XTR3D To Unveil "iZi"-- Touch Free Gesture Control for PC Laptops at GDC
XTR3D To Demo Touch-Free Gesture Control App "iZi" for Laptops at the Game Developers Conference (GDC) March 2-4, 2011
San Francisco, CA — Extreme Reality (‘XTR3D’) Ltd., provider of touch-free Gesture Control and Motion Capture Interfaces, will demonstrate at GDC, its new touch-free gesture control interface for laptops, “iZi” (pronounced ‘easy’). XTR3D’s iZi allows gamers to easily control PC games and applications using body gestures and/or movement.
iZi utilizes a laptop's built-in camera to capture the body movement of a single and or multiple users. Gestures are then associated with system events to control a game or other application. The iZi demo at GDC will feature pre-installed games from XTR3D’s growing number of game partners and will also be customizable for additional games and software applications.
“XTR3D's application development tools, such as iZi, satisfy three different types of audiences," says XTR3D CEO Dor Givon; “the laptop vendors transform their machines into gesture-controlled computers using iZi Pro for laptops, while the application developers utilize iZi Pro’s technology to implement gesture control to any application or game command they offer. Inevitably, the End users benefit the most, enjoying a compelling gesture-controlled experience on their laptop. XTR3D's suite of motion-capture gesture-control software reinvents the way users interact with CE devices and in-home entertainment."
The introduction of XTR3D's iZi app serves as a steppingstone to execute the company’s strategic penetration into the laptop market with an emphasis on touch-free device control. XTR3D will be meeting with game and application developers interested in implementing gesture control capabilities to their offering.
iZi will be demonstrated at GDC in meeting room BMR 346. For more information on iZi, please visit: www.izipc.com.
ABOUT Extreme Reality (XTR3D) Ltd.
Extreme Reality Ltd ("XTR3D") is a privately held company established in 2005. The company develops motion-capture gesture-control software that enables developers and mobile, TV and laptop vendors to add gesture control to an application, game and/or a device command. XTR3D enables simple touch-free gesture control of consumer electronic devices. iZi software runs on any laptop given a regular 2D camera is connected to the device. For more information, regarding iZi and other XTR3D products and services, please visit http://xtr3d.com.
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WITI Founder Carolyn Leighton Named Among 2011 Most Influential Women In Tech By Fast Company
Congratulations to WITI Founder Carolyn Leighton and the entire WITI Community!!
XTR3D Introduces First Implementation of Gesture Control Interface--part of Texas Instruments “Me-D™ experiences”
“The release of XTR3D's Gesture Control Interface Engine for mobile devices will serve as a stepping stone to execute its strategic penetration into the mobile market with an emphasis on touch-free device control,” says XTR3D CEO Dor Givon. “This market play by XTR3D will be supported by a complete application framework to attract subscribers / mobile users into swift adoption.”
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
TI’s OMAP™ platform spurs Me-D™ experiences: Welcome to the next mobile dimension
The world isn’t flat, and mobile technologies don’t have to be either, thanks to TI’s OMAP platform
BARCELONA (Feb. 14, 2011) – Texas Instruments Incorporated (TI) (NYSE: TXN) today unleashed new dimensions of the mobile world, labeled “Me-D™ experiences,” which are uniquely enabled by TI’s OMAP™ platform. What exactly are Me-D experiences? They are TI’s trend-setting interactions in which consumers are no longer limited to the physical confines of a mobile device, but rather set free by the ability to make any physical environment the center of the mobile universe. The world isn’t flat, after all, so mobile technologies shouldn’t be either. TI’s OMAP 4 platform, shipping today, steps ahead of the market to deliver unparalleled Me-D experiences, including: touchless gesturing in the “natural” dimension, stereoscopic 3D (S3D) in the “third” dimension, and interactive projection in the “projected” dimension. Mobile World Congress attendees can experience related demonstrations at TI’s booth (Hall 8, 8A84), Feb. 14 to 17 in Barcelona. Full details of TI’s show activities are available at www.ti.com/mwc2011.
