Tuesday, November 6, 2012

Grays of Westminster announce their Grand Christmas Dinner with Mike Maloney at the IoD

Prize draw: one lucky attendee will walk away with a brand-new pair of Nikon High-Grade 2012 Olympic binoculars worth £469.00, courtesy of Nikon UK!


Mike Maloney OBE

London Grays of Westminster are delighted to announce their Grand Christmas Dinner at The Institute of Directors (IoD), London on Friday, 7th December, 2012, 6.30 p.m. – 10.30 p.m.

The guest speaker this year is Britain’s most highly awarded press photographer, Mike Maloney OBE.

The evening will comprise a superb Christmas dinner in the magnificent period restaurant at the Institute of Directors at 116 Pall Mall, London, followed by a unique opportunity to listen to Mike Maloney’s amazing stories as he presents some of his images from a thirty-year career at the top of his field. Proceedings will begin at 6.30pm with a Champagne reception followed by an introduction and welcome by Gray Levett (founder of Grays of Westminster), the Christmas meal, then Mike Maloney’s talk in the Morning Room.

Nikon High-Grade 10×25 London 2012 Olympics Binoculars worth £469


Special Prize

The prize-draw will be held during the evening and one lucky attendee will walk away with a brand-new pair of Nikon High-Grade 10×25 London 2012 Olympics Binoculars worth £469, courtesy of Nikon UK! Waterproof and fog-free, these binoculars offer powerful features (including a close focusing distance of 3.2m.), with a compact foldable design convenient for carrying. Environmentally friendly materials have been used for the body, eyepiece caps, case and strap and the eco-glass optics are free from lead and arsenic.

The IoD is a grand Regency building and its sweeping marble staircase and vast walls covered in 18th and 19th century canvases provides a spectacular backdrop for the evening; the period restaurant at the IoD is a most fitting venue for this elegant, traditional Christmas celebration.


Institute of Directors, London


Cost of the evening: £155 per ticket, £95 for current Nikon Owner subscribers.*

How to book

To book a place, contact Gillian Greenwood by email only with your full name, Nikon Owner subscription number if available, postcode, daytime mobile and landline, your menu choice (traditional or vegetarian) and the name of any guest you would like to bring with you. It is important to note that we are unfortunately unable to take telephone messages with regard to your booking. Anyone interested in attending this very popular event is advised to book early - places are limited!

gillian.greenwood@graysofwestminster.co.uk

*if you are not a current Nikon Owner subscriber, you are welcome to join Nikon Owner when we call you to receive the benefit of booking the Christmas Event at the lower price.

 

About Mike Maloney

Mike Maloney has won over 107 major photographic awards and, in 2005, became the only “Fleet Street” photographer to have been awarded the OBE for services to photo-journalism. Three times voted Press Photographer of the year, he was Chief Photographer for Mirror Group Newspapers before turning freelance in 2002. He also has numerous Royal tours to his credit, as well as photographing world leaders like Clinton, Reagan, Gorbachev and Yeltsin with resulting invitations to dine at both The White House and the Kremlin.

Mike is a Freeman of the City of London, and was awarded an honorary Doctor of Arts degree by the University of Lincoln, his hometown, for “a lifetime’s work in photography and his help to young people.” At the ceremony in Lincoln Cathedral he was able to read out a personal letter of congratulations from Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother. Mike was known to be the Queen Mother’s favourite press photographer.

He is an Honorary Fellow of the Royal Photographic Society and a fellow of the British institute of Professional Photographers. Mike has held several exhibitions of his work.

This year, Mike is to teach aspiring photographers at the University of Lincoln after accepting a Visiting Professorship.

 

About Grays of Westminster

Grays of Westminster, the multi-award-winning Nikon-only shop, was founded over a quarter of a century ago by Gray Levett with the idea of creating a world-class camera store, offering a service that was second to none.

It is superbly located in a quiet area of central London, a few minutes walk from Victoria Railway Station; the Houses of Parliament, Buckingham Palace, the Tate Britain, River Thames and Knightsbridge are all within easy reach.

Grays of Westminster is not simply a famous Nikon camera shop; it is, to many photographers around the world, an institution. It can trace back its beginnings from a modest mail order company to its present, highly-respected position in the photographic industry.

