Archive for month: September, 2013

Cortado’s pull printing solution reduces waste of toner and paper using existing hardware

(DENVER, 26 September 2013) Cortado, maker of the leading virtual printing solution ThinPrint, has released a new version of its pull printing solution, Personal Printing. Personal Printing 3.0 comes with many innovations like an iPhone/iPad client to release the print job, as well as an improved print job viewer, and it enables companies to significantly lower their monthly printing costs.

“Page volumes: Implementing pull printing typically helps reduce office page volumes by at least 10%; percentages vary by organization, and some organizations report dramatically more.” – Gartner research note (Cost-Cutting Initiatives for Office Printing, S. McNee et al, July 2013).

Cortado offers an especially easy and quickly implemented pull printing method with its solution Personal Printing. With Personal Printing, the user uses his BlackBerry, Android, or now iPhone or iPad to release the print job at the printer of their choice. Since the printout must be released directly at the printer, only those documents that are really necessary are printed. Thus, paper and toner usage drops.

In addition, Personal Printing works with any printer from any manufacturer. Thus, the implementation of pull printing can be started immediately and without any follow-up costs. And costly maintenance contracts for special printers also are unnecessary.

The new print Job Viewer in Personal Printing enables the sorting of print jobs by importance. The user can delete print jobs no longer needed and use their mobile device to select which print jobs they want to release.

The costs for administration and support associated with printing are also lowered. Since all Personal Printing print jobs are gathered into one single printer queue, driver problems and queue assignment disappear, and the administrative time and effort decreases. The print dialog box, which appears identically to all users, reduces the number of cost-intensive help desk calls. If a printer fails, another one can be utilized immediately. Costly maintenance contracts with short reaction times become unnecessary.

“With Personal Printing 3.0, companies can reduce their printing costs quickly and easily – thanks to our user-based licensing model, it pays off in the first year for companies of all sizes,” says Carsten Mickeleit, CEO of Cortado AG. “We are the only provider whose solution is completely independent of specific manufacturers’ hardware, combined with our years of know-how in mobility and mobile printing.”

Personal Printing 3.0, an on-premise solution, is now available as a user-based license for just $1.53 per user, per month. A free demo version, links to app stores, and more information about the product are available on the new Personal Printing website: www.personal-printing.com

For companies that would like to use other authentication methods, such as smartcards, Cortado offers joint solutions with strategic partners.

This press release and photo are available online and ready to download: www.cortado.com/press

About Cortado

Cortado – formerly ThinPrint – has delivered solutions for the modern working world since 1999. Enterprise mobility, printing, virtualization and BYOD are the main focus of the company. Cortado combines innovative devices such as smartphones and tablets with the customary requirements of office work, in teams and beyond space and system boundaries.

Easy for users, innovative, reliable, and with a high return on investment. These are the distinguishing features of Cortado products. No other company focuses so much on the issue of consumerization. By constantly evaluating feedback from users of its free cloud services available in all major app stores, Cortado continuously improves its products. These foundations allow Cortado to optimally implement an enterprise mobility strategy for businesses of all sizes.

Cortado established itself internationally with ThinPrint, the leading printer virtualization technology, which is used in 116 countries by thousands of companies. Even the biggest customers of Citrix XenApp and Microsoft Remote Desktop Services rely on ThinPrint. Via a long-term OEM partnership, VMware integrates ThinPrint technology.

The advantages of printer virtualization will only increase, also for cloud providers and in networks with physical desktops. Results are significant cost savings, immensely reduced helpdesk requests and noticeably more satisfied employees.

Over 18,000 enterprise customers with 5 up to 150,000 employees, as well as hundreds of thousands of individual users worldwide rely on Cortado solutions. As an internationally operating company, and founder of the Cloud Printing Alliance, Cortado employs over 220 highly skilled employees at its headquarters in Berlin, Germany and in its branch offices in the United States, the UK, Australia, France and Japan. Cortado was a winner of the 2013 Great Place to Work® competition and is named as one of the “Best Employers in Berlin-Brandenburg 2013”.

Featured technologies highlight how company has evolved the delivery of optical IP Ethernet-based services

SANTA CLARA, CA – September 23, 2013 – Aurora Networks, Inc., the number one optical access solution provider for cable operators, today announced it will showcase its industry-leading products and technologies that are defining the evolution to broadband at the 2013 FTTH Conference & Expo, taking place September 30-October 2 in Tampa, Florida. Aurora Networks’ innovative product lines provide operators with a direct pathway to deliver fiber transported high-speed data for commercial and residential services.