“At TI, we embody a pace-setter approach, thinking far ahead about how to turn future-looking features into real-life experiences for end users around the world,” said Avner Goren, general manager of strategic marketing, OMAP platform business unit, TI. “Our Me-D experiences represent an inflection point in this approach, as we drive new mobile opportunities for customers to take advantage of – from S3D and interactive projection to natural gestures. Together with complementary solutions from TI’s partners, our OMAP platform now offers a complete package to make mobile interactions truly personalized and intuitive. This is about creating technological demand, in advance of the demand itself coming to market. This is the future.”
The natural dimension: Gesturing
Everyday conversations not only include speech, but natural gestures. TI’s OMAP platform brings these common, intuitive gestures to the mobile environment as a new means to interact with devices. Utilizing technology from TI’s partner Extreme Reality (XTR3D), TI is demonstrating and offering a touchless gesturing engine which uses a single, simple low-resolution and low-power camera geared for mobile devices. The solution comes with a complete application framework supported by a full set of tools, which enables application developers and OEMs to easily access the gesturing library, and connect gesture features to existing and future applications. The solution will be available in the second quarter of 2011. The gesturing engine leverages unique OMAP 4 processor hardware resources, including imaging and vision hardware accelerators and libraries, a programmable DSP and an embedded programmable CPU. This allows TI and XTR to offer low-power gesturing running concurrently with any application – an unequaled enabler of this natural dimension. Everyday life also includes hand writing, notes taking and drawing. TI’s OMAP platform, coupled with EPOS technology, allows users to take notes and draw in the most natural way – using a pen or stylus. The writing tool is equipped with EPOS patented ultrasonic transmitter, and the OMAP processor picks the transmitted signals using three microphones to accurately determine the pen or stylus location. This allows users to take notes either on the screen, or off screen – next to the mobile device, with or without paper or ink.
The third dimension: Stereoscopic-3D (S3D)
Glasses are not a requirement for 3D vision in the real-world, nor are they needed to lift mobile experiences to the third dimension. TI now provides a feature-complete software package for the OMAP 4 platform, available today, which enables S3D, HD video and image capture, processing and rendering. TI will also provide automatic 2D-to-S3D conversion capabilities, based on the TriDef solutions from DDD, a leader in the S3D market. With this comprehensive S3D and HD support, consumers will be able to capture high-quality images and video using two cameras. They will also be able to view true-S3D content on mobile devices with the naked eye – no glasses required – using auto-stereoscopic displays that send images separately to the left and right eye. These separate, 2D images combine in the brain to create an S3D image.
Unlike other mobile processor offerings, the OMAP 4 platform is an unequaled enabler of the third dimension with the right hardware resources, processing performance and flexibility to support S3D up to HD quality. This includes a powerful image signal processor, which supports the two cameras and provides a crystal-clear S3D images. A programmable display controller supports local auto-stereoscopic displays as well as an external 3D TV connected over the HDMI cable. The programmable IVA also provides support for S3D record and playback up to HD quality.
The projected dimension: Interactive projection
Consumers constantly demand new ways to enjoy and share content. Today, it’s not just about the ability to project a video or presentation on a wall – it’s about interacting with those projected images in the same way possible with a touchscreen. Imagine projecting slides on a wall and moving objects around with a simple touch and drag, or projecting a virtual keyboard on a café table to type a note to a friend. These and other features will be enabled by the unmatched combination of TI’s OMAP and DLP® Pico™ projection technologies, which expand mobile devices’ physical reach to virtually any surface, including tables, walls or desks. The OMAP platform is equipped with highly optimized hardware accelerators and software, which together allow high-performance, interactive projection at low power levels. OMAP processors’ gesture recognition software, developed by XTR and TI, is able to identify the projected image, the finger position and the “click.” Support for this interactive projection technology will be available in the second half of 2011.
About Texas Instruments
Texas Instruments (NYSE: TXN) helps customers solve problems and develop new electronics that make the world smarter, healthier, safer, greener and more fun. A global semiconductor company, TI innovates through manufacturing, design and sales operations in more than 30 countries. For more information, go to www.ti.com.
Trademarks
OMAP and DLP are trademarks of Texas Instruments Inc. All other registered trademarks and trademarks belong to their respective owners.
