Radialpoint Named One of Canada's 50 Best Managed Companies for Second Consecutive Year

Radialpoint, the leading provider of ISP-managed services and support for the digital home, has been named one of Canada's 50 Best Managed Companies for the second consecutive year.

Established in 1993, Canada's 50 Best Managed Companies is a national awards program recognizing Canadian companies that have implemented world-class business practices and created value in innovative ways. For more information, visit http://www.canadas50best.com.

For the full press release, please click here.

Support for G.hn Grows Worldwide -- Homegrid Forum Adds New Members

HomeGrid Forum kicked off 2010 with a bang as it welcomed four new members to the global, non-profit trade group promoting the United Nations' International Telecommunication Union's (ITU-T) G.hn standardization efforts. HomeGrid Forum's new members include: Polaris Networks, Taiwan-based IC Plus Corp, the Institute for Information Industry (III) and Korea Electrotechnology Research Institute (KERI). By joining HomeGrid Forum, these companies are recognizing the importance of G.hn as the single unified standard for wired home networking in the global marketplace as the technology draws closer to silicon shipment in 2010.

The members of the ITU-T's G.hn Rappatour Group have created a specification for a single MAC/PHY technology which can run over coaxial cable, phone lines, or power lines. Consumer electronics manufacturers will be able to provide powerful devices for connecting all types of entertainment, home automation, and security products throughout the house. G.hn participants include service providers, consumer electronics and information technology manufacturers, and component and intellectual property providers from around the world.

For the full press release, click here.

Wal-Mart agrees to buy video company, Vudu

According to a New York Times article on Monday, Wal-Mart has agreed to buy Vudu, a movie service Silicon Valley start-up.

Vudu competes directly with the video-on-demand services of the cable companies, but they Vudu has tried to stand out from competitors with its large selection of HD movies, user friendly interface and social media integration via Facebook, Twitter, Flickr and Pandora.

For the full article, click here.

Microsoft Unveils Windows Phone 7 Series

At Mobile World Congress 2010, Microsoft Corp. unveiled the next generation of Windows Phones, Windows Phone 7 Series.

With this new platform and the for the first time ever, Microsoft will bring together Xbox LIVE games and the Zune music and video experience on a mobile phone.

Every Windows Phone 7 Series phone will come with a dedicated hardware button for Bing, providing one-click access to search from anywhere on the phone, while a special implementation of Bing search provides intent-specific results, delivering the most relevant Web or local results, depending on the type of query.

Windows Phone 7 Series includes six hubs built on specific themes reflecting activities that matter most to people:

People. This hub delivers an engaging social experience by bringing together relevant content based on the person, including his or her live feeds from social networks and photos.

Pictures. This hub makes it easy to share pictures and video to a social network in one step.

Games. This hub delivers the first and only official Xbox LIVE experience on a phone.

Music + Video. This hub creates an incredible media experience that brings the best of Zune, including content from a user’s PC, online music services and even a built-in FM radio into one simple place that is all about music and video.

Marketplace. This hub allows the user to easily discover and load the phone with certified applications and games.

Office. This hub brings the familiar experience of the world’s leading productivity software to the Windows Phone. With access to Office, OneNote and SharePoint Workspace all in one place, users can easily read, edit and share documents.

Partners from around the world have committed to include Windows Phone 7 Series in their portfolio plans. They include mobile operators AT&T, Deutsche Telekom AG, Orange, SFR, Sprint, Telecom Italia, Telefónica, Telstra, T-Mobile USA, Verizon Wireless and Vodafone, and manufacturers Dell, Garmin-Asus, HTC Corp., HP, LG, Samsung, Sony Ericsson, Toshiba and Qualcomm Inc. The first phones will be available by holiday 2010.

CONNECTIONS US welcomes new sponsor, Allegro Software

Parks Associates welcomes Allegro Software Development Corporation as the newest Silver level sponsor for June CONNECTIONS U.S. event.

Allegro Software Development Corporation is the premier provider of UPnP networking and device management technologies specifically targeted at embedded Internet applications. Since 1996, Allegro has been a force in the evolution of device management solutions with its RomPager embedded web server toolkit. Now also an active contributor to UPnP / DLNA initiatives, Allegro supplies a range of UPnP toolkits that offer portability, easy integration and full compliance with UPnP device specifications. Allegro is headquartered in Boxborough, MA.

For more information about Allegro Software Development Corporation, please visit www.allegrosoft.com.