FA Play

Tennis Fans Turn to TicketsNow for US Open Tickets

admin — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 21:45:01 +0000

ROLLING MEADOWS, Ill., Aug. 18 /PRNewswire/ — Tennis, anyone? The hottest seats in New York every summer are always at the USTA Billie Jean King National tennis Center in Flushing, when the game’s best descend on the Big Apple for the US Open. If you’re looking to sit so close you can hear 125-mph serves as they whoosh by you, or if you want to be there for all the top matches, TicketsNow, a Ticketmaster Company, and the only sanctioned, official US Open ticket exchange, has your tickets, including single-session access to great seats you can’t find anywhere else.
The US Open is the highest-attended annual sporting event in the world, with a record 715,000 fans making their way to the action last year. As a result, demand for US Open tickets is always high and making sure every ticket is authentic is a must. TicketsNow connects fans with all of the fun and excitement of live music, theater, and sports, and now it’s the best way to ensure you have the seats you want for the matches you want to see. Thanks to TicketsNow’s exclusive partnership with the USTA, ticketholders who are unable to attend specific sessions can post their tickets for sale, offering fellow fans the opportunity to purchase tickets for courtside and other great seats.
“Our goal is to provide fans with a connection to the best seats for the biggest events, and our exclusive relationship with the US Open allows us to do so in an even bigger way,” said Cheryl Rosner, CEO of TicketsNow. “If you’re a tennis fan you have to be at the US Open, and if you have to be at the US Open, start your search for some of the best seats and most secure transactions at TicketsNow.com.”
The 2008 US Open will be held from Monday, August 25 through Sunday, September 7 at the USTA Billie Jean King National tennis Center in Flushing, NY, and will include day sessions beginning at 11 a.m. and night sessions beginning at 7 p.m. through Thursday, September 4. Finals Weekend will feature the Women’s Singles Semifinals on Friday, September 5; the Men’s Singles Semifinals on Saturday, September 6; the Women’s Singles Final in primetime at 8 p.m. on Saturday, September 6; and the Men’s Singles Final at 4 p.m. on Sunday, September 7.
TicketsNow’s partnership with the USTA begins with the 2008 US Open and continues through 2012. For more information and to begin your search for tickets, log on to or .
About TicketsNow
TicketsNow is your connection to all of the fun and excitement of live music, theater, and sports. An online marketplace where buyers can choose from a large selection of premium tickets, TicketsNow provides consumers secure and convenient access to event tickets that are often hard to get through primary distribution channels. A wholly owned subsidiary of Ticketmaster, TicketsNow is a founding member of the NATB, which promotes the highest level of ethics in the event ticket resale industry. For more information, visit .
About the US Open and the USTA
The 2008 US Open is expected to attract more than 700,000 fans, making it the highest attended annual sporting event in the world. More than 75 million viewers watched the 2007 US Open on CBS Sports and USA Network, and international broadcasts reached 180 countries. JPMorgan Chase is the presenting sponsor of the US Open women’s singles championship. Lexus is the presenting sponsor of the US Open men’s singles championship. The 2008 US Open will be held Monday, August 25 through Sunday, September 7.
The USTA is the national governing body for the sport of tennis in the U.S. and the leader in promoting and developing the growth of tennis at every level — from local communities to the highest level of the professional game. It owns and operates the US Open, the highest attended annual sporting event in the world, and launched the Olympus US Open Series linking 10 summer tournaments to the US Open. In addition, it owns the 94 Pro Circuit events throughout the U.S., and selects the teams for the Davis Cup, Fed Cup, Olympic and Paralympic Games. A not-for-profit organization with 725,000 members, it invests 100% of its proceeds in growing the game. For more information on the USTA, log on to usta.com.
TicketsNow

