DIRECTV customers will be able to bundle their video and high-speed Internet services, no matter where they live in the United States, through new agreements with satellite broadband providers ViaSat and Hughes.

DIRECTV will offer the Exede℠ by ViaSat and Hughes’ HughesNet® Gen4 next-generation satellite broadband services, with speeds of over 10 Mbps, to its customers living in mostly unserved, rural areas later this year. This new offering, coupled with already available triple-play bundles with Verizon, AT&T, Century Link and other telco providers, means that any DIRECTV customer in the U.S. will now be able to get bundled pricing.

Customers who sign up for satellite broadband through DIRECTV will be able to take advantage of certain special offers beginning later this year. More details on the offers and marketing plans will be made available closer to launch.

“We look forward to offering every single DIRECTV customer access to fast, affordable broadband options through DIRECTV, no matter where they live,” said Oswin Eleonora, senior vice president, Emerging Markets, DIRECTV. “With greatly improved capacity and speeds, satellite broadband services provided by ViaSat and Hughes will fully support our customers’ connected home experience, enabling them to access a host of features like YouTube, Pandora, social TV apps, and more than 7,000 VOD titles.”

Samsung Electronics America Inc., a market leader and award-winning innovator in consumer electronics, announced the nationwide retail availability of two highly-anticipated full HD camcorders, the QF20 SMART Camcorder and the rugged W300 pocket camcorder. Both camcorders offer unique feature sets that meet the video demands of a variety of different users, including those who are constantly connected and want the instant gratification of sharing videos, and the adventurist looking for a durable go-anywhere video companion.

To address the growing number of users accustomed to real-time sharing, the Samsung QF20 SMART Camcorder features Wi-Fi connectivity to instantly back up and share videos with friends and family directly from the camcorder. User-friendly features like the QF20′s 2.7-inch LCD with an intuitive touch screen interface make it an ideal choice for the connected user who wants to seamlessly share videos to social networking sites like YouTube, Facebook, and Picasa. The Samsung QF20 also includes an impressive 20x optical zoom, making it easy to get close to the action, such as recording a school play from the audience.

Just in time to capture the spring season’s sporting events and other outdoor activities, the W300′s rugged design is ideal for shooting 1080p full HD video in a range of conditions. It is waterproof up to 15 feet, shockproof from heights of 6 feet and dustproof* – making it an extremely reliable pocket camcorder to take on popular outdoor activities, such as snorkeling, hiking, playing in the sand, biking, and swimming in a pool. The W300 features an anti-fog coating, and offers an Auto Aqua mode that senses the camera is underwater and corrects the color to ensure rich and true-to-life images.

“Samsung’s 2012 camcorders balance innovative features, such as Wi-Fi connectivity and shooting underwater full-HD videos, with ease of use – making them approachable for all consumers,” said Reid Sullivan, Senior Vice President of Mobile Entertainment, Samsung Electronics America. “The QF20 builds on the success of last year’s Q10 as an easy-to-use and affordable HD camcorder that now combines a touch screen LCD and Wi-Fi capabilities for instant uploading to popular social media sites. Additionally, the W300′s waterproof, shockproof and dustproof design makes it this season’s must-have gadget for capturing videos of the exciting outdoor activities and trips that the warm weather brings.”

The Samsung QF20′s Advanced Wireless Features

With the wireless capabilities of the QF20, uploading videos to YouTube and Facebook is seamless and easy. From any Wi-Fi hotspot, users can send videos directly from the camcorder with the touch of a button. The newly-developed login browser featured on the QF20 allows the camcorder to connect to a Wi-Fi hotspot in hotels, airports, coffee shops or other locations which may require visiting a landing page before gaining access to an internet connection. Additionally, with integrated Samsung TV Link feature, the QF20 can wirelessly connect to a TV or Blu-ray player, so videos can be played on the home’s largest screen without the tangling of component cables. The QF20 also features Samsung’s AllShare™, a proprietary technology that makes content sharing with a variety of devices easy, thus powering the PC Auto Backup feature so the QF20 can wirelessly transfer videos to a computer for storage.

Easy, Comfortable and Creative Shooting with the QF20

Continuing the success of the Q10, the QF20 features Samsung’s innovative Switch Grip 2.0 handle design for comfortable control when shooting with either hand, or in any direction. The QF20 can rotate 180-degrees to capture video at different angles and users can quickly switch hands without missing any action. Plus, the one-button control for video record and playback makes the QF20 extremely easy to use and ideal for users at any level.