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Letterform Artist and Font Designer Michael Doret To Speak at The Art Institute Hollywood on Friday March 4, 2011
Hollywood, CA— The Art Institute Hollywood is thrilled to host Award-winning Letterform Artist and Font Designer Michael Doret for a special Design Discussion entitled “It Began In Brooklyn: From A to Z and Beyond” on Friday, March 4, 2011 at 6pm.
The power and dynamism Michael Doret brings to the art of letterforms has lead Doret to become one of the most celebrated practitioners of “integrated letterforms” to date. In addition to his contributions to the Los Angeles cityscape, you’ve likely seen the Doret-designed NY Knicks and Major League Baseball World Series logos, KISS album covers or any number of the many TIME magazine covers Michael Doret has created.
Doret’s award–winning, high profile work blurs the distinctions between the worlds of lettering, illustration, and graphic design. Most recently, Doret’s font design, “Deliscript,” which can be seen around town on the Canter’s Food Truck, was included in the TDC² 2010 Typeface Design competition, and was selected by jury to appear in Typography Annual 1-- the January/February 2011 issue of Communication Arts.
In this special design discussion, Michael Doret will delve into his past and share with the audience the primal sources for the sensibilities that drive his art and his recent transition into font design. Michael will discuss how his environment and surroundings while growing up in Brooklyn, New York, made deep and lasting impressions in his young mind and are still prevalent in his work today. The event is open to the public. Space is limited.
WHAT:
“It Began In Brooklyn: From A to Z and Beyond”
Design Discussion with Michael Doret Hosted by Art Institute Hollywood
WHEN:
Friday, March 4th, 2011 • 6PM
WHERE:
The Art Institute Hollywood
5250 Lankershim Boulevard, 4th Floor
North Hollywood, CA 91601
Tel: 818.299.5280 http://michaeldoret.com
Open to the public but space is limited. Please RSVP to events@michaeldoret.com
RingTales Launches Animated Dilbert / New Yorker Cartoons Globally For Nokia Ovi Store Customers
Los Angeles, CA Dec 1, 2010 — Ringtales, the leading premium content producer and distributor of animated comics across all digital media, launched animated Dilbert and New Yorker cartoon packages and mobile greetings through the Nokia Ovi Store worldwide. Nokia customers across the globe can now purchase and view full seasons of animated Dilbert and New Yorker videos as well as themed packages and greetings directly on their Nokia smartphones.
Stars and Schedule Announced for Battlestar Galactica: The Exhibition World Premiere Weekend: Oct. 22-24, 2010 at Seattle’s EMP|SFM
New traveling exhibition opening weekend to feature BSG stars, three full-size spaceships, costumes and props from the original and re-imagined series plus VIP preview and panels.
SEATTLE, WA—Experience Music Project|Science Fiction Museum (EMP|SFM) is proud to announce the Opening Weekend schedule for Battlestar Galactica: The Exhibition during the weekend of October 22-24, 2010. Organized by EMP|SFM and in partnership with Universal Cable Productions and Syfy, Battlestar Galactica’s Opening Weekend will feature a star-studded VIP preview including Edward James Olmos (Admiral William Adama), Michael Hogan (Colonel Saul Tigh), Tahmoh Penikett (Karl ‘Helo’ Agathon), Richard Hatch (Tom Zarek (2004) and Apollo (1978)), Kate Vernon (Ellen Tigh) and executive producers Ronald D. Moore, and Glen Larson. Additional events include panel discussions with cast and producers of both Battlestar Galactica series, live taiko drumming performances, and other activities. The exhibition boasts three stunning, full-size prop spaceships, iconic costumes, new exhibition films, music and props from the original and re-imagined series. Media tours and VIP preview take place on Friday, October 22, 2010. Exhibition opens to the public on Saturday, October 23, 2010.
“This exhibition is the first of its kind for Battlestar Galactica,” says Brooks Peck, curator of the exhibition. “We dig deep into both the original and new series; explore the complex characters and storylines; and offer a unique presentation of props, interactive stations and educational programs that deliver the drama and adventure directly to our visitors.”
"Over its four season run on Syfy, Battlestar Galactica became an iconic series that not only entertained, but fulfilled the promise of all great science fiction. It provoked us into examining our world and ourselves through its politically-charged, socially-relevant, religious and technological themes," said Mark Stern, Executive Vice President, Original Programming, Syfy, and Co-head, Original Content, Universal Cable Productions. "It is an honor for us to partner with EMP|SFM in this one-of-a-kind opportunity to experience BSG in an up-close and personal way."
