have failed as a tool for public policy.

The vast majority of Internet cafes are in reality now merely online gaming and gambling arcades. Many have become integral to government counter-terrorism strategies as heavy surveillance of these establishments is creating an unnerving atmosphere wherein people are afraid.  The aspirations for cybercafes as places of innovation, inspiration, and inclusion into the digital economy have faded away.

As an alternative, the report encourages governments to consider investing in specifically designed internet-based innovation centers to promote e-literacy, build human capital, and broaden access to information technology.

Join the discussion at http://www.squidoo.com/internet-cafes-trouble-governements

About The Digital Policy Council(TM)

The Digital Policy Council (DPC) is an international, non-partisan 'think tank' that promotes good governance and policy-making.  The research and policy arm of the management consultancy firm Digital Daya(TM), DPC's mission is the advancement of open discourse on issues of inclusive governance through the use of the Internet and Web 2.0.

Source: The Digital Policy Council
   

CONTACT:  The Digital Policy Council, U.S. +1-202-379-4787, UAE
+971-4-313-2086, Malaysia +60-3-2168-4201, public_relations@digitaldaya.com

Amplicare's Mobile Companion Delivers Key Home Care Marketing Functionality - Including Clinical Data - to Smartphones and Mobile Devices

Mobile Solution for Hospice, Home Health and Skilled Nursing Marketing Reps and Account Managers

BIRMINGHAM, Ala., July 30 -- Amplicare, a market leader in web-based Hospice, Home Health and Skilled Nursing applications for marketing extends their reach into mobile devices with Amplicare's new Mobile Companion.

  (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20100422/CL91515LOGO )

  (Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20100422/CL91515LOGO )

"Amplicare faced the reality that the latest generation of smartphones has become the primary computer for many professionals. Mobile Companion combines the functionality of Amplicare's Net-Trac system with your mobile device to deliver the optimal tool for marketing," says Larry Stein, CEO of Amplicare. "Hospices, home health and skilled nursing organizations now have a mobile marketing tool for all account managers, marketing representatives and even management."

Amplicare's Mobile Companion can be used with the latest generation smartphones, iPads and any laptop, PC or mini-PC with Internet connectivity. It provides real time access to update, view and create accounts, referral sources and detailed activity tracking for marketing or account representatives. Added to the application's power is its ability to access clinical data from the EMR / EHR, including referral sources, patients assigned to each referral source and detailed patient data.

Amplicare's Mobile Companion and Net-Trac solutions assist in Referral Source Maximization through the building of stronger provider relationships. The rich functionality and in-depth access to clinical information make our customers proficient at obtaining and sustaining growth in the management of an average daily census of 50,000+ patients, representing more than 1.8 million patient days annually.

About Amplicare

Amplicare, formerly known as Shadow Ventures Software, is headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama and serves the Hospice, Home Health and Skilled Nursing segments of the healthcare industry. Integrated with each client's electronic medical record system, which some refer to as EMR or EHR, Amplicare's Net-Trac and Mobile Companion solutions maximize referral sources and improve clinical and operational efficiency. These solutions are sold, hosted, secured and delivered to customers via the Web or using mobile devices, minimizing any information technology labor and lowering IT costs.

Amplicare's unique combination of marketing and operational management features deliver true hospice and home health marketing solutions rather than the limited capabilities of customer relationship management or CRM systems. Amplicare serves more than 250 hospice, home health and skilled nursing agencies, including some of the largest in the country.

For more information contact 866-329-3023 or visit http://www.amplicare.com.

Photo:  http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20100422/CL91515LOGO
AP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org/
http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20100422/CL91515LOGO
PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com
Source: Amplicare
   

CONTACT:  Rhonda Lockhart, Amplicare, +1-601-693-2035,
rhondalockhart1@gmail.com

Web Site:  http://www.amplicare.com/

Blue Ridge Digital Relaunches with Emphasis on Affordable Web Design, Development and Support for Businesses and Organizations

ROANOKE, Va., July 30 -- Blue Ridge Digital, LLC, (http://www.blueridgedigital.com) announces the relaunch of its website with an emphasis on affordable web design, marketing, development and customer support for businesses and organizations, according to Richard Romanus, Sr., President and CEO.

"We have been in business since 1994," explained Romanus. "We honed our craft serving the auction and real estate industries, developing custom-built websites, software tools, and services to fit their specific needs while maintaining personal contact and support for clients."

Blue Ridge Digital began as a full-service video and multi-media company. In 1998, the Romanus family formed AuctionServices.com, Inc., to serve the unique needs of auction industry clients with cutting-edge professional web design, secure, reliable web hosting, and a comprehensive list of products and services.

"We concentrated primarily on the auction industry through our sister company AuctionServices.com, and its successful marketing branch, ASMarketingCenter.com, which are both going strong. We are expanding to offer the same first-quality design, products, services and tools to other businesses and organizations that have made us such a mainstay for over 15 years."

He added that while the company is headquartered in Virginia, the staff regularly works with hundreds of clients across North America, and that Blue Ridge Digital will hire additional staff as needed to accommodate customer demand.

Blue Ridge Digital specializes in web design, custom website programming, software development, video production, online marketing, e-commerce solutions, interactive multimedia, social management and content creation.

"Our web sites are all custom-designed "one of a kind" originals that make your site to stand out from your competition," said Nancy Romanus, Vice President and Chief Creative Officer. "We have created, launched, and marketed hundreds of successful websites since our inception. Our award-winning team has more than 100 years of combined experience, creative talents, knowledge of current web standards and practices, and the ability to turn ideas into reality."

In addition to creative services, Blue Ridge Digital provides secure, reliable, full-service web hosting and technical support. "Whether you are a do-it-yourself type, need occasional assistance, or if you need someone to hold your hand and just take care of everything, we can do that," said Romanus. "We offer concierge level service for our customers with a personal touch."

For more information or to request a free, no-obligation quote, visit http://www.blueridgedigital.com or call (540) 400-0450.

  Public Contact:
  Clif McCormick
  Web Design Project Manager
  (540) 400-0450
  contact@blueridgedigital.com

Source: Blue Ridge Digital, LLC
   

CONTACT:  Media Contact: Tammy Moore, Marketing Manager, Blue Ridge
Digital, LLC, +1-540-400-0450, tammy@auctionservices.com

Web Site:  http://www.blueridgedigital.com/

Bling Nation Launches Introductory PayPal Program in Palo Alto to Tap-and-Pay for Local Purchases With Mobile Phone

Initiative Enables PayPal Employees and Early Adopters to Fund Bling Nation Purchases on their Mobile Phone to a PayPal Account

PALO ALTO, Calif., July 30 --
               Bling Nation launched an introductory program in Palo Alto
               to allow early adopters and PayPal employees to fund
               purchases by linking the BlingTag(R) that is affixed to the
  WHAT:        back of their mobile phone to a PayPal account.
  -----

               PayPal is offering BlingTags to all of its more than 2,000
               employees in its San Jose headquarters, enabling them to
               make purchases throughout its entire campus and at
               participating merchants throughout Palo Alto. They will
               join other early adopters in the area to pay for lunch
               and coffee without having to bring their bulky wallets
               with them.

               Bling Nation enables businesses and customers to connect
               easily and securely, giving consumers the ability to
               simply tap-and-pay for purchases at-the-point-of-
               sale using a BlingTag.  Bling Nation's initial program
               leverages PayPal's open APIs, PayPal X, enabling more
               flexibility of payment options for consumers.  PayPal X
               is designed to empower startups and developers to
  WHO:         innovate by giving them tools to monetize their ideas.
  ----

  WHERE:      PayPal Campus
  ------
              2211 North First Street, San Jose, Calif.

               --    PayPal employees making purchases using Bling Nation on
  VISUALS:     the PayPal campus
  --------
               --    Early Adopters using Bling Nation at local merchants in
               Palo Alto

               --    Bling Nation CEO, Meyer Malka, can discuss what this
  INTERVIEWS:  launch means to the future of mobile payments
  -----------
               --     Early adopters are available to discuss why they are
               excited about this new way to pay at the point-of-sale
               --    Participating merchants throughout Palo Alto are
               available to discuss how this is will enhance their business

Source: Bling Nation
   

CONTACT:  Mary Placido, +1-415-274-7902, press@blingnation.com, for Bling
Nation; Meagan McCrystle, +1-917-522-3537, mmccrystle@AccessPR.com, for
PayPal

Ready Wireless, LLC Announces Ready Broadband Product Launch in Over 400 Fred's Hometown Discount Stores

HIAWATHA, Iowa, July 30 -- Ready Wireless, LLC announces availability of Ready Broadband mobile Internet connectivity products in more than 400 Fred's Hometown Discount Stores in 15 states.

"Ready Wireless has been proud to market its voice products in Fred's stores for several years," said Fred Haumesser, executive vice president and co-founder of Ready Wireless. "We are thrilled to now be able to offer Fred's shoppers Ready Broadband mobile internet access."

Fred's will feature the sale of Ready Broadband USB connectivity devices and Ready Broadband prepaid airtime.  Ready Broadband airtime plans are designed to make broadband connectivity available when and where needed without contracts or monthly bills.  Plans are prepaid and require no credit check.  Ready Broadband is truly "grab and go."

Both USB connectivity devices and airtime will be available in Fred's beginning August 1.  Additional airtime can be purchased in the following denominations.

  --  $25 for 300 megabytes and up to 30 days of connectivity
  --  $45 for one gigabyte and up to 30 days of connectivity
  --  $75 for two gigabytes and up to 30 days of connectivity

"The Ready Broadband product is a fantastic addition to our electronics offering at Fred's Stores," said category representative from Fred's.  "It is exactly the kind of easy and affordable product Fred's customers are looking for."

Ready Wireless anticipates the announcement of additional retail deployments in the coming weeks.

About Ready Wireless

Ready Wireless is a leading provider of prepaid wireless services.  Based in Hiawatha, Iowa, the company offers its Ready Mobile PCS and Trumpet Mobile brands throughout the US using Sprint's national network.  The company delivers a complete suite of prepaid mobile solutions for national chain retail partners including inventory management, merchandising support, and dedicated account management.

Source: Ready Wireless, LLC
   

CONTACT:  David W. Shaff, Account Executive of Ready Wireless,
+1-630-248-0576, dshaff@readymobile.com

Harris Corporation Completes Acquisition of CapRock Communications

Acquisition Provides Entry Into Energy Market and Expands Global Managed Communications Services Offering

MELBOURNE, Fla. and HOUSTON, July 30 -- Harris Corporation (NYSE:HRS), an international communications and information technology company, has completed its previously announced acquisition of CapRock Communications.  Privately held CapRock was purchased for $525 million in cash, subject to post-closing adjustments.  Private equity firm ABRY Partners was the majority owner of CapRock.

CapRock Communications CEO Peter Shaper will serve as president of the business, which will operate as a wholly owned subsidiary of Harris Corporation.

With nearly three decades of experience, CapRock Communications is a premier global satellite communications provider for the energy, government, maritime, engineering and construction and mining industries as well as for disaster recovery services.  The company uses the latest field-proven satellite technologies to deliver highly-reliable managed communications services, including broadband Internet, voice over IP, secure networking and real-time video, to the world's harshest and most remote locations.  CapRock leverages best-of-breed partnerships, technical expertise and a robust global infrastructure that includes four self-owned and operated teleports and eleven regional support centers across North America, Central and South America, Europe, West Africa and Asia Pacific.

More information about CapRock and the acquisition is available at http://www.harris.com.

About Harris Corporation

Harris is an international communications and information technology company serving government and commercial markets in more than 150 countries.  Headquartered in Melbourne, Florida, the company has approximately $5 billion of annual revenue and more than 15,000 employees -- including nearly 7,000 engineers and scientists.  Harris is dedicated to developing best-in-class assured communications® products, systems, and services.  Additional information about Harris Corporation is available at http://www.harris.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements that reflect management's current expectations, assumptions and estimates of future performance and economic conditions. Such statements are made in reliance upon the safe harbor provisions of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. The company cautions investors that any forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results and future trends to differ materially from those matters expressed in or implied by such forward-looking statements. Statements about the expected value and anticipated benefits of the transaction to Harris are forward-looking and involve risks and uncertainties. Other factors that may impact the company's results and forward-looking statement may be disclosed in the company's filings with the SEC.  Harris disclaims any intention or obligation, except as imposed by law, to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.