The QF20 SMART Camcorder features Optical Image Stabilization, OIS Duo, to help reduce motion blur and a new 5MP BSI CMOS Sensor that produces videos that are crisp with true-to-life clarity and color. The QF20 includes Samsung’s Art Time Lapse, a setting that takes still photos at preset time intervals and then speeds up the slow passage of time to create a unique time lapse effect.

The Multi-Proof and Flexible W300 Excels in Many Shooting Conditions

The Samsung W300 rugged pocket camcorder is designed to be the ideal companion for outdoor enthusiasts or anyone looking to enjoy carefree video shooting. While the W300′s waterproof, shockproof and dustproof* features make it optimal for shooting videos in extreme conditions, it’s also a compact and easy-to-use camcorder that adults can feel confident giving to children who are eager to start making their own movies.

Beyond its multi-proof rugged design, the W300 features a 29.6mm wide-angle lens, a crisp 2.3-inch LCD, and a built-in USB port for convenient charging, and transferring video files to a computer. Plus, with the Record/Pause mode, the W300 can briefly pause and then restart the video recording process without creating a new file, making it easier to edit and share videos. Available in orange, red and black, the W300 gives users a range of choice to match their unique personalities.

Creative Editing Features, No Computer Needed

Both new Samsung camcorders feature creative options that will bring videos to life, without the need for any previous editing experience. In fact, videos recorded with the QF20 and W300 can be edited directly on the camcorder, and no computer is needed to use features such as My Clip and Smart Background Music 2.0. My Clip allows the user to bookmark the most important parts of the action – as it is happening live – so during playback, the best moments can be shared as a highlights montage. The upgraded Smart Background Music 2.0 adds another level to the entertainment experience by allowing users to sync their music, and automatically adjust the volume over or under a video clip.

Pricing and Availability

The QF20 SMART Camcorder (MSRP: $349.99) and the W300 pocket camcorder (MSRP: $159.99) are available now from authorized Samsung retailers. For more information on the QF20 and W300 and Samsung’s full line of camcorders, please visit www.samsung.com.

*Waterproof up to 30 minutes maximum and in up to 3 meters of water. Please note: camera is not considered waterproof when the USB arm is exposed. Shockproof is “IPX8 rated” to 2 meters. Dustproof is “IP5X rated.”

CIBC and Rogers Communications today announced an agreement to launch Canada’s first joint mobile payment solution, allowing Canadians to pay with their CIBC credit card at the checkout counter using their Rogers “Near Field Communications” (NFC) enabled smartphone. Beginning later this year, customers will be able to use this payment capability at merchants across Canada where contactless credit card payments are accepted.

This announcement represents the first time a bank and a wireless carrier have joined forces to offer a commercially available mobile payments solution to Canadians that leverages the secure SIM card inside an NFC-enabled Rogers smartphone. This new solution aligns to guidelines announced yesterday by the Canadian Bankers Association for mobile payments in Canada, as well as those developed by respected international associations such as the GSM Association (GSMA), the association of mobile operators and related companies dedicated to standardizing and supporting GSM technology.

“As the leader in delivering mobile financial services innovations in Canada, we are pleased to introduce yet another innovation in the market that will shape the payments experience of the future,” commented David Williamson, Senior Executive Vice President, Retail and Business Banking, CIBC. “By teaming with Rogers, CIBC clients will soon enjoy the convenience of paying at the checkout with their mobile device while enjoying the existing benefits of their CIBC credit card, including loyalty rewards.”

“Canadians are embracing new technologies at an accelerated pace and we know they’re interested in using their smartphone for mobile payments,” said Rob Bruce, President of Communications, Rogers Communications. “We’ve been laying the foundation for mobile commerce and the ecosystem is ready to give Canadians the convenience, security, and peace of mind they deserve,” said Bruce. “Today’s announcement with CIBC represents an important first step toward a whole new world of mobile transactions which is a key growth area for the company.”

