2007'02.11.Sun
Apple iPhone to Generate Nearly 50 Percent Margin
January 19, 2007
EL SEGUNDO, Calif., Jan. 19 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- Each
Apple iPhone sold will generate nearly a 50 percent gross
margin for Apple Inc. and partner Cingular Wireless, giving
the companies a hefty profit, as well as plenty of room for
future price cuts, according to a preliminary functional
Bill of Materials (BoM) estimate created by iSuppli Corp.
"iSuppli estimates the 4Gbyte version of the Apple
iPhone will carry a $229.85 hardware BoM and manufacturing
cost and a $245.83 total expense, yielding a 49.3 percent
margin on each unit sold at the $499 retail price,"
said Andrew Rassweiler, teardown services manager and
senior analyst for iSuppli. "Meanwhile, the 8GByte
Apple iPhone will sport a $264.85 hardware cost and a
$280.83 total expense, amounting to a 46.9 percent margin
at the $599 retail price."
While iSuppli has a high degree of confidence in its
conclusions, these figures are considered preliminary until
we perform an actual physical teardown and analysis of the
Apple iPhone. For Apple, such a strong hardware profit is
par for the course, with the company having achieved
margins of 45 percent and more in products including the
iMac and iPod nano, according to iSuppli. However, because
Apple is facing extensive competition in the music-phone
market, the company may need to cut into its margins to
reduce pricing in the future.
"With a 50 percent gross margin, Apple is setting
itself up for aggressive price declines going
forward," said Jagdish Rebello, PhD, director and
principal analyst with iSuppli.
iSuppli developed its preliminary functional BoM
estimate based on an analysis of the capacity and features
of the Apple iPhone, combined with information from
materials from Apple, company sources and third-party
publications. To further help determine the content of the
Apple iPhone, iSuppli leveraged the extensive knowledge of
its Teardown Analysis service.
iSuppli also employed data from its Mobile Handset Cost
Model and Design Forecast Tool. This estimate differs from
iSuppli's typical teardown analysis of electronic
equipment. iSuppli's teardowns involve the actual physical
dissection of electronic equipment in order to make
first-hand observations of equipment content and design.
For a full version of this release, including figures
illustrating issues discussed in this release, please
visit:
http://www.isuppli.com/news/default.asp?id=7308&m=1&y=2007
.
All Information and Intellectual Property Contained
Herein is the Sole Property of iSuppli Corporation
About iSuppli Corporation
iSuppli Corporation is the global leader in technology
value chain research and advisory services. iSuppli
provides market intelligence services for the EMS, OEM and
supplier communities in addition to servicing consumer
electronics and media concerns. Services afforded by
iSuppli range from electronic component research to
device-specific application market forecasts, from teardown
analysis to consumer electronics and from display device and
systems research to multimedia content and services. More
information is available at http://www.isuppli.com .
For more information, please contact:
Jonathan Cassell,
Editorial Director and Manager,
Public Relations of iSuppli Corporation
Tel: +1-408-654-1714
Mobile: +1-408-921-3754
SOURCE iSuppli Corporation
PR
2007'02.11.Sun
Fire at Dubai Construction Site
January 19, 2007
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, Jan. 19
/Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- Dubai's emergency 997 line received
a report of the fire at the Fortune Tower on Sheikh Zayed
Road in Dubai's Marina Distict (JAVAZ) at 1311 hours on
Thursday, 18 January, 2007. The closest fire station,
Al-Quwoz, about 12 kilometers from the site, sent one
medium intervention vehicle, one firefighting vehicle, one
water supply vehicle, and a services vehicle to the
building. Despite significant traffic congestion, the
fire-fighting vehicles arrived by 1320 hours. Once the
first unit arrived at the building, Civil Defense officials
assessed the situation and called in three more firefighting
and rescue units. Two of the units worked to rescue
workers, while the third fought the fire. Civil Defense
officials on the scene reported that the fire was not so
serious, but they said it was producing significant smoke.
The exact cause of the fire is still under investigation.
The developer of the project is Dubai-based Nakheel,
and the prime contractor is AJM, a Malaysian Company.
Civil Defense officials estimated that there are
approximately 300 workers employed at this site, with an
unknown number of others on site, including various
subcontractors. The building under construction is 35
floors high. 61 workers were trapped on numerous floors
above the 20th floor and required assistance to evacuate
the site. Four people have died to date as a result of the
fire. Twenty-four sustained mild injuries, while 30 others
suffered moderate injuries, mostly from smoke inhalation.
Those receiving mild to moderate injuries were treated at a
triage center, set up by the Dubai government, and released.
One worker jumped from one of the burning floors,
apparently, out of fright, however he grabbed onto a rope
before plunging to the ground. Firefighters were able to
rescue him, and counselors on hand were able to calm him.
Those with serious injuries remain under care at Rashid
Hospital.
According to Civil Defense reports, some evacuation
procedures were undertaken by the contractor until
firefighters arrived. Civil Defense officials then assumed
control, guiding uninjured workers to the correct exits and
assisting those who were injured in their evacuation. Civil
Defense officials determined that it would not be safe to
use helicopters to rescue workers on the roof of the
building because the roof support scaffolding may have been
weakened by the fire, and they were concerned that the
backwash from the propellers would spread the fire more
quickly, or put workers at greater risk of injury.
Major Rashid bin Massam al Bulflaseh of the Dubai Civil
Defense said, "Our deepest sympathies and prayers are
with the workers, their families and others affected by
this tragedy."
"We've seen reports on the BBC of faulty
machinery. The cause of the fire is under investigation
and it's too early to speculate. We will release the cause
as soon as it has been determined," said Major Rashid.
"Dubai Civil Defense would like to thank the
caller who reported this fire. We rely on the public to
provide as many details as possible so that we can respond
quickly and appropriately to such emergencies," he
concluded.
This statement is distributed by Levick Strategic
Communications on behalf of The Executive Office, Dubai.
For more information, please contact:
US:
Elan Fabbri
Levick Strategic Communications
Tel: +1-202-549-3790
Email: elan.fabbri@levick.com
Dubai:
Mona al-Marri
JIWIN
Tel: +971-50-64-44-170
Email: mona.almarri@jiwin.ae
London:
Andrew Pharoah
Hill & Knowlton
Tel: +44-799-077-3384
Email: Andrew.Pharoah@hillandknowlton.com
SOURCE The Executive Office, Dubai
2007'02.11.Sun
Autonomy Launches etalk Contact Center Solutions in China
January 19, 2007
Leading Call Center Software Vendor Signs Partnership with
eSOON
SHANGHAI, China, Jan. 19 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ --
Autonomy Corporation plc (LSE: AU; AU.L), a global leader
in infrastructure software for the enterprise, today
announced the launch of its contact center software
division, etalk, in China and a partnership with leading
call center software solution provider, eSOON. With this
move Autonomy is bringing its leading-edge contact center
solution, etalk Qfiniti, to the Chinese market. As a
result, Chinese customers not only have the opportunity to
upgrade their domestic customer service but also to equip
themselves to compete more effectively in global markets.
Autonomy etalk offers call recording, analysis, and
performance improvement solutions that support superior
service and enable customer intelligence for call centers.
According to research by Datamonitor, the number of people
answering phone enquiries at call centers in Asia Pacific
is growing at a compound annual growth rate of 15.1% and is
forecast to reach nearly one million by 2008. The revenue
growth in China for call center technology vendors was
calculated at 35% in 2005 and 50% in 2006.* Autonomy etalk
offers call center operators the ability to monitor,
measure, improve and understand their agents and customers
more efficiently and effectively.
* Source: Asia Pacific Research Group: China Call
Center Market
-- Outlook for 2006 to 2011
Xin Wu, general manager of Autonomy, China, commented,
"Autonomy is committed to delivering the best
technology for automating operations around unstructured
information -- much of which is delivered through the call
center. The call center operator needs to ensure customer
satisfaction as the volume of information grows and the
needs of their clients become more demanding. etalk
provides the first unified call recording, agent evaluation
and advanced speech analytics solution, and I am delighted
that we can bring it to China to assist the market to grow
in terms of quality of service and business
performance."
According to a recently released 2006 Asian Contact
Center Industry Benchmarking Report, Chinese call center
operators will need to consider their vendor options
carefully to compete with other call center markets in
Asia. Only 6% of call centers in the survey deploy
technology that supports agent coaching, compared to 47% in
India, 46% in Thailand and 31% in Chinese speaking
Singapore. A majority of operators realize the need for
improved customer service but have prioritized voice and
data recording, potentially ignoring the value that can be
added by call evaluation, agent coaching, performance
management, survey tools, E-learning and speech analytics.
"China is undergoing an exciting and challenging
phase in the development of the call center market,"
said Scott Shute, CEO of Autonomy's etalk Division.
"etalk has proven technology that enables call center
owners to improve the performance of their agents, enhance
customer satisfaction and generate additional revenue
streams for the operators. Our research shows that vendors
are chosen in China based on relationships, and I am
delighted that we have in eSOON a partner that has helped
to create the CRM market in China and who shares our vision
of helping our clients to attain leadership via excellent
customer service."
The CRM industry in China is developing towards open
and rich-media communications, cross-organization business
collaboration, and an increasing emphasis on mobile user
support. The collaboration between etalk and eSOON will
ensure that customers in China will have current
best-of-breed and emerging technologies available quickly
and competitively. As part of the client offering, etalk's
global contact center platform, Qfiniti, is available in
simplified Chinese with voice processing technologies
supporting both the Mandarin and Cantonese dialects.
Anna Lee, president and CEO of eSOON Corporation,
commented on the partnership and availability of the
advanced CRM solutions from etalk saying, "The
partnership with the Autonomy division, etalk, firmly
establishes eSOON to be China's call center system
solutions leader, marketing world-leading EZactor CRM
solutions on top of Genesys suite and ensuring
professionalism and attention to service for our existing
and new clients."
About etalk
etalk, a division of Autonomy, is a leading provider of
contact center software and services that helps global,
multi-site companies understand their customers and deliver
outstanding service. Through 27 offices worldwide, etalk
provides a unified, scalable, and centrally managed
enterprise platform for call recording, quality monitoring
and speech analysis to some of the world's premier
companies, including 35 of the Fortune 100. etalk offers
the only technology to actually understand the
communication a business has with its customers,
automatically delivering relevant and accessible customer
intelligence. For more information, go to
http://www.etalk.com .
About Autonomy
Autonomy Corporation plc (LSE: AU; AU.L) is a global
leader in infrastructure software for the enterprise and is
spearheading the meaning-based computing movement.
Autonomy's technology forms a conceptual and contextual
understanding of any piece of electronic data including
unstructured information, be it text, email, voice or
video. Autonomy's software powers the full spectrum of
mission-critical enterprise applications including
information access technology, BI, CRM, KM, call center
solutions, rich media management, compliance and litigation
solutions and security applications, and is recognized by
industry analysts as the clear leader in enterprise
search.
About eSOON Corporation
eSOON was incorporated in 1999 is one of the
pre-eminent center solution providers in Greater China with
more than 200 enterprise customers served by 270 employees
located in 14 regional offices, and has achieved a solid
annual business growth rate of 40%. Outside China, eSOON
operates in Europe via offices in Rotterdam, Netherlands.
Autonomy and the Autonomy logo are registered
trademarks or trademarks of Autonomy Corporation plc. All
other trademarks are the property of their respective
owners.
For more information, please contact:
Autonomy etalk
Kathy Kuehne
Tel: +1-972-819-3221
Email: Kathy.kuehne@etalk.com
Financial Dynamics
Edward Bridges
Tel: +44-207-831-3113
Email: edward.bridges@fd.com
EASTWEST PR
Nellie Wang (Chinese)
Tel: +86-10 5869-7335
Mobile: +86-1391229502
Email: nellie@eastwestpr.com
Jim James (English)
Tel: +86-10-5869-7335
Mobile: +86-13910731967
Email: jim@eastwestpr.com
SOURCE Autonomy Corporation plc
2007'02.11.Sun
Global Goal to Reduce Measles Deaths in Children Surpassed
January 19, 2007
Measles Deaths Fall by 60 Per cent
NEW YORK and GENEVA, Jan. 19 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ --
Measles deaths have fallen by 60 per cent worldwide since
1999 -- a major public health success. This exceeds the
United Nations goal to halve measles deaths between 1999
and 2005 and is largely due to an unprecedented decline in
measles deaths in the African region. The progress was
announced today by partners in the Measles Initiative: the
American Red Cross, the United States Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention (CDC), the United Nations
Foundation, UNICEF and the World Health Organization
(WHO).
(Logo:
http://www.xprn.com.cn/xprn/sa/20061102095006-51.jpg )
According to new data from WHO, global measles deaths
fell from an estimated 873 000 deaths in 1999 to 345 000 in
2005. In Africa, the progress has been even greater, with
measles deaths falling by 75 per cent, from an estimated
506 000 to 126 000. The data will be published in this
week's edition of The Lancet.
"This is an historic victory for global public
health, for the power of partnership and for commitment by
countries to fight a terrible disease," said Dr.
Margaret Chan, WHO Director-General. "Our promise to
cut measles deaths by half and save hundreds of thousands
of lives has not only been fulfilled, it has been surpassed
in just six years with Africa leading the way."
The 75 per cent reduction in measles deaths in Africa
is due to the firm commitment and resources of national
governments, and support from the Measles Initiative. It
is described as "a spectacular achievement," by
Mr. U Olanguena Awono, Minister of Public Health, Cameroon.
"We are winning the fight against measles, which has
long killed, sickened and disabled our children. Our
determination is stronger than ever to make measles history
by further strengthening our measles control activities,
working in concert with our international partners and
setting aside resources."
A strategy to reduce measles mortality, consisting of
four components, has been key to ensuring the massive
global decrease in measles deaths. The strategy calls for
the provision of one dose of measles vaccine for all
infants via routine health services; a second opportunity
for measles immunization for all children, generally
through mass vaccination campaigns; effective surveillance
for measles; and enhanced care, including the provision of
supplemental vitamin A.
As a result of this strategy, between 1999 and 2005
global measles immunization coverage with the first routine
dose increased from 71 per cent to 77 per cent, and more
than 360 million children aged 9 months to 15 years
received measles vaccine through immunization campaigns.
"One of the clearest messages from this
achievement is that with the right strategies and a strong
partnership of committed governments and organizations, you
can rapidly reduce child deaths in developing
countries," said Dr. Julie Gerberding, Director,
United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
(CDC).
Accelerated measles control activities are contributing
to the development of health infrastructure to support
routine immunization and other health services through
promotion of safe injection practices, increased 'cold
chain' capacity for vaccines storage, and the development
of a global public health laboratory network.