ImVajra Issued ImVajra Password Manager on August 15, 2008

admin — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 12:30:07 +0000

BEIJING, Aug. 18 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ — ImVajra is pleased to announce the release of ImVajra Password Manager on August 15, 2008. ImVajra Password Manager ( ) is a professional personal information protect software that keeps all confidential data in top security that prevents unauthorized accessing and viewing.
The new released ImVajra Password Manager is a full-featured password keeper ( ) and personal information manager. It helps on personal information encrypt like accounts, logins, access codes, pin codes and accompanying passwords. It is not only a secure password keeper but also an auto filler that prevents multifarious detecting attempts from Trojan and phishing. With certain encryption, all the account information, passwords, and other confidential information will be stored in an unreadable database. All information could only be accessed through the very master password or a usb flash disk.
Highlights of ImVajra Password Manager:

1. Handy storage and management of personal information. ImVajra Password
Manager provides rich and customized templates for users to store
various data like license code or email account and to manage them
easily.
2. Personal information protection. Passwords stored by
ImVajra Password manager are available only when the password storage
database is unlocked. ImVajra password generator creates strong
password with encryption algorithms, blocking information from
invaders.
3. Auto-fill in the web forms with account and password. ImVajra
Password Manager remembers password from all web pages or program
windows, that conveniently and efficiently keeps Monitor
software away.
4. Synchronize data remotely with Gmail server. This data
synchronization strategy saves data in different places to
ensure maximum data security.
5. Unique login with usb flash disk as Dual Protection. Login with
usb flash disk and password simultaneously to ensure high and
absolute security of personal information.

Find more features at .

Download Link:

About ImVajra Software Studio

ImVajra Software Studio is committed to providing professional information security solutions for our customers all over the world. We research and develop, produce and sell information security solutions to protect our customers’ personal information from network threats and theft.
For more information, please contact:

ImVajra Software Studio
Marketing Department
Tel: 86-10-8260-4102
Email:
Web:
ImVajra Software Studio

American Solutions Launches ‘Drill Here, Drill Now, Pay Nothing’ YouTube Contest

admin — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 18:15:04 +0000

WASHINGTON, Aug. 14 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — American Solutions for Winning the Future has launched a “Drill Here, Drill Now, Pay Nothing” YouTube contest to offer one individual free gasoline for an entire year. The videos will be judged on substance and creativity and should demonstrate in two minutes or less why a “Drill Here, Drill Now, Pay Less” approach is best for America’s economic and national security.
The contest winner - voted on by the American Solutions member community - will be announced on September 27, 2008 during the second annual Solutions Day. The deadline for video submissions is September 15, 2008.
“We are turning to the creativity and ingenuity of the American people to find the best YouTube video that explains why we need more American energy now to lower the cost of gas and diesel,” said American Solutions President Dave Ryan. “While Congress is on a 5-week vacation instead of taking action to lower gas prices, we’re offering one lucky person a break on gasoline for an entire year.”
For more information about the contest, visit .
The “Drill Here, Drill Now, Pay Nothing” YouTube contest is an extention of the “Drill Here, Drill Now, Pay Less” petition drive that has gathered nearly 1.5 million signatures from Democrats, Republicans, and independents alike. American Solutions plans to deliver the petition signatures on behalf of the 1.5 million Americans to both the Democratic and Republican conventions.
About American Solutions
American Solutions for Winning the Future is a new, non-partisan organization built around three goals: to defend America and our allies abroad and defeat our enemies, to strengthen and revitalize America’s core values, and to move the government into the 21st Century. Its General Chairman is former Speaker Newt Gingrich.
American Solutions for Winning the Future