Source: Harris Corporation
   

CONTACT:  Sleighton Meyer, Harris Government Communications Systems,
+1-321-727-6514, sleighton.meyer@harris.com; or Jim Burke, Corporate
Headquarters, +1-321-727-9131, jim.burke@harris.com; or Marc Raimondi, Harris
Corporation-Washington, D.C., +1-202-729-3732, marc.raimondi@harris.com

Web Site:  http://www.harris.com/

Charterhouse Group to Sell NewPath Networks to Crown Castle in a $115 Million Transaction

Entrepreneur-Introduced Investment Rapidly Yields Attractive Return

NEW YORK, July 30 -- Charterhouse Group, Inc. ("Charterhouse") today announced a definitive agreement to sell NewPath Networks, Inc. ("NewPath" or the "Company"), a leading developer and operator of distributed antenna system ("DAS") networks, to a subsidiary of Crown Castle International Corp. ("Crown") (NYSE:CCI) in a transaction valued at $115 million. NewPath was the eleventh platform investment made from the Charterhouse Equity Partners IV fund.

The transaction follows a period of significant growth for NewPath under Charterhouse ownership. Bill Marraccini, a serial Charterhouse Entrepreneur, introduced the firm to this investment opportunity in early 2009 on a proprietary basis and Charterhouse was able to quickly complete the investment during a period when the financial markets were unsettled.

Thomas C. Dircks, Managing Partner at Charterhouse, said, "Our strategy is to partner with Charterhouse Entrepreneurs to identify and invest in opportunities in emerging business services sub-sectors, and then work with talented management teams to support profitable value creation.  This is the second time we have executed this strategy with Bill Marraccini, who founded and introduced us to the extremely successful AAT Communications (CEP III) investment in 1997.  Bill's investment touch and thoughtful leadership as Chairman of NewPath were instrumental in achieving this very successful outcome for Charterhouse and our partners."

Bill Marraccini commented, "The strategic and financial support of the Charterhouse team and Meritage, which invested alongside Charterhouse, put NewPath in a great position to take advantage of the explosive growth in DAS networks as a preferred solution to meeting the phenomenal growth in wireless applications and demand.  I would like to thank Mike Kavanagh, NewPath's CEO, and his team for all the hard work and dedication they exhibited in taking NewPath from an early stage business to a recognized leader. We have confidence that the NewPath team, combined with Crown's own experience in the DAS field, positions Crown to be the premier owner and provider of DAS solutions."

The transaction is expected to close in approximately 60 days, subject to customary closing conditions.  The Company was advised by Citigroup Global Markets Inc. and Proskauer Rose LLP.

About Charterhouse Group

Charterhouse Group, Inc. is a private equity firm with over three and one-half decades of experience in working with Entrepreneurs and building leading middle-market companies. Established in 1973, Charterhouse has invested in excess of $2.0 billion in equity and established over 100 platform companies with a focus in the Business Services, Healthcare Services and Consumer Products and Services sectors. For more information on Charterhouse, please visit http://www.charterhousegroup.com.

About NewPath

NewPath is a premier provider of distributed antenna system ("DAS") networks in the United States.  The Company designs, develops, owns and operates DAS networks that deliver enhanced network coverage, capacity and performance to wireless service providers (WSPs) in areas where traditional network build-out is difficult due to zoning, space, aesthetic, physical obstruction or cost constraints (such as urban areas, residential neighborhoods, large corporate, retail, or university campuses, sports arenas and stadiums). For more information, please visit http://www.newpathnetworks.net.

Source: Charterhouse Group, Inc.
   

CONTACT:  Charterhouse Group: David G. Hoffman, Managing Director,
+1-212-584-3234, dhoffman@charterhousegroup.com; or Broadgate Consultants: Dan
Jacobs, +1-212-232-2227, djacobs@broadgate.com

Web Site:  http://www.charterhousegroup.com/

Cybercriminals Put a New Spin on Old Threats

BOULDER, Colo., July 30 -- A disturbing Internet security trend is putting home PC users' identities at risk. Phishing Trojans, a kind of Internet security threat designed to steal your personal information and wreak other havoc on your PC, have been taking on new forms. In some cases, cybercriminals use them for "phishing" your log-in credentials and other sensitive information. In other cases, they're triggering phony antivirus programs to appear on your PC and trick you into giving away your credit card number in exchange for a solution you never receive.

Internet security experts at Boulder, Colorado-based Internet security service company Webroot have also identified malicious programs that leave your PC unusable after infection: Victims either cannot reboot their PCs once the data theft is complete, or their PCs crash when they attempt to remove the malware.

"In some cases, the crashes were the result of poor coding by the malware author," says Andrew Brandt, Lead Threat Research Analyst at Webroot. "But increasingly, it appears that this behavior is deliberate and occurs without warning. This unfortunate trend appears to be getting worse, leaving a raft of perplexed, angry victims unable to use their computers in the wake of an infection."

Home PC users with a taste for the more technical details of phishing Trojans will appreciate the following documentation of recent examples:

  --  Zbot. Many phishing Trojans turn an infected computer into part of a
      botnet, a zombie army of Internet-connected computers that are
      controlled remotely and unbeknownst to their owners. Botnets can send
      spam, spread malware to other computers, engage in distributed
      denial-of-service attacks, serve as covert file storage areas and a
      host of other undesirable activities. It is speculated that new
      variants of Zbot may deliberately disable the PC as a distraction,
      making it more difficult for the victim to become aware that
      credentials were stolen and used until it is too late.

  --  Tacticlol. This phishing Trojan arrives in email inboxes disguised as
      either UPS shipping information or some sort of Facebook account
      update. It typically downloads at least one rogue antivirus program
      when a victim unzips the attachment and runs the file. One of the
      rogues used in a recent infection is called XP Defender. The rogue
      itself disables common browsers, Outlook Express and other
      Internet-enabled applications, among other things.

To learn more about protection from phishing or how antivirus and antispyware programs from Webroot can protect you, visit http://www.webroot.com/En_US/consumer.html.

Source: Webroot
   

Web Site:  http://www.webroot.com/

Outdoor Enthusiasts Get Extreme With Oregon Scientific's New HD ATC9K All-Terrain Video Camera

Upload Videos from the Slopes, Waves, Road, or Trails to Facebook for a Chance to Win

TUALATIN, Ore., July 30 -- Camcorders and camera phones step aside, because there is a new way to capture video - in high-definition! - even when scuba diving or jumping out of a plane 12,500 feet above the earth's surface.  Oregon Scientific, a leading designer and worldwide marketer of personal electronics, today announced the launch of its highly anticipated ATC9K All-Terrain Video Camera, the next generation of the award-winning ATC line of action cameras.  This easy-to-use, waterproof and shock-resistant camera can be strapped to a helmet, handlebars, surfboard, or snowboard, so it can follow athletes places they wouldn't dare bring a normal camera - and shoots in high-definition.  Beginning today, extreme sport enthusiasts can share videos of their own outdoor adventures on Facebook for a chance to win a Grand Prize Package valued at $750.

  (Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20100730/NE43403 )
  (Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20100730/NE43403 )

The trouble with capturing extreme sports on video is that most cameras can't handle the dirt, grime, or water - and holding the camera steady is an even bigger challenge.  The compact ATC9K, however, features a built-in G-sensor that measures the force of gravity during acceleration, deceleration and hang time, allowing users to record and review every detail of their performance.  A laser pointer on the camera also helps users line up the camera, so they never miss a moment of the action.  Designed for the rugged adventure, the ATC9K does not sacrifice function over form - it features full 1080p professional quality HD video, shoots up to 60 frames per second, has 130 degree wide field of view, captures 5-megapixels photos, and has a built-in color LCD display that allows users to preview and play back videos.

Through September 30th, ATC fans can get in on the action by uploading their own videos to Facebook and sharing the mud, sweat, and glory of their own outdoor conquests.  From dirt-biking to sea kayaking, the ATC9K can capture it all - even up to 65 feet under water.  Video submissions that meet contest terms and conditions will be narrowed down to the top five videos.  The winning videos will be selected by a panel of judges and prize packages include one Grand Prize package valued at $750 and one Runner-up prize package valued at $350.

The ATC9K is also compatible with a unique GPS plug-in (sold separately with availability in October) that enables PC-users to map their location, speed and distance travelled on their computer during playback using Google Maps or Google Earth.  While watching the video clip playback on a computer, users can view corresponding location, acceleration and altitude displayed on the map.  Outdoor enthusiasts, trainers, and sports lovers alike can view or edit footage on single screen with this useful tool and keep track of each wilderness trail, road race, or coastline.

The ATC9K All-Terrain Video Camera is currently available for the suggested retail price of $299.99 at www2.oregonscientific.com and includes a remote control, a USB cable for connecting to a PC or Mac, and an HDMI cable for HD playback on a TV.  A Velcro® strap, handle bar, helmet grip, and silicon strap mounting accessories are also included.

For more information about Oregon Scientific, visit http://www2.oregonscientific.com/.

About Oregon Scientific

Founded in 1989, Oregon Scientific is headquartered in Tualatin; a quaint suburb of beautiful Portland, Oregon.  Oregon Scientific offers six families of products, ranging from Youth & Learning to Sports & Fitness.  Built from its hallmark of timing and weather devices, Oregon Scientific is expanding to meet the diverse needs of its customers to enhance the way we live, work and play.  Consider Oregon Scientific's products to be Innovating the Everyday.

Oregon Scientific is a division of one of the world's premier electronics manufacturers, Integrated Display Technology, Ltd. (IDT), based in Hong Kong.  IDT was founded in 1977 and is listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange as IDT Technology and on the Singapore Exchange as I-Com.

Photo:  http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20100730/NE43403
PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com
http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20100730/NE43403
Source: Oregon Scientific
   

CONTACT:  Mike Rush, 360 Public Relations, +1-617-585-5792,
mrush@360publicrelations.com

Web Site:  http://www2.oregonscientific.com/

paddypowerpoker.com Announces $30K Giveaway

DUBLIN, July 30, 2010--

    - $30,000 in Money Added Tournaments in the Paddy's Pantsdown Promotion

    paddypowerpoker.com (http://www.paddypowerpoker.com/) today launches
Paddy's Pantsdown $30K Giveaway, a series of promotional tournaments that
will commence on Sunday 1st August 2010 and will give away a total of $30,000
over a four week period. This latest promotion is open to every
paddypowerpoker.com player and all are invited to participate in as many
Paddy's Pantsdown tournaments as they wish.

    The Paddy's Pantsdown money added tournaments will take place twice daily
with buy-ins ranging from $1 - $4 and up to $800 added to each tournament
prizepool. Players who participate in two or more of these money-added
tournaments in one week will automatically be entered into the Friday's Play
Off Freeroll where there will be a massive $2,000 added to the prizepool!

    "We have gone absolutely 'tournamental' here in Paddy Towers; we've
finally lost our marbles and we're flinging money at our players via money
added tournaments and freerolls," said Paddy Power, Communications Manager
for paddypowerpoker.com. "Everyone is invited to play in as many money added
tournaments as they wish, but to really win big you want to play in the
Friday $2000 Freeroll, this is where the big bucks are at. If you are lucky
enough to catch me with my pants down this August you will be pleasantly
surprised."

    Note to editors:

    Full details of the Paddy's Pantsdown 30K Giveaway can be found at
http://www.paddypowerpoker.com/tournaments/pantsdown

    For more information please contact: Jenny Cruess Callaghan, acting
paddypowerpoker.com, Press Officer, Tel: +353-1-6563922, Mob:
+353-87-7534989, jccallaghan@paddypower.com

    You can also visit http://www.paddypower.com for additional information.

Source: paddypowerpoker.com

For more information please contact: Jenny Cruess Callaghan, acting paddypowerpoker.com, Press Officer, Tel: +353-1-6563922, Mob: +353-87-7534989, jccallaghan@paddypower.com

Silver Lake Acquires Majority Stake in Allyes, China's Leading Digital Marketing Solutions Provider

SHANGHAI, July 30 -- Silver Lake, the global leader in private investments in technology and technology-enabled industries, today announced that it has entered into an agreement to acquire a majority stake in Allyes Online Media Holding Ltd. ("Allyes"), China's leading digital marketing solutions provider, making it one of the largest private equity investments in China this year. Allyes is a subsidiary of Focus Media Holding Limited (NASDAQ:FMCN), China's leading digital media group.