In addition, measles vaccination campaigns are
contributing to the reduction of child deaths from other
causes. They have become a channel for the delivery of
other life-saving interventions, such as bed nets to
protect against malaria, de-worming medicine and vitamin A
supplements. Combining measles immunization with other
health interventions is a contribution to the achievement
of Millennium Development Goal Number 4: a two-thirds
reduction in child deaths between 1990 and 2015.
"Reducing measles deaths by 60 per cent in just
six years is an incredible achievement, said UNICEF
Executive Director, Ann M. Veneman. "Immunizing
children is clearly saving lives and contributing to the
achievement of the Millennium Development Goals. We must
urgently build on this momentum with integrated
community-based health programmes to help save the lives of
the over 10 million children who die of preventable causes
every year."
There is still some way to go in the fight against one
of the world's most contagious diseases. Of the estimated
345,000 measles deaths in 2005, 90 per cent were among
children under the age of five -- many dying as a result of
complications related to severe diarrhoea, pneumonia and
encephalitis.
The challenge now is to reach a new global goal: the
reduction of global measles deaths by 90 per cent by 2010,
compared to 2000 levels. This means that the gains made in
countries that have implemented accelerated measles control
strategies must be sustained, and similar strategies must
be implemented in countries with high numbers of measles
deaths, such as India and Pakistan.
"How could we deny the gift -- and the right -- of
growing up to millions of children?" said Bonnie
McElveen-Hunter, Chairman of the American Red Cross.
"Today, more than 100,000 Red Cross Movement
volunteers are delivering that gift in Africa alone.
Thanks to the great generosity and dedication of our donors
and partners, entire communities have been reached with
lifesaving health information, saved from the pain of
measles by neighbors who care enough to encourage them to
get vaccinated. We see children in America willing to
share their allowance money with their unseen neighbors in
Africa, neighbors they will never know. The American Red
Cross is proud to be part of a mission where so many young
lives have been saved ... and we look forward to helping
save millions more."
"The success of the Measles Initiative has added
to the confidence of national governments and donor
partners to undertake public private partnerships to make a
significant impact on disease prevention," said Kathy
Bushkin Calvin, Executive Vice President and Chief
Operating Officer of the United Nations Foundation. "
Collaboration at every level including shared
decision-making and therefore shared responsibility among
all partners has strengthened and enhanced each partner's
contribution while increasing the impact on mortality
reduction."
Background:
The Measles Initiative, launched in 2001, supports
government's efforts to tackle measles deaths. The Measles
Initiative is spearheaded by the American Red Cross, CDC,
the United Nations Foundation, UNICEF and WHO. To date,
the Initiative has mobilized more than US $300 million to
provide technical and financial support to national
campaigns. With increased resources, the Measles
Initiative will support measles campaigns in all regions of
the world in 2007 and 2008.
Other key players in the fight against measles includes
the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization (GAVI),
International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent
Societies, the Canadian International Development Agency
(CIDA), the Japanese Agency for Development Cooperation,
The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Becton, Dickinson
and Company, the Izumi Foundation, The Vodafone Group
Foundation, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day
Saints, Exxonmobil and countries and governments affected
by measles.
Related Links:
"Has the 2005 measles mortality reduction goal
been achieved? A natural history modeling study," The
Lancet, 19 January 2007, 369: 191-200.
WHO Measles Fact Sheet:
http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs286/en/index.html
WHO/UNICEF Global Plan for Reducing Measles Mortality
2006-2010
(
http://www.who.int/vaccines-documents/DocsPDF06/WHO_IVB_05_11.pdf
)
Still photos and B-roll are available from recent
campaigns. Please visit the press room at
http://www.measlesinitiative.org .
For more information, please contact:
Melinda Henry
WHO
Geneva
Tel: +41-22-791-2535/2103
Email: henrym@who.int
Jessica Malter
UNICEF
New York
Tel: +1-212-326-7412
Email: jmalter@unicef.org
Julie Irby
American Red Cross
Washington DC
Tel: +1-202-439-0722
Email: IrbyJ@usa.redcross.org
Steven Stewart
CDC
Atlanta
Tel: +1-404-639-8327
Email: znc4@cdc.gov
Amy DiElsi
UN Foundation
Washington DC
Tel: +1-202-419-3230
Email: adielsi@unfoundation.org
SOURCE World Health Organization
2007'02.11.Sun
Spirit AeroSystems to Release Financial Information
January 19, 2007
WICHITA, Kan., Jan. 19 /Xinhua-PRNewswire / -- Spirit
AeroSystems, Inc. (NYSE: SPR) will release its fourth
quarter and full-year 2006 financial results at 6:30 a.m.
(CST), on Thursday, Feb. 8.
President and Chief Executive Officer Jeff Turner and
Chief Financial Officer Rick Schmidt will participate in a
conference call presentation to securities analysts about
the results and company outlook at 10 a.m. (CST).
The presentation will be broadcast via the Internet. It
will include charts and a question-and-answer session. The
company's news release detailing its results will also be
available. The live audio stream and slide presentation can
be accessed on Thursday, Feb. 8, at
http://www.spiritaero.com/investor.aspx .
Individuals are urged to check the web site prior to
the event to ensure their computers are configured for the
audio stream and slide presentation.
About Spirit AeroSystems: Spirit AeroSystems is the
largest independent non-OEM designer and manufacturer of
aerostructures in the world. Headquartered in Wichita,
Kan., it began operations in June 2005. In addition to its
Kansas facility, Spirit has facilities in Oklahoma and the
U.K.
On the web: http://www.spiritaero.com
For more information, please contact:
Philip Anderson
Investor Relations
Tel: +1-316-523-1797
Sam Marnick
Corporate Communications
Tel: +1-316-526-3153
SOURCE Spirit AeroSystems, Inc.
2007'02.11.Sun
Alteon Opens Regional Training Center in Singapore
January 19, 2007
SINGAPORE, Jan. 19 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- Alteon
Training, a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Boeing Company
(NYSE: BA) announced the official opening of its Singapore
Training Center today. Mr. Lim Hng Kiang, Singapore's
minister for Trade and Industry was the guest of honor at
the ceremony.
The state-of-the-art facility houses seven full flight
simulator bays. Four full-flight simulators are currently
installed including a Boeing 777-200/300; a Boeing
737-300/400/500; an Airbus A320; and a Fokker 100. A Boeing
737-800 is planned for installation in mid-2007 and the
Boeing 787 is scheduled to arrive in the first quarter of
2008.
"We are very excited to celebrate the opening of
the newest addition to our global network of training
centers," said, Sherry Carbary, Alteon president.
"The Singapore center greatly expands our capability
to meet the increasing demands for aviation training in the
region."
Carbary also noted, "The government and people of
Singapore have been very supportive and welcoming of us and
we would like to express our gratitude and appreciation to
them. Alteon looks forward to working closely alongside the
Singapore aviation industry."
In addition to flight simulators, the training center
hosts a cabin emergency evacuation trainer and other
advanced-technology training devices such as flat-panel
trainers (FPT). Pilots, maintenance and flight attendants
in-training use workstations equipped with self-guided
computer based training, allowing students to progress at
their own pace. The center has six classrooms, a
computer-based training room and a student lounge.
Located near the Changi International Airport, the
Singapore Training Center has the capability to train more
than 6,000 pilot crews per year as well as maintenance and
cabin crew personnel.
Alteon Training is the world's preferred aviation
training partner and the industry leader in providing
customer-focused aviation training solutions. The company
provides its partners with an expanding and integrated
services portfolio that includes flight, technical and
cabin-crew training.
Alteon is a wholly owned subsidiary of The Boeing
Company within Boeing Commercial Airplanes' Commercial
Aviation Services group. The training organization supports
the world's aviation community utilizing more than 80 full
flight simulators in over 20 locations around the world.
For training inquiries, please contact
info@alteontraining.com .
For more information, please contact:
Kelli Whaley
Alteon Training
Tel: +1-206-280-8436
Email: kelli.whaley@alteontraining.com
SOURCE Alteon Training
2007'02.11.Sun
Expedia Enters Marketing Partnership With Jin Jiang, China's Largest Hotel Group
January 17, 2007
SYDNEY, Australia and SHANGHAI, China, Jan. 17
/Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- Expedia, Inc. (Nasdaq: EXPE), the
world's leading online travel company, today announced a
partnership with Jin Jiang International Hotel Management
Company (JJIHMC), the largest hotel owner and operator in
China. As part of the agreement, Jin Jiang, which owns and
operates more than 250 hotels, from luxury five-star
lodging to economy accommodation, will now make its entire
inventory of JJIHMC hotels available to Expedia(R)
customers.
The new alliance expands upon Expedia's
industry-leading inventory in the rapidly growing Asia
Pacific market and helps ensure customers receive the best
online rates at the hotel of their choice. As the world's
foremost online travel network, Expedia provides Jin Jiang
with state-of-the-art technology, online travel expertise,
targeted marketing opportunities and broad, global reach.
The agreement comes as Jin Jiang has completed its IPO on
the Hong Kong Stock Exchange and plans to expand outside of
China, and grow to 500 hotels and inns by 2010.
"We have set an aggressive strategy for growth in
the next four years," said Michael Meade, senior vice
president of sales and marketing of Jin Jiang Hotels.
"Jin Jiang International Hotel Management Co., Ltd.,
has introduced a new online distribution strategy including
the launch of the Central Reservation System (JREZ) powered
by system service provider HUBS1. Expedia is a critical
component of that strategy. This partnership enables us to
reach a greater audience and increase our brand awareness
while providing our customers with the convenience and
confidence of booking with the world leader in online
travel."
"We are delighted for the opportunity to provide
value-added services that link both hotel suppliers like
Jin Jiang International Hotel Group and distributors like
Expedia together in a real-time fashion," said D.
Teddy Zhang, president and CEO of HUBS1. "Through the
HUBS1 platform, hotels in China can greatly benefit from
Expedia's global network, and at the same time, offer a
better booking experience for Expedia's customers. This
partnership changes the way hotel inventory is being
distributed in China."
"This new partnership with Jin Jiang typifies the
kind of flexible, mutually beneficial relationships Expedia
seeks to establish with its partners," said Cameron
Jones, regional director of Expedia(R) Partner Services
Group, Asia Pacific. "By providing Jin Jiang with
tailored merchandising and added visibility through
Expedia's global network, specifically in North America and
Europe, Expedia gives Jin Jiang a market-leading partner to
significantly increase the number of high value customers
staying at their hotels."
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
wholesale travel to offline retail travel agents. Expedia,
Inc.'s portfolio of brands includes: Expedia.com(R),
hotels.com(R), Hotwire(R), Expedia(R) Corporate Travel,
TripAdvisor(R) and Classic Vacations(R). Expedia, Inc.'s
companies also operate internationally with sites in
Canada, the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, the
Netherlands, Australia, Japan and China, through its
investment in eLong(TM). For more information, visit
http://www.expediainc.com/ .
About Expedia(R) Partner Services Group
Expedia(R) Partner Services Group offers its supplier
partners choice, seamless coordination and complete access
to our vast traveler base. The formation of the Partner
Services Group is a testament of Expedia's commitment to
continually refine the way we conduct business by seeking
our suppliers' input and customizing our services to meet
their needs.
About Jin Jiang Hotels
Jin Jiang Hotels is the largest hotel owner and
operator in China, and is ranked 22nd amongst the top 300
major hotel companies in the world and is the largest
Asian-owned hotel company. Jin Jiang Hotels is division of
Jin Jiang International Group, a leader in tourism industry
which also includes other operating divisions such as
Travel, Transport, Logistics, and other enterprises.
Including properties under development, Jin Jiang owns,
manages or franchises more than 250 hotels and inns, with
more than 51,000 rooms in China.
About HUBS1
HUBS1, the first tailor-made web-based central
reservation and distribution system for the Greater China
hotel industry, provides a truly cutting-edge technology
platform that enables hotels to reach domestic and
international customers and future hospitality demand.
HUBS1 technology consists of real time multi-language
booking engine, channel management, and seamless
connections to Global Distribution System (GDS), Internet
Distribution System (IDS), hotel Property Management System
(PMS) and international travel agents and corporate
customers.
NOTE: Expedia, Expedia.com are either registered
trademarks or trademarks of Expedia, Inc. in the U.S.
and/or other countries. Classic Vacations is either a
trademark or registered trademark of Classic Vacations, LLC
in the U.S. and/or other countries. hotels.com is either a
trademark or registered trademark of hotels.com, L.P. a
subsidiary of hotels.com in the U.S. and/or other
countries. Hotwire is either a trademark or registered
trademark of Hotwire, Inc in the U.S. and/or other
countries. TripAdvisor is either a trademark or registered
trademark of TripAdvisor LLC. in the U.S. and/or other
countries. Other logos or product and company names
mentioned herein may be the property of their respective
owners.
For more information, contact:
Pulse Communications
Georgina Murphy
Tel: +61-2-8281-3862 or +61-410-474-285
Email: Georgina@pulsecom.com.au
Scott Gillespie
Tel: +61-2-8281-3839 or +61-417-233-670
Email: Scott@pulsecom.com.au
Jin Jiang Hotels
Helen Wu
Public Relations and Promotions Manager
Tel: +86-21-6326 4000, ext. 526
Email: helen.wu@jinjianghotels.com
Loretta Chan
Vice President - Online distribution and marketing of
HUBS1
Tel: +86-21-6122 6699, ext. 6605
SOURCE Expedia, Inc.
2007'02.11.Sun
SunRocket Asia Pacific Edition Shakes Up Market With $.01 Per Minute VoIP Calling to China
January 17, 2007
$199 Annual, All-Inclusive Calling Plan Drastically Lowers
Per-Minute Calling Rates to 16 Asia Pacific Locations
VIENNA, Va., Jan. 17 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- SunRocket,
one of the nation's fastest-growing Internet phone service
providers, today announced an unprecedented new calling
plan for U.S. residents that drops the rate on all calls to
China to one cent per minute.
(Logo: NewsCom:
http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20060825/DCF002LOGO )
The annual, all-inclusive $199 Asia Pacific Edition(sm)
offers a compelling and unique alternative for U.S.
consumers who frequently call friends and family located
throughout China and the Asia Pacific. With per-minute
calling rates well below traditional phone service
offerings and as much as 90 percent less than other major
VoIP providers, the SunRocket Asia Pacific Edition value
proposition is unmatched in the industry.
"Prior to the SunRocket Asia Pacific Edition,
consumers were forced to jump through hoops to seek savings
on international calls to China, often resorting to
inconvenient and deceptively expensive prepaid calling
cards," said Joyce Dorris, SunRocket co-founder and
Chief Marketing Officer. "Now SunRocket makes it easy
for consumers to enjoy the lowest per-minute rates to
China, building upon our mission to change what is possible
for consumers and challenge historical pricing practices by
our competitors."