Some of the key features of the new mobile payments solution include:

Full access to a client’s existing CIBC credit cards on their smartphone at no extra cost – whether Visa or MasterCard – this gives clients the opportunity to earn loyalty points on purchases as they do today.
Multiple layers of security – Paying with your NFC-enabled smartphone will be as secure as using your credit card today. Clients will receive the same fraud protection they do with their contactless credit card, and secure encryption technology will add to the layers of security already in place on credit card purchases. Clients will also have the option to set additional password protection.
No “stickers” on your phone – this new payment capability will leverage the secure SIM card inside a mobile device for payments, meaning clients can manage their credit card credentials on a secure platform, and won’t need to worry about stickers attached to their phone.
This new CIBC mobile payments capability will be available on select BlackBerry® smartphones on the Rogers wireless network when the solution launches later this year, with additional device choices for clients available following launch.

MasterCard’s Mobile Payments Readiness Index ranks Canada ahead of the United States and second out of 34 countries. A key finding emphasizes that partnerships among the key players in the mobile payments ecosystem – financial institutions, payment networks, telcos, governments, technology providers – are essential to accelerate the commercialization of mobile payments.

Today’s announcement builds on CIBC’s leadership position in delivering mobile innovations to clients. CIBC was the first bank in Canada to launch a mobile banking App in 2010, and more recently became the first bank in Canada to deliver an App that allows clients to trade stocks on their mobile device through the CIBC Mobile Brokerage App. The bank also offers the CIBC Home Advisor App, free to all Canadian homebuyers, giving them access to information about housing prices and other key neighbourhood data in an area they may be considering. CIBC was named “Best in Mobile Banking” globally by Global Finance magazine in 2011.

In 2002, Rogers launched its GSM wireless network, and last year was the first carrier in Canada to launch LTE, bringing the largest and fastest network and a global wireless standard to Canada. Today’s announcement builds on this foundation of world-class networks, Rogers history of innovation and mobile commerce expertise, specifically in the area of mobile proximity payments. Over the past six years, Rogers has worked with the GSM Association, including the “Pay-buy-Mobile” initiative to get industry standard payment cards – like MasterCard or Visa – on industry standard GSM devices. In the past year, the GSM Association further named Rogers as one of many operators worldwide committed to SIM-based NFC solutions and services.

“The GSMA congratulate CIBC and Rogers on the launch of their mobile NFC services and we look forward to many more markets following Canada’s lead in bringing exciting and interoperable NFC services to life,” said Anne Bouverot, Director General, GSMA. “This is the year when mobile NFC is set to take off and the GSMA will continue to support our members around the world who will be launching their mobile NFC services later this year.”

Key benefits of CloudLinux OS include:

Greater reliability and performance with a server that runs at peak operating capacity

More control over CPU and memory resources

Improved uptime, as no single account can slow down or take down an entire shared server

Enhanced security with CageFS—through virtualization, each user’s file system is isolated, which makes it difficult for hackers to attack or to steal data

Quick updates and professional, free, 24/7 support

“The issues related to I/O are one of the chief contributors to shared hosting downtime,” said Igor Seletskiy, founder and CEO of Cloud Linux Inc. “I/O limits should help our customers better manage resource usage and improve overall stability of their service.”

CloudLinux is a Gold Sponsor of WHD.india and WHD.asia. At the events, Igor Seletskiy will present ways to secure shared hosting using CageFS. The presentation at WHD.india will be held on Tuesday, May 22, 2012, at 11:45 a.m. At WHD.asia, the presentation will be conducted on Thursday, May 24, 2012, at 1:30 p.m.

About CloudLinux

CloudLinux was founded and developed in 2009 to address the distinctive needs of web hosting providers. The company’s headquarters is located in Princeton, New Jersey, and its development team, whichis composed of employees with an appreciable proficiency in the hosting business, is based in Donetsk, Ukraine. CloudLinux is a stable, privately funded company geared toward providing the ideal OS to make even the most intricate and divergent hosting needs more straightforward and less complicated.

Igor Seletskiy
Cloud Linux Inc
+1 (609) 785-1322

moShare’s Free WordPress Plugin Makes Adding the moShare Button Easy for WordPress Users

–Content Shared Via moShare Is Opened by 90 Percent of Recipients, 40 Percent of Whom Click Through to the Referring Site

moShare, the world’s first web-to-mobile sharing service, today announced the availability of the moShare WordPress plugin, that allows the free and easy integration of moShare’s mobile content sharing functionality to any website built using WordPress.

moShare is the quickest way for users to share any content (e.g., news, videos and photos) from any website to any mobile phone via Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS) technology. More than 90 percent of content shared via moShare is opened by recipients on their mobile devices, 40 percent of whom then click through to the referring website, resulting in increased traffic to sites that add the moShare button.