Through its digital marketing platform, Allyes provides online advertising agency services, advertising networks, performance marketing, advertising technology solutions and online market research to leading global brands such as Sony, Pepsi and Chrysler and leading Chinese companies such as China Merchants Bank and Taobao.

Allyes has built a leading market position by capitalizing on the robust development of the online advertising market in China, which is driven by strong economic growth and a rapid increase in Internet penetration. According to iResearch, the market size of China's online advertising industry reached over RMB 20.7 billion in 2009, up 21.9% from 2008.

"We are delighted to welcome Silver Lake as our majority shareholder and strategic partner," said David Zhu, CEO of Allyes. "Allyes looks forward to leveraging Silver Lake's deep technology background and exceptional insights in the global digital market as we continue to grow and innovate our business strategies."

"We are impressed with Allyes' success over the last 12 years and look forward to partnering with its high caliber team," said Dr. Eric Chen, Managing Director at Silver Lake. "We are optimistic about Allyes' future and believe that the company is well-positioned to leverage the growth trends and continue to develop as a leader in digital marketing. As Silver Lake's largest investment in a Chinese company to date, Allyes is a strong and complementary addition to our global portfolio of leading technology and technology-enabled businesses."

Latham & Watkins and FangDa Law Partners are advising Allyes on this transaction.

Kirkland & Ellis, Jun He Law Offices and PricewaterhouseCoopers are advising Silver Lake on this transaction.

About Allyes

Established in 1998, Allyes is the largest online media service provider in China that offers a complete suite of digital marketing solutions and a pioneer in Chinese Internet advertising technology. Allyes provides its customers with comprehensive and professional services through Allyes' proprietary suite, AdForward, a software application which has been independently certified and registered in China. AdForward products include online ad-publishing, creative production, tracking, targeting and performance analysis and have been used by hundreds of commercial websites and ad agencies, maintaining a leading position in the Internet advertising application field. Allyes' mission is to become the worldwide industry leader in helping web media owners materialize and increase their online marketing value and improving efficiency and effectiveness of advertisers' media spending. Headquartered in Shanghai, China, Allyes has branch offices in Beijing, Shenzhen, Guangzhou and Chengdu. For more information, please visit http://www.allyes.com/ .

About Silver Lake

Silver Lake is the global leader in private investments in technology and technology-enabled industries. Silver Lake invests with the strategic and operational insights of an experienced industry participant. The firm has over 90 investment professionals located in New York, Menlo Park, San Francisco, London, Hong Kong and Tokyo and manages over $14 billion across large cap and middle market private investment strategies as well as a credit investment strategy. Its portfolio includes or has included technology industry leaders such as Ameritrade, Avago, Avaya, Business Objects, Flextronics, Gartner, Gerson Lehrman Group, Instinet, Intelsat, Interactive Data Corporation, IPC Systems, MCI, Mercury Payment Systems, the NASDAQ OMX Group, NetScout, NXP, Sabre, Seagate Technology, Serena Software, Skype, SunGard Data Systems, Thomson and UGS. For more information, please visit http://www.silverlake.com/ .

Source: Silver Lake and Allyes
   

CONTACT: Allyes, James Zhang, Chief Financial Officer, +86-21-3372-8818,
james_zhang@allyes.com; Silver Lake: United States, Jenny Farrelly, Edelman,
+1-212-819-4807, jenny.farrelly@edelman.com; China, Hong Kong, Cynthia Ng,
Edelman, +852-2837-4738, cynthia.ng@edelman.com

Web site: http://www.silverlake.com/
http://www.allyes.com/

Lock and Load the 'Top Shot Elite' to Confront the World's Deadliest Predators in Cabela's Dangerous Hunts 2011 by Activision

SANTA MONICA, Calif., July 30 -- Suspense and intense first-person action reign in Activision Publishing's (NASDAQ:ATVI) Cabela's Dangerous Hunts 2011, the first game to utilize the all new TOP SHOT ELITE hunting controller.  Coming late fall for Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system, Wii(TM) and Nintendo DS(TM), the game unfolds a story of drama and survival as players face kill-or-be-killed scenarios deep in the wild.  All of the console versions are available with the TOP SHOT ELITE, the first-of-its-kind wireless controller that allows players to take aim against the world's deadliest predators.

Developed by the team at Activision that created the guitar controllers for the Guitar Hero franchise, the groundbreaking TOP SHOT ELITE will redefine how first-person action games are played. The Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 system versions operate with 2.4GHz wireless technology and include a sensor bar and high-sensitivity camera, while the Wii version integrates the Wii Remote(TM) and Nunchuk(TM). The scope includes a red lens filter that gives players a different perspective on the environment, exposing hidden animal tracks and blood trails. The TOP SHOT ELITE also features pump-action reload and an adjustable stock to fit gamers of all sizes.

An extremely high level of production value and attention to detail has been injected into the Cabela's Dangerous Hunts 2011 story and gameplay. Scripted by renowned scriptwriter and creative director Brad Santos, the game tells the story of Cole Rainsford, who has joined his estranged father on an African safari to hunt savage animals that have been terrorizing remote villages.  Soon finding themselves stranded, their survival depends on cunning instinct and expert skill to make it out alive.   The game also includes next-generation shooting galleries featuring hot-seat, multi-stage and head-to-head multiplayer options - perfect for playing with the TOP SHOT ELITE.

"Cabela's Dangerous Hunts 2011 is the complete entertainment package - no one is offering gameplay this intense and a controller this amazing," said David Oxford, Activision Publishing. "The TOP SHOT ELITE is so captivating that I believe hordes of first-person action fans will snap up the game just to get it."

"Activision went above and beyond to create an extraordinary gaming experience," Bryan Stave of Cabela's. "Cabela's Dangerous Hunts 2011 is the most thrilling game we've ever worked on together."

Cabela's Dangerous Hunts 2011 is slated for a late fall 2010 release. The game is not yet rated by the ESRB.

Cabela's

Cabela's Incorporated, headquartered in Sidney, Nebraska, is a leading specialty retailer, and the world's largest direct marketer, of hunting, fishing, camping and related outdoor merchandise.  Since the Company's founding in 1961, Cabela's® has grown to become one of the most well-known outdoor recreation brands in the world, and has long been recognized as the World's Foremost Outfitter®.  Through Cabela's growing number of retail stores and its well-established direct business, it offers a wide and distinctive selection of high-quality outdoor products at competitive prices while providing superior customer service.  Cabela's also issues the Cabela's CLUB® Visa credit card, which serves as its primary customer loyalty rewards program.  Cabela's stock trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol "CAB."

About Activision Publishing, Inc.

Headquartered in Santa Monica, California, Activision Publishing, Inc. is a leading worldwide developer, publisher and distributor of interactive entertainment and leisure products.

Activision maintains operations in the U.S., Canada, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Sweden, Spain, Norway, Denmark, the Netherlands, Australia, South Korea, China and the region of Taiwan. More information about Activision and its products can be found on the company's website, http://www.activision.com.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-looking Statements: Information in this press release that involves Activision Publishing's expectations, plans, intentions or strategies regarding the future are forward-looking statements that are not facts and involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Activision Publishing generally uses words such as "outlook," "will," "could," "would," "might," "remains," "to be," "plans," "believes," "may," "expects," "intends," "anticipates," "estimate," future," "plan," "positioned," "potential," "project," "remain," "scheduled," "set to," "subject to," "upcoming" and similar expressions to identify forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause Activision Publishing's actual future results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements set forth in this release include, but are not limited to, sales levels of Activision Publishing's titles, shifts in consumer spending trends, the impact of the current macroeconomic environment, the seasonal and cyclical nature of the interactive game market, Activision Publishing's ability to predict consumer preferences among competing hardware platforms, declines in software pricing, product returns and price protection, product delays, retail acceptance of Activision Publishing's products, adoption rate and availability of new hardware (including peripherals) and related software, industry competition including from used games and other forms of entertainment, litigation risks and associated costs, rapid changes in technology, industry standards, business models including online and used games, and consumer preferences, including interest in specific genres such as music, first-person action and massively multiplayer online games, protection of proprietary rights, maintenance of relationships with key personnel, customers, licensees, licensors, vendors, and third-party developers, including the ability to attract, retain and develop key personnel and developers that can create high quality "hit" titles, counterparty risks relating to customers, licensees, licensors and manufacturers, domestic and international economic, financial and political conditions and policies, foreign exchange rates and tax rates, and the identification of suitable future acquisition opportunities and potential challenges associated with geographic expansion, and the other factors identified in the risk factors sections of Activision Blizzard's most recent annual report on Form 10-K and any subsequent quarterly reports on Form 10-Q. The forward-looking statements in this release are based upon information available to Activision Publishing and Activision Blizzard as of the date of this release, and neither Activision Publishing nor Activision Blizzard assumes any obligation to update any such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements believed to be true when made may ultimately prove to be incorrect. These statements are not guarantees of the future performance of Activision Publishing or Activision Blizzard and are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors, some of which are beyond its control and may cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations.

©2010 Activision Publishing, Inc. Activision is a registered trademark of Activision Publishing, Inc. "PlayStation" is a registered trademark of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. © 2010 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. Microsoft, Xbox, Xbox 360, Xbox LIVE and the Xbox logos are trademarks of the Microsoft group of companies and are used under license from Microsoft. Wii and Nintendo DS are trademarks of Nintendo. All other trademarks and trade names are the properties of their respective owners. All other trademarks and trade names are the properties of their respective owners. All rights reserved.

  Contact:
  Joe Menke
  Sandbox Strategies
  Joe@sandboxstrat.com
  415-673-3455

Source: Activision Publishing, Inc.
   

CONTACT:  Joe Menke, Sandbox Strategies, Joe@sandboxstrat.com,
+1-415-673-3455

Web Site:  http://www.activision.com/

MultiCell Technologies Launches New Web Site

WOONSOCKET, R.I., July 30 -- MultiCell Technologies, Inc.  (BULLETIN BOARD: MCET)  has launched a new website with a fresh new look and updated information about discovery technology platforms and lead drug candidates. It also provides information to answer investors' most common questions.

"The new website is designed to inform our shareholders, scientists and the public about the Company's proprietary therapeutic pipeline which could fill critical unmet medical needs," stated W. Gerald Newmin, Chairman and CEO of MultiCell.

About MultiCell Technologies, Inc.

MultiCell Technologies, Inc. is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing novel therapeutics and discovery tools to address unmet medical needs for treatment of neurological disorders, hepatic disease and cancer.

MultiCell's therapeutic development platform relies on patented techniques to: (i) isolate, characterize and differentiate stem cells from the human liver, or (ii) control the immune response at transcriptional and translational levels through dsRNA-sensing molecules such as Toll-like receptor (TLR), RIG-I-like receptor (RLR), and MDA-5 signaling, or (iii) generate specific and potent immunity against key tumor targets through a novel immunoglobulin treatment, or (iv) modulate the noradrenaline-adrenaline neurotransmitter pathway.

MultiCell's drug candidates are in various stages of discovery optimization, and preclinical and clinical development:

  --  MCT-125 is a Phase 2 therapeutic candidate for treatment of fatigue in
      MS patients, which has demonstrated efficacy in a 138-patient Phase
      IIa clinical trial.
  --  MCT-465 is a preclinical synthetic dsRNA therapeutic candidate and
      potent immune enhancer for the treatment of solid tumor cancers such
      as those expressing TLR-3.
  --  MCT-475 is a discovery stage antibody therapeutic candidate for use in
      combination with dsRNA for the treatment of solid tumor cancers.
  --  MCT-485 is a discovery stage dsRNA therapeutic candidate with tumor
      cytolytic properties for the treatment of certain cancers.

For more information about MultiCell Technologies, please visit http://www.multicelltech.com/.