The Asia Pacific Edition reduces international rates to
$.01 per minute on all calls (landline and cell) to China,
Singapore and Hong Kong; and on landline calls to Taiwan,
Malaysia and South Korea. Landline rates fall to $.02 per
minute for Japan; while SunRocket's rate on all calls to
Vietnam is cut nearly in half to $.10 per minute. Consumers
interested in learning more about this calling plan can
visit our Chinese-language web page at
http://www.SunRocketChina.com or our web site at
http://www.SunRocket.com .
SunRocket Asia Pacific Edition Per-Minute Rates vs.
Competitors
Country Type SunRocket Vonage Skype
Savings vs. Savings
Rate Rate Rate
Vonage vs.
Skype
China Landline+cell $.01 $.10 $.021
90 % 52 %
Singapore Landline+cell $.01 $.05 $.021
80 % 52 %
Hong Kong Landline+cell $.01 $.04 $.021
75 % 52 %
South Korea Landline $.01 $.06 $.021
83 % 52 %
Taiwan Landline $.01 $.06 $.021
83 % 52 %
Japan Landline $.02 $.06 $.023
67 % 13 %
Thailand Landline+cell $.03 $.08 $.062
63 % 52 %
Vietnam Landline+cell $.10 $.35 $.329
71 % 70 %
Philippines Landline $.13 $.18 $.198
28 % 34 %
Additional destinations included in the Asia Pacific
Edition are Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Macau,
Malaysia, and Mongolia.
* - All rates effective as of 12/21/06
** - Rates for SkypeOut Calling
"The Asia Pacific Edition is the first of its kind
to bundle these countries together into one all-inclusive
calling plan," added Dorris. "As the cost to
providers for international calling continues to decline,
it is unconscionable for phone companies to force customers
into paying outrageously marked-up rates; and with
SunRocket's Asia Pacific Edition, they no longer have
to."
The $199 annual, all-inclusive Asia Pacific Edition
includes unlimited free calling throughout the U.S., Canada
and Puerto Rico. As with other SunRocket plans, customers
enjoy enhanced voicemail, over a dozen free built-in
calling features, enhanced 911 calling, plus the option to
keep their existing phone number.
About SunRocket
Headquartered in Vienna, Virginia, SunRocket, the
"no gotcha" phone company, is bringing Internet
phone service to mainstream America with the nation's first
full-year, flat-rate home phone package. SunRocket is the
only company to offer complete Internet phone service at an
all-inclusive, annual price of $199, with no hidden charges,
termination penalties or "gotchas." SunRocket
makes it easy for households with high-speed Internet
access to take advantage of the incredible value and
enhanced capabilities of state-of-the-art Internet
telephony. For more information about this privately held
corporation, see the company's web site at
http://www.SunRocket.com .
SunRocket is a trademark of SunRocket, Inc. All other
trademarks are property of their respective owners.
For more information, contact:
Brian Lustig
SunRocket, Inc.
Tel: +1-703-637-9073
Email: Brian.Lustig@SunRocket.com
SOURCE SunRocket
2007'02.11.Sun
ICIS Forecasting Launches Asian Benzene-Styrene-Polystyrene-Expandable Polystyrene Monthly Report
January 17, 2007
Monthly Service Blends Three Innovative Modeling Techniques
to Deliver Industry's Most Frequent, Precise Price Forecast
SINGAPORE, Jan. 17 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- ICIS, the
world's leading information provider to the chemical and
oil industry, today announced the launch of a price
forecast report for the Benzene-Styrene-Polystyrene-EPS
product chain covering the Asia market. This is the second
Asian product chain included in ICIS forecasting.
"Due to continuing market volatility, there is a
strong demand for price forecasting of the
Benzene-Styrene-Polystyrene-EPS product chain in the
petrochemical industry," said Allison Farone, ICIS
Vice President - Americas. "This specific monthly
edition of ICIS forecasting will help traders and
purchasers minimize the risk in their decisions regarding
this Asian market."
Benzene is a primary raw material in the production of
styrene, phenol, cyclohexane and other chemicals. Styrene
is predominantly used in polystyrene (PS), which is
produced in general purpose (GPPS), high impact (HIPS) and
expandable polystyrene (EPS) grades. Polystyrene is used
in a variety of consumer and commercial products with major
application in domestic appliances, construction,
electronics, toys and food packaging. EPS is divided into
two grades, block and packaging. Block material is
primarily used in heat and sound isolation for buildings,
siding and exterior wall sheathing. Packaging material is
used in disposable containers and packaging of sensitive
equipment.
ICIS forecasting will report on Benzene FOB Korea,
Styrene China CFR, GPPS CFR Hong Kong, HIPS CFR Hong Kong,
and EPS Packaging Grade CFR China.
The Asian benzene market has been hallmarked by
volatility, thus creating a demand for monthly forecasts,
with spot values fluctuating in a yawning $600/tonne gap
over the past 2 years of trade at $600-1,200/tonne FOB
Korea. Prices have hinged on Asia's growing benzene demand
that rides on the continued health of the downstream styrene
and phenol industries. Aside from factors directly
influencing supply and demand like start-ups and shutdowns
in aromatics and downstream facilities, market players have
paid close attention to US benzene prices for Asia-US
arbitrage opportunities. Seasonal variables in the US,
like driving season demand and the hurricane season have
held considerable sway over the Asian spot benzene market.
Toluene, another aromatic that has seen volatile trade, is
a feedstock that has been contributing to about 30% of
Asian supplies. Toluene and crude fluctuations upstream
have added an added layer of complexity towards benzene
price forecasting.
"ICIS forecasting monthly reports enable industry
suppliers, manufacturers, and other stakeholders to more
accurately forecast their investments," Farone added.
"We are excited to launch a service that will support
smart business decisions."
Continuing volatility of petrochemical prices
throughout the past years has exposed the weakness in
current forecasting methodologies and highlighted the need
for a scientific rather than experiential approach to
forecasting. Scientific models create consistency,
precision and eliminate reliance on the judgment of key
individuals. ICIS forecasting's three modeling techniques
are:
1. ICIS Market Sentiment Index:
A breakthrough in price forecasting, the innovative
ICIS Market Sentiment Index identifies events (e.g., plant
closings, product shortages) previously reported by ICIS
that impact the behavior of market participants (in terms
of supply, demand and price). In short, it establishes the
quantitative relationship between a combination of multiple
events and market reaction to those events.
The Market Sentiment Index quantifies the combination
of inflationary and deflationary news stories reported by
ICIS and expresses them as a number. This number is
positive in months where more inflationary than
deflationary events have occurred; it is negative where the
combination of events is likely to have a deflationary
impact on sentiment.
2. Time Series:
Time series modeling analyzes patterns in historic
prices and is particularly useful in short-term forecasts.
3. Multivariate:
Multivariate pricing identifies relationships between
prices and other variables, including consumer and
industrial indicators and trade and price data.
ICIS forecasting's methodology forecasts prices by
incorporating the output of the index in the forecasting
model of each feedstock product (e.g., Benzene, Styrene,
and Polystyrene). The price generated by incorporating the
Market Sentiment Index is provided separately in the monthly
report.
ICIS forecasting is completely independent from ICIS
price reporting and is based on statistical analysis of
historical assessments plus textual analysis of news
files.
ICIS forecasting was developed in partnership with BMG
DecisionCraft, a consulting firm that uses advanced
analytical tools to help companies increase profitability
and manage risk. Co-based in London and India, BMG
DecisionCraft clients include one of North America's
largest car manufacturers, one of the United Kingdom's
largest lenders and one of Europe's leading private equity
funds. Principals in London include Mark Giles, managing
director, and Dr. Stephen Price, director. Principals in
India include Dr. P.R. Shukla, co-founder of the Ahmedabad
management school, Dr. Nilotpal Chakrvarti, head of the
Modeling Laboratory at Ahmedabad (India's leading
management school), and Dr. Pankaj Chandra, head of Supply
Chain Analytics at Ahmedabad.
A free sample of ICIS forecasting can be obtained at
http://www.icis.com/forecasting .
Notes to Editors:
ICIS forecasting ( http://www.icis.com/forecasting ) is
part of ICIS, the world's leading information provider for
the chemical and oil industry. ICIS operates with a team
of more than 170 people in key markets around the world.
For more information about ICIS products and services,
please visit http://www.icis.com .
Reed Business Information
ICIS is part of Reed Business Information (RBI), a
division of Reed Business and a member of Reed Elsevier
plc, the world's leading publisher and information
provider. RBI publishes more than 100 market leading
publications, directories and online services, and
organizes many industry conferences and awards. The RBI
portfolio includes Computer Weekly, Caterer &
Hotelkeeper, Commercial Motor, Community Care, Estates
Gazette, Farmers Weekly, Flight International, New
Scientist, Travel Weekly, Totaljobs.com, Caterer.com,
CWJobs, Estates Gazette Interactive (EGi), ATI (Air
Transport Intelligence), ICIS, Kellysearch, Kompass UK, and
Bankers' Almanac. For a full listing visit
http://www.reedbusiness.co.uk .
For more information, contact:
Allison Farone
ICIS
3730 Kirby Drive, Suite 1030
Houston, TX 77098
Tel: +1-713-525-2618
Fax: +1-713-525-2659
Email: allison.farone@icis.com
SOURCE ICIS Forecasting
2007'02.11.Sun
Digi Launches Upgradeable, Commercial-Grade UMTS/HSDPA Wireless WAN Router
January 17, 2007
ConnectPort WAN VPN with Integrated Sierra Wireless
Embedded PCI Express Mini Card module certified for Use on
Cingular Wireless Broadband Network
MINNETONKA, Minn., Jan. 17 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- Digi
International (Nasdaq: DGII) today introduced a UMTS/HSDPA
(High Speed Downlink Packet Access) version of its
ConnectPort WAN VPN -- an upgradeable, commercial grade
Wireless WAN (WWAN) router. The ConnectPort WAN VPN offers
a secure, high-speed cellular connection for reliable backup
network connectivity to remote sites and devices. It
features an embedded Sierra Wireless PCI Express Mini Card
module and is certified for use on Cingular's 3G UMTS/HSDPA
network.
"The ConnectPort WAN VPN does not require an
external PCMCIA card like most cellular routers," said
Larry Kraft, senior vice president of sales and marketing,
Digi International. "Instead, it includes an enclosed
Sierra Wireless embedded module to minimize exposure to
breakage or theft. This feature makes the ConnectPort WAN
VPN ideal for commercial grade applications such as
monitoring remote SCADA devices in utility operations,
connecting retail/POS branches, digital content
distribution for applications like digital signage, and
more."
The ConnectPort WAN VPN is certified on
BroadbandConnect, Cingular's
3G-service based on GSM, the worldwide standard for
wide-area wireless communication. BroadbandConnect is
available currently in over 160 major metropolitan areas.
UMTS/HSDPA is the only 3G technology that natively supports
simultaneous voice and data. It provides average downlink
data speeds of 400 to 700 kilobits per second -- customers
can download a 4MB file in under a minute. It is more
secure than Wi-Fi, utilizing SIM cards and encryption
features to keep data transmissions safe, and provides low
latency for improved performance.
"Our 3G UMTS/HSDPA network provides businesses the
ability to securely access information and applications at
broadband speeds," said Hamish Caldwell, Executive
Director of Business and Data Services at Cingular
Wireless. "Digi's enterprise-class router meets
critical business needs for our commercial customers, and
we look forward to working closely with Digi as we market
this service to our commercial customer base in conjunction
with Cingular Wireless WAN Connectivity Service."
The ConnectPort WAN VPN is network independent and
upgradeable, making it easier for customers to quickly
migrate to HSUPA platforms as networks evolve. Using the
ConnectPort WAN VPN with the Sierra Wireless MC8775 PCI
Express Mini Card embedded module, customers can deploy on
HSDPA networks today and upgrade later by replacing the
module. This provides maximum flexibility for future
network upgrades and protects the initial investment in the
router.
Featuring an embedded four-port Ethernet switch, two
RS-232 serial ports and one USB port, the ConnectPort WAN
VPN enables many different kinds of devices to connect to a
central site using a single wireless connection. It can be
managed locally via a built-in web interface or remotely
using Digi Connectware-Manager, the industry's only
enterprise class remote device management and monitoring
software for Wireless WAN applications.
For more information about the ConnectPort WAN VPN,
visit
http://www.digi.com/products/wireless/connectportwanvpn.jsp
.
About Digi International
Digi International, the leader in device networking for
business, develops reliable products and technologies to
connect and securely manage local or remote electronic
devices over the network or via the web. With over 20
million ports shipped worldwide since 1985, Digi offers the
highest levels of performance, flexibility and quality.
Digi markets its products through a global network of
distributors and resellers, systems integrators and
original equipment manufacturers (OEMs).
For more information, visit Digi's Web site at
http://www.digi.com , or call 877-912-3444.
All brand names and product names are trademarks or
registered trademarks of their respective companies.
For more information, contact:
Hokie Chan
Digi International
Tel: +852-2235-2206
Email: hokiec@digi.com
SOURCE Digi International
2007'02.11.Sun
Checkpoint Systems Partners with Metro Group to Successfully Deploy UHF RFID Dock Door Solution
January 17, 2007
98.5%+ Read Rate Represents Milestone in European RFID
Deployment
HONG KONG, Jan. 17 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- Checkpoint
Systems (NYSE: CKP), a leading manufacturer and marketer of
RF- and RFID-based solutions for identification, tracking,
security and merchandising applications, today announced
its involvement in a series of UHF RFID technology trials
supervised by the European Telecommunications Standards
Institute (ETSI) task group 34 (TG34). Conducted at one of
METRO Group's Distribution Centres near Hamm, Germany, the
Varena trials were designed to improve RFID tag read
performance in high-density reader environments and to
validate the robustness of the RFID portal dock door
solution in preparation for Metro's UHF rollout expansion
plans scheduled for 2007.
Utilizing equipment from numerous RFID suppliers in
Europe and North America, Checkpoint served as a hardware
integrator for the trials. In this capacity, Checkpoint
helped with the design work for the hardware solution and
procurement, configuration and installation of the 36
RFID-enabled dock door portals which were used to validate
successful simultaneous operation of multiple dock doors
using a 4-channel synchronized approach under the ETSI 302
208 standard.
Pallets containing 62 individually tagged cases largely
containing RFID unfriendly materials (such as cans, liquids
and metal lined items) were simultaneously transported at
warehouse speeds through 36 adjacent loading dock doors.
Some 4.5 million individual reads were recorded over the
course of the trials.
