Rotherham, South Yorkshire (PRWEB UK) 16 May 2012

A new Maplin store will be opening on Saturday 19th May in Truro. This will be the first store in Cornwall for the Electronics retailer. The new store is a 371 metre-sqare purpose-built building with 3,993 square foot of floor space. It is located in Threemilestone, and will host thousands of products, ranging from components to hard drives, satellite TVs to Sat Navs and everything in between.

As always, Maplin Electronics Truro will boast expert staff, keen to provide customers with friendly and professional advice.

To celebrate the opening of the store, there will be a special grand store opening event on Saturday 19th and Sunday 20th May starting at 9am. Customers will benefit from some exclusive limited weekend offers, as well as some great giveaways.

Join us on the Truro store opening at Chyvelah Road, Threemilestone, Truro, TR3 6AZ.

Note to editors

Maplin is the UK’s biggest and best specialist retailer of consumer electronics. Its national network of over 190 stores in the UK and Ireland are a goldmine of useful consumer technologies and gadgets.

With over 15,000 different products Maplin sells everything from MP3 players and Sat Nav systems, to digital cameras and Wi-Fi connectors, across its worlds of Communication, Computers, Sat Nav, TV and Satellite, Music, Home and Car, Power, Tools, Components and Cables.

As the specialists in consumer electronics, Maplin is proud to offer the best and most informed customer advice on the high street. Its team of over 2000 customer centric staff help thousands of customers make informed choices about technology purchases each and every day; from technology enthusiasts, to complete novices.

©Copyright 1997-

, Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.
Vocus, PRWeb, and Publicity Wire are trademarks or registered trademarks of Vocus, Inc. or Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.

Kindle Fire on fire – http://youtu.be/obiZkYTz8WQ

Washington, DC (PRWEB) May 16, 2012

Watch the new video at http://youtu.be/obiZkYTz8WQ

The professional pitmasters and barbecue industry moguls of Pork Barrel BBQ, Heath Hall and Brett Thompson, are blazing a trail with the hottest reviews of popular mobile electronics in their new web video series, “Can You Grill It?” (http://www.CanYouGrillIt.com). The latest video features the Amazon Kindle Fire getting fire-roasted over charcoal burning at 500 degrees and bursting into flames on a Weber grill.

This video is a must-see for anyone wanting to learn more about the Kindle Fire, the world’s bestselling e-reader. PCMag gave the Kindle Fire 4 out of 5 stars. Click [here to see how grillmaster Heath Hall determines his flame-worthy ranking for the hottest mobile device in the e-reader marketplace.

Hall and Thompson are known as the country’s most innovative barbecue industry moguls. They are co-founders of Pork Barrel BBQ, the nation’s fastest growing barbecue sauce company, and the curious gillmasters behind the “Can You Grill It?” web video series.

Check out the previous “Can You Grill It?” videos where the grillmasters get their hands on the Apple iPad and the Samsung Galaxy Tablet at http://www.CanYouGrillIt.com.

“With a name like Kindle Fire, Amazon’s e-reader was a natural fit for our Can You Grill It series,” said Hall. “We’re from Missouri where the saying goes, ‘If you can’t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen.’ Because of this we felt it was important for consumers to know if a product with ‘fire’ in its name could actually stand the heat generated by the flames of charcoal on the grill.”

If you have an idea for a product you’d like to see the Can You Grill It team test on “Can You Grill It?” share your ideas with them by email at CanYouGrillIt@gmail.com, or by posting your ideas on the Can You Grill It Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/CanYouGrillIt?) or Twitter page (@CanYouGrillIt).

For more information, visit http://www.CanYouGrillIt.com.

About Heath Hall and Brett Thompson

Since founding Pork Barrel BBQ in 2009, Hall and Thompson have become the barbecue industry’s most-watched entrepreneurs and continue to earn support from avid barbecue fans with their top-ranked Pork Barrel BBQ Blog and as the number one most followed BBQ company on twitter (@porkbarrelbbq).

Hall and Thompson have expanded their business from creating BBQ sauces and spice rubs in their home kitchens to selling award-winning BBQ products in over 4,000 stores across America including Harris Teeter, Whole Foods, Safeway and Costco. Their inaugural cookbook, the free Pork Barrel BBQ Guide to Tailgating, received praise from food and sports fans across America, and their sauces have won numerous awards and was recently named to the list of Best BBQ Sauce in America by Country Living Magazine and one of the “125 Best Foods for Men” by Men’s Health Magazine.

In 2011, Pork Barrel BBQ debuted a specialty BBQ-flavored peanut with FERIDIES, added Pork Barrel BBQ Mustard BBQ Sauce to their line of sauces, introduced the world’s first barbeque scented fragrance – Que, continued to earn top awards on the professional barbecue circuit, and opened the first Pork Barrel BBQ Restaurant in the Del Ray neighborhood of Alexandria, Virginia, which Food & Wine magazine named one of the Best BBQ restaurants in America. In the first quarter of 2012, the company has debuted Pork Barrel BBQ Carolina Vinegar BBQ Sauce, made an appearance on a follow-up segment of ABC’s Shark Tank, and now debuts the “Can You Grill It” YouTube video series.

For more information about Pork Barrel BBQ, visit http://www.porkbarrelbbq.com and read about their latest updates and adventures on Facebook, Twitter (@porkbarrelbbq) and the company’s blog.