Caution Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

Any statements in this press release about MultiCell's expectations, beliefs, plans, objectives, assumptions or future events or performance are not historical facts and are forward-looking statements for purposes of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (the "Act").  These statements are often, but not always, made through the use of words or phrases such as "believe", "will", "expect", "anticipate", "estimate", "intend", "plan", "forecast", "could", and "would". Examples of such forward looking statements include statements regarding the timing, design, scope, and anticipated results of our clinical development programs.  MultiCell bases these forward- looking statements on current expectations about future events. They involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and assumptions that may cause actual results, levels of activity, performance or achievements to differ materially from those expressed or implied by any forward-looking statement.  Some of the risks, uncertainties and assumptions that could cause actual results to differ materially from estimates or projections in the forward-looking statement include, but are not limited to, the risk that we might not achieve our anticipated clinical development milestones, receive regulatory approval, or successfully commercialize our products as expected, the market for our products will not grow as expected, and the risk that our products will not achieve expectations.  For additional information about risks and uncertainties MultiCell faces, see documents MultiCell files with the SEC, including MultiCell's report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended November 30, 2009, and quarterly and other periodic SEC filings.  MultiCell claims the protection of the safe harbor for forward-looking statements under the Act and assumes no obligation and expressly disclaims any duty to update any forward-looking statement to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this news release or to reflect the occurrence of subsequent events.

Source: MultiCell Technologies, Inc.
   

CONTACT:  W. Gerald Newmin, Chairman & CEO, MultiCell Technologies, Inc.,
+1-401-762-0045, MCETInvestor@MultiCelltech.com MultiCell Technologies, Inc.,

Web Site:  http://www.multicelltech.com/

Ford, TechShop Collaborate to Spur 'DIY' Auto Innovation With New Detroit-Area Workshop

DEARBORN, Mich., July 30 --   --  Ford and TechShop, the world's first and largest membership-based
      do-it-yourself (DIY) workshops, announce a collaborative effort to
      open a communal work center in the Detroit area for individual
      inventors

  --  Ford is the first automaker to matchup with TechShop, marking the
      latest move in a series of open-innovation initiatives led by Ford to
      empower the crowds to help create the next must-have automotive
      technologies and features

  --  Technical leaders will discuss Ford's overarching vision for future
      automotive innovation and information exchange at the Detroit edition
      of the event that sparked the joint effort in the first place, Maker
      Faire, to be held in Dearborn at The Henry Ford, July 31-August 1

Ford (NYSE:F) and do-it-yourself (DIY)-based TechShop have kicked off a collaborative effort to open a workshop in the Detroit area that invites innovators, from backyard tinkerers to software engineers, to come on in and invent the next must-have in automotive technology.

A membership-based open-access concept started in 2006, TechShop (http://www.techshop.ws) offers creative minds of all kinds affordable access to space, tools, and machinery so they can dream up, design and develop prototypes of their latest inventions. To date, TechShop has locations in California and North Carolina, with more than 800 total members.

Ford and TechShop first met up in May at the largest DIY event of its kind, 2010 Maker Faire in San Mateo, Calif., where Ford was invited to show off its "American Journey 2.0" open- innovation vehicle app project with University of Michigan students. That gathering ignited the idea for the matchup that has taken form in less than three months.

"Ford has taken a leadership role in tapping ideas from outside the automotive space, including with academia, consumer electronics and information technology companies, to help create powerful first-to-market technologies such as Ford SYNC. Why not extend those opportunities to individual inventors and the maker community as well; asking them to embrace the vehicle as a possible platform for their ideas," said K. Venkatesh Prasad, group and senior technical leader, Ford Infotronics Research and Advanced Engineering.

Ford technical leaders will share the company's vision on individual inventive contributions and how Detroit-area entrepreneurs can play a part during the Detroit Maker Faire held at The Henry Ford in Dearborn this weekend.  "The talent pool and level of skill and knowledge in and around Detroit is incredible," added Bill Coughlin, president and CEO of Ford Global Technologies, the domestic auto industry's only internal licensing group. "TechShop can provide a physical hub for this inventive community, allowing us to connect with them in a way never done before."

Ford is the first automaker to collaborate with TechShop, said Mark Hatch, TechShop CEO. "We are thrilled that Ford wants to work with TechShop to create a game-changing innovative workspace in Detroit, a market area full of a talented community of makers, hobbyists, backyard mechanics and general tinkerers that we have been trying to enter for more than a year."

Open innovation

The Ford and TechShop collaboration is further evidence of Ford's overarching adoption of the open innovation model made popular by social media, software developers and technology companies.

In recent years, Ford's outreach to automotive outsiders for ideas has included a who's who list of academia, suppliers, consumer electronics and information technology companies. That list also includes more unlikely suspects, such as consumers and software developers.

Last spring, for example, Ford actively engaged consumers to submit, share and suggest ideas and technologies on the "Your Ideas" section of the Ford brand interactive consumer Web site, http://www.thefordstory.com. The pilot session generated some 3,600 submissions, giving consumers the ability to participate in a community-based setting where they could review and rate posted ideas and track what people thought about their own suggestions.

And, more recently, Ford announced the creation of a virtual community to engage software developers to innovate around SYNC. Interested developers can visit the SYNCmyride Web site (http://www.syncmyride.com/developer) and click to submit their innovative ideas, and sign up for the latest information and news about the upcoming SYNC application programming interface (API) and software development kit (SDK). Through July, nearly 800 app developers have signed up.

In theory, the collaboration with TechShop is an easy extension of the individual engagement fostered by open-source initiatives such as "Your Ideas" and the new SYNC developer network.

"With TechShop, we are bringing the concept of individual involvement to life in a physical space where people can develop their ideas, create prototypes and display them," said Coughlin.

Ford also hopes that the TechShop will inspire its own Detroit-area engineers, designers and scientists to innovate on their own time. "Inventors don't have access to the same type of equipment or tools during off-hours as they do during work hours," said Hatch. "We want to offer them an affordable place to go that has the necessary equipment and resources to make their inventive ideas a reality."

A leader in licensing technology, Ford also sees the broader business potential of TechShop and streamlining the process for inventors looking to not only make physical prototypes of their ideas but license their technology to the masses.

"We want to create a mercantile exchange of innovations and ideas - a one-stop shop where makers can dream, design, develop and license their innovations for the real world," said Coughlin. "We want those dreams to come to life right here in Detroit."

About Ford Motor Company

Ford Motor Company, a global automotive industry leader based in Dearborn, Mich., manufactures or distributes automobiles across six continents. With about 178,000 employees and about 80 plants worldwide, the company's automotive brands include Ford, Lincoln and Mercury, production of which has been announced by the company to be ending in the fourth quarter of 2010, and, until its sale, Volvo. The company provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. For more information regarding Ford's products, please visit http://www.ford.com.

About TechShop Inc.

TechShop is the world's first and largest membership based, open access, do-it-yourself workshop. Each workshop comes with up to 17,000 square feet filled with a community of hobbyists, artists, inventors, entrepreneurs and students using a broad array of tools to build their dreams. For more information regarding TechShop's services, please visit http://www.techshop.ws.

About Maker Faire

Maker Faire's mission is to inspire, inform, connect and entertain thousands of Makers and aspiring Makers of all ages and backgrounds through the public gathering of tech enthusiasts, crafters, educators, tinkers, hobbyists, science clubs, students, authors and commercial exhibitors. The inaugural Maker Faire was held in San Mateo, California in 2006, and in May, Maker Faire celebrated its 5th annual Bay Area festival. As Maker Faire continues to grow in popularity and relevance, Maker Faire has expanded to Detroit and New York City for 2010. Maker Faire is supported by MAKE Magazine, makezine.com, craftzine.com and O'Reilly Media, the premier information source for leading-edge computer technologies. The company's books, conferences and web sites bring to light the knowledge of technology innovators.

Source: Ford Motor Company
   

CONTACT:  Alan Hall, +1-313-594-3744, ahall32@ford.com, or Robert Parker,
+1-313-845-0784, rparker8@ford.com, or Mark Hatch, +1-805-218-5908,
mark@TechShop.ws

Web Site:  http://www.ford.com/

Superstar DJ, Producer and Remixer, Tiesto to Make His Videogame Debut in DJ Hero® 2

The World's Biggest Touring Electronic Artist and Dance Music Icon to Provide Likeness and Two Exclusive Mixes to 2010's Best Soundtrack in Entertainment

SANTA MONICA, Calif., July 30 -- When the party starts this October, virtual DJ's and MC's throughout the universe will fire up two turntable controllers and a microphone and mix it up with Tiesto - one of electronic music's defining artists, DJ's and producers - in DJ Hero® 2, Activision Publishing, Inc. (NASDAQ:ATVI) today revealed.  Having worked with the likes of Muse, Justin Timberlake, Jonsi from Sigur Ros, Flo Rida, Sean Kingston and Three 6 Mafia, performed for billions of fans at the opening ceremonies of the Athens Olympics and headlined the Coachella and Bonnaroo music festivals among others, Tiesto has earned his status as the world's hottest DJ.  The GRAMMY® Nominee will be spinning for a new audience as he takes to the virtual ones and twos, delivering a pair of pulse-pounding exclusive mixes and joining the ever-growing roster of playable characters, including Deadmau5, David Guetta, DJ Qbert and others.

"DJ Hero 2 is all about bringing people of different backgrounds, ages and music tastes together to have some fun DJ'ing their favorite music.  The way the music comes together is fresh and unique and as a DJ, I couldn't ask for more than that," said Tiesto. "I am excited to be involved with this medium and to be contributing to a great game with an amazing soundtrack."

"From touring the globe and working with some of the world's most visionary artists across five hit albums, to performing at the biggest clubs and the hottest festivals, Tiesto is one of the biggest DJ's in the world," said Tim Riley, Vice President of Music Affairs, Activision. "We've assembled a cast of the biggest and best DJ's and having Tiesto bring his unique style adds incredible flavor to the best soundtrack in entertainment."

The ultimate mixer of music and friends, DJ Hero 2 will deliver the definitive way for players to come together and party with a host of new multiplayer modes - including DJ Battles that pit DJ against DJ in mixes produced specifically for battle gameplay - and invite vocalists into the spotlight with integrated on-screen singing and rapping of lyrics and rhymes while bringing the party to life with jump-in/jump-out Party Play gameplay.  Featuring the biggest dance, pop and hip-hop hits by the hottest artists everyone knows and loves remixed by world-class DJ's in an all-new way, the game's soundtrack delivers over 80 unique creations only available in DJ Hero 2.  Further immersing players into the music, the game offers a heightened level of creative input and allows everyone to add their own touch, directly impacting the beats they're spinning with freestyle scratching, crossfading and sampling.  The game will also feature an all-new career-based Empire Mode where players start out as an up-and-coming DJ on the road to becoming the head of a major entertainment empire, all of which is founded solely on their success as a DJ.

Dropping this fall, DJ Hero 2 will invite a wave of new digital disc jockeys to the turntables as the game will be available as a Party Bundle which will include a copy of the game, two turntable controllers and a microphone, offering the ultimate "party-in-a-box."  Gamers who experienced the #1 new videogame intellectual property of 2009 can pick up DJ Hero 2 as a Turntable Bundle featuring one turntable controller and a copy of the game or as standalone software.  The game is in development by FreeStyleGames for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, the PLAYSTATION®3 and the Wii(TM) system from Nintendo.  The game is not yet rated by the ESRB.  For more information about DJ Hero 2, please visit http://www.djhero.com, http://www.facebook.com/djhero and http://www.twitter.com/djhero.

Video Assets

To access or embed a new video asset highlighting Tiesto and his involvement with DJ Hero 2, please visit:

  --  http://www.djhero.com/tiesto
  --  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A0t_StCpHVI

  About Tiesto

Tiesto is the world's largest DJ, whose musical achievements are unsurpassed. Currently on his Kaleidoscope World Tour, which is the biggest DJ-only tour in history, Tiesto is playing a 14 month long schedule with over 150 dates across 6 continents to an unprecedented 1,000,000+ people.

Inspired by the likes of U2, his arena sized shows feature music which he writes and produces, including current hits with Nelly Furtado, Jonsi from Sigur Ros, Tegan & Sara, Three 6 Mafia and Calvin Harris. Also a renowned remixer, Tiesto's touch has been demanded by the likes of Muse, Britney Spears, Justin Timberlake and Goldfrapp. He has been nominated for a Grammy, performed at the opening ceremony of the Athens Olympics with music he composed especially for the occasion, wowed the rock festival crowds at Coachella and Bonnaroo and currently has songs charting across the globe. He is, in short, the biggest DJ the world has ever seen.

About Activision Publishing, Inc.