Redfin Launches Neighborhood Analytics

admin — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 10:15:18 +0000

SEATTLE, Aug. 13 /PRNewswire/ — Online real estate broker Redfin today released a major new version of Redfin.com that allows consumers to evaluate neighborhood inventory and pricing trends, using data previously accessible only to real estate agents. For each neighborhood, city or postal code covered by Redfin, consumers can view new listings, price reductions, open houses and trends on how many homes are selling, how long they are taking to sell and at what price.
(Logo: )
No other website provides metrics for each neighborhood from the Multiple Listing Services used by brokers to list properties and record sales.
“Housing numbers for all of Boston or Los Angeles don’t mean much to someone shopping in a particular neighborhood, which may be holding up while prices across the tracks are collapsing,” said Redfin VP of Real Estate Operations Scott Nagel. “This is the first time consumers have gotten data at the neighborhood level they can trust, straight from the agents actually putting properties on the market.”
The new version of Redfin.com also lets consumers map their favorite listings, organize Redfin-assisted home tours, and evaluate the Redfin agents with whom they’ll be working; for each Redfin agent, consumers now can see the details on every recent home she has helped buy or sell. Finally, the release adds thousands of for-sale-by-owner listings from Redfin partner Zillow.com, extending Redfin’s advantage in showing more houses for sale in its coverage areas than any other site.
“Our goal is not only to offer the most complete real estate search experience, showing homes for sale that other sites don’t, but to build a complete home-buying application from the initial search through move-in,” said Redfin CEO Glenn Kelman. “This release focuses on what happens after you preview a home online but before you make an offer: touring, comparison shopping, pricing, agent evaluation. We believe we can offer more value to consumers by taking them much deeper into the process.”
Neighborhood Pages Help Consumers Evaluate Listings in Context
Neighborhood pages are the first major addition to the Redfin search experience since the site’s inception. Whereas Redfin’s search application previously consisted of a map of the homes for sale and a page detailing each property, the new site now also features a third type of web page for each neighborhood, city and postal code that Redfin serves. More than 9,000 neighborhood-level pages display new, price-reduced and open-house listings along with pricing trends and school data.
Neighborhood pages open a new competitive front in Redfin’s Freakish Depth strategy to make consumers more self-sufficient when searching for a home. Where the strategy originally focused on providing the most information about each listing, now the company also will strive to provide in-depth data and discussion about each neighborhood.
Shopping Cart for Home Tours Streamlines Home-Buying Process
With this release, Redfin developed an online shopping cart to organize and schedule home tours with a Redfin agent. Previously, homebuyers identified listings to tour one at a time, but the new organizer lets homebuyers group several homes into one tour. Homebuyers also can review scheduled and completed tours.
The free home tours that Redfin offers potential clients have become the main source of demand for its home-buying service. In the last three months, Redfin has conducted more than 1,200 client tours nationwide, and nearly 500 in July.
Enhanced Favorites Encourages Comparison Shopping
Consumers already can save listings to a list of favorites, but with today’s release users now can select one, some or all of their favorites to display on the map, to get multi-point driving directions, to email to a friend, or to download for offline analysis. In addition, customers now can arrange their favorite listings by criteria such as how long each has been for sale, open-house dates, price-per-square-foot or the last time the listing agent updated it.
Redfin invested in these personalization features to deepen its advantage among serious buyers who want to plan home tours and compare their favorite listings with one another. Together, the new features focus on how to make it easier for homebuyers to do everything between finding the houses they like to making an offer.
About Redfin
Redfin () is the real estate industry’s first online brokerage, currently available in the Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, Orange County, San Diego, San Francisco Bay, Seattle and Washington, D.C areas. Redfin combines the best real estate search site with local, experienced real estate agents. Redfin.com’s map search displays the most homes for sale and the most information about those homes. Customers who use Redfin to buy or sell properties earn a refund of most of the commission traditionally due their broker, and get full support in paperwork, offer presentation, negotiations and closing. Redfin has the highest customer satisfaction rate in the industry — 96 percent — and is the only brokerage with a 100-percent-customer-satisfaction guarantee. To give the Redfin service a try, visit ; to keep track of our daring exploits visit our blog at blog.redfin.com, or our customer message boards at forums.redfin.com.