Battlestar Galactica: The Exhibition opens to the public October 23, 2010 and runs through March 4, 2012 at EMP|SFM in Seattle. The exhibition will be presented in the Milestone Gallery on EMP’s third level. Battlestar Galactica will become a traveling exhibition in 2012 after its premiere at EMP|SFM. |
About Battlestar Galactica: The Exhibition:
Battlestar Galactica is an epic drama of interstellar proportions. The last vestiges of humanity flee a cybernetic Cylon horde, traversing the stars in search of the fabled promised land of Earth. The setting of Battlestar Galactica may be rife with spaceships and inhuman adversaries, but ultimately the show is a complex narrative about how we attempt to retain our humanity under desperate circumstances. The series acts as a science-fictional lens through which to examine difficult questions that we may encounter in our own lives.
Exhibition sections:
Creation of Battlestar Galactica
Explores the genesis of the two versions of the show (1978 and 2004) and introduces the story and central conflicts.
The Search
Focuses on one of the central elements of the shows, the human quest to find the lost colony of Earth. The Search is also a spiritual one, as the humans seek meaning in a dangerous galaxy and grapple with issues of religion, fate and freedom.
The Ships
Three life-size spacecraft from the later series—two human and one Cylon— are the exhibition show stoppers. Concept art, storyboards, props and films complement the ships.
Humans and Cylons
This section presents the major characters from the shows including: Commander Adama, Starbuck, Boomer, Number Six and the Imperious Leader. Costumes are featured, along with props and concept art.
Exhibition specifics:
- Three full-size prop spaceships:
- Viper Mark 2
- Viper Mark 7
- Cylon Raider
- Series props featuring:
- Cylon model Number Six’s iconic red dress (2004)
- Commander Adama’s duty blues uniform (2004)
- Fragment of a Cylon Centurion (2004)
- Cylon Commander costume (1978)
- Colonel Tigh’s flask and eye patch (2004)
- Exhibition films: key themes from the shows are explored featuring new interviews with series producers Glen Larson, Ronald D. Moore and David Eick
- Interactives:
- Dilemma Stations: Visitors are presented with some of the difficult moral and ethical choices faced by the characters in Battlestar Galactica, and must decide the best course of action.
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- Music Kiosk: The story of Battlestar Galactica’s groundbreaking scores are presented through a series of short films that feature interviews with Stu Phillips, composer of the original 1978 series, and Bear McCreary who composed the soundtrack for the 2004 series
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- Score a Scene: Visitors can conduct a virtual orchestra, laying down their own score from scenes from the 2004 series
To view the trailer for Battlestar Galactica: The Exhibition, click on the following link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t4S9AnrtPhc
ABOUT EMP|SFM
Experience Music Project|Science Fiction Museum (EMP|SFM) is dedicated to the exploration of creativity and innovation in popular music and the thought-provoking ideas and experiences of science fiction.
ABOUT THE EMP|SFM BUILDING
Since EMP opened in 2000 and SFM in 2004, EMP|SFM has welcomed more than 5 million visitors through its doors. From its museum planning stages in 1998 through 2009, EMP|SFM has been a key economic driver among Seattle nonprofit arts and culture organizations, with combined EMP|SFM institutional expenditures and EMP|SFM audience-member spending resulting in $651 million dollars of local economic impact. EMP|SFM is housed in a 140,000 square foot Frank O. Gehry-designed building. This spectacular, prominently visible structure has the presence of a monumental sculpture set amid the backdrop of the Seattle Center.
ABOUT UNIVERSAL CABLE PRODUCTIONS
Universal Cable Productions creates quality content across multiple media platforms for USA, Syfy and other networks. A leader in innovative and critically acclaimed programming, UCP is the studio behind USA's Royal Pains, Law & Order: Criminal Intent, Psych, In Plain Sight, Covert Affairs and Facing Kate, as well as Syfy's Eureka, Warehouse 13 and Caprica . The studio also produced the long-running series Monk and Battlestar Galactica. UCP is a division of NBC Universal.