For more information, please contact:

Gray Levett
Grays of Westminster
40 Churton Street
London
SW1V 2LP

+44 (0)20 7828 4925
info@graysofwestminster.co.uk
http://www.graysofwestminster.co.uk

Submitted by: http://www.worldwidepr.net

Tuesday, September 4, 2012

Exclusive to Decorex: Chadder & Co to Unveil their New Royal Collection of Taps and Accessories at the Show

A driving force in the World of Luxury Bathrooms, Chadder & Co. is exhibiting at Decorex International 2012, 23-26 September, Royal Hospital Chelsea, London.

East Sussex: The well-known luxury bathroom supplier, Chadder & Co, will unveil their New Royal Collection of taps and bathroom accessories at Decorex International 2012 which takes place 23-26 September at Royal Hospital Chelsea in London.

Martin Chadder, founder of Chadder & Co Luxury Bathrooms which he established in 1985, started developing the styles and finishes needed to create the new look - the Royal Accessory range - two years ago.

Blenheim and Chariot Baths
To Compliment the Accessory range, Chadder & Co are developing two new cisterns finishes: black & gold, and silver & white, which they hope to display at Decorex.

"Our New Chadder Range enables clients to duplicate the complete Chadder & Co. look", said Martin Chadder, Founder. "Come and see us at Decorex International 2012 - we are on stand J319."

Another reason Chadder & Co are exhibiting at Decorex is because the company is working with Interior designers for hotels, yachts and luxurious homes around the world and it is keen to build new relationships and set up international distributors.


Blenheim Basin
About Chadder & Co

Chadder & Co was established in 1985 by Martin Chadder who is recognized as one of Britain's finest traditional bathroom product designers, famed for his cast metal designs as well as commissioned works. His experience enables him to offer the exclusive Chadder Collection, a range of products which can be found in many homes where attention to detail and quality are paramount. Martin Chadder was granted the Royal Warrant by Her Majesty the Queen in 2005.

For more information, please contact:

Martin Chadder
Chadder & Co
Blenheim Studio
London Road
Forest Row
East Sussex
RH18 5EZ

01342 823243
sales@chadder.com

Wednesday, July 11, 2012

Nikon Owner Magazine Makes All of its Back Issues Available Online


Another benefit to subscribers of the prestigious Nikon Owner magazine has been introduced: access to all back issues as PDF files

Cover photos of 20 of the 38 back issues of Nikon Owner magazine, now all available online

London: The reputable and widely respected magazine of the Nikon world, Nikon Owner, has introduced a new benefit to its subscribers. Every single issue (currently 38) since the magazine was launched is now online and can be downloaded as a PDF file.

“We were continually asked for back issues of Nikon Owner as well as requests to view the magazine online. Back issues were always a problem for us because the magazine is so popular, any surplus copies we might have don't remain in the office for long! The obvious solution was to make all back issues available as a PDF. We chose this format because it allows you to see each issue in its entirety as well as preserve the layout and quality of all pages and their sumptuous images,” says Gray Levett, the magazine's editor.

This is yet another benefit that subscribers to the glossy full-colour 60-page quarterly magazine enjoy. Other benefits include:


  • Private user-name and password to subscribers-only website: www.nikonownermagazine.com
  • Access to Simon Stafford’s Technical Helpline. Simon Stafford is a recognised Nikon expert and renowned photographer and writer.
  • Special warranty on all new and second-hand Nikon equipment purchased from Nikon-only dealer, Grays of Westminster.
  • 10% off Think Tank bags purchased at Grays of Westminster.
  • Discounts on events and training sessions.
  • Gold Priority waiting list for all new Nikon releases (top of the waiting list).


A cornucopia of delights awaits those subscribers who delve into Nikon Owner's sumptuous back issues…

About Nikon Owner magazine

Nikon Owner is a worldwide publication with the purpose of uniting Nikon owners and bringing them unique free offers that will increase their skill and interest in photography and Nikon equipment. Nikon Owner is dedicated to bringing the reader all the latest news and authoritative product reviews on Nikon equipment by renowned photographer and writer Simon Stafford. Also featured are reader portfolios and inspirational pictures from the world's leading Nikon professionals. It offers a unique perspective on the history, latest releases and events that shape the Nikon world. Then too, there are interviews with some of the greatest names in photography such as National Geographic legend Jim Brandenburg to Richard Young, the single most sought-after celebrity photographer in the world, and the much loved actor and keen photographer David Suchet CBE, best known as Agatha Christie’s suave Belgian detective Hercule Poirot.