Redfin

CBS Sports Mobile Launches Ultimate Sports Application

admin — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 20:15:10 +0000

FT. LAUDERDALE, Fla., Aug. 12 /PRNewswire/ — Just in time for football season, CBS Sports Mobile has launched a new application, announced plans for a redesigned and improved mobile website and is offering a free rich-media fantasy alerts service all geared for wireless devices.
The CBS Sports Mobile Ultimate Sports Application provides everything for the ultimate sports fan on-the-go, with live scores, stats, headlines, streaming videos, and complete control of CBSSports.com fantasy teams. With the CBS Sports Mobile Ultimate Sports Application users can find other fans, update personal profiles, and talk smack with rivals on the message boards, which are all cross-platform with the CBSSports.com online Community.
The CBS Sports Mobile Ultimate Sports Application is fully customizable,
offering users a personalized mobile wireless experience by featuring scores and news on their favorite teams across all major sports and fantasy leagues. Currently accessible on 18 different handsets using AT&T wireless service, the CBS Sports Mobile Ultimate Sports Application is available for a monthly fee of $4.99.
This September, CBS Sports Mobile will unveil a completely redesigned wireless home for CBS Sports. Accessible by entering on any internet enabled wireless device, the revamped Mobile 2.0 website will bring a richer, more advanced wireless experience to sports fans by integrating the latest standards and content technologies into the mobile environment.
The new CBS Sports Mobile website provides users with a personalized sports experience, delivering fans the sports news, scores, videos, analysis and stats they crave while giving them the ability to conduct cross-platform interactions with the CBS Sports Community. The site’s personalization features offer sponsors highly-targeted advertising opportunities to reach sports fans.
Significant updates to the fantasy football companion, which already includes live fantasy scoreboard and the ability to set your lineup, include accepting/denying trades, viewing all roster trends, and add/dropping players. The new CBS Sports Mobile website is available through the wireless decks of Sprint, T-Mobile, Verizon and AT&T as well as off-deck with any internet enabled handset.
CBS Sports Mobile has also released a free, rich-media fantasy mobile alerts service. CBSSports.com fantasy football users can now receive instant text updates on all their fantasy players, including immediate notification of trades offered/accepted/rejected/withdrawn, “my player” news specific to your fantasy team and fantasy tips, in video format on who to start, sit, dump and trade from the fantasy experts at CBSSports.com. Fantasy alerts will include direct links to the fantasy companion section of the CBS Sports Mobile web site, allowing users to take immediate action based on the information provided within the mobile alert. (Standard carrier text rates apply)
“We are very excited to launch the Ultimate Sports Application in time for this year’s football season. The popularity of football combined with increased user-functionality, mobility, and personalization makes this the perfect application for every football fan on-the-go,” said Jeff Sellinger, Executive Vice President, CBS Mobile. “Mobile experiences are about accessing data you want as quickly as possible, with the least amount of clicks. In addition, the enhanced re-launch of the CBS Sports Mobile website will offer fans a free alternative with a fully personalized user experience on any internet enabled wireless device.”
CBS Sports Mobile Ultimate Sports Application
Fantasy Features
— Live game scoring
— Set lineups, add/drop players
— Player news and stats
— Fantasy message boards
— Roster trends
— Exclusive CBSSports.com fantasy content

Community Features
— Read, reply to, and rate messages
— View your personal profile, connect with other fans
— Build your CBSSports.com Community reputation

About CBS Interactive

CBS Interactive, a division of CBS Corporation , is the premier online content network for information and entertainment. Its portfolio of leading brands, which include CNET, CBS.com, CBSSports.com, GameSpot, TV.com, BNET, and Last.fm span popular categories like technology, entertainment, sports, news, music and business. With more than 150 million people visiting its properties each month, CBS Interactive is a top 10 web property globally.
More information about CBS and its businesses is available at .
CBS Sports Mobile

Richard Viguerie: Obama and McCain Proposals Would Jeopardize Future Social Security Payments