“We knew that social sharing was critical in increasing website visibility, but we were pleasantly surprised to see how much more engaged the visitors who were driven to us through moShare are,” said Joey Flores, CEO and co-founder of Earbits. “They stay on our site longer, visit more pages and are, in general, becoming repeat visitors. This is much better than what we had hoped for in a social sharing plugin.”

The moShare button is commonly placed alongside the Facebook, Twitter or Google+ buttons already being used by most web developers. These buttons are designed specifically to enable the sharing of content and create a more engaged audience.

“WordPress is the backbone of many of today’s top blogs. The one common goal of each of these WordPress sites is increasing their audience and traffic,” said Noel Saw, senior UX designer and WordPress provocateur. “The moShare plugin helps accomplish this goal by enabling blog visitors to share the site’s content directly to their closest friends’ phones. You can’t get more qualified and engaged traffic than by visiting a link shared by a friend.”

With this new plugin, users of WordPress–the most popular content management system in use on the Internet–can easily add the moShare button directly on their websites, making the content instantly shareable for visitors to the site.

“More than 73 million sites use WordPress to create and post their online content. Developing this plugin enables the entire WordPress community to add the first share to mobile social button,” said James Citron, CEO of Mogreet. “Adding moShare functionality to a website enables publishers to reach readers on their mobile device — the primary device in most people’s lives.”

moShare is built on Mogreet’s dynamic mobile messaging platform that is used by Fortune 1000 companies and small business alike to enable their customers to become loyal brand ambassadors. For information on how to get the moShare WordPress plugin, visit www.moshare.com/get_button.html .

About Mogreet

Founded in 2006, Mogreet is the leading mobile messaging platform for the delivery of rich media to mobile devices. The company works with leading marketers in entertainment, media, retail, consumer products, health care and real estate. Currently supported in over 175 countries, Mogreet’s platform can reach 2 billion consumers globally. Mogreet’s moShare is the world’s first web-to-mobile sharing service, allowing consumers to share web content and drive inbound traffic via mobile. The company has raised $14.1 million in venture capital from Ascend Venture Group, Black Diamond Ventures, Bryant Park Ventures and DFJ Frontier. Mogreet is headquartered in Venice, California. http://www.mogreet.com

Mogreet
Serena Ehrlich, 310-566-0713
serena.ehrlich@mogreet.com
or
Method Communications
Joshua Heath, 801-461-9794
joshua@methodcommunications.com

LG Electronics (LG) is introducing a new User Interface (UI) for its newest Android Ice Cream Sandwich devices, aptly named Optimus UI 3.0. Optimus UI 3.0 brings with it an array of enhanced key features, including Quick Memo™ and unique unlock functions, among other new features and functions aimed at improving LG smartphone experience.

“With smartphone hardware becoming more and more similar, it’s important for manufacturers to differentiate their products from the competition through the user interface,” said Dr. Jong-seok Park, President and CEO of LG Electronics Mobile Communications Company. “Both carriers and customers tell us that they want LG phones to look and feel unique and the UI plays a big part in that. LG is really going to push the boundaries of what is possible in user interfaces starting with Optimus UI 3.0.”

Optimus UI 3.0 is designed with convenience and speed in mind. A powerful memo function called Quick Memo™ enables users to jot notes on the screen using a finger. Quick Memo™ in Optimus UI 3.0 allows users to share their thoughts through social networks, text messages and e-mails more conveniently than ever before.

Other new features include:

– the ability to unlock the phone by dragging anywhere on the screen;
– a new Pattern Lock that allows users to preset the most frequently used function, such as the camera, which automatically opens once the phone is unlocked;
– a simpler version of Optimus UI 3.0 for new smartphone users which organizes the main applications so that they are the easiest to access;
– a new Voice Shutter that allows users to capture photos using only voice commands;
– a special camera feature that enables users to pick up the best shot among multiple images including the moment just before the shutter button is depressed;
– an Icon Customizer that provides an additional level of personalization by allowing users to set their own photos as icons and shortcut images;
– the addition of a Download category to the menu for easier organization.

Optimus UI 3.0 will debut on the LG Optimus LTE II launching this week in Korea, followed by LG Optimus 4X HD in June.