Nikon Owner is unmissable reading for anyone who takes an interest in Nikon camera equipment. Our special features are filled with unrivalled, compelling writing and superb photography.

For further information, please contact:

Gray Levett
Editor
Nikon Owner magazine
40 Churton Street,
London
SW1V 2LP, UK

+44 (0)20 7828 8971
editor@nikonownermagazine.com
http://www.nikonownermagazine.com

Submitted by WorldWidePR.net

Tuesday, July 10, 2012

New service to revolutionise card payments in the UK



£35.5 billion of SME bad debt just one of many areas seen to benefit from service

London - A new payment system is launching in the UK that will enable companies of all sizes to accept credit and debit card payments through their mobile phone.

mPowa
is a service that includes a mobile phone app and a reader which connects to a smartphone or mobile device either by plugging into its headphone socket or via Bluetooth. It enables customers to make payments on the go using their card in a way never before seen in Britain.

The mobile app is free to download on iPhone, iPad, Android, Windows and Blackberry devices and functions as the control centre that accepts the payment. It monitors payments made by card as well as cash and cheque, as well as processing each transaction securely. The reader, when connected to a mobile phone, is used to swipe the magnetic strip of the card, or for the chip and pin device, the card is inserted and the customer is prompted to enter their PIN code. mPowa will enable businesses, including sole traders, to take payments immediately without waiting for invoices to be issued and paid.

The device is launched as many businesses are struggling to survive because of bad debt. In the UK, £35.5 billion of debt is owed to SMEs alone. In the second half of last year, small and medium firms reported waiting an average of 29.6 days longer than agreed payment terms, which is a figure that represents an increase over the first half of 2011.

Because many firms are currently unable to accept card payments due to the cost of devices, mPowa will function as a way of shortening the payment process from what can be months, to a matter of minutes.

Dan Wagner, Chairman and CEO of Powa Technologies, the company behind mPowa, said, “We created mPowa as a response to an age-old problem that needed a solution – a universal payment system that will enable anyone to accept money from customers without excessive costs or waiting times. Whether you’re a large enterprise looking to mobilise your sales team, a market trader, or a local plumber who wants to accept payment on the spot, even from customers who don’t have cash to hand, this is a unique offering that will have a huge impact right across the country.”

Both the mobile app and reader are free and the only cost associated with using mPowa is the small 25p or 0.25% fee charged for each credit or debit card payment processed, making it accessible to all businesses. And because it accommodates existing banking relationships, there’s no need for a business to change its banking details to use the service.

A web-based Merchant Dashboard account management system enables users to fully monitor payments in addition to the mobile app. Meanwhile, receipts can be sent by email or SMS.
Dan continued, “I am always speaking to businesses that squander valuable time chasing late payments because they were unable to take the money upfront in the first place. This problem is crippling companies who are already struggling in this difficult economic climate and many are having to close their doors because of this. mPowa will be an invaluable service for accepting payments whether the point of sale is the doorstep or the shop floor.”

ENDS

About mPowa
mPowa is a point of sale device that enables credit and debit card payment s to be made on the go. It consists of a mobile phone app for iPhone, iPad, Android, Windows or Blackberry devices, and a card reader. This can be either a magnetic stripe reader (MSR) which can be plugged into the phone’s headphone socket or a Chip & PIN device which communicates with the phone through Bluetooth. It is the first service of its kind in the UK.

Thursday, May 17, 2012

Janan Harb Al-Saud to Finally Reveal the Truth About her Life with King Fahd Bin Abdul Aziz, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques


Janan’s book “The Saudi King & I” reveals the true and tragic story of a fairy tale romance that began when she was 19, and ended in tears of despair. It tells of Janan’s affection for the king she married and her struggle since to recover earnings she entrusted to her husband.