Headquartered in Santa Monica, California, Activision Publishing, Inc. is a leading worldwide developer, publisher and distributor of interactive entertainment and leisure products.

Activision maintains operations in the U.S., Canada, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Sweden, Spain, Norway, Denmark, the Netherlands, Australia, South Korea, China and the region of Taiwan. More information about Activision and its products can be found on the company's website, http://www.activision.com.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-looking Statements: Information in this press release that involves Activision Publishing's expectations, plans, intentions or strategies regarding the future are forward-looking statements that are not facts and involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Activision Publishing generally uses words such as "outlook," "will," "could," "would," "might," "remains," "to be," "plans," "believes," "may," "expects," "intends," "anticipates," "estimate," future," "plan," "positioned," "potential," "project," "remain," "scheduled," "set to," "subject to," "upcoming" and similar expressions to identify forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause Activision Publishing's actual future results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements set forth in this release include, but are not limited to, sales levels of Activision Publishing's titles, shifts in consumer spending trends, the impact of the current macroeconomic environment, the seasonal and cyclical nature of the interactive game market, Activision Publishing's ability to predict consumer preferences among competing hardware platforms, declines in software pricing, product returns and price protection, product delays, retail acceptance of Activision Publishing's products, adoption rate and availability of new hardware (including peripherals) and related software, industry competition including from used games and other forms of entertainment, litigation risks and associated costs, rapid changes in technology, industry standards, business models including online and used games, and consumer preferences, including interest in specific genres such as music, first-person action and massively multiplayer online games, protection of proprietary rights, maintenance of relationships with key personnel, customers, licensees, licensors, vendors, and third-party developers, including the ability to attract, retain and develop key personnel and developers that can create high quality "hit" titles, counterparty risks relating to customers, licensees, licensors and manufacturers, domestic and international economic, financial and political conditions and policies, foreign exchange rates and tax rates, and the identification of suitable future acquisition opportunities and potential challenges associated with geographic expansion, and the other factors identified in the risk factors sections of Activision Blizzard's most recent annual report on Form 10-K and any subsequent quarterly reports on Form 10-Q. The forward-looking statements in this release are based upon information available to Activision Publishing and Activision Blizzard as of the date of this release, and neither Activision Publishing nor Activision Blizzard assumes any obligation to update any such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements believed to be true when made may ultimately prove to be incorrect. These statements are not guarantees of the future performance of Activision Publishing or Activision Blizzard and are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors, some of which are beyond its control and may cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations.

Guitar Hero, DJ Hero and Activision are registered trademarks of Activision Publishing, Inc.

"PlayStation" is a registered trademark of Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc.  Microsoft, Xbox, Xbox 360, Xbox LIVE, and the Xbox logos are trademarks of the Microsoft group of companies. Wii is a trademark of Nintendo. All rights reserved.

Source: Activision Publishing, Inc.
   

CONTACT:  Aaron Ross Grant, Manager, Public Relations, Guitar Hero,
+1-310-255-2535, aaron.grant@guitarhero.com

Web Site:  http://www.activision.com/

Company News On-Call:  http://www.prnewswire.com/comp/007396.html

EF Johnson Technologies, Inc. to Introduce FIRESafe(TM) Features at APCO

New FIRESafe Features Build Communication Awareness on the Fireground

IRVING, Texas, July 30 -- EF Johnson Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ:EFJI) announced today that it will introduce its new suite of FIRESafe(TM) software features at the Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials (APCO) annual conference and exposition, August 1 - 3 at the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston, Texas.

"We understand that radio communication at a fireground scene is often more challenging and demanding than regular dispatched communication," said Michael Jalbert, president and chief executive officer of EF Johnson Technologies, Inc.  "Firefighters are faced with a dynamic communication environment especially while operating in building structures.  A simple act, such as entering a stairwell or walking down a hallway, may cause the firefighter to lose his radio communication.  Even worse, a firefighter may lose communication and not even know it."

The FIRESafe features will make a firefighter's radio smarter.  FIRESafe will monitor the communication link using a Project 25 digital "heartbeat" generated by the FIRESafe feature in the command radio.  The heartbeat provides signal strength information that FIRESafe uses to determine the quality of the communications link, and the firefighter will be alerted with audio tones when he nears the communication range limit or is out of communication range altogether.

"We understand that when a firefighter enters a burning building he is solely focused on the mission at hand.  The 51FIRE ES portable radio launched by the Company earlier this year, combined with the FIRESafe features, will provide a hardware and software solution for safe and reliable communications for firefighters and the citizens they served," Jalbert added.

APCO attendees will be able to hear demonstrations of the FIRESafe features at the Company's booth.

About EF Johnson Technologies, Inc.

Headquartered in Irving, Texas, EF Johnson Technologies, Inc. focuses on innovating, developing and marketing the highest quality secure communications solutions to organizations whose mission is to protect and save lives. The Company's customers include first responders in public safety and public service, the federal government, and industrial organizations. The Company's products are marketed under the EFJohnson, 3e Technologies International, and Transcrypt International names and are Made in America. For more information, visit http://www.efjohnsontechnologies.com/.

Safe Harbor

Certain matters discussed in this press release constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause the actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from those expressed, suggested or implied by the forward-looking statements due to a number of risk factors including, but not limited to, our ability to repay our bank debt when due, continued access to bank lines of credit, the timing and receipt of orders, the level of demand for the Company's products and services, dependence on continued funding of governmental agency programs, reliance on contract manufacturers, the timely procurement of necessary manufacturing components, software feature development and the implementation of application software, successful integration of the system components, general economic and business conditions, and other risks detailed in the Company's reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the period ended December 31, 2009 and in the Company's subsequent filings with the SEC. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this press release and the Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements.

Source: EF Johnson Technologies, Inc.
   

CONTACT:  investor relations, Jana Ahlfinger Bell, +1-972-819-0700,
jbell@efji.com, or media, Timi Jackson, +1-972-819-2336, tjackson@efji.com,
both of EF Johnson Technologies, Inc.

Web Site:  http://www.efji.com/
http://www.efjohnsontechnologies.com/

Redknee to Acquire Nimbus Systems

TORONTO, July 30, 2010--

    - Strategic Acquisition Will Expand Redknee's Footprint With Mobile
Tier 1 & Global Group Operators in Europe

    Redknee Solutions Inc. (TSX:RKN) ("Redknee"), a leading provider of
business-critical software and services for communications service
providers, including end-to-end converged billing, real-time charging,
rating and personalization, today announced it intends to acquire
privately-held Spanish-based Nimbus Systems, S.L. under an agreement between
Redknee and Nimbus Systems. The acquisition is expected to close before
September 30, 2010, subject to certain terms and conditions being met.

    The acquisition of Nimbus Systems will further strengthen Redknee's
operating model and market share, particularly in global group operators,
including Telefonica, Orange and Vodafone, while providing future
opportunities to expand into the Latin American markets.

    Established in 2001, Nimbus Systems has been engaged in analysis,
control and management solutions, with a particular focus on customer
relationship management systems and billing, rating and partner relationship
management. Nimbus Systems currently supports more than 10 customers,
including group operators Telefonica and Telia Sonera, and
non-telecommunications clients, such as Santander, Spain's largest bank,
and First Data, one of the world's leading transaction credit and loyalty
card infrastructure companies. Following the acquisition, Nimbus Systems'
customers and employees will be integrated into Redknee's existing business
with a view to leveraging Nimbus Systems' customer base, partner network
and employees. The two co-founders of Nimbus Systems will assume leadership
roles in business line management with Redknee.

    "We are pleased to announce this important milestone in the execution of
Redknee's growth strategy. The acquisition of Nimbus Systems meets all of
our key acquisition criteria: increasing our access to customers; adding
skilled employees in key areas to support our growth; and expanding our
existing product lines with complementary offerings in post-paid billing,
billing tools and customer experience management," commented Lucas
Skoczkowski, Redknee's CEO. "The market, product and cultural synergies
between the two companies will elevate our capabilities and market presence
to better serve our customers, create cross selling opportunities for
joint product and service portfolio, while positioning us to engage and win
new customers."

    Joao Gonçalves and Jose Martull, co-founders of Nimbus Systems commented:

    "We are very excited to join Redknee. Redknee's global presence, strong
reputation in the real-time billing space and its commitment to its
customers make it an ideal combination to extend the power of next
generation customer care and billing. Our shared vision of bringing together
network and business intelligence will give service providers unrivalled
next generation billing, settlement and customer experience management
solutions to drive revenue and maximize their investments."

    Nimbus Systems is headquartered in Madrid, Spain with offices in Lisbon,
Portugal. To complete the acquisition, and subject to certain terms and
conditions contained in the purchase agreement, Redknee will acquire all of
Nimbus Systems' issued and outstanding shares and will pay approximately
(euro)11,250,000 consisting of cash in the approximate amount of
(euro)7,000,000 and the balance in common shares of Redknee.

    About REDKNEE

    Redknee is a leading global provider of innovative communication software
products, solutions and services. Redknee's award-winning solutions enable
operators to monetize the value of each subscriber transaction while
personalizing the subscriber experience to meet mainstream, niche and
individual market segment requirements. Redknee's revenue generating
solutions provide advanced converged billing, rating, charging and policy
for voice, messaging and new generation data services to over 70 network
operators in over 50 countries. References to Redknee refer to the combined
operations of the parent Redknee Solutions Inc, and all wholly owned
subsidiaries.

    Redknee(R), Redknee Solutions, and the Redknee logo are trademarks or
registered trademarks of Redknee Solutions Inc. All other company, product
names and any registered and unregistered trademarks mentioned (if any) are
used for identification purposes only and remain the exclusive property of
their respective owners.

    For more information, visit http://www.redknee.com.

    FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

    Certain statements in this release relating to the Acquisition and other
statements may constitute "forward-looking" statements which involve known
and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause our actual
results, performance or achievements, or industry results, to be materially
different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or
implied by such forward-looking statements. When used in this document, such
statements use such words as "may", "will", "expect", "continue", "believe",
"plan", "intend", "would", "could", "should", "anticipate" and other similar
terminology. These statements reflect current assumptions and expectations
regarding future events and operating performance and speak only as of the
date of this document. Forward-looking statements involve significant risks
and uncertainties, should not be read as guarantees of future performance or
results, and will not necessarily be accurate indications of whether or not
such results will be achieved. A number of factors could cause actual
results to vary significantly from the results discussed in the
forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to, the failure of
the parties to meet certain terms and conditions relating to the Acquisition
and the factors discussed under the "Risk Factors" section of Redknee's most
recently filed Annual Information Form which is available on SEDAR at
http://www.sedar.com and on Redknee's web-site at http://www.redknee.com.

    Although the forward-looking statements contained in this document are
based upon what we believe are reasonable assumptions, we cannot assure
investors that our actual results will be consistent with these
forward-looking statements. We assume no obligation to update or revise these
forward-looking statements to reflect new events or circumstances, except as
required by securities law.

    For further information: Redknee Solutions Inc., Lucas Skoczkowski, Chief
Executive Officer, David Charron, Chief Financial Officer,
Tel: +1-905-625-2622, Fax: +1-905-625-2773

Source: Redknee Solutions Inc.

For further information: Redknee Solutions Inc., Lucas Skoczkowski, Chief Executive Officer, David Charron, Chief Financial Officer, Tel: +1-905-625-2622, Fax: +1-905-625-2773

Cable&Wireless Worldwide Reduces CO2 With Earth/Satellite Location Centre Closure

LONDON, July 30, 2010--

    - C&W Worldwide Site Relocation Results in Dramatic Drop in
Company's CO2 Emissions

    - New Eco-Friendly Building With Green Roof

    As part of its ongoing pledge to significantly reduce its
carbon emissions by 80 percent by 2050, Cable&Wireless Worldwide has
successfully closed Thameside, its earth/satellite location centre in London.
Originally the Docklands Telecommunications Centre, Thameside was a
collection of huge satellite dishes in the midst of the city. The closure,
and subsequent relocations, of the site will equate to an 85 percent drop in
carbon emissions for the activities fulfilled by the site. This is a
significant saving for C&W Worldwide and amounts to a 1.48 percent reduction
of the company's total carbon emissions, the equivalent of taking almost 1000
cars off the road.[i]

    As a global network node and co-location centre Thameside
provided global Internet Protocol (IP) backbone access of up to 10 gigabytes
per second (GB/s), for roughly 40,000 100 Mbs Ethernet services. It also
supplied direct access to all United Kingdom national and international cable
heads, connecting tens of thousands of IP data and voice users around the
world via cable networks to Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia and the Americas.
The closure and upgrade of Thameside's 25 year old legacy facilities and
equipment, consisting of transmission and switching architecture, means that
Cable&Wireless Worldwide will save four times the amount of space, reducing
more than 850m2 to approximately 200m2, and, by embracing new technologies,
will be much more efficient.