Lightweight, easy to use and packed with a variety of useful features, the new Sony SLT-A37 camera is an ideal choice for consumers eager to explore the world of interchangeable lens DSLR photography.

The new α37 camera is the latest to feature Sony’s acclaimed Translucent Mirror Technology, which delivers a potent combination of fast shooting, non-stop phase detection autofocus and continuous live image preview during still and full HD video (60i/24p) shooting. This innovative technology also allows the new α37 camera to grab split-second action with a burst of sharply focused images. Shots can be captured at up to seven frames per second in Tele-Zoom High Speed Shooting Mode, where the central portion of the sensor’s image is magnified by approximately 1.4x.

The camera has a precision 3-cross 15-point AF system with tracking autofocus that keeps faces and fast-moving subjects in sharp focus. From action-packed sports to spontaneous family portraits, it will ensure that all the drama and beauty of that special moment is captured.

“Delivering lightning-fast shooting speeds and autofocus plus advanced full HD video capture, our innovative Translucent Mirror Technology continues to serve as the backbone of our A-mount line of cameras,” said Mike Kahn, director of the Alpha business at Sony. “Featuring this unique technology plus a host of exciting new features and an attractive price tag, our new α37 camera brings a whole new meaning to the term ‘entry level DSLR’.”

Framing and focusing is easy with the camera’s high-resolution Tru-Finder™ electronic viewfinder. With a high 1440k dot resolution, excellent contrast and 100% field of view, it matches or exceeds the abilities of many optical viewfinders. Adjustments to exposure and other creative picture settings can be previewed in real time, either via the Tru-Finder™ EVF or the tilt-angle 6.7 cm (2.7″) Clear Photo™ LCD screen, making it easy to create shots with a customized, professional finish.

Additionally, the Sony α37 camera helps inexperienced photographers create top-quality portraits with ease. The new Auto Portrait Framing mode identifies the subject’s position in a composed image and follows the “rule of thirds” to trim the scene and create a beautifully framed portrait. The cropped photo is then boosted to full resolution using Sony’s unique By Pixel Super Resolution technology, which uses pattern matching to maintain superb image detail, tones and textures in the photo. Both the original and cropped image files are saved for review.

By Pixel Super Resolution Technology is also used for the “Clear Image Zoom” feature, which digitally doubles the effective magnification of any lens attached to the camera. Ideal for travel and everyday shooting, it’s a great way to boost maximum focal length without carrying extra hardware.

The 16.1 effective megapixel Exmor® APS HD CMOS sensor inside the α37 camera captures finely detailed, low noise stills and Full HD video. It’s teamed with the latest BIONZ® image processor that extends sensitivity to an ISO 100-16000 range, broadening options for low-light shooting without flash. Shared with all α A-mount cameras, SteadyShot INSIDE™ stabilization cuts the effects of camera shake by up to 4.0 stops for clearer handheld images with any A-mount lens.

The new α37 camera also features Superior Auto Mode, which intelligently recognizes a wide range of scenes and subjects and adjusts settings automatically.

New A-Mount 18-135mm Telephoto Zoom Lens and Accessories

A versatile match for the α37 and other Sony A-mount camera bodies, the new SAL18135 18-135mm F3.5-5.6 telephoto zoom offers a generous 8x (approx.) zoom range in a compact, go-anywhere lens that’s great for travel, street photography and everyday shooting. The lens features a SAM design that assures smooth, rapid, whisper-quiet autofocus operation and Direct Manual Focus for accurate fine-tuning of focus. This sharp telephoto zoom lens will also be offered as a kit lens with the α37 and other Sony A-mount camera bodies.

Compatible accessories include the new PCK-LM11 semi-hard screen protector sheet, exclusively designed for a perfect fit with the LCD screen on the α37 camera, as well as the HVL-F43AM flash, LCS-BP2 backpack and a variety of other exciting products that complete the Alpha ecosystem.

Pricing and Availability

The new α37 digital camera will be available this June with an 18-55mm kit zoom lens (model SEL1855) for about $600. The new SAL18135 telephoto zoom lens will be available as a stand-alone product this July for about $500, and will be offered as a kit lens with Sony A-mount cameras beginning this August at the below approximate prices:
• α37 camera kit with 18-135mm lens: $800
• α57 camera kit with 18-135mm lens: $1,000
• α65 camera kit with 18-135mm lens: $1,200
• α77 camera kit with 18-135mm lens: $1,700

The camera kits, new lens and variety of accessories will be available at Sony retail stores (www.store.sony.com) and other authorized dealers nationwide.