Complying with the ETSI listen before talk (LBT)
requirements, the tests achieved a 98.5%+ read rate
simultaneously from multiple pallets as they were wheeled
through the dock doors. "The results represent a
significant milestone in European RFID operational
deployment," said Dr. Gerd Wolfram, Managing Director
of Metro's Information Technology Group. "Checkpoint
Systems has been a partner in Metro's Future Store
Initiative from an early stage and has worked closely with
us specifically on solving the UHF technical challenges at
the Metro Innovation Centre at Dusseldorf since early
2006."
Dr. Wolfram added, "Our partnership enables us to
leverage Checkpoint's infrastructure, commitment to RFID
and extensive EAS expertise as we migrate to UHF RFID-based
solutions. Together, we are working toward enhancing our
customer's shopping experience, while at the same time,
improving our supply chain efficiencies."
As a result of the successful trial, Checkpoint and
Metro are now closely collaborating on the next stage
planning for Metro's roll-out in 2007.
"Checkpoint Systems is very proud to support
Metro's long-term, strategic investment in RFID," said
George Off, CEO and Chairman of the Board of Checkpoint
Systems, Inc. "The Varena trial clearly showcases the
viability of the UHF RFID solution jointly developed at the
Metro Innovation centre and demonstrates Checkpoint's
strong commitment to its positioning as a major hardware
integrator for the worldwide retail RFID sector. It is a
good example of our new strategic emphasis on RFID
solutions for our retail customers."
About Checkpoint Systems Inc.
Founded in 1969, Checkpoint Systems, Inc. is a leading
manufacturer and marketer of RF- and RFID-based solutions
for identification, tracking, security and merchandising
applications. With a presence in more than 80 countries
and a network of more than 30 service bureaus worldwide,
the company is the global leader for scalable,
sure-performing 8.2 MHz, UHF, HF, EPC and ISO-based EAS and
RFID labeling products, systems, maintenance and support
services.
For additional information, visit the Checkpoint
Systems web site at http://www.checkpointasiapacific.com .
About The Metro Group
METRO Group is one of the most important international
retailing companies. In 2005 the group reached sales of £á
55.7 billion. The company has a headcount of about 250,000
employees and operates more than 2,200 outlets in 30
countries. The operating business is performed by the
sales brands which operate independently in the market:
Metro/Makro Cash & Carry -- world market leader in cash
& carry wholesale, Real hypermarkets and Extra
supermarkets, Media Markt and Saturn -- market leader in
consumer electronics centers in Europe, and Galeria Kaufhof
department stores.
More additional information, visit Metro Group at
http://www.metrogroup.de .
About ETSI
The European Telecommunications Standards Institute
(ETSI) plays a major role in the global standardization of
Information and Communication Technologies (ICT), including
telecommunications and broadcasting. ETSI unites all the
key players in the ICT arena, with almost 700 member
companies from 56 countries, comprising of manufacturers,
network operators, administrations, service providers,
research bodies, users and more.
For additional information, visit ETSI at
http://www.etsi.org .
For more information, please contact:
Natalie Chan
Asia Pacific
Checkpoint Systems, Inc.
Tel: +852-2995-8350
Email: natalie.chan@checkpt.com
Web site: http://www.checkpointasiapac.com
SOURCE Checkpoint Systems Inc.
2007'02.11.Sun
Kudelski Group Completes Acquisition of Controlling Interest in OpenTV Corp.
January 17, 2007
CHESEAUX, Switzerland and SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. 17
/Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- Kudelski Group (SWX Swiss Exchange:
KUD.VX), a global leader in content protection and related
digital television technologies, announced today that it
closed its previously announced stock purchase transaction
with Liberty Media Corporation (Nasdaq: LINTA; LCAPA) and
has acquired voting control of OpenTV Corp. (Nasdaq: OPTV),
a leading provider of solutions for the delivery of digital
and interactive television. OpenTV will continue to
maintain its listing on the NASDAQ Global Market. The
transaction aligns two global digital television technology
leaders who, together, will be able to deliver fully
integrated products and solutions to the world's digital TV
operators, spanning conditional access software, middleware,
interactive applications, and advertising. At the same time,
the transaction enables both companies to continue operating
independently, supporting efforts to serve some customers on
a standalone basis as their requirements dictate.
In connection with the transaction, Joseph Deiss,
Lucien Gani, Alan A. Guggenheim, Andre Kudelski, Mercer
Reynolds, Pierre Roy and Claude Smadja were appointed to
serve on OpenTV's Board of Directors, and Robert R.
Bennett, Anthony G. Werner and Michael Zeisser resigned
from OpenTV's Board of Directors.
About the Kudelski Group
The Kudelski Group (SWX: KUD.VX), is a world leader in
digital security. Its technologies are used in a wide range
of applications requiring access control and rights
management, whether for securing transfer of information
(digital television, broadband Internet, video-on-demand,
interactive applications, etc.) or to control and manage
access of people or vehicles to sites and events. The
Kudelski Group is headquartered in Cheseaux-sur-Lausanne,
Switzerland. For more information, please visit
http://www.nagra.com .
About OpenTV
OpenTV is one of the world's leading providers of
solutions for the delivery of digital and interactive
television. The company's software has been integrated in
over 73 million digital set-top boxes around the world. The
software enables enhanced program guides, video-on-demand,
personal video recording, enhanced television, interactive
shopping, interactive and addressable advertising, games
and gaming and a variety of consumer care and communication
applications. For more information, please visit
http://www.opentv.com .
For more information, contact:
OpenTV
Barbara Cassidy
Tel: +1-415-962-5000
Email: barbara.cassidy@opentv.com
Brainerd Communicators, Inc.
Brian Schaffer
Tel: +1-212-986-6667
Email: schaffer@braincomm.com
Kudelski Group
Santino Rumasuglia
Tel: +41-21-732-01-24
Email: santino.rumasuglia@nagra.com
Anne-Sophie Schlachter
Tel: +41-21-732-07-38
Email: anne-sophie.schlachter@nagra.com
SOURCE OpenTV, Inc.
2007'02.11.Sun
Altair to Acquire Controlling Interest in Hicare, Italian Developer of Business Intelligence Software
January 17, 2007
Innovative Database Architecture, Data Analysis and
Dashboard Tools Expand Altair's Enterprise Data Management
Solution for Business and Engineering
TROY, Mich. and TORINO, Italy, Jan. 17
/Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- Altair Engineering, Inc., a leading
global provider of technology to strengthen client
innovation, today announced it has entered into an
agreement to acquire controlling interest in Hicare Srl, a
privately held business intelligence software company
headquartered in Torino, Italy. Specific financial terms
of the transaction are not being disclosed.
Hicare is the developer of Lilith Enterprise and Web
Server business intelligence software, a robust
decision-making support system with unparalleled graphing
and reporting capabilities for interactive visualization of
information. Built on a unique database architecture that
combines relational, hierarchical and multidimensional
database models, Lilith provides the ability to view and
analyze captured data from multiple perspectives and user
profiles. Hicare's diverse client base includes notable
firms such as adidas, Diageo, Ferrero, Fiat, Levi Strauss
& Company, Porsche Italia and TNT Global Express.
"At Altair, we focus on helping our clients manage
and gain insight from the growing volumes of corporate and
product performance data," said James R. Scapa,
president and CEO of Altair Engineering. "With an
emphasis on technology for data analysis and visualization,
we see the integration of Hicare's technology as fundamental
for our clients to interactively search, mine, view and
dashboard complex business and engineering information for
rapid decision-making."
"The global development resources and support
infrastructure that Altair brings as part of this
acquisition will greatly accelerate the strategic
development of this groundbreaking technology and provide
world-class support for its users worldwide," said
Roberto Marchisio, president and co-founder of Hicare.
"Our entire organization is excited to become an
integral part of Altair's vision for client information
capture and visualization."
Lilith HyperCubes (data containers) are limitless in
size and can contain different types of homogenous and
non-homogeneous data. In fact, a single HyperCube can
contain all the information for the entire enterprise.
Uniquely positioned in the market, Hicare's HyperCube
technology allows daily refreshing of business data and the
ability to dynamically perform large-scale and complex
operations through an integrated calculation engine,
without the need to rebuild the HyperCube information.
Altair plans to centralize Hicare's business activities
as part of its United States-based world headquarters
operations, and Hicare will continue the development of its
business intelligence software in Italy. In addition,
Altair will begin leveraging and integrating Hicare
technology within Altair's commercial product offerings for
data management, computer-aided engineering and grid
computing.
More information regarding this acquisition is
available at http://www.altair.com/hicare .
About Altair Engineering
Altair Engineering, Inc. strengthens client innovation
and decision-making through technology that optimizes the
analysis, management and visualization of business and
engineering information. Privately held with more than
1,000 employees, Altair has offices throughout North
America, Europe and Asia/Pacific. With a 20-year-plus
track record for product design, advanced engineering
software and grid computing technologies, Altair
consistently delivers a competitive advantage to more than
3,000 customers in a broad range of industries. To learn
more, please visit http://www.altair.com .
About Hicare
Hicare is an emerging developer of advanced business
intelligence technology that enables companies to make
smarter decisions. Hicare's Lilith Enterprise and Web
Server technology provides customers with a robust
decision-making support system with unparalleled graphing
and reporting capabilities for interactive visualization of
information. With a diverse client base representing the
automotive, banking and finance, fashion, food product,
insurance, logistics, manufacturing and research market
segments, Hicare's customers include notable firms such as
adidas, Diageo, Ferrero, Fiat, Levi Strauss & Company,
Porsche Italia and TNT Global Express. For more
information on Hicare, see http://www.hicare.com .
For more information, please contact:
Michael J. Kidder
Vice President,
Corporate Marketing
Altair Engineering, Inc.
Tel: +1-248-614-2400 X269
Email: media@altair.com
Massimo Gallo
Manager,
Sales and Marketing of Hicare Srl
Tel: +39-011-22-58-551
Email: massimo.gallo@hicare.it
SOURCE Altair Engineering, Inc.
2007'02.11.Sun
Fourier Systems Launches MicroLite -- The Logger on a Stick
January 17, 2007
ROSH HAAYIN, Israel, Jan. 17 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ --
Fourier Systems, a worldwide leader of compact portable
data logging devices and accessories for the industrial
market, announces today the launching of a new product.
Fourier product development responds to feedback
received from users and distributors. Such feedback has led
to a brand new product. The new MicroLite USB stick logger
responds to numerous requests for a low price data logger
that has one-trip usage and meets a specific market need
for environment monitoring during goods transportation. The
MicroLite provides a competitive market solution, which is
both aesthetic and innovative for monitoring and recording
temperature. Data can be displayed on the small numeric
screen, as well as downloading stored data to the MicroLab
software via USB.
Leading Features:
* Works with USB 2.0 interface enabling fast track
communication
* High functionality yet low cost enabling use as
one-trip logger
* High resolution 10-bit data logger
* High accuracy 0.2 degrees C
* Long life battery using NanoWatt technology
* 16,000 sample memory
* Magnet key to activate logging
* LCD display with decimal point reading
* Min/Max and alarm level readings
* Complimentary MicroLabLite analysis software
* Built-in real-time clock and calendar
About Fourier
Fourier provides compact portable data logging devices,
sensors, accessories and data analysis software for the
industrial market. A range of industries can collect and
monitor data automatically and conveniently ensuring
environments are tracked and don't cross defined parameters
with data analyzed and reports produced.
MicroLite, plug and record compact logger, data is
clearly displayed on the numeric screen and downloaded
automatically to the MicroLab software. Dustproof and
waterproof tested (IP 68) with easily replaceable standard
model battery.
DaqPRO, 8 channel portable data logging system with
graphic displays and built-in analysis functions.
TriLink, Bluetooth stand alone logger for field
monitoring, enabling communication with all PALMs, PCs and
PocketPCs.
RF MicroLog solution consists of the MicroLog 8-bit and
10-bit data loggers and MicroLogPLUS wireless system, up to
200 data logger monitoring via cradle technology with real
time measurements sent to the PC. Two software packages
MicroLab and MicroLabPLUS enable powerful monitoring and
data analysis.
For further information, please visit
http://www.fouriersystems.com .
For more information, please contact:
Hagai Zamir
Tel: +972-3-9014849
Email: info@fouriersystems.com
SOURCE Fourier Systems Ltd.
2007'02.11.Sun
China's Top Collectors Club Opens Its Doors in Panjiayuan, Beijing
January 17, 2007
BEIJING, Jan. 17 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- China Antique
Collectors Club International announced today that the
first premium club that focuses on the collection of
antiques and curios in Beijing has opened. Given the name
China Antique Collectors Club International, or Panjiayuan
Treasure Hall, the opening ceremony was held in the Great
Hall of the People on January 17, 2006.
Attendees of the opening ceremony included national
leaders like Xu Jialu, the Vice Chairman of the Standing
Committee of the National People's Congress and the
Chairman of the Central Committee of the China Association
for Promoting Democracy; Abulaiti Abudurexiti, the Vice
Chairman of CPPCC; and Xue Rongzhe, Chairman of New Jin
Merchants Association, as well as experts and scholars from
the Palace Museum and big names from the world of
collectibles here in China. The ceremony also welcomed
foreign experts and almost one hundred Chinese and overseas
media.
Panjiayuan Treasure Hall is located on the South Road
of the East Third Ring Road, and is in the central belt of
the well-known Beijing Panjiayuan Culture Industries Park.
With the backing of Panjiayuan Second-Hand Goods Market and
the influence of Beijing Curios City, the Club will develop
the collection of rare and refined articles as its core. As
the best collectors club and antique dealer, the Club, to
satisfy the increasing demands for collection and
appreciation of rarities, has so far collected valuables
worth more than one billion RMB. These include an oil
painting by the prestigious painter Liu Enjun bought at a
price of RMB880,000, and which was painted especially for
Suntian Lizi.
Panjiayuan Treasure Hall covers an operating area of
5,000 square meters. The members' activities club is
situated on the fifth and sixth floors and now starts to
recruit members. With its aim to be the most premium and
most environmentally-refined saloon in the capital, and in
China, this chamber can function for parties or
communications among members, for antique identification
and auction, for article exhibition and resale, for
lectures and educational seminars, and for the shooting and
rebroadcast of antique-related TV programs. Floors through
one to four have been made into collection shops displaying
and selling antiques and artworks, with special sections
exclusively or collectively for porcelain, tablets,
jewelry, jade ware, odd stone, paintings and calligraphies,
craftworks of bamboo, wood, teeth, horns, and more.
Investment invitations have now been launched to major
specialized players in China and throughout the world. To
work with the most influential businesses and to create a
new landmark that represents the essential components of
the Panjiayuan collection culture is the vision that the
club possesses.
To celebrate the opening, China Antique Collectors Club
International will hold the "Exhibition and Sale of
Authentic Works of 100 Contemporary Known Painters" on
January 27. Collection fans may log on to
http://www.pjyzbg.com for more details.