About Pork Barrel BBQ

Pork Barrel BBQ was founded in December 2008 during the peak of the economic crisis to prove that a company not owned or operated by the federal government could succeed, and that if you had a good idea, it was still possible to grab a piece of the American Dream. Pork Barrel BBQ founders, Heath Hall and Brett Thompson, ran the company out of the basement of their houses, selling their award winning BBQ products one bottle at a time. In less than one year, their Pork Barrel BBQ Sauces and Spice Rub were carried in over 1,000 stores in 40 states. Throughout their journey, they have stayed true to their mission – to unite the nation through the great tradition of BBQ, and bring bipartisan flavor to your next meal. The Pork Barrel BBQ Competition BBQ Team entered its first contest, The Safeway National Capital Barbecue Battle, in June 2009, and walked away with two trophies – Second Place in the “Nations Best BBQ Sauce Contest” and Fourth Place for their pulled pork in the Memphis In May portion of the contest. Since then, the team has won multiple awards, including the 2011 Perdue National Chicken Championship, the Safeway National Capital Barbecue Battle in 2011, the “Chinet People’s Choice” award for best BBQ sauce in 2010 and other notable Memphis in May and Kansas City Barbecue Society BBQ competition accolades as well as having their Pork Barrel BBQ Original BBQ Sauce named Best Sauce in America and one of “The 125 Best Foods for Men” by Men’s Health Magazine in November 2010. For more information, visit http://www.PorkBarrelBBQ.com or follow Pork Barrel BBQ on Facebook and Twitter (@porkbarrelbbq).

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Attachments

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, Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.
Vocus, PRWeb, and Publicity Wire are trademarks or registered trademarks of Vocus, Inc. or Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.

JW Marriott Los Angeles L.A. LIVE Hotel

(PRWEB) May 07, 2012

Memorial Day in L.A. is sure to be caliente – and that’s before factoring in Southern California’s perfect weather.

The JW Marriott Los Angeles L.A. LIVE is turning up the heat on the unofficial start of summer with its LA En Vivo Latin Music package to celebrate more than 30 hours of programming and events honoring the Latino community over the long holiday weekend. Music lovers who book deluxe accommodations for Saturday, May 26 through Monday, May 28 for the flat rate of $ 1,200 will receive the best tickets to headline performances in the heart of downtown Los Angeles plus exclusive access to pre-show VIP hospitality events featuring complimentary food and beverages.

This exciting Los Angeles hotel deal includes:

-Two lower-level VIP tickets to Julion Alvarez at 7 p.m. Saturday at Nokia Theatre L.A. LIVE. Alvarez is the front man to the regional Mexican band Su Norteno Banda from Sinaloa known for their albums “Corazon Magico” and “Desde Mazatlan: A Mover el Culito.”

-Two lower-level VIP tickets to Don Omar at 7 p.m. Sunday at Nokia Theatre L.A. LIVE. The Puerto Rican singer, songwriter, rapper and actor is known for his albums entitled “The Last Don,” “King of Kings,” “iDon” and his latest “Meet the Orphans.”

-Two tickets to the exclusive MTV premiere of Juanes Unplugged at 7 p.m. Monday at Club Nokia. The Colombian rock star and heartthrob recorded the new acoustic album in Miami Beach, Florida, with 16 songs.

The three-day LA En Vivo traditional Latin block party is free and will take place steps from the L.A. LIVE hotel. It will feature dancing, regional food specialties, drink and live performances from up-and-coming Latin artists and bands. Visitors also will be treated to exhibition boxing matches courtesy of Oscar De La Hoya’s Golden Boy Promotions, meet-and-greet sessions with L.A. Galaxy soccer athletes, street hockey with the L.A. Kings, art exhibits and plenty of vendor booths to educate and entertain.

To take advantage of the Los Angeles vacation package’s privileged perks, guests must use promotional code P91 when reserving their rooms this Memorial Day weekend.

About the JW Marriott Los Angeles L.A. LIVE

The JW Marriott Los Angeles L.A. LIVE offers world-class luxury in the heart of downtown Los Angeles. A world-class hotel- near STAPLES Center, the JW Marriott features 878 well-appointed guest rooms, full-service spa and fitness center, outdoor pool, 100,000 square feet of versatile meeting space and diverse dining venues. For information, visit http://www.marriott.com/LAXJW.

About Marriott International

Marriott International is a leading lodging company with more than 3,400 lodging properties in 68 countries and territories. Marriott International operates and franchises hotels under the Marriott, JW Marriott, The Ritz-Carlton, Renaissance, Residence Inn, Courtyard, TownePlace Suites, Fairfield Inn, SpringHill Suites Inn and Bulgari brand names; develops and operates vacation ownership resorts under the Marriott Vacation Club, The Ritz-Carlton Destination Club, The Ritz-Carlton Residences and Grand Residences by Marriott brands; operates Marriott Executive Apartments; provides furnished corporate housing through its Marriott ExecuStay division; and operates conference centers. The company is headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland USA, and had approximately 137,000 employees at 2009 yearend. It is recognized by Fortune magazine as one of the best companies to work for, and by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as Partner of the Year since 2004. In fiscal year 2009, Marriott International reported sales from continuing operations of nearly $ 11 billion. For more information, please visit our web site at http://www.marriott.com.

Attachments

©Copyright 1997-

, Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.
Vocus, PRWeb, and Publicity Wire are trademarks or registered trademarks of Vocus, Inc. or Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.

Olympic and Paralympic stars team up with Rankin for special London 2012 photography exhibition

(PRWEB) May 02, 2012

World-famous photographer Rankin has teamed up with London 2012 Organising Committee Chair Seb Coe and a host of Olympic and Paralympic athletes to mark the achievements of London 2012’s international sports legacy programme, International Inspiration, in a special photography exhibition.

A preview selection of photographs can be downloaded here
Watch three minute video to mark the exhibition of sports starts telling how they’re inspired by sport here

Inspired by Sport opens tomorrow at the Museum of London and showcases athletes captured by Rankin including Seb Coe, Denise Lewis, Colin Jackson, Tanni Grey-Thompson, Louise Hazel and James Ellington. These photographs convey the inspirational power of sport and feature alongside images – taken by a host of international photographers – of young people around the world whose lives have been enriched by the programme and are inspired by sport.