Sony’s α NEX-F3 digital camera delivers professional quality photos with a compact, pocket-sized body, allowing consumers to explore the creative world of high-quality, interchangeable lens photography in a refreshingly fun and entertaining way.

The new NEX-F3 camera features the same space-saving mirrorless design as other models in Sony’s E-mount family as well as an advanced, 16.1 effective megapixel Exmor™ APS HD CMOS sensor, identical in size to sensors found in traditional DSLR cameras. The large sensor takes in more light during image capture, resulting in flawless, low-noise photographs and crisply detailed Full HD videos (60i/24p). Photographers can also easily create images with beautiful defocus effects, where the subject is focused sharply against a smoothly blurred background.

“Sony continues to redefine digital photography with our E-mount series, packing a large APS-C size sensor into a small, lightweight camera body to produce professional-quality images with ease,” said Mike Kahn, director of the Alpha business at Sony. “Featuring a diverse set of imaging technologies and offered at a great price, the new NEX-F3 model reinforces our commitment to this rapidly growing compact system camera market.”

The NEX-F3 camera adds a whole new perspective to self-portraits with a 180° Tiltable LCD screen, a first for Sony’s E-mount camera line. By simply holding the camera at arm’s length and flipping the LCD screen vertically, users can adjust the on-screen preview image and properly frame photos.
Additionally, the new model features a useful built-in flash to broaden shooting options indoors or in low light situations. Already introduced on Sony’s acclaimed NEX-7 camera, this pop-up flash handily brightens portraits and other shots without the need to carry an additional flash accessory.

The new NEX-F3 camera also includes the new Auto Portrait Framing feature for creating top-quality portraits quickly and easily. This innovative feature identifies a subject’s position in a composed image, and follows the “rule of thirds” to trim the scene appropriately around the subject’s face, creating a beautifully composed portrait. The cropped portrait is then boosted to full resolution using Sony’s unique By Pixel Super Resolution technology, which uses pattern matching to maintain superb image detail, tones and textures in the photo. Both the original and cropped image files are saved for review.

By Pixel Super Resolution Technology is also used for the “Clear Image Zoom” feature, which digitally doubles the effective magnification of any lens attached to the camera. Ideal for travel and everyday shooting, it’s a great way to boost maximum focal length without carrying extra hardware.
Other convenient essentials added to the new NEX-F3 camera include the Superior Auto mode, which intelligently recognizes a wide range of scenes and subjects and adjusts settings automatically. Battery stamina has been boosted to an industry-leading 470 shots (approx.) on a single charge – an approximate 18% improvement over its predecessor, the NEX-C3 model.
The camera is compatible with the FDA-EV1S viewfinder accessory (sold separately), which offers a high-contrast, high-resolution OLED viewfinder display and a wide viewing angle. The NEX-F3 model also features a high-quality, premium-feel grip for more comfortable handling and can be charged via either USB or a standard AC outlet.

New Lightweight 18-200mm Telephoto Zoom Lens for Sony α NEX

An ideal travel partner for the NEX-F3 camera, the new SEL18200LE E18-200mm F3.5-6.3 OSS LE telezoom lens offers a powerful 11x zoom range and superb resolution in an easy-to-carry package. Smaller and 12% lighter than the SEL18200 lens, the new E-mount model features Optical SteadyShot to compensate for the effects of hand-shake. It also features Direct Manual Focus to give users precise control over focus settings, resulting in crisp, beautiful images.

Pricing and Availability

The new NEX-F3 compact digital camera will be available this June in silver, black and white with an 18-55mm kit zoom lens (model SEL1855) for about $600. The new SEL18200LE telezoom lens will be available this July in black for about $850.

The camera kit, new lens and a variety of compatible accessories including the LCS-EJC3 carrying case, STP-XSG1 shoulder strap and STP-WS2 wrist strap will be available at Sony retail stores (www.store.sony.com) and other authorized dealers nationwide

On the heels of its strong overseas opening of Dark Shadows and the momentum of its first quarter releases, Warner Bros. Pictures has surpassed the $1 billion threshold in overseas box office in less than five months, surpassing its 2010 Studio record by ten days. This marks the twelfth consecutive year the Division has grossed over $1 billion overseas, beginning in 2001. The announcement was made today by Veronika Kwan Vandenberg, President, International Distribution, Warner Bros. Pictures.