About China Antique Collectors Club International
The founding of the China Antique Collectors Club
International (Panjiayuan Treasure Hall) will not only
cater for collection trends, but it will also meet the
state needs for the development of culture industries.
Currently, Beijing Curios Town and Panjiayuan Second-Hand
Goods Market are the biggest marketplaces for the exchange
of old and second-hand culture articles and the most
important transaction places for curios and craftworks in
Beijing. During the "eleventh five-year plan"
period, the city of Beijing will put forth full effort to
create Panjiayuan Transaction Center for Old and Second
Hand Culture Articles, on the basis of current
marketplaces.
Against the present status in the artwork market, China
Antique Collectors Club International (Panjiayuan Treasure
Hall) retains nearly a hundred experts in fields that
include paintings, calligraphies, jewelry, and antiques
etc. With imported TCL identification, modern technology
can guarantee the precise identification and reasonable
pricing of these treasures. China Antique Collectors Club
International (Panjiayuan Treasure Hall) is trying its best
to become a key transaction site for curios and artworks,
and to become reputed throughout China and the rest of the
world.
During the opening ceremony, Song Jianwen, Chairman of
Curios Committee of the All-China Federation of Industry
& Commerce; Chen Yangqun, Director of the China Culture
Industry Management Center, and Howell, President of the
U.S. United Commerce Association, delivered speeches
successively. Unfortunately, the up-scale collections
account for only a minor percentage of the large number of
curio or old article marketplaces in China and in such
markets, collectors and lovers of antiques can hardly
realize their goal to stow and appreciate the rare
articles. Now, China Antique Collectors Club International
(Panjiayuan Treasure Hall), with its premium positioning and
operation mode, will be the ideal place for the upper-end
collectors. Furthermore, in virtue of the industry mark
Panjiayuan, this treasure saloon will show more advantages
in comparison as the saloon neighbors the Panjiayuan.
In his speech, Sun Jingsheng, President of the China
Antique Collectors Club International (Panjiayuan Treasure
Hall), said their goal is to build the treasure saloon into
the most influential center, functioning for treasure
exhibitions, transactions, collections, auctions,
identification and program-making. Although it is under
the help of its location, in this advantageous geographical
position, the treasure saloon is also expected to drive and
move the whole taste and reputation of the Panjiayuan Area.
For more information, please contact:
Mr. Xiaofeng Mu
Tel: +86-1391-138-0007
Email: moonphonemuxf@vip.sina.com
SOURCE China Antique Collectors Club International
2007'02.11.Sun
WuXi PharmaTech Starts Moving Scientists to New Facility
January 16, 2007
SHANGHAI, China, Jan. 16 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- WuXi
PharmaTech, China's leading provider of pharmaceutical
R&D outsourcing services announced today that it has
begun moving the first group of scientists to its
state-of-the-art Tianjin research facility, which first
became operational in December, 2006. Located in the
Tianjin Economic and Technical Development Zone (TEDA)
(also known as Tai Da), Tianjin PharmaTech is a wholly
owned subsidiary of WuXi PharmaTech Co., Ltd.
(Logo: http://www.xprn.com.cn/xprn/sa/200611271812.jpg
)
The new facility aptly compliments the Shanghai
research campus with 130,000 sq. ft. of new laboratory
space. Tianjin PharmaTech boasts an even higher advanced
equipment ratio than WuXi PharmaTech's other already very
well equipped facilities.
The TEDA Development Zone was one of China's first
state-level development areas and now encompasses an area
of over 27 sq. km. With special support for high-tech
companies, TEDA and Tianjin are an ideal location for WuXi
PharmaTech to plant its seed of future growth.
Often referred to as the "Gate of Beijing",
Tianjin is China's third largest city and offers numerous
high quality universities. Drawing from these universities
and those of nearby Beijing, Tianjin PharmaTech will benefit
from a deep talent pool of qualified researchers.
"The commencement of Tianjin PharmaTech represents
new expansion, new government support, a broad talent pool
of qualified graduates, and a new state-of-the-art facility
that will grow with the needs of our collaborative
partners", commented Dr. Ge Li, Chairman and CEO of
WuXi PharmaTech. "I am excited for the unique
opportunities and growth prospects our Tianjin facility
will offer to our existing and future partners,"
continued Dr. Li.
About WuXi PharmaTech
Founded in 2001, Shanghai-based WuXi PharmaTech is
China's leading drug R&D service company. As a
research-driven and customer-focused company, WuXi
PharmaTech offers global pharmaceutical and
biopharmaceutical companies a diverse, value-added, and
fully integrated portfolio of outsourcing services ranging
from discovery chemistry, and process chemistry to service
biology, bioanalytical chemistry, and large scale GMP
manufacturing. WuXi PharmaTech assists its global partners
in shorting the cycle and lowering the cost of drug
discovery and development by providing cost-effective and
efficient outsourcing solutions that save our clients both
time and money. Currently, our client list consists of 19
of the top 20 pharmaceutical, and 8 of the top 10
biopharmaceutical companies. For more information, please
visit: http://www.pharmatechs.com .
About Tianjin Economic and Technical Development Zone
(TEDA)
The establishment of Tianjin Economic and Technological
Development Area¡¡ (TEDA) was given government approval on
December 6, 1984. One of the country's first state-class
development areas, TEDA has developed into one of the
country's most influential hotbeds for high-tech and new
industries. But TEDA has a more ambitious goal for the new
century: to build "Asia's biggest and China's best
modern industrial area in the 21st century". To make
that dream come true, TEDA has embarked upon another
arduous pioneering journey and jump-started diverse
projects zeroing in on better investment environment,
cityscape and habitability of this young urban area. For
more information, please visit:
http://www.teda.gov.cn/englishnew/index.jsp .
For more information, please contact:
Sherry Shao
Tel: +86-21-5046-4002
Email: PR@pharmatechs.com
SOURCE WuXi PharmaTech Co., Ltd.
2007'02.11.Sun
u-blox Extends Its AssistNow(R) A-GPS Service to Support Offline Instant Positioning
January 16, 2007
THALWIL, Switzerland, Jan. 16 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ --
u-blox AG, the leading Swiss provider of innovative GPS
receiver technology, today announced that it has extended
its AssistNow A-GPS service. The new AssistNow Offline
service provides A-GPS assistance data that enables instant
positioning over extended time periods without the need for
mobile connectivity.
u-blox' AssistNow technology cuts a GPS receiver's Time
To First Fix to seconds by providing assistance data that
enables the receiver to compute a position instantly. While
AssistNow Online, introduced in June 2006, uses mobile
networks to provide the assistance data at each start-up,
the new AssistNow Offline service works independently of
networks and does not require server access for data
downloads at start-up. The service provides assistance data
valid for up to 14 days so users can update their assistance
data files at their own convenience. AssistNow Offline uses
AlmanacPlus(R) assistance data, u-blox' unique differential
Almanac correction method that achieves unrivalled
positioning accuracy for long time periods.
"This new service brings instant GPS popsitioning
anytime, anywhere," said Daniel Ammann, u-blox
Executive Vice-President for GNSS Software. "Users can
now benefit from always-on, accurate location services
without having to worry about network coverage or waiting
times."
AssistNow is scalable and supports a wide range of
services, from single user GPS-enabled applications to
complex multi-user, multi-terminal vehicle, goods or staff
management systems.
This off the shelf service requires minimal
installation and maintenance efforts and works on all
Flash-based ANTARIS(R) 4 GPS receivers. Users can choose
between the basic "Free Service" and the
"Premium Service" with defined performance and
guaranteed service levels.
AssistNow Offline is available immediately in Beta; the
production version is scheduled for the second quarter of
2007. To find out more about AssistNow, visit
http://www.u-blox.com/technology/assistnow/ .
A high-resolution picture is accessible from
http://www.u-blox.com/news/assistnow_offline.jpg .
About u-blox
u-blox is an international company headquartered in
Switzerland, with sales organizations in the Americas,
Europe and Asia. Founded in 1997, u-blox develops leading
positioning technology, products and services based on
Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS), including GPS
and Galileo, for the automotive and mobile communications
markets. For more information, please visit
http://www.u-blox.com .
For more information, please contact:
Georg zur Bonsen
VP Business Marketing
Tel: +41-44-722-7444
Email: mail: georg.zurbonsen@u-blox.com
Alicia Montoya
Marketing Communications Manager
Tel: +41-44-722-7486
Email: alicia.montoya@u-blox.com
SOURCE u-blox AG
2007'02.11.Sun
Xinyinhai Technology Ltd. Appointed Exclusive Financial Instrument Printing Provider by Jilin Province Rural Credit Union
January 16, 2007
The Deal is Expected to Contribute 5% Annual Growth to the
Revenue of Xinyinhai Technology Ltd.
HARBIN, China, Jan. 16 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- Xinyinhai
Technology Ltd. (OTC Bulletin Board: XNYH) (the
"XNYH"), the Chinese printing enterprise that
specializes in financial instrument printing, announced
that it has entered into an agreement with Jilin Province
Rural Credit Union (the "Union"), the giant
financial institution in Jilin province, to act as the sole
financial instrument printing services provider to the
Union.
Pursuant to the agreement between XNYH and Jilin
Province Rural Credit Union, XNYH was appointed as the sole
printing company for Jilin Province Rural Credit Union,
responsible for producing passbooks, deposit receipts,
checkbooks, settlement forms, loan application forms, new
DCP vouchers and other bank printings, etc. for all members
of Jilin Province Rural Credit Union.
Jilin Province Rural Credit Union is a financial
institution incorporated under the corporate law of the
People's Republic of China and is governed by the
regulations of China Banking Regulatory Commission. The
headquarters of Jilin Province Rural Credit Union are
located in Chuangchun City, Jilin province. The Union was
formed through a merging of Rural Credit Cooperatives in
Changchun City, Jilin City, Siping City, and Yanbian Zhou
city, and 51 other county Rural Credit Cooperatives. The
total saving of the Union reached RMB40.5 billion (or USD5
billion), the total loans of the Union increased to RMB26.3
billion (or USD3.3 billion) by the end of 2005. Jilin
province lies in the middle of Northeast China, covering an
area of 187,400 square kilometers, which accounts for 1.95%
of the whole country. In 2004, the population of Jilin
Province was 27,085,000 and GDP reached USD36.98 billion,
accounting for 2.08% and 1.81% of the whole country,
respectively.
Ms. Tian Ling, President of XNYH, commented that,
"Being a leading enterprise in the financial
instrument printing industry, XNYH enjoys the reputation of
providing low cost and high quality services to customers
across the country. The cooperation between XNYH and Jilin
Province Rural Credit Union will be pleasant and mutually
beneficial, which will lay a solid ground for XNYH's future
development. The cooperation will increase the revenue of
the company by 5% by the end of 2006." In addition,
the company is negotiating with Hebei Province Rural Credit
Union in an attempt to become the sole appointed commercial
instrument-printing provider, providing printing services
for all Rural Credit Cooperatives in Hebei province. If
successful, the deal will further boost XNYH's revenue in
the years to come.
About Xinyinhai Technology Ltd.
Founded in 1998, Xinyinhai Technology Ltd. has
developed into a leading participant in the People's
Republic of China's note printing industry. XNYH is one of
only fifteen companies to which the PRC government has
issued the Special Industry Operating Permit and the
Government Securities and Documents Duplicating Permit,
which are the licenses required in order to be engaged in
printing bank vouchers in the PRC. The breadth of the
company's business ranges from printing bank vouchers and
documents, and it has build numerous exclusive
relationships with China's largest financial institutions
and government agencies including Bank of China, China
Commercial Bank, the State Taxation Bureau, etc. Moreover,
it uses outsourced vendors for large scale binding services.
In order to assure a product that is the utmost in quality,
the company has passed many rigorous guidelines in order to
be certified with relevant quality, health and security
management systems. Currently, the company is home to the
most sophisticated production line with the brand name
"Kuechler", laying a solid foundation for the
company's rapid development.
Forward-looking statements
This report contains 'forward-looking' statements
within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of
1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. All statements other
than statements of historical facts included in this report
are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements
involve risks and uncertainties including, but not limited
to, economic and political factors; developments of the
Chinese and North American markets and changes in
regulatory matters; our business strategies and future
plans of operations; the market acceptance and amount of
sales of our products and services; our historical losses;
the competitive environment within the industries in which
we compete; and our ability to raise additional capital,
currently needed for expansion.
The Company cautions that forward-looking statements
are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could
cause actual results to differ materially from those
indicated in the forward-looking statements due to several
important factors.
For more information, please contact:
Mr. Lao, Cheng Xu
Xinyinhai Technology, Ltd
Tel: +86-451-86811118
Email: laochengxu@yahoo.com.cn
SOURCE Xinyinhai Technology, Ltd
2007'02.11.Sun
TI's Latest DaVinci Processor Drives Growth of Portable Digital Video Applications
January 16, 2007
Optimizations Include Reduced Cost and Dual Power Modes for
Portable Video Applications
HOUSTON, Jan. 16 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- Continuing to
fuel the digital video revolution, Texas Instruments (NYSE:
TXN) (TI) today announced the sampling of the TMS320DM6441
system-on-chip (SoC) based on DaVinci(TM) technology.
Additional DaVinci software and development tools for the
DM6441 make it possible to deliver high-quality video
combined with power saving modes for portable audio and
video applications, including portable media players
(PMPs), consumer video security devices, medical devices,
data terminals, IP netcams, automotive/in-flight
entertainment systems and other digital audio and video
applications. For more information, see
http://www.ti.com/dm6441pr .
(Logo:
http://www.xprn.com.cn/xprn/sa/20061107170439-20.jpg )
"TI has brought together the optimal blend of
performance, flexibility, and power efficiency for portable
media players," said Henri Crohas, founder and chief
executive officer, ARCHOS. "The DM644x device easily
supports multiple video formats, which has given ARCHOS the
base technology to develop and launch three devices of our
latest Generation 4: the ARCHOS 404, the ARCHOS 504 and the
ARCHOS 604."
The DM6441 is a dual-core SoC that consists of an
ARM9(R) and TMS320C64x+(TM) digital signal processor (DSP)
core plus video/imaging co-processors. By offering this
device, TI expands the possibilities of DaVinci technology
for those seeking video performance of H.264, MPEG 2, MPEG
4 or VC-1, among others, at 30 frames per second combined
with power efficient optimizations for a whole new realm of
consumer applications. The DM6441 provides the key
peripherals required for today's portable media
applications, including Ethernet, MMC and SD card
interfaces, ATA hard disk drive interface, USB 2.0 and
multiple UARTs, while offering developers the programmable
flexibility and customization they need to design
cost-effective portable entertainment products.