The exhibition highlights the work of International Inspiration, a unique partnership between UNICEF, the British Council and UK Sport, to realise London 2012’s legacy promise to enrich the lives of 12 million children in 20 countries in time for this year’s Olympic and Paralympic Games, a double-feat the programme achieved in February this year.

Each photograph demonstrates how International Inspiration is harnessing the power of inclusive physical education, sport and play to address issues that affect children and young people, such as gender equality, gang violence, lack of educational opportunities, life skills development, HIV / AIDS education and intercultural awareness in countries from Azerbaijan to Zambia.

The programme is fulfilling the promise made by Seb Coe on behalf of the bid team in Singapore in 2005 to ‘reach young people all around the world and connect them to the inspirational power of the Games so they are inspired to choose sport…improving their lives as a result.’

Seb Coe, Chair of LOCOG said: ‘Inspired by Sport is celebrating the huge achievements of International Inspiration and captures how sport can be a real change for good. I’m very proud that London 2012 is enabling positive change to happen to millions of children and young people around the world. I have been lucky enough to have met some of the young people being reached through the programme and to have seen how it is providing them with more opportunities in life.’

Sir Keith Mills, LOCOG Deputy Chair and II Foundation Chair said: ‘Having now achieved our original objectives and made such an impact, it’s important now for us to focus on continuing and expanding this extraordinary programme as a real legacy from the London 2012 Games.’

Olympic gold medallist and International Inspiration Ambassador Denise Lewis said: ‘I have seen first-hand the impact International Inspiration is having on young people lives. When I visited India, I saw something truly special that is making a real and last difference to children of all abilities, social status and gender. Inspired by Sport celebrates a London 2012 legacy we can all be proud of.’

John, 12, from Zambia who features in one of the exhibition’s photographs, said: ‘I have learned life skills and about HIV and AIDS – as children in Zambia, it is important that we learn about transmission and prevention and also how to look after ourselves and live healthy lives. I love baseball and football as they both involve lots of running, which is good for my body!’

Inspired by Sport runs from 2-13 May 2012 and entry is FREE.

Notes to editors:

For further information please contact the London 2012 Press Office.

About International Inspiration

The International Inspiration programme is governed by an independent charitable foundation. International Inspiration is supported and funded by a mixture of organisations and Foundations, including Department for International Development (DFID), the British Council, the Premier League, UNICEF, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, Comic Relief, the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation, the GE Foundation and individual donors. The programme is also supported by the Youth Sport Trust, the British Olympic Association and the British Paralympic Association and individual donors.

To enable longer-term impact, the programme is developed jointly with the governments, National Olympic Committees and National Paralympic Committees, where appropriate, of participating countries. The programme is supported and welcomed by the International Olympic Committee and International Paralympic Committee.

The vision of International Inspiration is to use the power of sport to enrich the lives of millions of children and young people of all abilities in schools and communities across the world, particularly developing countries, by offering them the opportunity to access and participate in high-quality and inclusive sport, physical education and play. The programme is already changing the lives of young people in twenty countries – Azerbaijan, Brazil, Bangladesh, Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, Jordan, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mozambique, Nigeria, Pakistan, Palau, South Africa, Tanzania, Turkey, Trinidad and Tobago, Uganda and Zambia – and has already enriched the lives of over 12 million children and young people.

International Inspiration was developed as a result of the commitment made by the London Bid team in Singapore in 2005 to ‘reach young people all around the world and connect them to the inspirational power of the Games so they are inspired to choose sport’.

The school partnerships are managed by the British Council, which has long experience of linking schools internationally, working in partnership with the Youth Sport Trust, which utilises its expertise in developing teachers and young leaders through sport.

London 2012 Games partners:

The Worldwide Olympic Partners who support the London 2012 Olympic Games and the National Olympic Committees around the world are Coca-Cola, Acer, Atos, Dow, GE, McDonald’s, Omega, Panasonic, Procter and Gamble, Samsung and Visa.

LOCOG has seven domestic Tier One Partners – adidas, BMW, BP, British Airways, BT, EDF and Lloyds TSB. There are seven domestic Tier Two Supporters – Adecco, ArcelorMittal, Cadbury, Cisco, Deloitte, Thomas Cook and UPS. There are now twenty-eight domestic Tier Three Suppliers and Providers – Aggreko, Airwave, Atkins, Boston Consulting Group, CBS Outdoor, Crystal CG, Eurostar, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP, G4S, GSK, Gymnova, Heathrow Airport, Heineken UK, Holiday Inn, John Lewis, McCann Worldgroup, Mondo, NATURE VALLEY, Next, Nielsen, Populous, Rapiscan Systems, Rio Tinto, Technogym, Thames Water, Ticketmaster, Trebor and Westfield.

There is one domestic Tier One Paralympic Games-only Partner, Sainsbury’s and two domestic Tier Three Paralympic Games-only Suppliers, Otto Bock and Panasonic. The London 2012 Paralympic Games also acknowledges the support of the National Lottery.

Museum of London:

The Museum of London tells the story of one of the world’s greatest cities and its people. It cares for more than two million objects in its collections and attracts over 400,000 visitors per year. It holds the largest archaeological archive in Europe. The Museum has entered a new era with the launch of our £20million Galleries of Modern London in May 2010.

The London Archaeological Archive and Research Centre (LAARC) and the Centre for Human Bioarchaeology form part of the Museum of London’s Department of Archives and Archaeological Collections.

©Copyright 1997-

, Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.
Vocus, PRWeb, and Publicity Wire are trademarks or registered trademarks of Vocus, Inc. or Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.

Houston, Texas (PRWEB) May 09, 2012

HostGator.com, a leading web hosting provider, has announced today that it is extending its special promotion of $ 100 off of the first month on all Windows Dedicated Servers through the remainder of May!