ABOUT SYFY
Syfy is a media destination for imagination-based entertainment. With year-round acclaimed original series, events, blockbuster movies, classic science fiction and fantasy programming, a dynamic Web site (www.Syfy.com) and a portfolio of adjacent business (Syfy Ventures), Syfy is a passport to limitless possibilities. Originally launched in 1992 as SCI FI Channel, and currently in more than 96 million homes, Syfy is a network of NBC Universal, one of the world's leading media and entertainment companies. (Syfy. Imagine greater.)
MUSEUM HOURS
Winter hours September 7, 2010 - May 30, 2011, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
Summer hours May 31, 2011 - September 5, 2011, 10 a.m.-7 p.m.
TICKETS
$15 for adults; $12 for youth (ages 5-17), students, military and seniors;
Free for members and children under 5
CONTACT INFO
325 5th Avenue North, Seattle, WA 98109
206-770-2700, main line
206-770-2702, box office
1-877-EMP-SFM1, toll-free
www.empsfm.org
SOCIAL MEDIA
facebook.com/EMPSFM
twitter.com/EMPSFM
youtube.com/empsfm
flickr.com/photos/empsfm/
Playcast Media Announces Content Deal with Activision
PayTV Customers In Europe Can Play Activision Games Through Existing Cable and IPTV Set Top Boxes with Playcast Media’s Games-On-Demand Service
Beverly Hills, CA-- (PRWeb) September 29, 2010 —Playcast Media, the world’s first console-free gaming-on-demand technology for Cable and IPTV announced today a content arrangement with video game publisher Activision Publishing, Inc. The addition of select Activision game titles to Playcast Media's comprehensive games catalogue enables the low latency streaming provider to boast the biggest portfolio of high-end games available for deployment on PayTV networks around the world.
Playcast Media, which delivers high-quality console-free video gaming directly to homes through existing Cable and IPTV set-top boxes, earlier this year announced at the Game Developer’s Conference (GDC) a series of high profile game publisher partnerships including Atari, Capcom, Codemasters and THQ, as well as various independent publishers/developers. The deal with Activision enables Playcast Media to offer PayTV customers a wider variety of titles, including back catalogue and casual games based on some of the biggest brands in the gaming industry.
"With its vast back catalogue of franchises, working with Activision reinforces our strategy of providing a video game-on-demand offering and themed packages to suit every member of the family," says Alon Shtruzman, COO & President of Media.
Playcast Media enables next-generation IP owners to seamlessly access hundreds of millions of connected households, with the ease of already established billing customer care and support systems. Playcast Media's games-on-demand system uses a proprietary new technology to deliver any PC video game to ordinary cable and telco set-top on-demand systems. This field proven technology uses ultra high-speed processing to handle off-the-shelf games and distribute the game's audio/ visual output as a regular video stream. Playcast Media presents significant new business opportunities for publishers, broadcasters and advertisers alike.
Playcast Media’s publishing partnerships are negotiated in the United States by United Talent Agency.
About Playcast
Playcast Media is a privately held, start-up company based in Israel and London, UK. Playcast Media was founded by Guy De Beer, a telecom and Cable veteran, previously head of Harmonic's VOD product lines and Dr. Nathan Peterfreund, previously the principal scientist in Harmonic [NASDAQ: HLIT], and one of the authors of the acclaimed H.264 compression standard. Alon Shtruzman, a seasoned media executive, who held senior positions at Fox International Channels joined Playcast Media in 2008 as COO and President of Media. Playcast Media is represented in the United States by United Talent Agency. For more information about Playcast Media, please visit www.playcast-media.com
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WITI Announces Event Schedule for Annual Women and Technology Summit September 12-14, 2010 at the Doubletree, San Jose, CA
SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA-–WITI (Women In Technology International), the world’s leading professional organization for professional tech savvy women will truly inspire “Collaboration, Strategy and Growth” through hands-on presentations and panel discussions at the Annual WITI Women and Technology Summit at the Doubletree in San Jose, CA, September12-14, 2010. Top technology and business leaders in Clean/Green Tech, Cloud, Mobile, Search, Social Media, and Business teach WITI Summit attendees how to capture and target more customers, build stronger relationships with existing customers and take advantage of the applications and tools to build a stronger web presence, increase revenue and streamline costs for their companies.