admin — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 22:15:11 +0000

MANASSAS, Va., Aug. 7 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — Reacting to Senator Barack Obama’s support for increasing Social Security payroll taxes, and news reports that Senator John McCain would consider increases in the payroll tax, Richard Viguerie, Chairman of ConservativeHQ.com, issued the following statement:
“Neither Senator Obama nor Senator McCain appear to know what happens to Social Security payroll taxes. Or maybe they know and hope the public is kept in the dark so that Social Security money can continue to fund wars and social programs.
“Every penny raised in payroll taxes beyond what is necessary to pay current benefits is spent by the federal government on everything from space ships to paper clips. In turn, the Social Security Trust Fund gets non-negotiable IOUs.
“In Fiscal Year 2009, the Social Security surplus is projected to be $227 Billion, which will be used to finance the general operations of government. The total IOUs in the Trust Fund, old age and disability, currently amount to $2.36 Trillion.
“When we get to 2017, when payroll taxes no longer produce enough revenue to pay full Social Security benefits, these IOUs in the Trust Fund could be as high as $4.971 Trillion, depending on the economy (in current dollars).
“Future Social Security payments can only be met by some onerous combination of additional tax increases to replace the Social Security payroll taxes that were spent on other things, reductions in benefits, or additional borrowing.
“Increasing payroll taxes now would provide more money for big spending programs not related to Social Security, while creating greater problems as to how seniors would receive their checks in the future.
“It is highly irresponsible for Senators Obama and McCain to even consider increases in payroll taxes until legislation is enacted to make sure Social Security surpluses are saved, not spent.”
NOTE TO EDITORS: Richard A. Viguerie pioneered political direct mail and has been called “one of the creators of the modern conservative movement” (The Nation magazine) and one of the “conservatives of the century” (The Washington Times). His latest book is Conservatives Betrayed: How George W. Bush and Other Big-Government Republicans Hijacked the Conservative Cause (Bonus Books), which, Jerome Corsi wrote in WorldNetDaily, is “destined to become a classic of conservative thinking” and “may be the most important conservative book written in the last quarter century.”
Contact: Bob Sturm (703) 396-6974
After 6 PM Eastern time
and on weekends & holidays, contact
Vi Shields (703) 906-6542 or
Bob Sturm (703) 307-8176

ConservativeHQ.com

Jerry Rice Named Commissioner of the Inaugural Fantasy Football Open Championship

admin — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 12:30:23 +0000

NEW YORK, Aug. 6 /PRNewswire/ — Jerry Rice, the greatest wide receiver of all-time, has been named the commissioner of the inaugural Fantasy football Open Championship (FFOC), which will award the first-ever $1 Million Grand Prize in Fantasy Football. With combined prize money of nearly $2 million, the inaugural FFOC will provide the richest payout in fantasy football history in an effort to find the best player in the world. At a ceremony in Las Vegas at the end of Week 16 of the NFL season, Rice will award the prestigious Millionaire Jacket to history’s first-ever fantasy football millionaire. Visit for more details.
“I’m excited to be a part of a fantasy football contest of this magnitude,” said Jerry Rice, the future NFL Hall of Famer. “In football, we settled the score on the field. Now with the Fantasy football Open Championship, fantasy football has its own competitive arena to find out who’s the best. The money isn’t bad either.”
Rice will draft his own team and share his thoughts and insights from week to week via commissioner’s blog. In addition to the grand prize, the top 15 finalists will receive an all-expenses-paid trip to Las Vegas to attend the event finale and compete for $1,731,000 in prizes. The top three tournament finishers will receive $1,000,000, $350,000 and $150,000.
Fantasy football fans can join the FFOC, powered by Fanball, the leading fantasy sports media company, for an entry fee as low as $125 and test their skills against the world’s best fantasy football players. League rules are fairly standard and will incorporate Weeks 1-16. The winner will be determined by the sum of three combined scores: average points from Week 1 through Week 10; average points from Week 11 through Week 15; and points from Week 16. For complete rules and details, visit .
Besides Rice, several other notable names in the fantasy football space will participate in the FFOC, including:
Eddie Aparicio Commishkit.com
Dave Cella PayDaySports.com
Rick Cordella RotoWorld.com
David Dodds FootballGuys.com
Derrick Eckardt RotoNation.com
Scott Engel RotoExperts.com
Jeff Erickson RotoWire.com
Scott Ferrall Howard 101 Sirius Radio
Mike Florio ProFootballTalk.com
David Gonos OpenSports.com
Kelly & Dan Grogan AthlonSports.com
George Del Prado FantasyAuctioneer.com
Paul Hickey NoOffSeason.com
Ted Kasten DraftDynamix.com
Chris Liss RotoWire.com
Eric Mack CBSSportsline.com
Matthew Pepe RotoBowl.com
Scott Philp RotoHog.com
Michael Romanowski RotoWire.com
Gregg Rosenthal NBCSports.com
Peter Schoenke RotoWire.com