    The relocation of tens of thousands of users' network
connectivity was an immense project that has taken just over two years to
complete. A team of more than a hundred people were a part of the 24
hour-a-day, two-year long operation to close Thameside, migrating all
services and closing all voice, IP and data, hosting; and access platforms
located in the site. All electronic equipment was disposed of according to
WEEE regulations and, wherever possible, the equipment removed from the site
was repurposed in other locations or recycled.

    The various services provided by Thameside have been
successfully dispersed to other C&W Worldwide locations with the satellite
capability moved to Whitehill Earth Station in Oxfordshire and a new
ecologically friendly network site, built with low-carbon efficiency in mind,
even boasting a living roof that provides insulation, attracts local
wildlife, creates an appealing facade for the surroundings and helps C&W
Worldwide realise even more carbon savings.

    Phil Male, Chief Strategy Officer at Cable&Wireless Worldwide,
comments; "The closing of Thameside is a significant step in helping us reach
our environmental targets and, by embracing sustainable development, we can
help ourselves and our customers employ more efficient and energy conserving
ways of working. The team has accomplished a lot with this project and in
many ways it sets the benchmark for future initiatives as we continue to
improve our environmental performance. An 85 percent reduction in CO2 for all
the activities of a single site, the equivalent of taking almost 1000 cars
off the road, demonstrates what we and other businesses can achieve."

    About Cable&Wireless Worldwide

    Cable&Wireless Worldwide (LSE: CW.) aims to be the first-choice provider
of mission critical communications. The Company is one of the world's leading
critical communication providers delivering a range of high-quality managed
voice, data and IP-based services and applications to large corporates,
multinational companies, governments, carrier customers and resellers across
the UK, Asia Pacific, India, Middle East & Africa, Continental Europe and
North America.

    In the UK, Cable&Wireless Worldwide owns the country's largest fibre
network dedicated to business users of telecoms reaching 20,500km in length,
and providing ubiquitous UK access through a combination of fibre, digital,
microwave, radio and leased circuits. The network has presence in more than
400 towns and cities in the UK, with 802 unbundled exchanges covering 55% of
the population.

    On an international scale, Cable&Wireless Worldwide's global
next-generation network (NGN) stretches to more than 500,000km, including
interests in 69 global cable systems, and provides connectivity to 153
countries. The Company's Multi-Service Platform, an IP-based next-generation
platform that operates across the NGN, offers a single environment on which
voice and data applications can be converged to drive business efficiencies.
The network is uniquely designed with inbuilt resilience and the capability
to re-route traffic across diverse paths in the event of failure of one or
more paths, particularly at the international level.

    With more than 6,300 colleagues globally, Cable&Wireless Worldwide is
committed to delivering exceptional customer service and developing long term
partnerships with its customers.

    To find out more, please visit http://www.cw.com

    [i] 964 cars in total. The calculation assumes 12,000 miles
per car per annum or 16093 Km per annum and 164.9 grams of CO2 per Km. The
average car in the UK generates 3.18457 tonnes of CO2 per annum[i]. C&W
Worldwide's Dockland site (Thameside) used 6,638,682 kWh per annum. Assuming
UK National Grid power at 0.544[i] Kg CO2e per kWh, 6,638,682 kWh is 3611.4
tonnes per annum. However Closing Thames side will mean 15% of the power
demand will go elsewhere so closure will save 5,6428,795 kWh or 3069.7 tonnes
per annum. 3069.7 tonnes per annum divided by 3.18457 tonnes per car per
annum is 964 cars. Closing Thames side will remove 1.48% of C&W Worldwide's
FY 09/10 power demand.

    [i] http://www.defra.gov.uk/News/2009/090327c.htm

    [i] http://www.carbontrust.co.uk/cut-carbon-reduce-costs/calculate/
carbon-footprinting/Pages/conversion-factors.aspx

    (Due to the length of this URL, it may be necessary to copy and paste
this hyperlink into your Internet browser's URL address field. Remove the
space if one exists.)

   
    Contacts:

    CABLE&WIRELESS WORLDWIDE
    Liv Nixon                       Senior PR         +44(0)7822-804-975
                                    Executive
    Cable&Wireless Worldwide Press                    +44(0)1344-818-888
    Office

Source: Cable&Wireless Worldwide

CABLE&WIRELESS WORLDWIDE, Liv Nixon, Senior PR Executive, +44(0)7822-804-975, Cable&Wireless Worldwide Press Office, +44(0)1344-818-888

Price Improvement Technology Has Potential to Benefit IG Index Clients

Over 1,000,000 pounds Saved in April-June 2010

LONDON, July 30 -- Clients of IG Index, the UK's leading financial spread betting firm, have collectively saved over 1,000,000 pounds in recent months thanks to the company's innovative Price Improvement technology as clients may now receive a better order price when they place a trade. In periods of heightened market volatility, prices move very quickly and should this be in the clients favour then the savings may be passed on immediately, avoiding the need for re-quotes.

Analysing a total of 3,395,048 trades executed by IG Index during the three month period, over 50,000 of the transactions qualified for price improvement, generating total savings to clients of 1,087,117 pounds.

Consider the scenario where rumours are circulating in the market that an imminent Bank of England announcement will see sterling weaken against the US dollar, so you open a deal ticket and see the current price at 1.5160-1.5161. You place a sell order at 1.5160 but as your transaction is being processed the price jumps to 1.5166-1.5167, or a six-pip rise in your selling price. Rather than requoting the order at the new price, as the move is in your favour the deal is struck and your deal ticket will reflect the savings made.

In addition to Price Improvement technology, IG Index has also moved to incorporate a number of alternative execution venues or MTFs into its trading platform for the pricing of shares spread bets. With up to 40% of equities now typically being traded away from the London Stock Exchange, ensuring clients can also use prices from the likes of Chi-X and BATS Europe means that, in the vast majority of cases a more competitive trade can be delivered.

IG Index's award-winning PureDeal trading platform is also acclaimed for its reliability, customisation options, one-click dealing and easy-to-build watchlists. It can be accessed either via an internet browser running on a Mac or PC, or over a wide range of mobile devices such as smartphones, PDAs, BlackBerrys and the iPhone.

About IG Index

IG Index is the world's leading financial spread betting provider, offering clients the ability to spread bet on over 7000 shares listed on markets worldwide, along with indices, forex, commodities and treasuries. Established in 1974, IG Index is part of IG Group (IGG.L), which employs in excess of 800 people and has offices in 10 countries worldwide. For further information please visit http://www.igindex.co.uk or http://www.iggroup.com, or call +44 (0) 20 7896 0011

Source: IG Index Plc
   

CONTACT:  IG Index Plc, +44-(0)-20-7896-0011

Web Site:  http://www.igindex.co.uk/

TripAdvisor Teams up With Nokia to Empower Even More Travellers

LONDON, July 30, 2010--

    - TripAdvisor Now Available Through Nokia's Ovi Maps and Ovi
Store: Includes Flights, Hotels, Restaurants and Attractions

    TripAdvisor(R), the world's largest travel site, has announced a new
partnership with mobile giant Nokia which will include an Ovi app for Nokia's
Ovi Store, and integration of the TripAdvisor service into Nokia's Ovi Maps.

    The TripAdvisor for Nokia app allows travellers to search for popular
hotels, restaurants and attractions in their vicinity, as well as find the
cheapest airfares available. The app is available in 12 different languages,
giving travellers around the globe a localised TripAdvisor experience.

    With the tap of a finger, Nokia users can now find and filter hotels and
attractions by rating, distance and price. Travellers can also post reviews
while they're on the road and their experiences are still fresh.

    "Our collaboration with Nokia further strengthens our commitment to
providing trusted and valuable travel advice at home or on the go," said
Steve Kaufer, TripAdvisor founder and CEO. "We are thrilled to launch
TripAdvisor for Nokia, which gives even more travellers a new way to access
the more than 35 million traveller reviews and opinions available on
TripAdvisor."

    As part of the agreement, a dedicated TripAdvisor service will also be
integrated into the popular Ovi Maps environment.

    "The ability to find the best places around you is a key advantage of
connected mobile services. The Trip Advisor integration means Nokia users get
immediate access to the latest user reviews of the restaurants, hotels, and
attractions in their immediate area, or anywhere else in the world they may
want to discover while on the go. Global free drive & walk navigation on Ovi
Maps means that once you find that great place, you are sure to get there
hassle-free using Ovi," said Robert Rogers, Senior Manager, Ovi Publish.

    The TripAdvisor for Nokia app is available for free to all Nokia Symbian
touchscreen smartphone users globally today on the Ovi store. Trip Advisor
for Ovi Maps launches today in select markets, with full global roll-out
scheduled within a month.

    Note To Editor:

    TripAdvisor also has free apps available for iPhone, Android and Palm Pre
users, and the TripAdvisor mobile website is compatible with all major cell
phones and smartphones.

    About TripAdvisor Media Network

    TripAdvisor(R) Media Network, operated by TripAdvisor, LLC, attracts 46
million monthly visitors* across 17 popular travel brands: TripAdvisor(R),
http://www.airfarewatchdog.com, http://www.bookingbuddy.com,
http://www.cruisecritic.com, http://www.familyvacationcritic.com,
http://www.flipkey.com, http://www.frequentflier.com,
http://www.holidaywatchdog.com, http://www.independenttraveler.com,
http://www.onetime.com, http://www.seatguru.com, http://www.smartertravel.com
, http://www.travel-library.com, http;//www.travelpod.com,
http;//www.virtualtourist.com, http://www.holidaylettings.co.uk and
http://www.kuxun.cn. TripAdvisor-branded sites make up the largest travel
community in the world, with more than 37 million monthly visitors*, 15
million registered members and 35 million reviews and opinions. Featuring
real advice from real travellers, TripAdvisor-branded sites cover more than
one million destinations, hotels, restaurants and attractions and operate in
the U.S. (http://www.tripadvisor.com), the U.K. (http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk
), Ireland (http://www.tripadvisor.ie), France (http://www.tripadvisor.fr),
Germany (http://www.tripadvisor.de), Italy (http://www.tripadvisor.it), Spain
(http://www.tripadvisor.es), India (http://www.tripadvisor.in), Japan
(http://www.tripadvisor.jp), Portugal and Brazil (
http://www.tripadvisor.com.br), Sweden (http://www.tripadvisor.se), The
Netherlands (http://nl.tripadvisor.com), Canada (http://www.tripadvisor.ca),
Denmark (http://www.tripadvisor.dk), Turkey (http://www.tripadvisor.com.tr),
Mexico (http://www.tripadvisor.com.mx), Norway (http://no.tripadvisor.com),
Poland (http://pl.tripadvisor.com) and Australia (
http://www.tripadvisor.com.au). TripAdvisor also operates in China under the
brand daodao.com (http://www.daodao.com). TripAdvisor(R) Media Network
provides travel suppliers with graphical advertising opportunities and a
cost-per-click marketing platform. Collectively, the sites comprising the
TripAdvisor Media Network have won hundreds of awards and accolades from
press and industry worldwide. TripAdvisor and the sites comprising the
TripAdvisor Media Network are operating companies of Expedia, Inc. (NASDAQ:
EXPE).

    TripAdvisor and the TripAdvisor logo are trademarks or registered
trademarks of TripAdvisor LLC in the U.S. and/or other countries. Other logos
or product and company names mentioned herein may be the property of their
respective owners.

    (c)2010 TripAdvisor LLC. All rights reserved.

    *Source: comScore Media Metrix, Worldwide, June 2010

Source: TripAdvisor

For further information please contact: Emma O'Boyle, TripAdvisor, +44(0)20-3320-3210 / +44(0)777-926-2423 / eoboyle@tripadvisor.com

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Source: PR Newswire Test
   

CONTACT:  PR Newswire, 800-776-8090

L. Ron Hubbard Presents Writers of the Future - New Submission Feature Leads Upgrades to Improved Website

The most successful Writing and Illustrating Contests in the world just got better -- online submission now available.