With this promotion, Windows Dedicated Servers start at only $ 74 for the first month. All Windows Servers include the Latest Windows Server 2008 R2, Free Parallels Plesk Control Panel, Free SmarterMail Professional Mail Server, IIS Web Server, MSSQL, MySQL, FTP, DNS and 24/7/365 support via Phone, Chat & E-Mail.

“This promotion has gone extremely well and we have seen great feedback from our client base. We are excited about the opportunity to provide high quality Windows hosting solutions at an even more affordable price thanks to this special offer.” Said Shiraz Hussain, Director of Windows Department.

More information regarding this promotion can be found at http://www.hostgator.com/windows-dedicated-servers.shtml

About HostGator:

HostGator.com LLC is a world leading provider of shared, reseller, and dedicated web hosting. Privately held and based in Houston, Texas, the company was founded in 2002 by founder Brent Oxley, who started the company from his dorm room at Florida Atlantic University. Since then, HostGator has grown into one of the largest hosting providers and was named the 21st fastest growing private companies of 2008 by Inc. Magazine. With more than 12,000 servers under management, HostGator hosts over 7 million domains, which makes up over 2% of the U.S. web site traffic. For more information, please visit HostGator Web Hosting.

©Copyright 1997-

, Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.
Vocus, PRWeb, and Publicity Wire are trademarks or registered trademarks of Vocus, Inc. or Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.

Bend, OR (PRWEB) May 02, 2012

Kubota Image Tools, the well-known creator of the photography industry’s acclaimed image enhancing tools and educational materials, announces the release of the highly anticipated Lighting Notebook App in the Apple App Store.

The App is an accompanying tool to Kevin’s Lighting Notebook (Kevin’s recently published book on lighting for digital photographers) that enables users to quickly and efficiently search by keyword each of the 101 lighting scenarios that are included in the App. A photographer will easily be able to watch video tutorials, mark favorite lighting designs, filter through setups based on multiple parameters, search by keyword, view gear used, see costs to assist in budgeting, and research different products – all from their iPhone or iPad.

The App is free and includes 5 lighting scenarios, and a full version upgrade with all 101 scenarios is available for purchase in-App for an introductory price of $ 14.99 (retail $ 19.99).

“I knew when writing the Lighting Notebook that it would be a natural enhancement to add searching and behind-the-scenes videos,” said Kevin Kubota. “My idea was to make the education as accessible and complete as possible, leaving the viewer with a complete understanding of how I created each image. Knowledge is more useful if it’s easily accessible, and that is what makes the search and marking features of the app so valuable. I’m excited to see the Lighting Notebook come to life in whatever form suits the user best, and I think the Book and iApp combo will do the trick.”

Kubota will periodically add new lighting styles and setups to the initial 101 scenarios. New content will be easily downloadable through in-App purchasing when it becomes available. The Lighting Notebook App will prove to be a helpful and versatile tool for photographers in the office and in the field.

To learn more about the Lighting Notebook and accompanying App, please visit http://www.thelightingnotebook.com.

About Kubota Image Tools

Kubota Image Tools, fueled by “Idea Guy” Kevin Kubota, is constantly churning with new products and educational materials that help photographers move their businesses toward success. They offer Photoshop® and Lightroom® products to speed up a photographer’s workflow and help them create beautiful art for their clients.

On top of that is a range of world-class educational products from Kubota’s critically acclaimed Digital Photography Bootcamp™, to his new book, Kevin Kubota’s Lighting Notebook: 101 Lighting Styles and Setups for Digital Photographers™ (Wiley). A photographer can’t go wrong learning photography skills from a man American Photo named as one of the Top 10 Wedding Photographers in the World. Kubota’s experience is what drives his passion to help photographers hone in on their art and business skills, and Kubota Image Tools is backed with a knowledgeable, helpful staff who aim to empower photographers.

To keep up with new products by Kubota Image Tools, and the endeavors of Kevin Kubota, be sure to visit http://www.kubotaimagetools.com and http://www.kevinkubotablog.com.

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Media Contact:

Clare Kubota

Kubota Image Tools

(877)330-4330

pr(at)kubotaimagetools(dot)com

©Copyright 1997-

, Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.
Vocus, PRWeb, and Publicity Wire are trademarks or registered trademarks of Vocus, Inc. or Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.

The BuddyTV Guide “NBA Playoffs” list shows the user’s specific channel and airtime information.

Seattle, WA (PRWEB) May 02, 2012

The playoffs are off to an exciting start, and now NBA fans have a way to stay on the ball everywhere they go with the BuddyTV Guide app, the top-rated television guide app for iOS and Android, and its new dedicated “NBA Playoffs” listings feature. The new feature allows users to find listings for every game from now until the Championship, complete with their own local channel and airtime information, all in one convenient place and automatically updated as the playoffs play out.

The free BuddyTV Guide app, which specializes in curating customizable channel listings and recommendations across all types of programming, is the only app on the market to offer users such a personalized playoffs schedule at their fingertips.

“With the BuddyTV Guide, it’s our mission to help TV and sports fans alike find what they want to watch easier and faster through a simple, personalized experience,” said BuddyTV CEO Andy Liu. “This type of feature really shines with an event like the playoffs, with so many games airing across different channels at different times. The NBA Playoffs list means you don’t have to stress about finding the right game on the right channel at the right time in the old cluttered channel guide, or even being home to see your schedule. It’s all right there in one list, in your pocket.”

The NBA Playoffs list is located on the first page of the BuddyTV Guide app, just a finger scroll to the right of three of the app’s other curated lineup options: Most Popular, Watch List and Upcoming, which can all be honed to suit the user’s TV tastes. Each list automatically updates with the user’s personal cable information every time the user logs in. BuddyTV Guide users also have the ability to set alerts for new NBA games, enabling the app to send alerts to their phone informing them when a playoff game is about to start.