About the Fantasy football Open Championship

FFOC.com (Poised To Stomp, LLC) is a fantasy sports multimedia company formed with the sole purpose of building the largest fantasy sports open championship and awarding the most prize money for any fantasy sports game on the Internet. Poised to Stomp will set the standard for innovation in the field of fantasy online championships and live events. The employees of Poised To Stomp have been actively involved in fantasy sports for the last 14 years, and have been programming and producing media for over 25 years. Visit for more information.
About Fanball.com
Fanball.com (Fanball Interactive, LLC) is the world’s most visited all-fantasy sports site, boasting 2 million unique visitors per month during the NFL season. A Liberty Media owned company, Fanball has been an innovator and leader in the fantasy sports world since 1994. With over 15 million people participating in the ever-growing world of fantasy sports, Fanball.com is the No. 1 ranked pure play fantasy sports Web site on the Internet by Alexa.com. Fanball.com also publishes the leading print publication for fantasy football, Fantasy football Weekly. For more information about Fanball, visit .
Contact:
Carlos Manzanillo
Rogers & Cowan
310-854-8196

Fantasy football Open Championship

Meteor Games Announces Twin Skies

admin — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 15:30:17 +0000

WEST HOLLYWOOD, Calif., Aug. 5 /PRNewswire/ — Meteor Games, LLC, an independent game studio created by Neopets founders Adam Powell and Donna Williams, is developing Twin Skies, a Massively Multiplayer Online Game (MMOG) that will target players of all ages with all new content, accessible gameplay and advanced socializing options. While Twin Skies is a complete, fully 3D PC MMOG, players will be able to interact with and even impact the online game world in entirely new ways, including through a series of extensive web-based activities, mobile applications and social networking capabilities.
“We’re excited to announce Twin Skies, our first major project since creating Neopets and a much more ambitious undertaking that aims to change the way gamers of all ages play and socialize in MMOs,” said Adam Powell, CEO and creative director, Meteor Games. “Twin Skies’ technology and design will allow players to access the game from anywhere and in any way they choose. The immersive world, advanced technology and accessible gameplay will be fun for gamers young and old, casual and hardcore alike.”
Unlike traditional MMOGs, such as World of Warcraft, Twin Skies will provide its players with multiple access points for enjoying the game world, allowing them to interact with the game when, where and for however long they want. PC players will be able to jump into the main Twin Skies PC MMO game to adventure, craft or explore the massive open world by themselves or with friends; players can also interact with Twin Skies on the official Web site via a series of fun and impactful flash-based mini games; or users can play Twin Skies through mobile applications and games.
Twin Skies will leverage BigWorld Technology to deliver advanced 3D graphics throughout a vast and seamless open world. The PC component of the game will deliver all of the core mechanics and gameplay that millions of MMOG fans have come to expect, while pushing beyond the boundaries of current MMOG competition by including deep player customization, fun and accessible content and advanced functionality, such as player housing.
Meteor Games has already launched the Twin Skies Web site (), which includes several preliminary flash-based games, including The Very Hungry Junkworm, where players gain points by eating junk and avoiding their ever-growing tail, and The Legends of Laundry, an exciting and fast paced puzzle game where players must contend with bombs, cats, evil fungi, and an unrelenting assault of stubborn stains in their quest to finish the laundry on time.
Once Twin Skies launches, these mini-games will have a direct effect upon the game world itself. Registered players will earn points, which can be spent to customize their avatars, unlock new areas of the Web site or even spawn events within the online world. For example, achieving a high score in the Web-based Hungry Junkworm mini-game might create a huge junkworm in the Twin Skies game world which will then head off and attack players. To play the first Twin Skies flash-based mini-games or to visit the game’s official forums, please visit .
Adding further accessibility to the title, Twin Skies will leverage today’s increasingly connected mobile technology by implementing games and applications designed specifically for cell phones and other devices. These applications will allow players to access characters and affect the online persistent world. More information on mobile applications will be announced at a later date.
Twin Skies is expected to enter Beta testing later this year. Full launch of the game is expected in 2009. For more information about Twin Skies, to play the flash-based games, or to learn how to take part in the Beta release, please visit the game’s official web-site at .
About Meteor Games
Founded by Adam Powell and Donna Williams, co-creators of Neopets, Meteor Games is an independent game studio committed to creating an experience that bridges the gaps between the engaging nature and broad appeal of web-based gaming, the community-focused elements of today’s exploding social networks, and the fun and depth of traditional massively multiplayer online gaming experiences. Meteor Games is based in West Hollywood, Calif. and is in production on their first project. For more information, please visit .
Meteor Games, LLC