The Studio hits this high water mark as it gears up for a full slate of highly anticipated titles later in the year, including Adam Shankman’s Rock of Ages, Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight Rises, Ben Affleck’s Argo, and Peter Jackson’s The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey.

The Division enjoyed a strong start early in the year with the continued overseas success of Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows, which grossed $257 million in 2012 ($357 million total international box office). This was followed by impressive grosses on the 2D and 3D releases of Journey 2: The Mysterious Island ($222 million) and Wrath of the Titans ($218.3 million). Released in some territories day–and–date with the U.S., Dark Shadows has already grossed $37.3 million, with many markets yet to open. Earnings from 3D venues reached $324 million, representing nearly a third of the Division’s cumulative gross for 2012.

“Our success thus far this year would not be possible without the ingenuity of our filmmakers, and the hard work and dedication of our teams around the world,” Kwan Vandenberg said. “These remarkable results demonstrate the continued strength of the international business, particularly in rapidly expanding overseas markets and in 3D.”

Warner Bros Pictures International has been the market leader in six of the previous 11 years. The Studio has surpassed $1 billion at the international box office a total of 15 times, with four of those years exceeding $2 billion, including 2011. The studio earned $2.87 billion internationally last year, and was the number one studio in Europe.

Contact Info:

Jessica Zacholl
(818) 954–3599
jessica.zacholl@warnerbros.com

NVIDIA today unveiled the NVIDIA® VGX™ platform, which enables IT departments to deliver a virtualized desktop with the graphics and GPU computing performance of a PC or workstation to employees using any connected device.

With the NVIDIA VGX platform in the data center, employees can now access a true cloud PC from any device — thin client, laptop, tablet or smartphone — regardless of its operating system, and enjoy a responsive experience for the full spectrum of applications previously only available on an office PC.

NVIDIA VGX enables knowledge workers for the first time to access a GPU-accelerated desktop similar to a traditional local PC. The platform’s manageability options and ultra-low latency remote display capabilities extend this convenience to those using 3D design and simulation tools, which had previously been too intensive for a virtualized desktop.

Integrating the VGX platform into the corporate network also enables enterprise IT departments to address the complex challenges of “BYOD” — employees bringing their own computing device to work. It delivers a remote desktop to these devices, providing users the same access they have on their desktop terminal. At the same time, it helps reduce overall IT spend, improve data security and minimize data center complexity.

“NVIDIA VGX represents a new era in desktop virtualization,” said Jeff Brown, general manager of the Professional Solutions Group at NVIDIA. “It delivers an experience nearly indistinguishable from a full desktop while substantially lowering the cost of a virtualized PC.”

The NVIDIA VGX platform is part of a series of announcements NVIDIA is making today at the GPU Technology Conference (GTC), all of which can be accessed in the GTC online press room.

The VGX platform addresses key challenges faced by global enterprises, which are under constant pressure both to control operating costs and to use IT as a competitive edge that allows their workforces to achieve greater productivity and deliver new products faster. Delivering virtualized desktops can also minimize the security risks inherent in sharing critical data and intellectual property with an increasingly internationalized workforce.

NVIDIA VGX is based on three key technology breakthroughs:

NVIDIA VGX Boards. These are designed for hosting large numbers of users in an energy-efficient way. The first NVIDA VGX board is configured with four GPUs and 16 GB of memory, and fits into the industry-standard PCI Express interface in servers.

NVIDIA VGX GPU Hypervisor. This software layer integrates into commercial hypervisors, such as the Citrix XenServer, enabling virtualization of the GPU.

NVIDIA User Selectable Machines (USMs). This manageability option allows enterprises to configure the graphics capabilities delivered to individual users in the network, based on their demands. Capabilities range from true PC experiences available with the NVIDIA standard USM to enhanced professional 3D design and engineering experiences with NVIDIA Quadro® or NVIDIA NVS™ GPUs.

The NVIDIA VGX platform enables up to 100 users to be served from a single server powered by one VGX board, dramatically improving user density on a single server compared with traditional virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) solutions. It sharply reduces such issues as latency, sluggish interaction and limited application support, all of which are associated with traditional VDI solutions.

With the NVIDIA VGX platform, IT departments can serve every user in the organization — from knowledge workers to designers —with true PC-like interactive desktops and applications.