WITI represents the ideal market for business networking – CIOs, executive women and men, as well as leaders in technology from around the world converge at WITI’s Annual Women and Technology Summit to discuss and collaborate on innovative solutions to common business challenges, and explore new business opportunities.
“The 2010 WITI Women and Technology Summit and WITI Hall of Fame Awards together underscore the many significant contributions to the advancement of technology made by women through out the world,” said Carolyn Leighton, Founder/Chairwoman of WITI.
WITI’s Annual Women and Technology Summit will be held September 12-14 at the Doubletree Hotel in San Jose, CA. The 15th Annual WITI Hall of Fame Awards Gala will take place Monday, September 13, 2010 at 6pm. To learn more about the WITI -Women in Technology Summit, group rates, and to register for this event, please visit: http://witi.com/Summit
Speakers include:
Carolyn Leighton, Founder/Chairwoman, WITI | Anne Adams, Ph.D., President, ACS | Vanessa Alvarez, Industry Analyst, Frost & Sullivan | Brian Bershad, Site Director, Google | Anne Bezancon, Founder & President, Placecast | Colleen Bisconti, Marketing Program Director, IBM | Marie Bjerede, Vice President of Wireless Education Technology, Qualcomm | Dr. Cheemin Bo-Linn, Chief Executive Officer, Peritus Partners | Cathy Brooks, Founder, otherthanthat.com | Sandy Carter, VP, Software Business Partners, IBM | Emilie Choi, Corporate Development, LinkedIn | Kathy Chou, VP, PSG Americas Sales Strategy & Operations, Hewlett Packard | Laura Anne Edwards, Founder Alura Entertainment | Lauren Flaherty, Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer, Juniper | Lisa Garza, Market Manager, Service Provider Mobility Marketing, Cisco | Wanda Gass, TI Fellow / DSP Architect, Texas Instruments | Bernard Golden, CEO, HyperStratus | Nat Goldhaber, Managing Director, Claremont Creek Ventures | Ayalla Goldschmidt, Program Director, Application Infrastructure Marketing, IBM | Melody Haller, CEO, Antenna Group | Christine Herron, Principal, First Round Capital | Sally Jenkins, Vice President, Worldwide Marketing, Symantec | Duy Loan Le, Senior Fellow, Texas Instruments | Sophia Lopez, BPM Product Marketing Manager, Process Modeling, IBM | Melendy Lovett, President, Education Technology, Texas Instruments | Joel Makower, Executive Editor, GreenBiz.com | Nancy Margulies, Co-Developer, The World Café | Melinda Matthews, Software Executive Channels, IBM | Laurie McCabe, Co-founder and Partner, SMB Group | Amanda McConnell, Director, User Experience & Product Marketing, ReachLocal | Chirag Mehta, Office of the CEO, SAP | Nilofer Merchant, Entrepreneur, CEO & Chief Strategist, Rubicon Consulting | KL Moore, Image Consultant, KL Image Group | Bernadette Nixon, SVP, Global Field Marketing and Programs, CA Technologies |Adrian Ott, Author, CEO & Founder, Exponential Edge, Inc. | Jean Pawluk, Chief Architect, Visa | Michelle Price, CEO, A Third Mind Digital Media | Melissa Jun Rowley, Cause Correspondent, WhatGivers!? | Dr. Miriam Reiss, DSS, MCC, SpiritedMarketing.com | Michelle Robbins, Director of Technology, Third Door Media | Patricia Santamaria, Smart Work Demand Program Marketing Manager, IBM | Paula Satow, Founder, Satow Strategies LLC | Ann Saydah, General Business and Channel Sales, IBM | Judy Shaw, Director, Advanced Module Development External Development and Manufacturing, Texas Instruments | Becky Swain, Program Manager, IT Risk Management, Cisco | Joey Tamer, Consultant, Expert, JoeyTamer.com | Chenxi Wang, Principal Analyst, Forrester Research, Inc. | R "Ray" Wang, Partner for Enterprise Strategy, Altimeter Group | James Watters, Sr. Manager, vCloud Solutions, VMware | Ghennipher Weeks, Co-Founder, Applied Connectioneering, Inc. | Bill Weihl, Green Energy Czar, Google | Lizzie Widhelm, Vice President of Sales West Coast, Pandora | Lorie Wigle, General Manager of Eco-Technology, Intel | Kathrin Winkler, Chief Sustainability Officer, EMC | Teresa Zobrist, President & CEO, Zobrist Consulting Group
EmpowHer Institute Names Dr. Vera Rhimes to Position of Vice President / Appoints Dr. Vera Rhimes and Paula Gould to Executive Board
Betty LaMarr, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of EmpowHer Institute announced today the appointment of Dr. Vera Rhimes and Paula Gould of PEG PR to the EmpowHer Institute Executive Board of Directors.