In line with the company’s dedication to designing, engineering, and commercializing fiber-to-the-premises (FTTP) solutions that enable standards-based delivery of services to residential homes and businesses, Aurora Networks will display its unified PON portfolio along with its RFoG and RFPON solutions at the show. This includes demonstrations of products and solutions that enable operators to not only optimize their current networks, but also prepare for the future.

Aurora Networks will display its industry-changing FTTP product line at booth #618. Leading experts from the company will be on-site to discuss industry trends and answer questions on solutions and technologies.

In addition, Brian Lane, product line manager, access networks solutions, Aurora Networks, will deliver a presentation in the session titled, “Fiber to the Home Deployments: Optimizing FTTX Networks with Performance Management,” on Monday, September 30, from 9:45 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. (EDT) in rooms 15/16.

What Aurora Networks Says

“The technologies that we are demonstrating at the FTTH Conference & Expo showcase our dedication to the evolution of today’s providers into successful broadband operators,” said John Dahlquist, vice president, marketing, Aurora Networks. “Innovations such as our PON portfolio and OBI-free™ RFoG and RFPON solutions exemplify our ability to develop quality technologies to not only fit operators’ current needs, but optimize their networks to evolve to match tomorrow’s capacity requirements.”

Aurora Networks’ Solutions at FTTH Conference & Expo

• Unified PON Portfolio – Aurora Networks’ PON portfolio enables broadband operators to cost-effectively deliver all optical IP Ethernet-based services to the home or commercial customer. The extensive PON portfolio includes Node PON™, Trident7® platforms and Element Management System, and a comprehensive selection of Optical Network Terminals (ONTs). Aurora Networks will also demonstrate its latest Trident7 Optical Line Terminal (OLT) blade, T7-PIM-8802, which offers twice the port density of previous Trident7 OLT blades. Operators, armed with these technologies, have a comprehensive, end-to-end IP networking solution.

• RFoG and RFPON Solutions – Aurora Networks’ RFoG and RFPON (RFoG plus PON) solutions support both direct-fed and distributed RFoG architectures. Aurora Networks’ portfolio includes the RFoG customer premises equipment (CPE) product range along with its VHub™ and PON technology. At the show, Aurora Networks will highlight its latest Node PON unit, GE4404 and optical beat interference (OBI)-free RFoG ONU, the industry’s first and only standards-compliant OBI-free RFoG solution. With these solutions, Aurora Networks enables the most cost-effective way for operators to deliver services over fiber.

About Aurora Networks

As the number one optical access solution provider for cable operators, Aurora Networks is dedicated to the evolution of the broadband industry by providing optimized solutions that enable operators to accommodate ever-growing capacity needs. Along with its superior customer service and support, Aurora Networks is delivering innovation for the future. To learn more about Aurora Networks’ core solutions, please call 408-235-7000 or visit www.aurora.com.

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Aurora Networks, the Aurora Networks logo and Trident7 are registered and Node PON, OBI-free and VHub are trademarks of Aurora Networks, Inc., in the United States and other countries. Other marks are the property of their respective owners and are used here only for identification purposes. 

App allows consumers to compare major carriers’ network coverage to make informed decisions about their mobile lives

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – Aug. 20, 2013 – Mosaik Solutions, the global source for geospatial network intelligence, today announces the launch of CellMaps Mobile Coverage app for iOS. The app delivers industry-trusted mobile network coverage information enabling consumers to compare options so they can stay connected in today’s mobile world, whether at home or on the go.

Already available to Android devices on Google Play, CellMaps Mobile Coverage app allows people to quickly map network coverage by operator and technology on smartphones and tablets.  By leveraging Mosaik’s mapping capabilities, users can view and compare 2G, 3G, 4G, 4G LTE and roaming network coverage for AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile and Verizon Wireless in the United States.

Key capabilities of Mosaik’s CellMaps Mobile Coverage app include:

• Access to up-to-date network coverage maps for AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile and Verizon Wireless down to the street level
• The ability to see where coverage is available by operator and by technology
• ‘Check Coverage’ at a specific address or the device’s location to determine which technologies (2G, 3G, 4G, 4G LTE and roaming) are available
• Ongoing streamed news coverage and insights from the mobile industry to learn about the wireless industry and to stay current on industry changes that might impact you

To arm users with the best intelligence available, the app’s network coverage data is frequently updated.  Unlike similar apps, there is no need to download a new version to get the most up-to-date coverage patterns. Mosaik’s API automatically delivers coverage updates with no action required by the user.