HOLLYWOOD, Calif., July 29 -- Writers of the Future has announced its newly upgraded website http://www.writersofthefuture.com/ which makes accessing the site much faster and easier. "But the best news,'' stated Joni Labaqui, the Contests' Director, ''is that entries for the writing contest and illustrating contest can now be submitted online." A move that she said, ''will make it much easier for aspiring writers and illustrators from around the world to participate.''

It had been apparent for some time that the cost to mail a submission from many countries made entering the contest prohibitive for those whose writing and art should be submitted. And for the aspiring writer or artist still feeling the effects of a down economy, the cost of a hard copy story print out or quality art print out and postage, made entering the contest unreal.

"This change will markedly expand the playing field,'' continued Labaqui, ''allowing the best in speculative fiction stories to be sent in from English speaking writers world over." And for the illustrator contest, "it is even more exciting as art has no language barrier and we expect a significant increase in entries from all countries."

L. Ron Hubbard Presents Writers of the Future is already known for publishing the hottest new talent of speculative fiction. The series continually receives high marks and was again praised this year in a Publishers Weekly starred review stating that the anthology was, ''Always a glimpse of tomorrow's stars.''

As has been the case since its inception, there is no entry fee for either writing contest or illustrating contest entries and contestants retain rights to their work.

The Writers of the Future contest was created by L. Ron Hubbard in 1983 as a means of allowing the newcomer a chance to have their works seen. Based on its success, a companion Illustrators of the Future contest was also created. And this program has provided that starting point for so many careers. Over 600 writers and illustrators have seen their name in print over the 25 years of the contests' history. And hundreds of contestants have continued with now-successful careers. At last count, there have been over 700 novels, including New York Times bestsellers, and over 3,000 short stories that have been published by contest winners. In addition to continuing on in the field of speculative fiction, several have gone on to publish in genres such as mystery and romance, to write for TV and motion pictures and to become editors and critics.

For more information on the Writers and Illustrators of the Future Contests, go to http://www.writersofthefuture.com/.

  Contact:
  John Goodwin
  Galaxy Press
  323-466-7815
  jgoodwin@galaxypress.com

Source: Writers of the Future
   

CONTACT:  John Goodwin, Galaxy Press, +1-323-466-7815,
jgoodwin@galaxypress.com

Web Site:  http://www.writersofthefuture.com/

Trident in Volume Production With 4 Out of Top 5 Panel Manufacturers and 4 Out of Top 6 TV Manufacturers

2010 Volume Production Design Wins Highlight the Strength of the New Trident as the Industry Leader in the DTV Market

SUNNYVALE, Calif., July 29 -- Demonstrating continued success in the market, Trident Microsystems, Inc. (NASDAQ:TRID), a leading provider of set-top box and TV semiconductor solutions, today announced that its digital TV solutions are ramping production for the critical 2010 holiday selling season with 4 out of the top 5 panel manufacturers and 4 out of the top 6 TV manufacturers.  These TVs and panels include high-definition 2D and 3D entertainment systems that are shipping in volume today to deliver superior picture quality through Trident's patented ESR (enhanced super resolution), motion estimation/motion compensation (MEMC) and other proprietary technologies.

"With more than 2,000 patents and top-three industry positions in both TV and set-top box, Trident has become a major force in the digital entertainment market," said Sylvia Summers, CEO of Trident Microsystems.  "The new and stronger Trident leads the industry today with the most vivid and brilliant TV images, a strong feature set across a broad TV product range, and a future product roadmap that we believe positions us well to keep winning in the market."

Trident estimates that for 2010 it currently has the number one market share position in semiconductor system solutions for digital and analog TV. The company estimates that it also has leading market share of greater than 50% in FRC (frame-rate-converter) co-processors that are used to create 240hz and higher frame-refresh rates in high-end digital TVs. These co-processors are essential in delivering 3D content in unsurpassed quality and Trident FRCs are at the heart of many 3D TVs in the market.

About Trident's TV Solutions

Trident has continually driven the next wave of innovation through its family of system-on-chip solutions for LCD and PDP high-definition televisions.  Some of the key products that were chosen for these 2010 design wins include the Trident PNX855x, PNX8543 and Pro-SA1 system-on chip solutions, as well as Trident's FRC-S and PNX51xx products.  These industry-leading products are in volume production today and feature Trident's superior picture quality, ESR and motion estimation/motion compensation technologies.

About Trident Microsystems, Inc.

Trident Microsystems, Inc., with headquarters in Sunnyvale, California, is a leading force in the digital home entertainment market, delivering an extensive range of platform solutions that enhance the consumer experience in the Connected Home.  As one of the top-three semiconductor providers to both the TV and set-top box markets, Trident's solutions can be found in the products of leading OEMs and channel partners worldwide.  The company's extensive IP portfolio of more than 2,000 patents has been driving key innovations in image quality, 3D TV, low power consumption, and 45nm designs. For further information about Trident and its products, please consult the Company's web site: http://www.tridentmicro.com.

NOTE: Trident is a trademark of Trident Microsystems, Inc. All other company and product names are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of their respective owners. Features, pricing, availability and specifications are subject to change without notice.

Source: Trident Microsystems, Inc.
   

CONTACT:  Kelly Karr of Tanis Communications, +1-408-718-9350,
kelly.karr@taniscomm.com, for Trident Public Relations; or Investor Relations,
John Swenson of Trident Microsystems, +1-408-962-8252,
John.swenson@tridentmicro.com

Web Site:  http://www.tridentmicro.com/

Automotive News to Host Free Online Access Week Aug. 2-8, 2010

DETROIT, July 29 -- Executives with a professional interest in the automotive industry can electronically preview one of the premier sources for late-breaking news and information Aug. 2-8, 2010.

Automotive News is hosting a complimentary one-week-only Free Access Week during which its subscriber-only content at http://www.autonews.com will also be accessible to non-subscribers. Throughout the online event, Automotive News will offer a reduced annual subscription rate of $79 to new subscribers for both the print and online versions - an $80 savings.

Since 1925, Automotive News has been a weekly - and via http://www.autonews.com a daily - "must read" for industry executives, providing insight to managers and leaders at all levels at companies ranging from automakers to suppliers and dealers to remarketers. It is also a key information source for professionals aligned with the automotive industry such as bankers, insurers, advertisers, consultants and media.

With more than 50 reporters and editors around the world, Automotive News delivers current news, in-depth features, insightful editorials, auto show coverage and more to 54,000 paid subscribers. The publication's Web site - http://www.autonews.com - is regularly updated with weekly print content as well as breaking news alerts via their network of reporters and Reuters News Service, Automotive News event presentation downloads, a comprehensive archive of articles and a wealth of global auto industry statistics through the Automotive News Data Center.  Registered users can also request up-to-date information via daily and weekly e-mail newsletters and breaking news alerts.

In addition to weekly editions, Automotive News subscribers receive a number of special annual

reference volumes including: Guide to Industry Executives, Top 125 Dealership Groups, Top 150 North American Suppliers, Top 100 Global Suppliers, Guide to Global Automotive Partnerships, Guide to Certified Pre-Owned Vehicles, Guide to China's Auto Market, Global Market Data Book and Car Cutaways.

ADESA is the sponsor of the Automotive News Free Access Week. Visitors during that time can learn about ADESA's whole car auction products and services.

For further information, contact John Fitzgerald, director of business planning and online commerce, at jfitzgerald@crain.com or 313-446-1679.

Source: Automotive News
   

CONTACT:  John Fitzgerald, +1-313-446-1679, jfitzgerald@crain.com, or
Lauren Cialella, +1-313-446-0490, lcialella@crain.com

Web Site:  http;//www.autonews.com

CTIA-The Wireless Association® Statement on the U.S. Representatives Boucher and Stearns Introduction of the Voluntary Incentive Auctions Act of 2010

WASHINGTON, July 29 -- After U.S. Representatives Rick Boucher (D-VA-9) and Cliff Stearns (R-FL-6) introduced the Voluntary Incentive Auctions Act of 2010, CTIA-The Wireless Association® President and CEO Steve Largent released the following statement:

  (Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20100629/DC28223LOGO-a)
  (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20100629/DC28223LOGO-a)

"We are pleased that Congressmen Boucher and Stearns agree with us that there is a looming spectrum crisis. In order to meet Americans' growing demand for advanced wireless services, additional spectrum must be brought to market. We look forward to working to achieve that objective so that America's wireless industry can continue to lead the world."

CTIA-The Wireless Association® (http://www.ctia.org) is an international organization representing the wireless communications industry. Membership in the association includes wireless carriers and their suppliers, as well as providers and manufacturers of wireless data services and products. CTIA advocates on behalf of its members at all levels of government. The association also coordinates the industry's voluntary best practices and initiatives, and sponsors the industry's leading wireless tradeshows. CTIA was founded in 1984 and is based in Washington, DC.

Photo:  http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20100629/DC28223LOGO-a
http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20100629/DC28223LOGO-a
PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com
Source: CTIA-The Wireless Association
   

CONTACT:  Amy Storey of CTIA-The Wireless Association, +1-202-736-3207

Web Site:  http://www.ctia.org/

DryLanai Launches New Website

NAPLES, Fla., July 29 -- Naples, Florida-based PJNF Technologies, Inc. has launched a new website for DryLanai(TM), a wireless system that detects rain and automatically closes electric roll-down storm shutters-preventing damage to outdoor furniture and other valuables. The website is http://www.DryLanai.com.

The site offers detailed information about the Dry Lanai(TM) system including a video that demonstrates how the system works, frequently asked questions, a troubleshooting section, operating instructions and installation manual and a shopping cart to purchase products.

The DryLanai(TM) System includes a wall controller, one or more rain sensors and an optional remote. The wall controller replaces switches currently used to operate shutters. The wall controller receives wireless signals from the rain sensors and lowers the shutters at the first sign of rain.

The rain sensors sit on floor of the outdoor room or lanai. One rain sensor is required for each exposure to rain. The hand-held remote enables the homeowner to adjust the shutters wirelessly from any location in the home.

The DryLanai System is priced from $799, not including tax and installation, and it is currently available online.

For more information call (239) 325-1890, email Info@DryLanai.com, visit http://www.DryLanai.com, or write to PJNF Technologies, Inc., 999 Vanderbilt Beach Road, Suite 200, Naples, FL  34108.

Source: PJNF Technologies, Inc.
   

CONTACT:  Beth Davis, IMA Creative, Inc., +1-239-949-3034,
Beth@IMAcreative.com

Web Site:  http://www.drylanai.com/

Program Pilots High-Tech Tools for Chevrolet Salespeople

iPhone, iPod touch and iPad app makes sales tools portable

RALEIGH, N.C., July 29 -- Chevrolet is the first automaker to pilot a sales app for the iPhone, iPod touch and iPad which allows salespeople to help customers research trim levels, options and financing and search vehicles in dealer inventory. A nationwide rollout to Chevrolet dealers is expected this fall.

The Chevrolet Dealer app features the entire line of Chevrolet cars, trucks and crossovers. It allows a salesperson to work with a customer to pick interior and exterior colors, search for a matching vehicle in the dealership's inventory and look up offers that can be applied to the purchase or lease.

"Chevrolet Dealer allows us to spend less time behind our desks and more time on the showroom floor with our customers," said Joel Smith, retail operations manager at Hendrick Chevrolet in Cary, N.C., where the pilot began July 9. "Our customers have been wowed when we are able to show them video and help them choose options, all on the iPhone."

The app also allows salespeople to submit and retrieve quotes so they can help customers find and buy the vehicle they want anywhere in the showroom, on the sales lot, or even when they aren't in the dealership.

"We continue to look for smart ways to use technology to help our salespeople sell vehicles," said Alan Batey, vice president, Chevrolet U.S. Sales. "With more and more salespeople and customers using mobile technologies, this makes sense as our next step."

Chevrolet recently announced the Chevrolet Showroom shopping app for the iPhone, iPod touch and iPad, which allows users to research and locate the car, truck or crossover they desire. Once a vehicle has been located, users can save it to their device and share it with friends and family via e-mail or Facebook.