NVIDIA VGX Boards

NVIDIA VGX boards are the world’s first GPU boards designed for data centers. The initial NVIDIA VGX board features four GPUs, each with 192 NVIDIA CUDA® architecture cores and 4 GB of frame buffer. Designed to be passively cooled, the board fits within existing server-based platforms.

The boards benefit from a range of advancements, including hardware virtualization, which enables many users who are running hosted virtual desktops to share a single GPU and enjoy a rich, interactive graphics experience; support for low-latency remote display, which greatly reduces the lag currently experienced by users; and, redesigned shader technology to deliver higher power efficiency.

NVIDIA VGX GPU Hypervisor

The NVIDIA VGX GPU Hypervisor is a software layer that integrates into a commercial hypervisor, enabling access to virtualized GPU resources. This allows multiple users to share common hardware and ensure virtual machines running on a single server have protected access to critical resources. As a result, a single server can now economically support a higher density of users, while providing native graphics and GPU computing performance.

This new technology is being integrated by leading virtualization companies, such as Citrix, to add full hardware graphics acceleration to their full range of VDI products.

NVIDIA User Selectable Machines

NVIDIA USMs allow the NVIDIA VGX platform to deliver the advanced experience of professional GPUs to those requiring them across an enterprise. This enables IT departments to easily support multiple types of users from a single server.

USMs allow better utilization of hardware resources, with the flexibility to configure and deploy new users’ desktops based on changing enterprise needs. This is particularly valuable for companies providing infrastructure as a service, as they can repurpose GPU-accelerated servers to meet changing demand throughout the day, week or season.

Leading Businesses Endorse NVIDIA VGX

“Jaguar Land Rover is a global company with an international workforce. The ‘holy grail’ for us is to deliver virtualized desktop to engineers overseas so we can harness the best engineering talent on the planet without risking the security of our new car designs. The NVIDIA VGX platform is the most promising step we’ve seen in addressing the user experience for our virtualized workforce. With NVIDIA VGX, engineers for the first time can run all of the office productivity and technical applications they need in a virtualized environment. This will dramatically improve the productivity of our global workforce.”
— Gordon McMullan, interim CTO, Jaguar Land Rover

“Larson Design Group is a growing company that teams with our clients to provide responsive, innovative solutions for facility, transportation, land development and environmental needs. We therefore look to deploy technologies that will help sustain our growing geographic reach, ease administration and allow our engineers to reach their creative maximum and be more connected to client needs. With NVIDIA VGX, our engineers can now take any mobile device to the client’s site, work interactively with them on a fully virtualized desktop and still maintain the industry’s highest productivity levels.”
— Keith S. Kuzio, CEO, Larson Design Group

“Desktop virtualization is rapidly becoming mainstream for enterprises. By leveraging the NVIDIA VGX platform, combined with XenDesktop and HDX technologies, we are enabling enterprise customers to virtually deliver graphics-intensive apps beyond power users and designers. Now, they can also serve users who require only occasional access to graphics-intensive apps, which previously would have been cost-prohibitive. The combined virtual desktop solution for serving these users can be reduced by up to 80 percent, while enabling users to securely access GPU-accelerated apps from any device.”
— Sumit Dhawan, vice president and general manager of Receivers and Gateways, Citrix

“NVIDIA virtualized GPU technology aligns with Cisco’s vision of cloud and delivery of desktop and rich-media applications. GPU virtualization is the one major technology challenge that has been holding back deeper adoption of VDI in the enterprise. We believe NVIDIA’s breakthrough will deliver the unique user experience and ease of management customers have been demanding.”
— David Yen, senior vice president and general manager of Data Center Business Group, Cisco

“Virtual desktop environments can enable mobile workforces to perform tasks more efficiently. With HP VirtualSystem utilizing HP Blade Servers and the NVIDIA VGX platform, clients can easily deploy a simplified virtualized environment that quickly delivers the information or applications users need.”
— Chuck Smith, vice president of Worldwide Industry Standard Servers, HP

Availability and Pricing
The NVIDIA VGX platform, including new NVIDIA VGX boards, the NVIDIA GPU Hypervisor and NVIDIA USMs, is planned to be available for deployment across the enterprise through NVIDIA’s hardware OEM and VDI partners later this year. Additional information is available at www.nvidia.com/object/vdi-desktop-virtualization.html.