Janan with Prince Fahd at Al-Sharafiya Palace in 1968

London, 16 May 2012 – Janan Harb Al-Saud has finally written a warts-and-all account of her life with King Fahd Bin Abdul Aziz Al-Saud, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, entitled “The Saudi King & I”, which reveals intricate details about their life together in Al-Sharafiya Palace, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

As a matter of courtesy, Janan sent a first draft of the book to the Saudi Crown Prince, Nayef Bin Abdul Aziz, in an attempt to explain the detailed circumstances of how the money came to be owed to her, and in the hope of reconciliation. King Fahd’s son, Prince Mohammed Bin Fahd was graceful enough to send Janan a negotiator to achieve a resolution and thus stop publication of the book.

“At the age of 65,” Janan said, “I believe it’s time for me to recoup what I earned during my life with the king, in whatever way is open to me. As explained in my book, this money was the result of a business deal that I initiated and has nothing to do with inheritance or alimony.”

Talks with the negotiator having broken down, Janan is proposing to proceed with her plan to auction the book to a publishing house and is also in the expectation of selling the film rights.

About Janan
Janan Harb was born in Palestine in 1947 as a Christian but converted to Islam when she married Prince Fahd in March 1968. Three years later, she was ejected from her palace in Saudi Arabia by his brother, Prince Turki, in tragic circumstances.

For further information, please contact:
John Wood
WorldWidePR.net
197 Garden Wood Road
East Grinstead
West Sussex
RH19 1SH

+44 (0)1342 323750 or +44 (0)7771 520001
jw@worldwidepr.net

Wednesday, April 25, 2012

Gargantuan Wide-Angle Lens with a £100,000 Price Tag Goes On Sale at Grays of Westminster


The rare Nikon fisheye lens is said to be able to ‘see behind itself’, it weighs 5.2kg and measures 171mm in length with a diameter of 236mm

London – One of the few 220º Nikkor fisheye lenses ever made is now available for purchase and is looking for a buyer at London’s Nikon-only reseller, Grays of Westminster.

Nikon stunned the photographic world at Photokina in 1970 by introducing the 220º fisheye Nikkor with an astonishing speed of f/2.8. It is the world’s most extreme wide-angle lens to cover the 24 x 36mm image area (at the time) with a massive glass dome which dwarfs the camera attached. The 6mm is for scientific and industrial applications and special effects when shooting portraits, architecture and interiors, etc.

Lens production began in March 1972 and it was only made available to special order. This lens’s technical specifications are:
  • 6mm f/2.8 Fisheye-Nikkor lens
  • Serial no: 628024
  • Lens construction: 12 elements in 9 groups
  • Picture angle: 220º
  • Diaphragm: Automatic
  • Aperture scale: f/2.8-f/22 on both standard and aperture-direct-readout scales
  • Weight: 5200g
  • Dimensions: 236mm dia. x 171mm long (overall); 160mm extension from lens flange
  • Distance scale: graduated in metres and feet from 0.25m (0.9ft) to infinity (∞)
  • Filters: built-in skylight (L1BC), medium yellow (Y48), deep yellow (Y52), orange (O56), and red (R60)
  • Front lens cap: Slip-on, delivered in a rugged metal case.
  • Condition: MINT
  • Price: £100,000

Founder Gray Levett said, "The background of this immense lens is that our vintage camera buyer Toni Kowal spent six months tracking it down from overseas, and we were fortunate to be able to find this example in such pristine condition. The lens was photographed by master photographer Tony Hurst. It is a stunning example of the optical expertise of the engineers and designers at Nikon."

Grays of Westminster can be reached by telephone on +44 (0)20 7828 4925 or by e-mail: info@graysofwestminster.co.uk

About Grays of Westminster

The legendary award-winning Grays of Westminster is a charming period shop, specialising exclusively in Nikon. Grays of Westminster offers knowledgeable advice and information on Nikon equipment, whether new, second-hand or vintage. They can provide a fast and reliable mail-order service on any Nikon item which is available to all world-wide destinations.

From their very beginning over a quarter of a century ago, they aimed at offering their customers the very best service and the finest in Nikon equipment. This tradition continues today.

Grays of Westminster also provides a vast range of photographic training sessions for its customers including subjects such as Mike Maloney’s Photographic Workshop at the House of Lords; Heather Angel’s Wildlife & Natural History Workshops; Simon Stafford’s Definitive Flash, Portraiture, Landscape and Macro Training Sessions; Michael Eleftheriades’ panoramic and colour-calibration seminars.

Grays of Westminster is situated in a quiet location in central London yet within walking distance of Westminster Abbey, the Houses of Parliament and Buckingham Palace.