And for users with compatible devices, the BuddyTV Guide also works as a next-generation remote control, making it even easier to get to the game. Users with AT&T U-verse receivers, DirecTV DVRs, Sony Internet TV with Google TV, Logitech Revue, TiVo Series 3, TiVo Premier, any devices controlled by Google TV and Samsung Smart TVs can sync their BuddyTV Guide to their in-home hardware, and then simply tap once on the app to tune in for the tip-off.

The BuddyTV Guide app is available for free for iOS devices in the iTunes store, for Android and GoogleTV devices in the Google Play marketplace, and provides listings for cable and satellite TV providers in the US. These include Comcast, Cablevision, Time Warner, Verizon, DirecTV, Dish and many more.

About BuddyTV:

BuddyTV’s goal is to help TV fans discover their must-see TV. As the #1 independent TV site on the web, this means providing a venue for over 5 million unique visitors per month to connect with fellow fans, read the latest news and enjoy entertaining features about their favorite shows. Now, with over 400,000+ downloads on iOS and an almost perfect average user rating of 4.7 stars, the BuddyTV Guide app is enhancing and expanding the ways that consumers enjoy their TV time.

For press inquiries or to arrange an interview with BuddyTV CEO Andy Liu, please contact Meghan Carlson at BuddyTV: meghan(at)buddytv(dot)com or 206.859.4180 x203. For more information about BuddyTV and the BuddyTV Guide App, visit http://www.BuddyTV.com, and follow @BuddyTV and @BuddyTVGuide on Twitter.

©Copyright 1997-

, Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.
Vocus, PRWeb, and Publicity Wire are trademarks or registered trademarks of Vocus, Inc. or Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.

Consumer interest in making purchases via their mobile phones has grown considerably in the past 2 years

San Francisco, CA (PRWEB) May 03, 2012

Today Placecast is announcing results of a survey which reveals that Americans are eagerly adopting the mobile phone for all aspects of shopping, from product research to purchase via the device. The poll revealed that 20 percent of all adult mobile phone users (who own smartphones or standard cell phones) – representing about 39 million* Americans – said they’d made an online purchase using their phones in the past year. The results come from the third wave of a poll commissioned by Placecast and conducted online by Harris Interactive in February.

Purchase rates among smartphone owners was significantly higher than purchase rates among those who own a standard cell phone: 34 percent of smartphone owners have made an online purchase on their device in the past year, versus 20 percent of standard phone owners. Overall interest in using phones for purchases has grown by 8 percentage points in the past two years, with 38% of all mobile phone owners saying it is at least somewhat important. Here again, smartphone owners feel even more strongly: 59 percent say it is at least somewhat important to be able to make a purchase on their device.

U.S. adults also displayed greater receptivity to text message marketing, with more than three out of ten mobile phone owners who do not already receive text alerts from companies saying they’d be interested in receiving messages from brands, provided they’d opted-into the service. This indicates that 64 million adults* in the U.S. are open to this type of mobile marketing. This is an increase of 5 percentage points from when this question was asked in December, 2010.

This research marks the third survey conducted online by Harris Interactive on behalf of Placecast – similar studies were conducted in summer of 2009 and winter of 2010. The results collectively make up a series called ‘The Alert Shopper’, a tracking study conducted to understand shifting consumer behavior around mobile shopping. 2262 adults, from a nationally representative sample, were surveyed in February 2012. 83 percent of the U.S. adult population reported that they own a mobile phone (either a smartphone or standard cell phone) which is in line with Nielsen’s projections of overall mobile phone penetration in the US.

Overall, the survey shows that Americans are more interested than ever before in all aspects of mobile commerce – also called “m-commerce.” Fifty percent of smartphone owners indicated they had used a GPS/mapping app to find a retail location in the past year, 44 percent had accessed the website of a retailer where they typically shop from their phones, and 34 percent had downloaded a retailer’s app of which they typically shop. An equal number (24 percent) had either searched for a coupon on their device to use at checkout, in a physical store, or used a barcode scanning app to comparison shop.

Usage of phones for commerce activities is most pronounced among smartphone owners (now at 50 percent of all mobile phone owners according to March 2012 Nielsen statistics). M-commerce also occurs among standard phone owners, where, despite the limitation of the phone, 13 percent had accessed a retailer website.

In 2010, “The Alert Shopper” survey found that 30 percent of mobile phone owners responded that it was at least somewhat important to be able to use their phones to make a purchase; in 2012, that number increased to 38 percent. This eight point increase shows that approximately 16 million more Americans are interested in m-commerce today, compared to just two years ago.

“Just as purchases of smartphones have been booming in recent years, so too have purchases using smartphones,” says Placecast CEO Alistair Goodman. “In just two years, we saw that interest in making purchase via mobile increased by eight percent – meaning that millions of Americans are recognizing the convenience of using their phones for shopping. Retailers that realize the potential of mobile will be able to reach consumers in an incredibly personal way, cultivate a relationship with them, and increase their overall sales.”

The poll also points to the huge opportunity that mobile text marketing represents for marketers. Texting continues to be considered the most important activity done on phones, with the percentage of participants who reported that texting is extremely/very important to them as follows:

Among smartphone owners: 67 percent

Among standard mobile phone owners: 35 percent

Comparatively, the percentage of participants who reported accessing the internet on their phones as extremely/very important to them was lower than the text messaging data:

Among smartphone owners: 60 percent

Among standard mobile phone owners: 15 percent

Currently, only four percent of mobile users receive marketing messages via text; however, 33 percent of U.S. mobile phone users who do not already receive these messages said they are at least somewhat interested in such messages, provided they gave permission. When applied to the number of US adult mobile phone subscribers, this data indicates that approximately 64 million* Americans would be interested in this sort of marketing.

The poll also showed that those who currently receive text promotions reported that these messages make a strong impact: nearly one out of three said they are more likely to visit the store as a result, while one in four are more likely to purchase the product promoted in the store as a result.