Furthermore, the power optimization of the device makes it
possible for developers to implement power over Ethernet,
which is suitable for many video security systems.
"By releasing an SoC with specific power
management capabilities to the broad market, TI is further
driving the adoption of digital video technology into an
increasingly wide array of consumer portable audio and
video applications," said Greg Mar, SoC platform
marketing manager, TI. "Building on DaVinci
technology, we are able to provide the optimized
application software developers need to design
cost-effective, power-efficient digital video products and
bring them to market quickly."
Optimized Power Savings
The advanced power saving capabilities of the DM6441
make it ideal for portable audio and video applications.
With dual power modes the DM6441 can run at full speed (513
MHz DSP and 256 MHz ARM) at 1.2 V or in power-reduced mode
(405 MHz DSP and 202 MHz ARM) at 1.05 V. The dual power
modes allow the reduction of power consumption during
operations, such as audio-only playback, when the full
capabilities of the DSP are not required. Additional clock
gating capabilities provide a mechanism for turning off
peripherals that are not in use. Isolating the power
domains of the DSP and ARM cores has made it possible to
power down the DSP core individually during non-video
operations. The combination of dual power mode, clock
gating and isolated power domains can yield overall power
savings up to 35 percent over the previously released
TMS320DM6443 and TMS320DM6446 devices.
Developers can begin product design with the Digital
Video Evaluation Module (DVEVM, TMDXEVM6446), which is
available today. The DVEVM includes proven design modules
for additional power savings with TI's analog devices and
microcontrollers. The DM6441 can also be paired with TI's
ultra low-power microcontroller, the MSP430, which offers
an exceptional standby current under one microamp and
power-manages the DM6441 in its most efficient sleep/halt
mode to further reduce average current consumption.
Exceptional Efficiency through Enhanced Software
Software plays a major role in enabling developers to
achieve the best performance, quality and power efficiency
from SoC silicon. The DM6441 device's software application
programming interface and multimedia framework manages
control of power to maximize battery life for portable
devices with minimal effort from developers. The increased
power efficiency of the DM6441 has also made it possible for
TI to expand the variety of codecs available off-the-shelf
for portable devices, including VC-1 and H.264. TI has
also introduced availability of the industry-standard
uClibc library, making the DM6441 TI's first device to
bring uClibc to the broad market. uClibc reduces product
development costs by shrinking application footprints,
leading to faster boot times, the need for less external
memory and improved reliability through reduced system
complexity.
The DM6441 is pin-for-pin and software compatible with
the DM6443 and DM6446 devices, enabling engineers to
leverage the extensive infrastructure of development tools
available through the DaVinci ecosystem and TI's
third-party partners. These tools include the
aforementioned DVEVM and the Digital Video Software
Development Kit (DVSDK, TMDSSDK6446-L), the latter of which
allows system developers to integrate discrete software
modules and combine them into a single executable file
while avoiding tedious manual integration. Together, these
tools save months of development time, enabling developers
to quickly design and bring to market compact, quality and
competitively priced portable media applications.
Software and Development Tools Spur Development
To deliver the most advanced solutions for PMP
manufacturers, TI is working with third party developers
including ATEME, Ingenient and Ittiam, to offer the market
reference designs for PMPs. The reference designs leverage
TI's complete suite of production-ready digital media
software, including MPEG-2 MP, H.264 MP and AC3.
Information on the codec combinations available from TI is
at http://www.ti.com/digitalmediasoftware .
Pricing and Availability
The DM6441 for portable audio and video applications is
sampling now and it is $24.95 each in quantities of 10,000.
For more information about the DM6441 and DaVinci
technology, please visit http://www.thedavincieffect.com .
About Texas Instruments
Texas Instruments Incorporated provides innovative DSP
and analog technologies to meet our customers' real world
signal processing requirements. In addition to
Semiconductor, the company includes the Education
Technology business. TI is headquartered in Dallas, Texas,
and has manufacturing, design or sales operations in more
than 25 countries.
Texas Instruments is traded on the New York Stock
Exchange under the symbol TXN. More information is located
on the World Wide Web at http://www.ti.com .
Trademarks
DaVinci and TMS320C64x+ are trademarks of Texas
Instruments. All other trademarks and registered
trademarks are property of their respective owners.
For more information, please contact:
Lisa Ferrara
Texas Instruments
Tel: +1-281-274-4213
Email: lferrara@ti.com
Sarah Bodenman
GolinHarris
Tel: +1-713-513-9577
Email: sbodenman@golinharris.com
SOURCE Texas Instruments Incorporated
2007'02.11.Sun
New Oriental Announces Results for the Second Fiscal Quarter Ended November 30, 2006
January 16, 2007
BEIJING, Jan. 16 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- New Oriental
Education and Technology Group Inc. (NYSE: EDU), the
largest provider of private educational services in China,
today announced its unaudited financial results for the
fiscal quarter ended November 30, 2006, which is the second
quarter for New Oriental's fiscal year 2007(1).
Highlights for the Fiscal Quarter Ended November 30,
2006
-- Total net revenues increased by 32.9% year-over-year
to RMB169.0
million (US$21.6 million) from RMB127.2 million in
the second quarter
of fiscal year 2006.
-- Net income increased to RMB8.2 million (US$1.0
million) from a net
loss of RMB8.7 million in the second quarter of
fiscal year 2006, and
income attributable to holders of common shares
excluding share-based
compensation expenses (non-GAAP) increased to
RMB16.2 million (US$2.1
million) from a net loss of RMB34.2 million in the
second quarter of
fiscal year 2006.
-- Basic and diluted earnings per ADS were RMB0.23
(US$0.03) and RMB0.22
(US$0.03), respectively. Excluding share-based
compensation expenses
(non-GAAP), basic and diluted earnings per ADS were
RMB0.46 (US$0.06)
and RMB0.44 (US$0.06), respectively. Each ADS
represents four common
shares. Common shares used in calculating basic and
diluted earnings
per ADS increased in the second quarter of fiscal
2007 due to 34.5
million new shares issued and sold by the company in
its initial
public offering during the quarter.
-- Total student enrollments in language training and
test preparation
courses increased by 20.3% year-over-year to
approximately 217,500
from approximately 180,800 in the second quarter of
fiscal year 2006.
-- Opened 2 new schools in the second quarter bringing
the total number
of schools and learning centers to 34 and 121
(including the 34
schools), respectively, as of November 30, 2006, up
from 32 schools
and 115 learning centers (including the 32 schools)
as of August 31,
2006, respectively.
"During the second quarter of fiscal year 2007, we
experienced continued strong growth in our student
enrollments and net revenues enabling us to exceed our
revenue guidance by a substantial margin," said New
Oriental's Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Mr.
Michael Yu. "In addition, we executed on our strategy
of pursuing rapid organic growth by adding two new schools,
North Star in Beijing marking New Oriental's entry into the
fragmented professional certification test preparation
market, and our second primary/secondary campus in Taixing,
which is nearby our Yangzhou school."
New Oriental's Chief Financial Officer, Mr. Louis T.
Hsieh, added, "During the second fiscal quarter, we
continued to improve our profitability by simultaneously
growing our revenues and controlling our expenses. As we
continue to expand our product offerings, student
enrollments, and geographic footprint into new markets
across China, we are confident that we will increasingly
benefit from economies of scale going forward."
Mr. Hsieh noted that the second quarter of the
Company's fiscal year is typically the slowest in terms of
revenue as students are occupied with the beginning of the
formal school year.
"We also used part of our IPO proceeds to clear
remaining debt ensuring a sound financial base for future
expansion," added Mr. Hsieh.
Financial Results for the Fiscal Quarter Ended November
30, 2006
For the second fiscal quarter of 2007, New Oriental
reported net revenues of RMB169.0 million (US$21.6
million), representing a 32.9% increase
year-over-year.
Net revenues from educational programs and services for
the second fiscal quarter were RMB152.0 million (US$19.4
million), representing a 32.5% increase year-over-year.
The growth was mainly driven by the increase in the number
of student enrollments in language training and test
preparation courses. Total student enrollments in language
training and test preparation courses in the second fiscal
quarter of 2007 increased by 20.3% year-over-year to
approximately 217,500 from approximately 180,800 in the
second quarter of fiscal year 2006.
Total operating costs and expenses for the quarter were
RMB168.8 million (US$21.5 million), a 22.9% increase
year-over-year.
Cost of revenues increased by 40.5% year-over-year to
RMB85.9 million (US$11.0 million), primarily due to the
increased number of courses offered to a larger student
base and the greater number of schools and learning centers
in operation.
Selling and marketing expenses increased by 90.8%
year-over-year to RMB25.4 million (US$3.2 million),
primarily due to a refinement in accounting process in
allocating some of the personnel and other expenses which
were included in our general and administrative expenses in
the second fiscal quarter of 2006 to our selling and
marketing expenses in the second fiscal quarter of 2007.
General and administrative expenses decreased by 8.7%
year-over-year to RMB57.5 million (US$7.3 million),
primarily due to the implementation of the refined
accounting process described above. Without such
accounting reclassification, general and administrative
expenses would have increased year-over-year.
Total share-based compensation expenses, which were
allocated to related operating costs and expenses, were
RMB8.0 million (US$1.0 million) in the second quarter of
fiscal year 2007. There were no share-based compensation
expenses in the second quarter of fiscal year 2006.
Operating margin for the quarter was 0.2%, compared to
negative 8.0% in the corresponding period of the previous
year. Excluding share-based compensation expenses
(non-GAAP), operating margin for the quarter was 4.9%,
compared to negative 8.0% in the corresponding period of
the prior year. This increase was primarily due to the
improved operating efficiency as revenue growth outpaced
the growth in operating costs and expenses.
Income for the quarter was RMB8.2 million (US$1.0
million) compared to a net loss of RMB8.7 million in the
second quarter of fiscal year 2006. Basic and diluted
earnings per share amounted to RMB0.06 (US$0.01) and
RMB0.06 (US$0.01), respectively, and basic and diluted
earnings per ADS were RMB0.23 (US$0.03) and RMB0.22
(US$0.03), respectively.
Income attributable to holders of common shares
excluding share-based compensation expenses (non-GAAP) was
RMB16.2 million (US$2.1 million). Basic and diluted
earnings per ADS excluding share based compensation
expenses
(non-GAAP) were RMB0.46 (US$0.06) and RMB0.44 (US$0.06),
respectively.
Capital expenditures for the quarter were RMB7.6
million (US$1.0 million).
As of November 30, 2006, New Oriental had cash and cash
equivalents of RMB1,166.5 million (US$148.8 million), as
compared to RMB294.9 million as of August 31, 2006. The
increase in cash and cash equivalents was primarily due to
the net proceeds from our initial public offering on the
New York Stock Exchange on September 7, 2006. Net
operating cash flow for the second quarter of fiscal year
2007 was RMB42.4 million (US$5.4 million).
Financial Results for the Six Months Ended November 30,
2006
For the six months ended November 30, 2006 New Oriental
reported net revenues of RMB598.4 million (US$76.4 million),
representing a 31.8% increase year-over-year.
Total student enrollments in language training and test
preparation courses in the six months ended November 30,
2006 increased by 23.6%
year-over-year to approximately 554,900 from approximately
448,900 in the six months ended November 30, 2005.
Operating margin for the six months ended November 30,
2006 was 30.2%, compared to 18.8% for the six months ended
November 30, 2005.
Net income for the six months ended November 30, 2006
was RMB173.3 million (US$22.1 million), representing a
135.7% increase year-over-year. Basic and diluted earnings
per ADS for the six months ended November 30, 2006 amounted
to RMB5.72 (US$0.73) and RMB5.31 (US$0.68), respectively.
Common shares used in calculating basic and diluted
earnings per ADS increased in the second quarter of fiscal
year 2007 due to 34.5 million new shares issued and sold by
the company in its initial public offering during the
quarter.
Outlook for Fiscal Third Quarter 2007
New Oriental expects its total net revenues in the
third quarter of fiscal year 2007 (December 1, 2006 to
February 28, 2007) to be in the range of RMB202 million
(US$25.8 million) to RMB212 million (US$27.1 million),
representing year-over-year growth in the range of 19.8% to
25.8%, respectively. This forecast reflects New Oriental's
current and preliminary view, which is subject to change.
Conference Call Information
New Oriental's management will host an earnings
conference call at 8 AM on January 16, 2007 U.S. Eastern
Time (9 PM on January 16, 2007 Beijing/Hong Kong time).
Dial-in details for the earnings conference call are as
follows:
US: +1-617-213-8055
Hong Kong +852-3002-1672
Please dial-in 10 minutes before the call is scheduled
to begin and provide the passcode to join the call. The
passcode is "New Oriental earnings call."
A replay of the conference call may be accessed by
phone at the following number until 11 AM on January 23,
2007 U.S. Eastern Time:
International: +1-617-801-6888
Passcode: 38993793
Additionally, a live and archived webcast of the
conference call will be available at
http://investor.neworiental.org .
About New Oriental
New Oriental is the largest provider of private
educational services in China based on the number of
program offerings, total student enrollments and geographic
presence. New Oriental offers a wide range of educational
programs, services and products consisting primarily of
English and other foreign language training, test
preparation courses for major admissions and assessment
tests in the United States, the PRC and Commonwealth
countries, primary and secondary school education,
development and distribution of educational content,
software and other technology, and online education. New
Oriental's ADSs, each of which represents four common
shares, currently trade on the New York Stock Exchange
under the symbol "EDU."
For more information about New Oriental, please visit
http://english.neworiental.org .
Safe Harbor Statement
This announcement contains forward-looking statements.
These statements are made under the "safe harbor"
provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform
Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements can be
identified by terminology such as "will,"
"expects," "anticipates,"
"future," "intends," "plans,"
"believes," "estimates" and similar
statements. Among other things, the outlook for third
quarter of fiscal year 2007 and quotations from management
in this announcement, as well as New Oriental's strategic
and operational plans, contain forward-looking statements.
New Oriental may also make written or oral forward-looking
statements in its periodic reports to the U.S. Securities
and Exchange Commission in its annual report to
shareholders, in press releases and other written materials
and in oral statements made by its officers, directors or
employees to third parties. Statements that are not
historical facts, including statements about New Oriental's
beliefs and expectations, are forward-looking statements.
Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and
uncertainties. A number of factors could cause actual
results to differ materially from those contained in any
forward-looking statement, including but not limited to the
following: our growth strategies; our future business
development, results of operations and financial condition;
our ability to attract students without a significant
decrease in course fees; our ability to continue to hire,
train and retain qualified teachers; our ability to
maintain and enhance our "New Oriental" brand;
our ability to effectively and efficiently manage the
expansion of our school network and successfully execute
our growth strategy; the outcome of ongoing, or any future,
litigation or arbitration, including those relating to
copyright and other intellectual property rights;
competition in the private education sector in China;
changes in our revenues and certain cost or expense items
as a percentage of our revenues; the expected growth of the
Chinese private education market; and Chinese governmental
policies relating to private educational services and
providers of such services. Further information regarding
these and other risks is included in our registration
statement on Form F-1 and other documents filed with the
Securities and Exchange Commission. New Oriental does not
undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking
statement, except as required under applicable law. All
information provided in this press release and in the
attachments is as of January 15, 2007, and New Oriental
undertakes no duty to update such information, except as
required under applicable law.
About Non-GAAP Financial Measures
To supplement New Oriental's consolidated financial
results presented in accordance with GAAP, New Oriental
uses the following measures defined as
non-GAAP financial measures by the SEC: net income
excluding share-based compensation expenses and basic and
diluted earnings per share and per ADS excluding
share-based compensation expenses. The presentation of
these
non-GAAP financial measures is not intended to be
considered in isolation or as a substitute for the
financial information prepared and presented in accordance
with GAAP. For more information on these non-GAAP
financial measures, please see the table captioned
"Reconciliations of non-GAAP measures to the most
comparable GAAP measures" set forth at the end of this
release.
New Oriental believes that these non-GAAP financial
measures provide meaningful supplemental information
regarding its performance and liquidity by excluding
share-based expenses that may not be indicative of its
operating performance from a cash perspective. New
Oriental believes that both management and investors
benefit from referring to these non-GAAP financial measures
in assessing its performance and when planning and
forecasting future periods. These non-GAAP financial
measures also facilitate management's internal comparisons
to New Oriental's historical performance and liquidity.
New Oriental computes its non-GAAP financial measures using
the same consistent method from quarter to quarter. New
Oriental believes these non-GAAP financial measures are
useful to investors in allowing for greater transparency
with respect to supplemental information used by management
in its financial and operational decision making. A
limitation of using non-GAAP net income excluding
share-based compensation expenses, and basic and diluted
earnings per share and per ADS excluding share-based
compensation expenses is that these non-GAAP measures
exclude share-based compensation charge that has been and
will continue to be for the foreseeable future a
significant recurring expense in our business. Management
compensates for these limitations by providing specific
information regarding the GAAP amounts excluded from each
non-GAAP measure. The accompanying tables have more
details on the reconciliations between GAAP financial
measures that are most directly comparable to non-GAAP
financial measures.
(1) This announcement contains translations of certain
RMB amounts into
U.S. dollars at specified rates solely for the
convenience of
readers. Unless otherwise noted, all translations
from RMB to U.S.
dollars for the entities with the functional
currency of RMB are
made at a rate of RMB7.834 to US$1.00, the
effective noon buying
rate as of November 30, 2006 in The City of New
York for cable
transfers of RMB as certified for customs purposes
by the Federal
Reserve Bank of New York.
NEW ORIENTAL EDUCATION & TECHNOLOGY
GROUP INC.
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE
SHEETS
(In thousands)
As of
As of November
30 August 31
2006
2006
(Unaudited)
(Unaudited)
RMB
USD RMB
ASSETS:
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents 1,166,510
148,766 294,948
Restricted cash 3,064
391 3,000
Term deposits --
-- 1,000
Accounts receivable, net 2,664
340 1,542
Inventory 40,758
5,203 43,174
Prepaid expenses and other current
assets 43,692
5,577 42,974
Total current assets 1,256,688
160,277 386,638
Property, plant and equipment, net 708,269
90,410 712,312
Land use right, net 25,180
3,214 25,318
Deposit for acquiring property and
equipment --
-- --
Amounts due from related parties 464
64 2,691
Deferred tax assets 8,996
1,148 3,870
Long term prepaid rent --
-- 1,038
Trade mark 1,637
209 1,637
Total assets 2,001,234
255,322 1,133,504
LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable-trade 37,360
4,769 51,140
Accrued expenses and other current
liabilities 118,649
15,145 128,223
Income tax payable 21,041
2,686 18,413
Current portion of long-term debt --
-- 42,998
Amount due to related parties --
-- 162
Deferred revenue 182,651
23,315 135,728
Total current liabilities 359,701
45,915 376,664
Long-term debt, less current portion --
-- 64,445
Total long-term liabilities --
-- 64,445
Minority interest 2,023
258 200
Total liabilities 361,724
46,173 441,309
SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY
Series A convertible preferred shares
(US$ 0.01 par value; 11,111,111
shares authorized as of August 31,
2006; 11,111,111 and nil shares
issued and outstanding as of August
31, 2006)(liquidation value
US$22,500) --
-- 920
Common Shares (US$ 0.01 par value;
150,000,000 shares authorized as of
August 31, 2006; 100,000,000 shares
issued and outstanding as of August
31, 2006; 300,000,000 shares
authorized and 145,611,111 shares
issued and outstanding as of
November 30, 2006) 11,940
1,456 8,277
Additional paid-in capital 1,264,475
158,440 315,208
Retained earnings 376,147
47,999 367,930
Accumulated other comprehensive loss
(gain) (13,052)
1,254 (140)
Total shareholders' equity 1,639,510
209,149 692,195
Total liabilities and shareholders'
equity 2,001,234
255,322 1,133,504
NEW ORIENTAL EDUCATION & TECHNOLOGY
GROUP INC.
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF
OPERATIONS
(In thousands except for per share and per ADS
amounts)
For the
Three Months
Ended
November 30
2006
2005
(Unaudited)
(Unaudited)
RMB
USD RMB
Net Revenues:
Educational Programs and services 151,967
19,398 114,714
Books and others 17,062
2,178 12,509
Total net revenues 169,029
21,576 127,223
Operating costs and expenses (note
1):
Cost of revenues 85,903
10,965 61,142
Selling and marketing 25,409
3,243 13,314
General and administrative 57,456
7,332 62,909
Total operating costs and expenses 168,768
21,540 137,365
Operating income (loss) 261
36 (10,142)
Other income (expenses), net 8,085
1,023 (2,185)
Income tax expense (485)
(62) 1,862
Minority interest, net of tax 356
45 --
Income from continuing operations 8,217
1,042 (10,465)
Income on discontinued operations --
-- 1,784
Net Income 8,217
1,042 (8,681)
Dividend in kind --
-- (25,526)
Income attributable to holders of
common shares 8,217
1,042 (34,207)
Net income per share-basic 0.06
0.01 (0.34)
Net income per share-diluted 0.06
0.01 (0.31)
Net income per ADS-basic (note 2) 0.23
0.03 (1.36)
Net income per ADS-diluted (note 2) 0.22
0.03 (1.24)
Notes:
Note 1: Share-based compensation expenses are included
in the operating
costs and expenses as follows:
For the
Three Months
Ended
November 30
2006
2005
Unaudited
Unaudited
RMB
USD RMB
Cost of revenues 209
27 --
Selling and marketing 118
15 --
General and administrative 7,698
983 --
Note 2: Each ADS represents four common shares
NEW ORIENTAL EDUCATION & TECHNOLOGY
GROUP INC.
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF
OPERATIONS
(In thousands except for per share and per ADS
amounts)
For the
Six Months
Ended
November 30
2006
2005
(Unaudited)
(Unaudited)
RMB
USD RMB
Net Revenues:
Educational Programs and services 563,881
71,979 429,535
Books and others 34,481
4,401 24,530
Total net revenues 598,362
76,380 454,065
Operating costs and expenses (note
1):
Cost of revenues 224,540
28,662 174,915
Selling and marketing 61,141
7,805 35,455
General and administrative 132,246
16,877 158,398
Total operating costs and expenses 417,927
53,344 368,768
Operating income (loss) 180,435
23,036 85,297
Other income (expenses), net 6,168
779 (5,321)
Income tax expense (13,683)
(1,747) (16,039)
Minority interest, net of tax 356
45 (12)
Income from continuing operations 173,276
22,113 63,925
Income on discontinued operations --
-- 9,595
Net Income 173,276
22,113 73,520
Dividend in kind --
-- (25,526)
Income attributable to holders of
common shares 173,276
22,113 47,994
Net income per share-basic 1.43
0.18 0.48
Net income per share-diluted 1.33
0.17 0.43
Net income per ADS-basic (note 2) 5.72
0.73 1.92
Net income per ADS-diluted (note 2) 5.31
0.68 1.73
Notes:
Note 1: Share-based compensation expenses are included
in the operating
costs and expenses as follows:
For the
Six Months
Ended
November 30
2006
2005
Unaudited
Unaudited
RMB
USD RMB
Cost of revenues 352
45 65
Selling and marketing 217
28 793
General and administrative 13,145
1,678 25,367
Note 2: Each ADS represents four common shares
NEW ORIENTAL EDUCATION & TECHNOLOGY
GROUP INC.
RECONCILIATION OF NON-GAAP MEASURES TO THE MOST
COMPARABLE GAAP MEASURES
(In thousands except share and per ADS
amounts)
For
the Three Months
Ended November 30
2006
2005
(Unaudited) (Unaudited)
RMB
USD RMB
GAAP net income 8,217
1,042 (8,681)
Dividend in kind --
-- (25,526)
GAAP income attributable to holders
of common shares 8,217
1,042 (34,207)
Share-based compensation expenses 8,025
1,025 --
Non-GAAP income attributable to
holders of common shares 16,242
2,067 (34,207)
GAAP net income per ADS - basic
(note 1) 0.23
0.03 (1.36)
GAAP net income per ADS - diluted
(note 1) 0.22
0.03 (1.24)
Non-GAAP net income per ADS - basic
(note 1) 0.46
0.06 (1.36)
Non-GAAP net income per ADS -
diluted (note 1) 0.44
0.06 (1.24)
Shares used in calculated basic net
income per ADS (note 1) 142,603,785
142,603,785 100,000,000
Shares used in calculated diluted
net income per ADS (note 1) 148,176,297
148,176,297 111,111,111
Note 1: Each ADS represents four common shares
NEW ORIENTAL EDUCATION & TECHNOLOGY
GROUP INC.
RECONCILIATION OF NON-GAAP MEASURES TO THE MOST
COMPARABLE GAAP MEASURES
(In thousands except share and per ADS
amounts)
For
the Six Months
Ended
November 30
2006
2005
(Unaudited)
(Unaudited)
RMB
USD RMB
GAAP net income 173,276
22,113 73,520
Dividend in kind --
-- (25,526)
GAAP income attributable to holders
of common shares 173,276
22,113 47,994
Share-based compensation expenses 13,714
1,751 26,225
Non-GAAP income attributable to
holders of common shares 16,242
23,864 74,219
GAAP net income per ADS - basic
(note 1) 5.72
0.73 1.92
GAAP net income per ADS - diluted
(note 1) 5.31
0.68 1.73
Non-GAAP net income per ADS - basic
(note 1) 6.17
0.79 2.97
Non-GAAP net income per ADS -
diluted (note 1) 5.73
0.73 2.67
Shares used in calculated basic net
income per ADS (note 1) 121,185,489
121,185,489 100,000,000
Shares used in calculated diluted
net income per ADS (note 1) 130,565,761
130,565,761 111,111,111
Note 1: Each ADS represents four common shares
For investor and media inquiries, please contact:
In China:
Ms. Sisi Zhao
New Oriental Education and Technology Group Inc.
Tel: +86-10-6260-5566 x8203
Email: zhaosisi@staff.neworiental.org
Mr. Rory Macpherson
Ogilvy Public Relations Worldwide
Tel: +86-10-8520-6553
Email: rory.macpherson@ogilvy.com
In the United States:
Mr. Thomas Smith
Ogilvy Public Relations Worldwide
Tel: +1-212-880-5269
Email: thomas.smith@ogilvypr.com
SOURCE New Oriental Education and Technology Group Inc.
2007'02.11.Sun
HSBC Securities Services Implements CheckFree eVent(TM) for Corporate Actions Automation
January 15, 2007
ATLANTA and LONDON, Jan. 15 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ --
CheckFree Corporation (Nasdaq: CKFR), today announced that
HSBC Securities Services (HSS) has implemented the
CheckFree eVent(TM) solution to deliver automated
end-to-end corporate actions processing to HSS's investment
administration clients.
HSS offers securities administration and custody and is
a leading provider of comprehensive global, regional and
domestic securities services to corporate and institutional
clients around the globe. HSS recently surpassed $1
trillion of assets under administration and has $4.332
trillion of assets under custody, making it one of the
world's largest and broadest providers.
The implementation of CheckFree eVent is designed to
automate the announcement capture and validation of HSS's
multiple data sources, creating corporate actions master
records for downstream processing and accounting updates.
All external communications have been implemented and
streamlined using the SWIFT ISO 15022 message suite for
corporate actions to ensure high straight-through
processing (STP) rates are achieved.
With this new deployment of CheckFree eVent, HSS will
offer its clients post-trade securities processing,
including corporate actions automation, using two CheckFree
solutions that leverage a common architecture. HSS is
already supported by the CheckFree TradeFlow(TM) solution
for trade confirmation and settlement.
Alex Powell, global chief operating officer of HSBC
Securities Services, said: "The automation of
corporate actions is a notoriously difficult problem to
solve, which is why we engaged CheckFree's specialized
knowledge and solutions to assist us with this project. A
key selection criteria was the overall flexibility and
scalability of CheckFree eVent, as well as its proven
technology. CheckFree eVent enables us to cater to the
fast changing requirements of our clients in the key
corporate actions arena."
CheckFree is a global leader in providing robust and
scalable solutions for corporate actions processing,
transaction process management, and reconciliation and
exception management within the financial markets industry.
CheckFree has achieved this leadership position by
delivering solutions that maximize efficiency, enabling
organizations to benefit from automation using industry
standard protocols such as ISO 15022 and ISO 20022.
"HSBC Securities Services' selection of CheckFree
eVent is testament to the strength of our corporate actions
processing solution," said Preston Hoffman, senior vice
president and general manager, CheckFree Software.
"With this new endorsement from HSBC Securities
Services, we have further improved our market leading
position and extended our strategic relationship with this
major client. We look forward to a long lasting and
fruitful partnership with HSBC."
Widely recognized for its premium service quality, HSS
won a number of service awards in 2006, including
"Best Outsource Provider" at the FSmetrics
Securities Industry Awards which recognizes the highest
level of
straight-through processing in the industry.
CheckFree's Applied Operational Intelligence(SM)
approach helps clients drive profitability and performance
by combining innovative software, proven expertise and
operational intelligence. The Applied Operational
Intelligence approach channels valuable business
intelligence back to the business through CheckFree's
innovative solutions, industry expertise, collaborative
partnership approach, and core competencies of
reconciliation, exception management, transaction process
management, corporate actions processing, payments
processing, risk management and compliance.