For more information, please contact:

Gray Levett
Founder
Grays of Westminster Exclusively…Nikon
40 Churton Street
London
SW1V 2LP

+44 (0)20 7828 4925
info@graysofwestminster.co.uk
http://www.graysofwestminster.co.uk

Submitted by: WorlWidePR.net

Wednesday, March 14, 2012

Demandware Re-files its S-1 With the SEC to Reflect Venda's SaaS and On Demand Credentials



 Demandware amends its S-1 filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission and its IPO roadshow presentation materials to accurately reflect Venda's position in the On Demand market.

NEW YORK -- Venda, Inc. thanks Demandware for amending its S-1 filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission and its IPO roadshow presentation materials to accurately reflect Venda's position in the On Demand market. Previously, Demandware did not clearly represent that Venda competes head to head with Demandware for business with enterprise class customers in On Demand, Software as a Service eCommerce solutions. This has now been changed as of yesterday afternoon (as at 13 March 2012).

Venda has more customers globally than Demandware, commenced trading three years before Demandware was founded, and provides many enterprise-class customers such as Tesco, TJX Companies and France Telecom with SaaS, On Demand e-commerce.

Eric Abensur, Group Chief Executive of Venda, said,

"We are delighted that Demandware has corrected the statements in their S-1 and roadshow materials and recognized our first mover status in SaaS, On Demand eCommerce solutions and the fact that we have similar offerings in the market.

 "We are also enthusiastic about their planned listing on the NYSE and wish them well."

Demandware will trade under DWRE on the New York Stock Exchange.

About Venda 

Venda, http://www.venda.com is the world's largest on-demand ecommerce provider. Processing over $1Bn of transactions annually, its highly flexible convergent cross-channel platform offers retailers the scalability, stability and security for deploying world-class ecommerce sites. With over ten years' experience and a presence in the US, UK and France, Venda helps global retailers increase revenues and deliver a return on investment faster than traditional 'buy and build' methods. Its expertise in multichannel commerce and knowledge of payment regulations in different countries allows retailers to expand quickly into new markets. As of December 2011, over 100 retailers of all sizes use Venda's platform to handle millions of transactions each month. These include Vince, Anthropologie, US Mint, TJX Companies, Jimmy Choo, Urban Outfitters, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Clothing at Tesco, BBC and Orange. For further information please visit http://www.venda.com or join the discussions at http://www.twitter.com/vendainc and at http://www.facebook.com/vendainc 

For more information, please contact:

Jeff Max, President
Venda, Inc.
1500 Broadway, 18th Floor
New York NY 10036

Tel: +1-212-808-4004
Cell: +1-917-496-1981
Fax: +1-212-656-1176
Email: jeffmax@venda.com
Web: http://www.venda.com

Submitted by: WorldWidePR.net

Thursday, March 8, 2012

Carl Freer, David Warnock and Simon Davies Resolve Their Legal Dispute and Announce Joint Commercial Plan


Huntermay Announces Agreement that Affirms Mutual Commitment to the Future of Vision Recognition Software Development 

Carl Freer

Los Angeles, CA – Carl Freer, David Warnock and Simon Davies have reached an amicable resolution to their differences. Huntermay, a corporate investigations and negotiations firm made this announcement today (7 March 2012).

The parties have dismissed the lawsuits and withdrawn their respective allegations. Messrs Warnock and Davies have also agreed to terminate the public campaign focused on Carl Freer and supervise where possible the removal of any derogatory content from the internet regarding Mr. Freer and the companies which he has founded.

As part of the campaign, public allegations were made that the FBI and the SEC were investigating Mr. Freer and his companies. While the lawsuit was pending, Mr. Freer’s counsel established that these allegations were untrue and that Messrs Warnock and Davies had been misled by their advisors. Once Mr. Warnock discovered the problem, he immediately took action to correct matters.

Carl Freer stated, “After some open dialogue, it became obvious that tensions between us grew as a result of unwise counsel rather than from a genuine dispute between the parties. I applaud the courage and diligence on all sides to work through all of our differences and move forward. We can now focus on rekindling our friendships and strengthening our businesses relationships.”