About EmpowHer Institute
EmpowHer Institute is a 501C-3 non-profit organization founded in February 2003 by Betty LaMarr. EmpowHer Institute creates programs that help low income young women develop entrepreneurial skills that create opportunities to improve their social status and living conditions through financial independence. For more information and to donate please visit http://empowher.org
New York Times' Steven Heller Reviews 'Not Your Typical Political Animal'
"In 'Not Your Typical Political Animal: Animal Drawings and Paintings by Guerrilla Poster Artist Robbie Conal'...this New York-born 'red- diaper baby' turned Southern California art activist reveals his skill at transforming nature into propaganda."
Not Your Typical Political Animal
http://nyti.ms/conalNYT
Where Cute Meets Evil: LA WEEKLY: Guerrilla Poster Artist Robbie Conal Talks Political Animals, New Book
LA WEEKLY Stops Through Book Soup in WeHo To Chat with Robbie Conal! 
LA Twestival Success + Metric
LA Twestival was a HUGE success. The night was dedicated to raising funds and awareness for Concern Worldwide. METRIC popped by to play a couple songs as did LA favorites City Museum, DJ Mike Relm, Dj Jake Simon, DJ Melenik and a whole slew of Social Media's Twitterati. PoliteInPublic hooked up the killer FB pics while Popchips and Veev provided the sustenance. The event was held at The Roxy and was hosted by Shira Lazar and Oprah Radio's Derrick Ashong. Thanks to everyone for an amazing night
Playcast Media Announces Game Publisher and Studio Partnerships for First Ever Pay TV Games-On-Demand Service
“The combination of Playcast Media’s unique streaming technology and a diverse portfolio of high-quality game titles enables us to offer an attractive and robust all-in-one gaming solution to millions of Cable and IPTV customers. This is a new play for pay TV operators and a massive additional distribution channel for the games’ publishers,” said Guy De Beer, CEO of Playcast Media.
For the first time in pay TV history viewers will be able to play their favorite video games directly from their pay television set-top boxes without a gaming console. Playcast Media's system uses a proprietary new technology to deliver any PC video game to ordinary cable and telco set-top on-demand systems. This field proven technology uses ultra high-speed processing to handle off-the-shelf games and distribute the game's audio/ visual output as a regular video stream
“We offer video game publishers the most secure and user-friendly way to monetize their content and we’re very proud to have some of the biggest names in the video game industry partner with us. Content is the driver of this business and we’re committed to deliver the best titles around,” said Playcast Media’s COO, Alon Shtruzman.
Playcast Media is a complete games-on-demand solution for Cable and IPTV operators, which enables next-generation IP owners to seamlessly access hundreds of millions of connected households, with the ease of already established billing customer care and support systems. Playcast Media accelerates the convergence between TV and gaming to present significant new business opportunities for publishers, broadcasters and advertisers alike
In addition to unveiling their service at the Game Developers Conference, Playcast Media will launch their new Games-On-Demand service this spring via Hot Cable in Israel. Playcast is also now engaged in active technical trials with some of Europe’s leading IPTV and cable networks. This is the first of a series of announcements Playcast Media will make this spring.