About CheckFree eVent
Based on workflow technology, CheckFree eVent automates
the routing of corporate actions messages to the right
person for action at the appropriate stage in the
lifecycle. Together with its comprehensive alert and
escalation facilities, this ensures that events are
responded to in an efficient and timely manner. CheckFree
eVent reduces the risk of errors and provides valuable
proof of compliance with audit and archive facilities.
Powerful management information tools assist in the
identification of bottlenecks and peaks, allowing you to
stay in control, concentrate on exceptions and improve
service quality.
SWIFTReady accredited, CheckFree eVent is built on the
same financial messaging platform as the SWIFTReady Gold
accredited CheckFree TradeFlow solution. CheckFree eVent
has achieved the 2006 B.I.S.S. Gold Accreditation for
Corporate Actions Systems for four consecutive years. This
designation, along with the SWIFTReady accreditation for
Corporate Actions for three consecutive years, further
demonstrates CheckFree's strong commitment to technology
leadership in the corporate actions space. For more
information about CheckFree eVent and other products visit
http://www.checkfreesoftware.com .
About HSBC Securities Services ( http://www.hsbcnet.com
)
HSBC Securities Services (HSS) is a division within
Global Transaction Banking, part of the HSBC Group. HSS
provides comprehensive global, regional and domestic
custody services as well as cash management; foreign
exchange; securities lending; corporate trusteeship; issue
and paying agency services; alternative investment funds;
and trustee and depositary services. HSS also offers a
full range of investment administration and performance
consulting services to institutional and corporate clients
worldwide. HSS's global assets under custody were reported
as US$ 4.33 trillion at 30 September 2006. Global assets
under administration totaled US$ 1 trillion at 30 September
2006.
HSBC Holdings plc
HSBC Holdings plc (HSBC) serves over 125 million
customers worldwide through some 9,500 offices in 76
countries and territories in Europe, the Asia-Pacific
region, the Americas, the Middle East and Africa. With
assets of US$1,738 billion at 30 June 2006, HSBC is one of
the world's largest banking and financial services
organisations. HSBC is marketed worldwide as 'the world's
local bank'.
About CheckFree ( http://www.checkfreecorp.com )
Founded in 1981, CheckFree Corporation (Nasdaq: CKFR)
provides financial electronic commerce services and
products to organizations around the world. CheckFree
Electronic Commerce solutions enable thousands of financial
services providers and billers to offer the convenience of
receiving and paying household bills online, via phone or
in person through retail outlets. CheckFree Investment
Services provides a broad range of investment management
solutions and outsourced services to hundreds of financial
services organizations, which manage about $1.5 trillion in
assets. CheckFree Software develops, markets and supports
payment processing solutions that are used by financial
institutions to process more than two-thirds of the 14
billion Automated Clearing House transactions in the United
States, and supports reconciliation, exception management,
risk management, transaction process management, corporate
actions processing, and compliance within thousands of
organizations worldwide.
Certain of the Company's statements in this press
release are not purely historical, and as such are
"forward-looking statements" within the meaning
of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.
These include statements regarding management's intentions,
plans, beliefs, expectations or projections of the future.
Forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties,
including without limitation, the various risks inherent in
the Company's business, and other risks and uncertainties
detailed from time to time in the Company's periodic
reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission,
including the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the
year ended June 30, 2006 (filed September 8, 2006) and Form
10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2006 (filed
November 8, 2006). One or more of these factors have
affected, and could in the future affect the Company's
business and financial results in future periods, and could
cause actual results to differ materially from plans and
projections. There can be no assurance that the
forward-looking statements made in this press release will
prove to be accurate, and issuance of such forward-looking
statements should not be regarded as a representation by
the Company, or any other person, that the objectives and
plans of the Company will be achieved. All forward-looking
statements made in this press release are based on
information presently available to management, and the
Company assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking
statements.
For more information, please contact:
Media:
Ruth Brown
Metia Ltd.
Tel: +44-20-3100-3602
Email: Ruth.Brown@Metia.com
Media relations:
Judy DeRango Wicks
Tel: +1-678-375-1595
Email: jdwicks@checkfree.com
Investor relations:
Tina Moore
Tel: +1-678-375-1278
Email: tmoore@checkfree.com
SOURCE CheckFree Corporation
2007'02.11.Sun
Corning Completes Development Milestone in Green Laser Technology
January 15, 2007
Successful Integration of Company's Green Laser with
Projection Module Prompts Prototype Availability
CORNING, N.Y. Jan. 15 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- Corning
Incorporated (NYSE: GLW) announced on Jan 9 2007 that it
will make available green laser prototypes to potential
projection module customers for form, fit, function, and
performance evaluation throughout 2007.
(Logo:
http://www.xprn.com.cn:9080/xprn/sa/200612081746.jpg )
Corning reached this decision following a successful
integration of a green laser prototype - small enough for
use in mobile consumer electronics -- into a functioning
integrated photonics module (IPM(TM)) which is being
demonstrated by Microvision (Nasdaq: MVIS), at the Consumer
Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Nev. this week.
Achieving successful integration of Corning's green
laser prototype into a projection module is an important
milestone in the development cycle of this crucial
technology that enables portable micro-projection display.
Use of Corning's compact, efficient, high-speed and powerful
green laser enables full motion, full color video images at
SVGA resolution.
"With the rapid growth and diversity of mobile,
hand-held electronic devices there is an exciting
opportunity for compact projection technology to enable
entirely new viewing experiences," said David
Charlton, division vice president and director, New
Business Development, Corning Science and Technology.
"We are very pleased with the results achieved in
applying Corning's extensive experience in high-power
lasers and optical physics to the development of this
critical component enabling projection technology."
About Corning Incorporated
Corning Incorporated ( http://www.corning.com ) is a
diversified technology company that concentrates its
efforts on high-impact growth opportunities. Corning
combines its expertise in specialty glass, ceramic
materials, polymers and the manipulation of the properties
of light, with strong process and manufacturing
capabilities to develop, engineer and commercialize
significant innovative products for the telecommunications,
flat panel display, environmental, semiconductor, and life
sciences industries.
For more information, please contact:
Media Relations Contact:
Alan Dowdell / M£®Elizabeth Dann
Tel: +86-21-5467-4666 / +1-607-974-4989
Email: dowdellea@corning.com / dannme@corning.com
Investor Relations Contact:
Kenneth C. Sofio
Tel: +1-607-974-7705
Email: sofiokc@corning.com
SOURCE Corning Incorporated
2007'02.11.Sun
Buongiorno Enters the Chinese Market Acquiring eDongAsia's Majority Stake
January 15, 2007
Buongiorno Hong Kong, the Buongiorno-Mitsui Joint Venture,
Signed the Agreement to Acquire eDongAsia - a Company
Operating in the Chinese Mobile Phone Premium Content
Production
MILAN, Italy, Jan. 15 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ --
Buongiorno, a leading multinational operating in the market
of digital entertainment, announces its entrance in the
Chinese market by acquiring eDongAsia through Buongiorno
Hong Kong Ltd., the Joint Venture founded by Mitsui &
Co., Ltd. (51%) and Buongiorno SpA (49%).
Under the agreement's terms, Buongiorno Hong Kong will
acquire up to 80% of eDongAsia's share capital by cash for
a total amount of about USD 2.7 million. The remaining
percentage (about 20%) will stay under the current
shareholders' control.
According to Chinese Industry Ministry's latest
figures, the local mobile market is the world's largest
with 449 million customers (34% of the active population)
and the most dynamic with a year-over-year growth of about
65 million new users.
For Buongiorno Hong Kong, the entrance in the Chinese
mobile market is another important step of its expansion
plan in the Asia-Pacific. This new expansion follows the
entrance and business development in Russia and India and
strategic deals for provision of technological services,
content and marketing for mobile digital entertainment in
several fast growing Asian markets like Vietnam, the
Philippines, Thailand, and Malaysia.
Buongiorno's plans in China confirm the Company's
balanced approach: Buongiorno will offer both B2B services
for telecom companies and large media groups and B2C
services with the Blinko brand.
"The Chinese mobile content market is burgeoning
and it represents a tremendous opportunity for global
companies operating in the digital entertainment market, as
Buongiorno. We therefore decided to cautiously enter the
Chinese market by leveraging on a small-sized fast-growing
entity in which our joint venture Buongiorno Hong Kong will
invest in terms of know-how, people and capitals. This will
allow our Group to seize the local challenging business
opportunities without facing risks in the short term"
stated Andrea Casalini, Chief Executive Officer of
Buongiorno SpA.
eDongAsia operates through eDongCity (translation = The
mobile city), a Shangai-based firm perfectly fitted to be
the launching platform of Buongiorno services in the
Chinese market. eDongCity's core business has focussed on
the provision of SMS services and mobile services through
its local strategic partner company. eDongCity's
management has an international background and deep and
solid local market knowledge.
For more information, contact:
Eleonora Villanova
PR Executive
Tel: +39-02-582131
Email: eleonora.villanova@buongiorno.com
SOURCE Buongiorno Vitaminic SPA
2007'02.11.Sun
Atticus Capital Owns 6 Million Shares (3%) of Freeport-McMoRan
January 15, 2007
Atticus Capital to Vote for Freeport-McMoRan's Acquisition
of Phelps Dodge
NEW YORK, Jan. 15 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- Atticus
Capital today sent the following letter to Richard C.
Adkerson, President and Chief Executive Officer of
Freeport-McMoRan Copper and Gold, Inc. (NYSE: FCX):
January 12, 2007
Mr. Richard C. Adkerson
President and CEO
Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold, Inc.,
1615 Poydras Street
New Orleans, LA 70112
Dear Richard:
We have greatly enjoyed our interactions and
discussions since you announced the transaction between
Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold, Inc.
("Freeport-McMoRan") and Phelps Dodge Corp.
("Phelps Dodge").
We are writing to inform you of the following:
1. We have today changed our Phelps Dodge ownership
reporting from a 13D
to a 13G, because we no longer intend to influence
the company. In
the absence of a higher offer for Phelps Dodge, our
current intention
is to vote for the merger with Freeport-McMoRan.
2. Atticus Capital LP and its affiliates currently
beneficially own
approximately 6 million shares of Freeport-McMoRan,
representing
approximately 3% of outstanding shares. We have
acquired this
position since the announcement of the Phelps Dodge
transaction.
3. Following the closing of this transaction, Atticus
currently expects
to be one of the largest shareholders of the
combined company, with
approximately a 6% stake.
We have a high regard for your company and management
team. We also congratulate you on transforming
Freeport-McMoRan from a single-asset company into one of
the world's top five mining groups, with geographic
diversity and an unrivaled pipeline of growth assets.
We are very excited about being one of the largest
shareholders in the combined company, which will have an
attractive mix of assets. We believe that the combined
company will have significant opportunities to create value
for shareholders, including through the potential
monetization of assets, such as the gold income stream. In
this regard, we have read with interest the Prudential
Equity Group's recent analyst report on the combined
company.
We look forward to participating in the future success
of Freeport-McMoRan.
Sincerely,
Timothy R. Barakett
David Slager
Chairman and CEO
Vice-Chairman
About Atticus Capital LP
Atticus Capital, LP, is a leading asset management
firm, with more than $13.5 billion of assets under
management. Founded by Timothy Barakett in 1995, the firm
is headquartered in New York with an office in London.
Atticus invests in global securities markets on behalf of
major institutions, endowments, pension funds, and private
investors. Timothy Barakett, Chairman and CEO, and David
Slager, Vice Chairman, lead the firm's portfolio management
team. Nathaniel Rothschild, Co-Chairman, and Matthew
Edmonds, President, also sit on the firm's management
committee.
For more information, please contact:
Andrew Merrill
Finsbury US
ATe+1-212-303-7600
SOURCE Atticus Capital LP
2007'02.11.Sun
OPEC'S Oil Production Slips in December but Surpasses Target According to a Platts Survey
January 15, 2007
LONDON, Jan. 15 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- Platts The 10
OPEC members bound by the group's output agreements
produced an average 27 million barrels per day (b/d) in
December, down 70,000 b/d from November, but some 700,000
b/d above its current output target, a Platts survey showed
Friday.
Including Iraq, which does not participate in OPEC's
production agreements, the 11-member group produced 28.9
million b/d in December, 160,000 b/d less than November's
29.06 million b/d. Rough weather hit Iraqi exports in
December.
The latest survey puts OPEC-10 production 700,000 b/d
above the 26.3 million b/d production target agreed to at
emergency talks in the Qatari capital Doha in October and
which came into effect November 1.
That target is based on a 1.2 million b/d cut in
physical production which OPEC said was from an estimated
September production level of 27.5 million b/d. A previous
Platts survey estimated OPEC's September output at 27.81
million b/d. OPEC did not list individual target output
levels under the 26.3 million b/d, although it did give
details of individual cut volumes.
Among the OPEC-10, only three countries reduced output
in December, the survey showed. United Arab Emirates (UAE)
production fell from 2.55 million b/d to 2.5 million b/d.
Saudi Arabian output dipped 10,000 b/d to 8.79 million b/d,
while Libyan production was also down 10,000 b/d at 1.7
million b/d.
OPEC's target output level is slated to fall to 25.8
million b/d on February 1 following the group's December 14
agreement in Abuja, Nigeria, to expand the Doha cut by
500,000 b/d to 1.7 million b/d.
"After a significant 660,000 b/d drop in
production in November, it is apparent OPEC's output in
December largely leveled off," John Kingston, global
director of oil for Platts, said. "OPEC will need to
achieve better compliance with its November 1 cut, and hope
for solid compliance with the upcoming February 1 cut, as it
seeks to stem a roughly 15% drop in crude prices since the
start of this year."
Country December November October September
Nov Cut Agreed
Algeria 1.350 1.350 1.370 1.360
0.059
Indonesia 0.860 0.860 0.860 0.860
0.039
Iran 3.850 3.850 3.900 3.950
0.176
Iraq 1.900 1.990 2.020 2.140
N/A
Kuwait 2.460 2.460 2.530 2.540
0.100
Libya 1.700 1.710 1.730 1.720
0.072
Nigeria 2.230 2.230 2.300 2.300
0.100
Qatar 0.800 0.800 0.830 0.830
0.035
Saudi Arabia 8.790 8.800 9.070 9.100
0.380
UAE 2.500 2.550 2.600 2.600
0.101
Venezuela 2.460 2.460 2.540 2.550
0.138
Total 28.900 29.060 29.750 29.950
OPEC-10 27.000 27.070 27.730 27.810
1.200
For more information, please contact:
Kathleen Tanzy
Tel: +1-212-904-2860
Asia:
Casey Yew
Tel: +65-653-06552
Europe:
Shiona Ramage
Tel: +44-20-71766153
SOURCE Platts
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