 David Warnock said, “I am extremely pleased that we were able to amicably resolve our differences. This resolution ends all legal disputes and allows us to work together in a positive fashion to explore opportunities that will be mutually beneficial to all parties. We are looking forward to our new ventures and utilizing our core strengths of product innovation and business development to exploit significant opportunities in the market.”

Simon Davies added that he “looks forward to moving ahead and is pleased with the outcome.”

About Carl Freer

Carl Freer was born on the 9th of May in 1970, in Stockholm, Sweden. Holding numerous international patents, Carl Freer has developed an array of successful technology companies across the globe. One of his U.S. patents, number 20060064350, protects a proprietary method of delivering optimal advertising content to users. His current business endeavor, is currently developing an advanced technology that can connect a mobile device to a company’s website by having the user say the product’s name aloud or take a picture of the logo with their camera phone. Carl Freer designed this technology to provide a wealth of navigational information while users venture through cities and public sites; it even has an opt-in coupon service allowing consumers to receive timely savings from their favorite companies. As the President and Founder of the enterprise, Carl Freer not only develops the products, but also oversees all aspects of brand integration and product promotion. Carl Freer has previously served in the business development industry for several technology companies, including The Media Power Group, which also utilized augmented reality technology to deliver individualized messages to consumers. He gained additional experience with developing applications for mobile devices while at Magitech Games. In addition, Freer served as the Chairman of Tiger Telematics, Inc., the company behind the Gizmondo handheld gaming system. Aside from his work in technology, Carl Freer helps other people realize their educational goals through his support of the Back on Track organization.

For further information, contact:

James Huntermay
Huntermay
33 London Road
Royal Tunbridge Wells
Kent
TN4 0PB
United Kingdom

enquiry@huntermay.net
http://www.huntermay.net

Submitted by: WorldWidePR.net

Monday, February 20, 2012

Grays of Westminster Wins Amateur Photographer 'Gold Winner' Good Service Award 2012

The Nikon-only camera shop received a large number of votes online via their Twitter profile, Facebook Page and blog


The esteemed Nikon-only dealer, Grays of Westminster, was presented with the What Digital Camera/Amateur Photographer 'Gold Winner' Good Service Award, as voted for by What Digital Camera readers and website visitors for the second year in a row.

This prestigious award was presented to Gray Levett, founder of Grays of Westminster, at the Amateur Photographer Annual Awards ceremony amid the glamorous surroundings of Quaglino's in London on 26th January.

Gray Levett said, "We were delighted to be honoured with this prestigious award last year and we are thrilled to have won it for a second year. Honours of course bring responsibilities, and that means we must continue to give our customers the very best service that we can. We are extremely grateful to everyone who voted for us; it is much appreciated. Thank you very much"


About Grays of Westminster

The legendary award-winning Grays of Westminster is a charming period shop, specialising exclusively in Nikon. Grays of Westminster offers knowledgeable advice and information on Nikon kit, whether new, second-hand or vintage, to customers who visit the shop in person, as well as a fast and reliable mail-order service on any Nikon item which is available to all world-wide destinations.

From their very beginning over a quarter of a century ago, they aimed at offering their customers the very best service and the finest in Nikon equipment. This tradition continues today.

Grays of Westminster also provides a vast range of photographic training sessions for its customers including subjects such as Mike Maloney’s Photographic Workshop at the House of Lords; Heather Angel’s Wildlife & Natural History Workshops; Simon Stafford’s Definitive Flash, Portraiture, Landscape and Macro Training Sessions; Michael Eleftheriades’ panoramic and colour-calibration seminars.

Grays of Westminster is situated in a quiet location in central London yet within walking distance of Westminster Abbey, the Houses of Parliament and Buckingham Palace.

For more information, please contact:

Gray Levett
Founder
Grays of Westminster Exclusively…Nikon
40 Churton Street
London
SW1V 2LP

+44 (0)20 7828 4925
info@graysofwestminster.co.uk
http://www.graysofwestminster.co.uk

Submitted by: WorldWidePR.net

Wednesday, February 15, 2012

Startup Looks Set to Flip the Switch on 3-D Movie Re-Releases


FilmFunds’ process speeds up converting from 2-D to 3-D and lowers the cost
Los Angeles - After a 3-D re-release of “The Lion King” roared at the box office last year, a pipeline of 3-D theatrical re-releases is in place for this year. But Carl Freer, founder of L.A. startup FilmFunds, thinks there’s room for even more. His startup just started selling 3-D conversion technology to studios that allows them to quickly convert content for less than going to a third-party conversion company.