About Playcast
Playcast Media is a privately held, start-up company based in Israel and
London, UK. Playcast Media was founded by Guy De Beer, a telecom and Cable veteran, previously head of Harmonic's VOD product lines and Dr. Nathan Peterfreund, previously the principal scientist in Harmonic [NASDAQ: HLIT], and one of the authors of the acclaimed H.264 compression standard. Alon Shtruzman, a seasoned media executive, who held senior positions at Fox international channels joined Playcast in 2008 as COO and President of Media. Playcast Media is represented in the United States by United Talent Agency. For more information about Playcast, please visit www.playcast-media.com
MICHAEL DORET WINS TDC² 2010 TYPE DIRECTORS CLUB AWARD
Doret’s Deliscript Font Family Named Winning TypefaceIn Annual TDC² 2010 Competition
Alphabet Soup Type Founders and Michael Doret are pleased to announce that Michael’s Deliscript font family was named as a winner of the Certificate of Excellence in Type Design in the Display Fonts category for the Type Directors Club TDC² 2010 Typeface Design Competition. The annual international competition is in its 56th year. There were 176 typefaces from 29 countries entered in the 2010 competition and 16 were ultimately selected from 7 different countries. This is Michael Doret’s first nod from the Type Directors Club for one of his font designs.
Deliscript is a sibling of Doret’s wildly popular Metroscript font, which was most recently incorporated in the 2009 World Series logo design. Deliscript is quite versatile and features variable length tails accessible in six different styles as well as crossbars, which can be extended outward in either direction from the lowercase “t.” Michael was inspired to create Deliscript in part by the neon signage outside of Hollywood’s famous Canter’s Delicatessen as well as by the many Brooklyn, Manhattan and Los Angeles icons and landmarks with which he grew up.
Alphabet Soup Type Founders was launched by Michael Doret in 2004 and includes Metroscript, Deliscript and a host of other Michael Doret-designed fonts influenced by signature Doret lettering designs as well as new font concepts. Alphabet Soup fonts can be purchased from: Font Bros., FontShop, MyFonts, and Veer.
For more information about Michael and Alphabet Soup Type Founders, please visit MichaelDoret.com For more information on TYpe Directors Club, please visit TDC.Org.
LA Times' Scarlet Cheng Drops By to Learn Some 'Animal Instincts'
Scarlet Cheng from the LA Times stops through Robbie Conal and Deborah Ross's home studio to discuss Robbie's warm and fuzzy side... and learn a few things about their 'Animal Instincts.'
Beautiful Small Machines Release 'Simple Joys' Video. Song Feat. Simon Le Bon (Duran Duran)
Check out the video for 'Simple Joys' by Beautiful Small Machines (Bree Sharp & Don Dilego). The song features guest vocal by Simon Le Bon (Duran Duran). Visit We Like It Indie
RingTales Teams with Metranome To Launch Animated Dilbert and New Yorker ‘Cartoon A Day’ Calendar Applications for BlackBerry Smartphones
RingTales, a digital media content company that produces and syndicates animated video versions of world renowned print cartoons such as Scott Adams’ Dilbert and The New Yorker Cartoons across all digital media, and Metranome, a leading mobile applications production company, have partnered to launch the first ever animated Dilbert and New Yorker “Cartoon a Day” integrated calendar applications for BlackBerry. Free trial versions as well as full versions of the Dilbert and New Yorker apps can be downloaded and purchased at BlackBerry App World™ today. The full version retails for $9.99.
“We are thrilled to be the first company to bring two of the most popular cartoon franchises, The New Yorker and Dilbert, from simple desktop comic calendars to synchronized video calendar applications for BlackBerry, enabling fans to enjoy these world famous comics every day directly on their mobile phones,” said Jim Cox, RingTales CEO. “Metranome did a fantastic job realizing our vision for this ‘Cartoon a Day’ calendar app. Their expertise in this area is unparalleled.”
The downloadable calendars combine the utility of a daily agenda with the fun and enjoyment of daily animated New Yorker or Dilbert cartoons. The applications seamlessly integrate with the native calendar application on the BlackBerry Smartphone providing an up-to-date view of the users daily agenda. Users can select appointments to view details, move to previous or future dates, or quickly jump to any day to view those scheduled appointments.
Dilbert, created by Scott Adams, is syndicated by United Media and appears in 2,000 newspapers in 70 countries, making it one of the most successful syndicated comic strips in history. The New Yorker has been publishing cartoons from the world's best cartoonists since 1925. The library contains over 100,000 cartoons from such world renowned artists such as Sam Gross, Danny Shanahan, Roz Chast and Robert Mankoff.