“Mosaik has dedicated 25 years to addressing the wireless industry’s needs by providing not only the industry’s best network intelligence, but continuously improving and expanding the software platforms we support,” said Bryan Darr, CEO of Mosaik Solutions. “By extending CellMaps Mobile Coverage to iOS, enhancing the quality of content, and optimizing the user experience, consumers now have even more information available to make decisions impacting their mobile lives.”

The CellMaps Mobile Coverage app is an extension of Mosaik’s CellMaps desktop service, a customizable online mapping solution that provides interactive, global coverage maps on a website. In addition to the consumer app, Mosaik develops mobile app versions of its CellMaps service for enterprise customers.

Trusted as an unbiased source for industry decision makers and housing the largest, most comprehensive and current mobile coverage database in the world, Mosaik’s data is the global standard for network coverage information. The company has a history of supporting the marketing efforts of many of the largest operators, retailers and MVNOs, while also developing business intelligence solutions for strategic planners, regulators and investors across the network ecosystem.

CellMaps Mobile Coverage for iOS is available for $1.99 at the Apple App Store  at https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/cellmaps-mobile-coverage/id680827520?mt=8

About Mosaik Solutions

Mosaik Solutions builds world-class desktop and mobile applications backed by comprehensive wireless network intelligence. As an agile team of researchers, creatives and mapping experts, we help clients attract and retain more customers with tailored marketing solutions. We also empower better strategic and tactical decisions with accurate datasets, flexible software and responsive professional services. For more information, visit www.mosaik.com.

New solution features per-session watermarking, improving multiscreen and OTT video security for cable and IPTV service providers

AMSTERDAM – September 13, 2013 – IBC, stand #14.182 and stand #2.A41 – SeaWell Networks, a leader in multiscreen video delivery solutions, today announces a joint multiscreen security solution with Civolution, the leading provider of technology and solutions for identifying, managing and monetizing content. The collaboration enhances SeaWell’s multiscreen security framework by adding scalable, per-session watermarking for multiscreen and over-the top (OTT) services.

Piracy and illicit re-streaming of service providers’ linear and on-demand (VOD) content over the Internet is a major challenge for the television industry, especially regarding live sporting and other high-demand events. Answering the demand for advanced security, the joint solution combines the edge-based, per-session encryption capability of SeaWell’s Spectrum™ Session Delivery Controller with Civolution’s NexGuard forensic watermarking technology. As a result, operators can detect the watermark to identify the source of content theft, and then take action on an individual user basis.

The joint solution identifies each streaming session and creates an imperceptible, uniquely watermarked video stream at the network edge without impacting the viewer’s experience. Each stream is then repackaged for any adaptive bit rate (ABR) format, delivered to the end-user device, and encrypted and protected with DRM on a per-session basis. Through SeaWell’s dynamic manifest manipulation capability, the solution is compatible with targeted ad/alternate content insertion.

“Real-time piracy of premium content can significantly impact pay-TV service providers’ business. It limits the potential of selling high-end subscription packages, introduces a risk of subscriber churn and can lead to revenue loss, “said Jean-Michel Masson, SVP Watermarking Solutions, Civolution. “By combining Spectrum’s per-session based capabilities with Civolution’s unique stream identification, we are introducing a powerful deterrent against piracy, thereby removing this threat.”

“Civolution’s NexGuard watermarking technology has a proven track record for protecting pre-release content, digital cinema and pay-TV services,” said Brian Collie, CEO of SeaWell Networks. “Our collaboration further improves our multiscreen security framework for cable and IPTV service providers, allowing them to offer an efficient watermarking value-added service that establishes a complete chain of custody between customers and broadcast partners.”

The solution will be on display at IBC at SeaWell’s stand #14.182 in hall 14 and Civolution’s stand #2.A41 in hall 2.

About SeaWell Networks

SeaWell Networks Inc. is the leader in monetizing multiscreen TV thanks to its industry first, per-user session control solution. Spectrum™ dynamically creates and manages each adaptive bitrate video session, enabling delivery to any device or protocol and giving pay TV providers unprecedented network-side control over targeted ad insertion, policy management, blackout, QoE, and encryption. For more information visit http://www.seawellnetworks.com/.