“We’ll allow them to knock themselves out,” Freer said.

He launched the company with a website in October that allows movie fans to vote on films they’d like to see re-released in 3-D, such as 1980’s Warner Bros. classic “Blade Runner” and Universal’s “Back to the Future.” He plans to use the site as market research to show studios that films can be successful in re-release.

He acquired the conversion technology in December when FilmFunds bought Duran Duboi U.S. for an undisclosed amount. Duran Duboi is a postproduction house in Los Angeles that handled the 3-D conversion for last year’s Lions Gate release “Conan the Barbarian.”

FilmFunds’ technology converts 2-D to 3-D in real-time using software that can analyze a screen at the rate of 60 frames per second. Freer declined to discuss a price for the device, but did note that he plans to make money servicing the devices.

Freer expects much of the opportunity to come from home video re-releases through digital distribution channels like Netflix Inc., once 3-D-enabled TVs become more common. That’s in part because home video re-releases require less-expensive conversions and also because studios are more receptive to simultaneous home releases for 3-D reboots than for new releases.
Another factor for the slow pace of theatrical re-releases is that the cost of theatrical-quality conversion often ranges between $10 million to $20 million.

“The studios and networks are indecisive because of the big cost additive,” he said.

Small Screen
Craig Tanner, co-founder of production company Digital Revolution Studios, is also banking on 3-D-enabled consumer devices. He has amassed some 500 minutes of 3-D video content that he plans to license once 3-D-enabled handheld devices become more common.

“It’s on a shelf ready to go for the handheld consumer,” Tanner said.

He got a peek of the coming action when he produced a 3-D music video for the song “Don’t Stop” by L.A. alternative rock band Foster the People. The video was available for free download by owners of the Nintendo 3DS handheld gaming system in December.

For Tanner, who spent three years as a visual effects editor on “Avatar,” the two-day music video shoot was a first. But with device makers coming out with 3-D enabled smartphones this year, he said, manufacturers are increasingly asking him to produce short-form content that can fill-out their download stores, as he did for Nintendo.

“It sparked an interest in our company,” he said. “We plan on doing quite a few music videos this year.”

He’s now in talks with music labels and device makers, and expects to put out about 10 music videos from major recording artists this year. Whereas the Nintendo video was a free download, he expects future videos to be monetized similarly to Apple Inc.’s iTunes store, which splits revenue with content creators.

Fine-Tuning
Burbank public TV station KCET-TV (28) continues to roll out new productions, even as funding is down. Last week, the station announced a new slate of programming to debut in March, including talk show “L.A. Tonight With Roy Firestone” and documentary series “Your Turn to Care.”

The programming push is part of the station’s effort to win back viewers that left the station after it severed ties with PBS. In the station’s first month without PBS programming, January 2011, prime time ratings bottomed out at an average of 18,000 viewers.

But a station spokeswoman said prime time viewership was up 78 percent last month, compared with a year earlier, to 32,000. That’s due to higher-performing shows such as British comedy show “Doc Martin,” which brought the station’s largest viewing audience of 150,000 on Jan. 5 since going independent.

Still, funding for the station has withered without PBS. According to the station’s last audited statement, donations dropped some $15 million to $22.3 million for the year ended June 30. That drop reflected a half-year without PBS.

About FilmFunds
Headquartered in Los Angeles, FilmFunds offers a 360-degree solution for Hollywood to test nascent film projects, helping move content through the pipeline by creating an audience for it, while giving fans a unprecedented opportunity to be part of the green-light process. FilmFunds utilizes crowd-sourced social marketing research to replace the costly live test-screening model used since Hollywood’s Golden Era. A social environment where Hollywood filmmakers can meet their real audience, with the most accurate, state-of-the-art diagnostics guiding their efforts to improve and build support for their product, FilmFunds is a place where film lovers have a chance to make it their movie. For more information, please visit http://www.FilmFunds.com.

For further information, please contact:

Rich Jenkins, CTO
FilmFunds, Inc.
3000 Olympic Blvd.
Building 5, Suite 2100
Santa Monica, CA 90404
USA

+1 310 315 4790
rich@filmfunds.com
http://www.filmfunds.com

Submitted by: WorldWidePR.net

Wednesday, February 1, 2012

DataJack Signs Comprehensive Distribution Agreement

.