NetEqualizer Offers Net Neutrality, User Privacy Compromise

admin — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 13:00:27 +0000

LAFAYETTE, Colo., Aug. 5 /PRNewswire/ — Although the debates surrounding net neutrality and user privacy are nothing new, the recent involvement of the Federal Communications Commission is forcing ISPs and network administrators to rethink their strategies for network optimization. The potential benefits of layer-7 bandwidth shaping and deep packet inspection are coming into conflict with the rights of Internet users to surf the net unimpeded while maintaining their privacy.
Despite the obvious potential relationship between net neutrality, deep packet inspection and bandwidth shaping, the issues are not inherently intertwined and must be judged separately. This has been the outlook at APconnections since the development of the network optimization appliance NetEqualizer () five years ago.
On the surface, net neutrality seems to be a reasonable and ultimately beneficial goal for the Internet. In a perfect world, all consumers would be able to use the Internet to the extent they saw fit, absent of any bandwidth regulation. However, that perfect world does not exist.
In many cases, net neutrality can become a threat to equal access. Whether this is true for larger ISPs is debatable, however it cannot be denied when considering the circumstances surrounding smaller Internet providers. For example, administrators at rural ISPs, libraries, universities, and businesses often have no choice but to implement bandwidth shaping in order to ensure both reliable service and their own survival. When budgets allow only a certain amount of bandwidth to be purchased, once that supply is depleted, oftentimes due to the heavy usage of a small number of users, options are limited. Shaping in no longer a choice, but a necessity.
However, this does not mean that a free pass should be given for Internet providers to accomplish network optimization through any means available even at the expense of customer privacy. This is especially true considering that it’s possible to achieve network optimization without compromising privacy or equal access to the Internet. The NetEqualizer is a proven example.
Rather than relying on techniques such as deep packet inspection, NetEqualizer regulates bandwidth usage by connection limits and, through its fairness algorithm, ensures that all users are given equal access when the network is congested (click here for a more detailed explanation of the NetEqualizer technology - ).
Therefore, a heavy bandwidth user that might be slowing Internet access for other customers can be kept in check without having to actually examine or completely block the data that is being sent. The end result is that the large majority of users will be able to access the Internet unhindered, while the privacy of all users is protected.
In the midst of the ongoing debates over net neutrality and privacy, the NetEqualizer approach is gaining popularity. This is apparent in both an increase in sales as well as on message boards and forums across the Internet. A recent Broadband Reports post () reads:
“I don’t think anyone’s going to argue with you if you’re simply prioritizing real time traffic over non-real time. Just so long as you’re agnostic as to who’s sending the traffic, not making deals behind people’s backs, etc. then I’d have no problem with my ISP letting me surf the web or e-mail or stream at full speed, even if it meant that, when another person was doing the same, I could only get 100 KBs on a torrent instead of 150.
“I’d much rather have a NetEq’d open connection than a NATed nonmanaged one, that’s for sure.”
It is this agnostic approach that differentiates NetEqualizer from other network optimization appliances. While network administrators are able to prioritize applications such as VoIP in order to prevent latency, other activity, such as BitTorrent, is still able to take place — just at a slower speed when the network is congested. This is all done without deep packet inspection.
“NetEqualizer never opens up any customer data and thus cannot be accused of spying. Connections are treated as a metered resource,” said Art Reisman, CEO of APconnections. “The ISPs that use NetEqualizer simply put a policy in their service contracts stating how many connections they support, end of story. BitTorrent is still allowed to run, albeit not as wide with unlimited connections.”
It has never been the intention of APconnections to pass judgment on how or why users implement shaping technology. The NetEqualizer is simply providing a bandwidth optimization alternative to deep packet inspection that gives administrators the opportunity to manage their networks with respect to both net neutrality and customer privacy.
APconnections is a privately held company founded in 2003 and is based in Lafayette, Colorado.
Contact:
David Wallace, NetEqualizer
720-253-3145

This release was issued through eReleases(TM). For more information, visit .
APconnections, Inc.