The importance of mobile offers to the mobile payments ecosystem is becoming a significant topic for credit card companies, financial institutions, and carriers, as they recognize the potential for mobile marketing to drive commerce, both in-store and on the device.

Number derived from Alert Shopper III Harris Interactive responses extrapolated to US Census 2010 data

Survey Methodology

This survey was conducted online within the United States by Harris Interactive on behalf of Placecast. Data was collected between February 16 and 24, 2012 among 2,262 adults ages 18 and older, of whom 1,952 own a standard cell phone or smartphone; between May 17 and 19, 2010, of whom 1,710 own a standard cell phone or smartphone; and between July 20 – 22, 2009, of whom 1,729 were identified as cell phone owners. Results were weighted as needed to reflect the composition of the U.S. adult population ages 18+ using targets for region, age within gender, education, household income and race/ethnicity. Respondents for this survey were selected from among the Harris Poll Online (HPOL) database, which includes several million people who have agreed to participate in Harris Interactive surveys. This online survey is not based on a probability sample and therefore no estimate of theoretical sampling error can be calculated. For complete survey methodology, including weighting variables, please contact Rachael Himsel Nunez at Rachael(at)vscpr(dot)com

About Harris Interactive

Harris Interactive is one of the world’s leading custom market research firms, leveraging research, technology, and business acumen to transform relevant insight into actionable foresight. Known widely for the Harris Poll and for pioneering innovative research methodologies, Harris offers expertise in a wide range of industries including healthcare, technology, public affairs, energy, telecommunications, financial services, insurance, media, retail, restaurant, and consumer package goods. Serving clients in over 215 countries and territories through our North American, European, and Asian offices and a network of independent market research firms, Harris specializes in delivering research solutions that help us – and our clients – stay ahead of what’s next. For more information, please visit http://www.harrisinteractive.com.

About Placecast

Started in 2005, Placecast is a proven innovator in the arena of location-based marketing. Placecast’s ShopAlerts® platform is an end-to-end mobile monetization solution for mobile operators, payments companies, and brands. The service is designed to drive consumers into brick-and-mortar stores using mobile marketing with patented geofencing technology.

ShopAlerts® has transformed the location-based marketing industry, taking home the top prize for innovation awarded by the National Retail Federation.

Over 130 brands, including The North Face, Starbucks, L’Oreal, Subway, Kohl’s, Kiehl’s, Kmart, HP, Chico’s White House Black Market, JetBlue and SC Johnson have all run ShopAlerts® through Placecast and its partners. ShopAlerts® is licensed by Telefonica O2 in Europe and AT&T and DDR in the U.S. and is currently being used by millions of carriers’ subscribers. In the U.S., ShopAlerts® programs can be delivered across AT&T, Sprint, Verizon and T-Mobile, reaching up to 268 million consumers.

Placecast is backed by ONSET Ventures Quatrex Capital, and Voyager Capital.

©Copyright 1997-

, Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.
Vocus, PRWeb, and Publicity Wire are trademarks or registered trademarks of Vocus, Inc. or Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.

London 2012 Uniform Distribution and Accreditation Centre launches

(PRWEB) April 27, 2012

LOCOG Chair Seb Coe and LOCOG Chief Executive Paul Deighton today officially launched the London 2012 Uniform Distribution and Accreditation Centre (UDAC) in east London, and were amongst the first to collect their Games time uniform with Games Makers.

     Photos from the launch are available here from 1pm
    Footage will be available from footage(at)london2012(dot)com from 3:30pm

The UDAC is the first fully operational London 2012 Games time venue to open. It will be the main base for accreditation and uniform distribution for up to 70,000 Games Makers who will volunteer at London 2012, along with up paid staff and contractors. The centre will also supply uniforms to LOCOG staff, Technical Officials and eligible contractors.

The UDAC can process around 280 people an hour for uniform collection and up to 800 an hour for accreditation only. Additional uniform distribution centres will open in Weymouth and Portland, Manchester, Cardiff, Newcastle, Glasgow and Coventry for Games Makers and staff working at 2012 Games venues outside of London.

All those picking up their uniform will go through several stages in the UDAC including documentation check, photos, picking up accreditation, uniform check-in area, fitting area, collection area and check-out area.

UDAC is equipped with 70 fitting rooms and a staff of 525 people (343 of whom are volunteers).

Uniforms for LOCOG staff, Games Makers, Technical Officials and eligible contractors are collectively made up of

    765.92 miles of fabric
    359.37 miles of thread
    730,610 buttons
    1,069,034 zips

LOCOG Chair Seb Coe said “It’s a proud moment to be here alongside our fantastic Games Makers picking up our Games uniforms and accreditation. The Games are almost upon us and our Games Makers will be front and centre of the welcome we give the world.”

The Games Maker uniform was designed by LOCOG in association with London 2012’s official sportswear provider adidas. The Technical Official uniform was designed by LOCOG in association with British retailer and London 2012’s official clothing and homeware supplier Next.

Worldwide Olympic Partner McDonald’s is the Presenting Partner of the Games Maker volunteer programme. McDonald’s has used its nationwide presence to help attract candidates for the diverse team that will be needed to make the London 2012 Games a success. The LOCOG Volunteer team held training sessions for many of the volunteers conducting interviews at the world-class training facilities at McDonald’s head office in East Finchley, London and the restaurant chain will also be helping to facilitate the training of the volunteers in the run up to Games time.

Cadbury is an Official Supporter of the London 2012 Games Maker programme and will help LOCOG build great Games Maker teams through fun and friendly game play delivered by programmes such as the Spots v Stripes campaign.

For more information visit the website at http://www.london2012.com.

Notes to editors:

Games Maker timeline

April 2012: Distribution of uniforms and accreditation passes begin

June 2012: Venue Training begins.