About Chevrolet

Chevrolet is a global automotive brand, with annual sales of about 3.5 million vehicles in more than 130 countries. Chevrolet provides consumers with fuel-efficient, safe and reliable vehicles that deliver high quality, expressive design, spirited performance and value. In the U.S., the Chevrolet portfolio includes: iconic performance cars, such as Corvette and Camaro; dependable, long lasting pickups and SUVs, such as Silverado and Suburban; and award-winning passenger cars and crossovers, such as Malibu, Equinox and Traverse. Chevrolet also offers "gas-friendly to gas-free" solutions including the Cruze Eco and Volt, both arriving in late 2010. Cruze Eco will offer up to 40 mpg highway while the Chevrolet Volt will offer up to 40 miles of electric, gas-free driving and an additional 300 miles of extended range (based on GM testing; official EPA estimates not yet available).  Most new Chevrolet models offer OnStar safety, security, and convenience technologies including OnStar Hands-Free Calling, Automatic Crash Response, and Stolen Vehicle Slowdown. More information regarding Chevrolet models, fuel solutions, and OnStar availability can be found at http://www.chevrolet.com.

Source: General Motors
   

CONTACT:  Cristi Vazquez, Chevrolet Communications,
cristianna.vazquez@gm.com, Office: +1-313-665-8232

Web Site:  http://media.gm.com/

InfiniteGraph 1.0 Released by Objectivity, Inc.

After a successful beta program InfiniteGraph is poised to empower developers to build complex, distributed, scalable applications for the cloud, social networks, intelligence and beyond

SUNNYVALE, Calif., July 29 -- Objectivity, Inc., a leading provider of data management solutions, has released the first version of its enterprise-ready distributed graph database product, following a successful beta program which began earlier this year.  InfiniteGraph enables large-scale graph processing, data analytics and discovery, and supports the leading requirements of organizations seeking valuable connections in data and information, and building advanced systems and services around social networking, business intelligence, scientific research, national security and similar efforts.

InfiniteGraph's uniquely distributed graph database solution enables commercial, enterprise, government and other organizations to discover complex relationships in their vast and highly distributed data, with significant time-to-market advantages and technical cost savings.

  InfiniteGraph's benefits and advantages include:
  --  Distributed - Unique architecture enables distributed data and
      processing.
  --  Scalable - Unique addressing scheme supports exabyte and greater
      scale.
  --  Simple - Faster time to market, and significant time/cost savings in
      development.
  --  Performance - Simultaneous access by multiple processes and
      connections, and no mapping layer between logical and physical
      addressing.

"The next generation of data management solutions include graph databases, such as InfiniteGraph, which are becoming very significant in several areas, particularly those related to complex relationship analysis," says Carl W. Olofson, Research Vice President for Database Management and Data Integration Software Research at IDC.

InfiniteGraph's flexible license options open new markets

InfiniteGraph is available in several evaluation, developer and runtime licensing options. The product supports a wide range of consumers including individual developers, new businesses and innovative start-ups, and enterprise and government customers:

  --  Developers can try InfiniteGraph free for two months in their local
      Linux or Windows environments, or most virtualized cloud platforms.
  --  For longer term proof-of-concept or similar projects, developer
      licenses are available starting at $999 per year, which includes
      world-class support.
  --  Qualified start-ups and new businesses may use InfiniteGraph for free,
      per an exclusive offer provided by Objectivity and its cloud platform
      partner, GoGrid. InfiniteGraph is the only solution of its kind to be
      made available on GoGrid or any cloud computing platform.
  --  For runtime licenses, OEM, VAR and partner licensing, the company
      provides custom quotes based on the customers' unique requirements and
      requested services and support options.

The InfiniteGraph API is available for download at https://download.infinitegraph.com/

Post beta results:

Nearly 700 registrants participated in the InfiniteGraph beta program, representing a range of users from Fortune 500 organizations to innovative start-up companies.  InfiniteGraph is already being evaluated by several high-technology, business intelligence and informatics, bioinformatics, business and IT consulting and government organizations.

"We are committed to providing our customers with the most leading-edge database technology possible, and that is what led us to create InfiniteGraph; in turn our customers provided us with their invaluable feedback, which made the beta program a success," said Jay Jarrell, president and CEO of Objectivity. "Through InfiniteGraph we will continue to provide developers with the tools to support the ultimate combination of simplicity and scalability that will ultimately enable organizations to find, store and exploit the relationships hidden in their data in an instant."

Feedback from beta participants centered primarily around the following strengths:

  --  InfiniteGraph's unique architecture and addressing scheme enables
      distributed data and processing, and exabyte or greater scalability.
  --  InfiniteGraph supports a true concurrent client connection model.
  --  The client caching layer is very sophisticated, minimizes disk reads
      and optimizes data locality.
  --  The graph database has been proven in enterprise and government
      deployments, and includes a full range of administration tools for
      deployment and management of an enterprise data platform.

  About InfiniteGraph

InfiniteGraph's uniquely distributed graph database solution enables commercial, enterprise, government and other organizations to discover complex relationships in their vast and highly distributed data, with significant time-to-market advantages and technical cost savings.

About Objectivity, Inc.

Objectivity, Inc. is the leader in distributed, scalable data management technology. The company's patented distributed data engine and persistent object store is the enabling technology within many markets, powering some of the most complex applications and mission critical systems used in commercial, enterprise, government and research organizations today. Objectivity, Inc. is headquartered in Sunnyvale, California, USA. Please contact them online or call (408) 992-7100 for more information.

Objectivity, Objectivity, Inc., Objectivity/DB and InfiniteGraph are trademarks of Objectivity, Inc. All other company, organization, product or alliance names mentioned herein remain the property of their respective owners.

Source: Objectivity, Inc.
   

CONTACT:  Gina Giachetti, Diboll & Associates Marketing and Public
Relations, +1-510-858-8111, Gina.Giachetti@dibollandassociates.com, for
Objectivity, Inc.

Web Site:  http://www.objectivity.com/

SAP Expert Invests in Top Innovation "CodeProfiler"

Thomas Kastner New Shareholder of Virtual Forge: Heidelberg SAP Security Specialist Well-Established

HEIDELBERG, Germany, July 29, 2010--     Thomas Kastner is the new shareholder of Virtual Forge GmbH.
As Managing Director, the former SAP(R) employee and successful company
founder, is responsible for the Product Management of the Heidelberg software
security specialist. Thomas Kastner complements the current management of
Andreas Wiegenstein and Dr. Markus Schumacher, who, as managing partners,
continue to lead the R&D and Sales departments. Thomas Kastner has
long-standing SAP(R) experience and profound technical competence, and will
particularly drive the SAP(R) Integration. With this strategic move, Virtual
Forge has set the course for further solid growth.

     (Photo:
http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20100729/401709 )

    Despite the financial and economic crisis, the IT Security market has
grown in the past years. Analysts see the biggest growth in the field of
Security Services, which equates the service portfolio of Virtual Forge. "I
have been monitoring the SAP(R) market carefully for a long time, and to me,
the Virtual Forge CodeProfiler software is the most promising innovation of
the past years," says Thomas Kastner. For anyone developing ABAP(TM) code,
security is a must-have and CodeProfiler is the best testing and quality
solution on the market. "Product, personnel and the economic outlook are
attuned - this is what convinced me. Virtual Forge meets all the
prerequisites to be successful in the market." Thomas Kastner co-founded the
company Pecaso, which specialized in SAP Human Capital Management. After
successful growth, he sold his first company to Accenture in 2006, where he
worked in the Human Capital Management and Software Architecture field until
June 2010.

    By committing this investor, Virtual Forge has established itself and
irrevocably deemed company stability. "Our start-up days are over," says CEO
Dr. Markus Schumacher. "This confirms our previous strategy, and we are very
pleased to have won an experienced investor and partner in Thomas Kastner. If
anyone with a 25-year SAP(R) history invests in us, it honors us." Virtual
Forge GmbH now intends to extend its own portfolio and find new sales
partners. "In addition to this, with Thomas' experience and expertise holds,
we can boost our SAP(R) integration," says CTO Andreas Wiegenstein.

    Company Profile

    With its headquarters in Heidelberg, Virtual Forge GmbH is an independent
provider of security products. The employees are leading experts in the field
of SAP(R) Application Security. Based on their unique specialist knowledge,
the world's first tool for static code analysis and compliance tests in
ABAP(TM) environments, the CodeProfiler, was developed. SAP(R) customers
around the world use the ABAP(TM) security suite of Virtual Forge, to
optimize the development process of their ABAP(TM) applications. This applies
to all industries: defense, pharmaceuticals, banking, automotive, oil and
gas, engineering, health and insurance companies, through to agriculture.
SAP(R) has also licensed the CodeProfiler for internal quality assurance.

   
    Press Contact:

    Tracey Stross
    +49(0)6221-86890-10
    tracey.stross@virtualforge.de

    http://www.virtualforge.de

Photo:
http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20100729/401709

Source: Virtual Forge GmbH

Press Contact: Tracey Stross, +49(0)6221-86890-10, tracey.stross@virtualforge.de

NetChoice Warns of Small Business Tax Threat in State Online Tax Expansion

Bipartisan Resolution by Representative Hodes seeks to mitigate threat

WASHINGTON, July 29 -- Today, Representative Paul Hodes (D, NH) introduced a bipartisan resolution to protect small businesses from tax collection burdens that would be imposed by the Streamlined Sales Tax.  The resolution (H. Res. 1570), titled "Supporting the Preservation of Internet Entrepreneurs and Small Businesses," holds that Congress should not impose unfair tax collection burdens that would hurt the U.S. economy and consumers.

The resolution is a response to legislation introduced in July 2010 by Representative Bill Delahunt (D, Mass.) which would force all retailers across the nation to become tax collectors for states that have joined the Streamlined Sales Tax Project (SSTP).

The legislation would force out-of-state sellers to collect taxes for states where they have no physical presence, overturning a Supreme Court ruling that tax systems are so complex that they represent an unreasonable burden on interstate commerce.

"Don't believe it when tax collectors say their software makes it trivial for tiny sellers to collect everyone's sales tax," said Steve DelBianco, executive director of NetChoice. "Small sellers will spend thousands of dollars making changes to their website software, plus endless time and accounting fees to handle exceptions, customer questions, and state tax audits."

Large retailers like Walmart and Target support SSTP legislation because their physical presence already requires them to collect tax on their web sales.  Even just a little simplification helps these big-box stores, while SSTP imposes brand new costs on their small online competitors.  SSTP advocates have failed to meaningfully simplify their tax system and have now done away with small business protections that were initially promised.

In the ten years that states have been trying to meet the challenge laid down by the Supreme Court, SSTP advocates have shown that simplification was only a slogan, not a standard.  Gone are promises of one tax rate per state and a single rule for sourcing sales.

Instead, SSTP advocates have abandoned simplicity whenever a potential member state insisted on retaining its complex tax policies.

Further undermining SSTP supporters is research by George Mason University Law professor and Brookings Institution Senior Fellow Jeff Eisenach.  The research found uncollected sales taxes on e-commerce in 2008 to be far lower than estimates used by SSTP advocates, potentially capturing less than three-tenths of one percent of state and local tax revenues.

"The good news is that this problem is solving itself as more online sales come from chains who have stores in most states, such as BestBuy and Walmart," said Eisenach.  "Our study shows that 17 of the top 20 Internet retailers collect in at least 30 states, and 15 collect in nearly all states with a sales tax."

"The growth of 'brick and click' retailing will likely increase the proportion of online sales on which taxes are already being collected -- even if Congress takes no action on the Delahunt bill," said Eisenach.  Additional reasons for Congressional action in protecting small sellers from the SSTP can be found on the NetChoice website: http://www.netchoice.org/library

"Representative Hodes and his colleagues are to be commended for standing against a national tax system that would saddle small retailers with new collection and compliance burdens," said DelBianco. "We all support a simpler tax system, but the streamlined sales tax project has become the proverbial wolf in sheep's clothing."

NetChoice is an advocacy organization that fights threats to online commerce and promotes policies that protect Internet innovation and communication on a state, federal and international basis.  The Washington, DC-based group protects Internet commerce-driven competition and battles rules that hinder consumer choice and hurt small businesses. For more information, see http://www.netchoice.org.

Source: NetChoice
   

CONTACT:  David Mack, +1-202-607-1155, for NetChoice

Web Site:  http://www.netchoice.org/