Agreement is worth an estimated $25 million in revenue in 2012


Dallas - Quamtel's subsidiary, DataJack, Inc and Prouty Company LLC announced today a long-term, comprehensive distribution agreement that will deliver nationwide Mobile Broadband services powered by DataJack through ProutyCo's extensive network of over 100,000 carriers, service providers, strategic partners and retail locations across the U.S.

Under the agreement, DataJack will provide the following services through its mobile broadband platform:
  • order processing
  • automated activation
  • usage tracking and notifications
  • device acquisition
  • custom branding
  • inventory management
  • logistics
  • fulfillment
  • second tier technical customer support.
"We worked hard over the past several months to reach an amicable agreement with Quamtel which would afford ProutyCo exclusivity in the retail distribution sector. We thoroughly tested Quamtel's activation platform via their Web and retail point-of-sale API, activated production devices, distributed them throughout our network, and successfully completed real-world testing under various actual and simulated conditions. Now that our contract has been fully executed and demand for wireless broadband service has been stimulated within our network, we feel that our initial goal of 100,000 subscribers will be easily surpassed within our original timeframe, and anticipate placing our first substantial equipment order the first week of February," stated Phil Prouty, CEO, of ProutyCo.

"Quamtel's mobile broadband services platform is designed to be economical and efficient, allowing companies to offer a unique portfolio of products without a substantial capital investment," stated Stuart Ehrlich, CEO, Quamtel, Inc. "Our platform greatly improves time to market and allows companies, like Prouty Co, to focus on increasing revenue through sales, marketing and distribution."

"For the past two years we have been focusing on enhancing our back-end business and operational support systems to allow us to leverage the opportunities that exist with large scale distribution agreements," stated Andrea Munoz, Vice President of Operations, Quamtel, Inc. "We are very excited ProutyCo has selected DataJack and look forward to capitalizing on their distribution expertise."

About Prouty Company
Prouty Company is a global provider of financial and telecommunication products and services supporting over 100,000 retailers and strategic partners worldwide. Two of ProutyCo's divisions have revenues that exceed $1 billion annually (http://www.proutyco.com).

About DataJack
DataJack is one of Quamtel's prepaid brands that offers customers control, flexibility and connectivity through DataJack's prepaid mobile broadband data plans. With the lowest cost plan available on the market today, DataJack's service can be used with either a USB or MiFi device (http://www.datajack.com).

About Quamtel, Inc.
Quamtel, Inc. is an emerging mobile broadband service provider of superior quality broadband solutions offering consumers and businesses more user friendly and affordable ways to connect. Through its subsidiaries, DataJack and 800.com, Quamtel provides a comprehensive portfolio of broadband and enhanced communications solutions ranging from subscriber based voice services, to the engineering, design, manufacturing and distribution of M2M wireless broadband technology (http://www.Quamtel.com).

The Quamtel, Inc. logo is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=11515

Safe Harbor
Statements about the Company's future expectations and all other statements in this press release other than historical facts, are 'forward-looking statements' within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and as that term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The Company intends that such forward-looking statements be subject to the safe harbors created thereby. The above information contains information relating to the Company that is based on the beliefs of the Company and/or its management as well as assumptions made by and information currently available to the Company or its management. When used in this document, the words 'anticipate,' 'estimate,' 'expect,' 'intend,' 'plans,' 'projects,' and similar expressions, as they relate to the Company or its management, are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Such statements reflect the current view of the Company regarding future events and are subject to certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions, including the risks and uncertainties noted. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove to be incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described herein as anticipated, believed, estimated, expected, intended or projected. In each instance, forward-looking information should be considered in light of the accompanying meaningful cautionary statements herein. Factors that could cause results to differ include, but are not limited to, successful performance of internal plans, the impact of competitive services and pricing and general economic risks and uncertainties.
For more information, please contact

Stuart Ehrlich, CEO
Quamtel, Inc.
14911 Quorum Drive
Suite 140
Dallas, TX 75254
USA

1-800-731-QUMI (7864)
info@Quamtel.com
http://www.Quamtel.com

Submitted by: WorldWidePR.net