UK Border Agency

The UK Border Agency (UKBA), which is supporting the accreditation process as part of the venue team, will help accredit around 300,000 people in total between today and the start of the Games.

McDonald’s is the Presenting Partner of the volunteering programme, providing its expertise and experience to help attract, select and train the London 2012 volunteers. The organisation currently employees 87,500 people across the UK and each year invests over £36million in training this workforce. McDonald’s has awarded almost 35,000 nationally-recognised qualifications to employees and is one of the UK’s largest apprenticeship providers. In 2005 McDonald’s became the first large employer to achieve the Investor in People Profile status and in 2009 achieved GOLD status.

Cadbury’s association with the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games as Official Treat Provider to the 2012 Games will be the biggest programme ever undertaken in Cadbury’s history – underpinning commercial, marketing, merchandising and employee engagement up to London 2012 and beyond.

To celebrate its support of London 2012, Cadbury has launched Spots v Stripes, an ambitious and exciting campaign that aims to get people of all ages and walks of life to play games again.

Atos Origin – The Games Maker volunteer portal has been designed and built by Atos Origin – Worldwide IT Partner for the Olympic Games through to 2016. In the run up to the London 2012 Games, the portal developed by Atos Origin will enable London 2012 to recruit up to 70,000 volunteers. The portal will be the main channel of communication between the Games Maker volunteers and the London 2012 Organising Committee.

McCann – The Games Maker idea was created by McCann Worldgroup, the official Marketing Services Provider for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. They were also responsible for developing and executing the fully integrated advertising campaign to attract applicants in 2010.

London 2012 Games partners:

The Worldwide Olympic Partners who support the London 2012 Olympic Games and the National Olympic Committees around the world are Coca-Cola, Acer, Atos, Dow, GE, McDonald’s, Omega, Panasonic, Procter and Gamble, Samsung and Visa.

LOCOG has seven domestic Tier One Partners – adidas, BMW, BP, British Airways, BT, EDF and Lloyds TSB. There are seven domestic Tier Two Supporters – Adecco, ArcelorMittal, Cadbury, Cisco, Deloitte, Thomas Cook and UPS. There are now twenty-eight domestic Tier Three Suppliers and Providers – Aggreko, Airwave, Atkins, Boston Consulting Group, CBS Outdoor, Crystal CG, Eurostar, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP, G4S, GSK, Gymnova, Heathrow Airport, Heineken UK, Holiday Inn, John Lewis, McCann Worldgroup, Mondo, NATURE VALLEY, Next, Nielsen, Populous, Rapiscan Systems, Rio Tinto, Technogym, Thames Water, Ticketmaster, Trebor and Westfield.

There is one domestic Tier One Paralympic Games-only Partner, Sainsbury’s and two domestic Tier Three Paralympic Games-only Suppliers, Otto Bock and Panasonic. The London 2012 Paralympic Games also acknowledges the support of the National Lottery.

©Copyright 1997-

, Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.
Vocus, PRWeb, and Publicity Wire are trademarks or registered trademarks of Vocus, Inc. or Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.

Dress Rehearsal for Olympic Torch Relay takes place today

(PRWEB) April 20, 2012

Today the London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) is holding a full dress rehearsal to test the operations around the Olympic Torch Relay – presented by Coca-Cola, Lloyds TSB and Samsung. The rehearsal is taking place on the Leicester to Peterborough stretch of the Relay route and is the culmination of the Olympic Torch Relay test schedule. Previous tests have focused on torch performance, hotel operations, desk top exercises and testing the vehicle convoy.

Dress Rehearsal covers the Relay route from Leicester to Peterborough
Rehearsal day to test operational elements of the Relay
122 students and participants acting as Torchbearers

The Leicester to Peterborough stretch of the Relay was chosen because it will test every element of the Relay including convoy splits and alternate modes of transport. It represents a typical day of the Relay including both rural and city locations and is the first time that elements such as crew, convoy and communications are being tested. The convoy consists of 14 core vehicles, including a pilot car, Torchbearer drop-off and pick-up shuttles, Presenting Partner vehicles, a media vehicle, a command car and security vehicles.

The rehearsal is an operational rather than a spectator event as there is no evening celebration and no Flame, meaning that torches will not be lit. The exercise is also a chance for host communities to experience how the Relay looks and operates in advance of the Olympic Torch Relay start at Land’s End on 19 May 2012.

A crew of approximately 400 people are working on the dress rehearsal; a typical day on the Relay will include around 370 people. The rehearsal will test rotational team members and allow each of them to test their individual roles. Core teams of LOCOG staff, the Metropolitan Police Torch Security Team, Presenting Partners, host Police Forces and host Local Authorities are working together in a live environment for the first time.

Photos from today’s Olympic Torch Relay rehearsal will be available to download throughout the day. Broadcast footage will be available on request from footage@london2012.com

Sebastian Coe, Chair of LOCOG, said: ‘The dress rehearsal is a great opportunity to test all parts of the Olympic Torch Relay. I would like to thank the host Local Authorities and Police Forces for working with us on this rehearsal.

‘Tests are essential to ensure the smooth running of our operations around the Torch Relay. When all the final elements are added for the Relay itself the excitement will really build for the start of the London 2012 Games and the UK will get its moment to shine.’

During the dress rehearsal, the convoy will pass through 12 communities along an 80-mile route. Starting the day in Leicester and continuing through Quorn, Loughborough, Hoton, Wymeswold, Asfordby, Melton Mowbray, Langham, Oakham, Uppingham and Stamford before finishing in Peterborough. 122 participants are acting as Torchbearers during the rehearsal. These participants have been recruited through the host Local Authorities, the Relay’s three Presenting Partners and from the Royal College of the Blind, Loughborough College and Leicester, De Montfort, Loughborough and Northampton universities.