Expedia and Jumeirah Group Sign Global Partnership Agreement

admin — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 04:15:15 +0000

BELLEVUE, Wash. and DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, Aug. 5
/PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — Expedia, Inc. , the world’s leading online travel company, today announced it has signed a long term global agreement with Dubai-based Jumeirah Group, the dynamic, luxury hospitality management company. Under the agreement, Jumeirah hotels will be available on all Expedia(R) — and hotels.com(R) — branded points of sale globally.
“We have ambitious expansion plans to grow our global portfolio of luxury hotels and resorts with new projects underway in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Aqaba, Doha, Phuket, Shanghai, Mallorca, London, Argentina and elsewhere around the world,” said Apo Demirtas, chief sales and marketing officer, Jumeirah Group. “Expedia is an ideal partner to help us reach millions of travelers worldwide and enhance our global distribution strategy.”
The agreement provides Jumeirah Group access to Expedia’s global marketplace, as well as its online travel marketing and distribution expertise, and targeted merchandising opportunities to reach travelers throughout Europe, Asia and North America.
“This partnership is strategic to both Jumeirah and Expedia, as we continue to expand our global footprints, respectively,” said Murad Hajeebhoy, vice president of market management, Expedia EMEA. “Jumeirah and Expedia share a commitment to delivering travelers excellent service, and we’re pleased to help Jumeirah meet its overall business objectives.”
Jumeirah hotels will access Expedia’s global online travel marketplace through Expedia(R)Connect, Expedia’s industry leading direct connection solution for chain hotels. In turn, Expedia customers can book accommodation at Jumeirah Group’s luxurious hotels and resorts worldwide, including the well-known Jumeirah Essex House in New York, and the world’s most luxurious hotel Burj Al Arab in Dubai.
About Expedia, Inc.
Expedia, Inc. is the world’s leading online travel company, empowering business and leisure travelers with the tools and information they need to easily research, plan, book and experience travel. Expedia, Inc. also provides in-destination concierge service and activity desks for travelers. The Expedia, Inc. portfolio of brands includes: Expedia.com(R), hotels.com(R), Hotwire(R), Egencia(TM) (formerly Expedia Corporate Travel), TripAdvisor(R), Expedia Local Expert(TM), Classic Vacations(R) and eLong(TM). Expedia, Inc.’s companies operate more than 60 global points of sale in more than 40 countries, with sites in North America, South America, Latin America, Europe, Middle East, Africa and Asia Pacific. Expedia, Inc. is a component of the S&P 500 index. For more information, visit .
About Expedia(R) Partner Services Group
Expedia(R) Partner Services Group (PSG) is the central point of contact for travel suppliers to access the global Expedia marketplace of leading travel brands comprising more than 50 points of sale worldwide. With hundreds of employees in local markets throughout the world, Expedia(R) PSG makes it easy for suppliers to meet their global distribution objectives, and delivers a portfolio of innovative connectivity solutions, rate and inventory management tools, business intelligence reports, and online marketing expertise.
About Jumeirah Group
Jumeirah properties are regarded as among the most luxurious and innovative in the world and have won numerous international travel and tourism awards. The fast growing Dubai based luxury international hospitality management group encompasses the world renowned Burj Al Arab, the world’s most luxurious hotel, the multi-award winning Jumeirah Beach Hotel, Jumeirah Emirates Towers, Madinat Jumeirah and Jumeirah Bab Al Shams Desert Resort & Spa in Dubai, the Jumeirah Carlton Tower and Jumeirah Lowndes Hotel in London and the Jumeirah Essex House on Central Park South in New York.
Building on this success, Jumeirah Group became a member of Dubai Holding in 2004, a collection of leading Dubai based businesses and projects, in a step that aims to initiate a new phase of growth and development for the group.
Expedia, Expedia.com, Expedia Corporate Travel and Egencia are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Expedia, Inc. 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) 2008 Expedia, Inc. All rights reserved. CST: 2029030-40
Expedia, Inc.