About Civolution

Civolution (www.civolution.com) is the leading provider of technology and solutions to identify, manage and monetize media content. The company offers an extensive portfolio of cutting edge digital watermarking and fingerprinting based applications for media interaction (accurate and real-time video synchronization for 2nd screen and smart TVs), media intelligence (audience measurement and media monitoring for television, radio and internet) and media protection (content filtering and forensic marking of media assets in pre-release, digital cinema, payTV and online). Follow us on Twitter: @Civolution.

Inaugural year of project delivers first-of-its-kind technologies to automate 3D production for more creative filmmaking

Amsterdam – September 13, 2013 – (IBC booth 8B.80) – The Fraunhofer Digital Cinema Alliance, the driver of enhanced moving picture and audio experiences, today announces new developments and workflow solutions from its Spatial-AV Project, the Alliance’s initiative to automate the procedures of 3D production and provide intelligent, modular, multi-sensory recording and production systems for immersive audio-visual media. One year into the Project’s research and development efforts, Fraunhofer delivers the solutions to further combat technical production costs and enhance creative filmmaking in the era of 3D.

“At Fraunhofer, we’re dedicated to developing new, technical opportunities that let professionals return to the simplicity of cinema’s past, while achieving the highest-possible quality and standards to be competitive in today’s market,“ said Dr. Siegfried Foessel, spokesman for the Fraunhofer Digital Cinema Alliance. “The Spatial-AV Project makes it possible to focus on creativity, as opposed to the complex technical adjustments and resources that come along with 3D production.”

Under the Spatial-AV Project, scientists from the Fraunhofer Digital Cinema Alliance pool expertise to develop future oriented systems for the enhanced production of 3D. This includes the introduction of first-of-its-kind prototypes of cameras, computational imaging methods and audio-visual coherence. Recent developments include camera settings for auto-stereoscopic 3D recording, omnidirectional camera set-ups for 360 degree recording and promising new methods based on lightfield acquisition technologies for professional video and movie productions.

At IBC, Fraunhofer is demonstrating the Spatial-AV Project’s latest innovations including:

The most innovative lightfield camera recording system to date
Using sparse angular sampling, the new four-by-four array of Fraunhofer provides 16 slightly different views, capturing the lightfield in one shot. Key advantages include different viewing angles, focuses and the automatic creation of depth maps. In the future, this will also lead to the elimination of the need for a green screen in moving picture production. With Fraunhofer’s lightfield technology, professionals can now control artistic effects, such as the Matrix “bullet time” or vertigo effects, in postproduction. The result is a streamlined production process that alleviates costs and provides the utmost creative freedom for producers.

New easy-to-use miniaturized OmniCam-360 system
Fraunhofer’s new system enables the real-time acquisition of 360-degree ultra-high definition panoramic video. This scalable, mirror-based multi-camera rig captures ultra-high-resolution 3D video panoramas that are exhibited with a flexible multi-projection system. Viewers are provided with an immersive viewing experience, giving them the feeling of watching an event on-site live from the very best seat.

The first prototype of a microphone management solution for spatial audio
Audio-visual coherence, the joint recording, editing, and matching of acoustic and visual perspectives, is a main focus of the Alliance’s Spatial-AV Project. The microphone management solution, an interactive system of 3D audio reproduction for headphones, allows sound engineers to optimize recordings on set by facilitating rapid and intuitive control over the audioscape even with a large number of microphones. This is possible any time, during or after production.

Launched in 2012, research and development activities under the Spatial-AV Project are scheduled to last three years. Further research and development under the project will follow over the coming two years to deliver additional, future-oriented systems.

IBC attendees can experience demonstrations of the Project’s innovative solutions at the Fraunhofer Digital Cinema Alliance booth 8.B80. Further information is available at: http://www.dcinema.fraunhofer.de/en/.

 About the Fraunhofer Digital Cinema Alliance
The Fraunhofer Alliance Digital Cinema consists of four Fraunhofer institutes specializing in video and audio technologies. With the start of digitalization in the moving picture industry, these institutes joined forces in 2004 to offer R&D expertise with one face to the customer. The institutes are all well known in the industry for award-winning developments and standards like MP3, H.264, the DCI Compliance Test Plan for Digital Cinema, IOSONO, easyDCP software etc. In addition, they are contributing to ISO, SMPTE, ISDCF, EDCF.