The Olympic Torch Relay will start at Land’s End, Cornwall on the morning of 19 May 2012. On leaving Land’s End, the Olympic Flame will travel an estimated 8,000 miles around the UK giving thousands of communities and individuals their moment to shine as the Olympic Flame comes to a place near them.

The Relay will take the Olympic Flame to within ten miles of 95% of the population and will showcase as much of the UK as possible. The route for the rehearsal and for all 70 days of the Olympic Torch Relay were devised after extensive consultation with representatives in each nation and region.

James Williams, Director, Olympic Torch Relay, The Coca-Cola Company, said: ‘With just a few short weeks to go before the Olympic Flame arrives in the UK, we’re really excited to be putting our Torch Relay operations to the test during the Leicester to Peterborough Dress Rehearsal. We’ll be unveiling our ‘Beat Fleet’ – the vehicles that will travel around the UK galvanising nationwide support the Relay and for our Future Flames, the inspirational people we have chosen as Torchbearers. We can’t wait for Relay to begin on the May 19th and for everyone around the UK to share in the magic of London 2012 by lining the streets to celebrate their local Future Flames!’

Sally Hancock, Director, 2012 Partnership and Group Sponsorship at Lloyds Banking Group, said: ‘As the National Presenting Partner of the London 2012 Olympic Torch relay Lloyds TSB is bringing the Olympic Flame closer to our customers and communities. For Lloyds TSB, the Relay binds all of our programmes together in 2012; allowing us to continue to take the inspiration and excitement of the Games to the heart of communities across the UK.

‘Our Torchbearers will be representing their local communities, Local Heroes will be carrying the Flame for their sport and young athletes all over the UK; schools will be lining the route and helping us celebrate along the way, and with branches on nearly every high street we’re inviting our customers and the local community to celebrate with us as the Torch passes their front doors. The test event brings us one step closer to the start of the Relay and the moment when every corner of Britain will start to feel the excitement of London 2012.’

Mr Sunny Hwang, Vice President & Head of Global Sports Marketing, Samsung Electronics, said: ‘Today is about fine tuning the London 2012 Olympic Torch Relay logistics and as Samsung thrives on robust testing, we’re delighted to be part of this final run through. The dress rehearsal marks nearly two years of creative and logistics planning by Samsung with LOCOG, so as a Presenting Partner this is a tremendously important milestone in our London 2012 journey. This is a very exciting time for everyone and we look forward to welcoming all our Olympic Torchbearers and Olympic fans from across the UK and around world. I believe this will be the very best Olympic Torch Relay in the history of the modern Olympic movement and we’re extremely proud to be playing our part in making it happen.’

For further information please contact the London 2012 Press Office.

Notes to editors:

About the London 2012 Olympic Torch Relay Presenting Partners:

As the longest standing Presenting Partner of the Olympic Torch Relay, Coca-Cola will be using its heritage and experience to spread excitement across the UK ahead of London 2012. Coca-Cola’s national nomination campaign – Future Flames – has focused on finding inspirational young people from across the country to have the once in a lifetime opportunity to carry the Olympic Flame. This summer Coca-Cola will celebrate these Future Flames: young people who use their passions in areas like sport and physical activity, music and dance, and community and the environment; to spread happiness in their local communities.

As the only National Presenting Partner of the London 2012 Olympic Torch Relay, Lloyds TSB will be taking the spirit and inspiration of the Olympic Flame right to the heart of communities across the UK. As part of Lloyds Banking Group, Bank of Scotland will be the National Presenting Partner in Scotland. Schools can be right at the heart of the celebrations through our Flame Followers programme, giving them access to free resources to get their pupils inspired and excited about the Olympic Torch Relay. Customers can be the first to hear how they can follow the Olympic Flame, through our customer-exclusive programme Trackside.

As a Presenting Partner of the London 2012 Olympic Torch Relay, Samsung aims to encourage everyone to be part of the greatest show on Earth to make London 2012 ‘Everyone’s Olympic Games.’ We aspire to offer new and memorable experiences for everyone around the world through our own innovative and smart wireless technology. Samsung is providing 1,360 Torchbearers, who have “gone the extra mile” by contributing to the local communities, through its worldwide public nomination campaign. In total over 25,000 nominations were received. Samsung will support towns and cities to celebrate the exciting moment of the Torch Relay and help showcase Great Britain’s cultural landmarks to provide a more enjoyable experience to everyone. The evening celebrations that will be staged by Samsung in 66 towns and cities throughout the Olympic Flame’s journey across the UK, will allow Samsung to entertain the community they are visiting. The Samsung caravan, complete with LED screen on the side showcasing runners and goodwill messages, will follow the Torchbearers around the UK cheering up everyone to celebrate the Torch Relay with music and interaction with local communities. It is Samsung’s ambition that London 2012 will be an event that reaches and involves more people than on any other Olympic Games occasion.

The Supporters of the London 2012 Olympic Torch Relay are:

Worldwide Olympic Partners Procter and Gamble and Visa, Tier One Partners adidas, BMW, BP, British Airways, BT and EDF, Tier Three Providers Aggreko, Holiday Inn and NATURE VALLEY.

London 2012 Games partners:

The Worldwide Olympic Partners who support the London 2012 Olympic Games and the National Olympic Committees around the world are Coca-Cola, Acer, Atos, Dow Chemical Company, GE, McDonald’s, Omega, Panasonic, Procter and Gamble, Samsung and Visa.

LOCOG has seven domestic Tier One Partners – adidas, BMW, BP, British Airways, BT, EDF and Lloyds TSB. There are seven domestic Tier Two Supporters – Adecco, ArcelorMittal, Cadbury, Cisco, Deloitte, Thomas Cook and UPS.

There are now 28 domestic Tier Three Suppliers and Providers – Aggreko, Airwave, Atkins, Boston Consulting Group, CBS Outdoor, Crystal CG, Eurostar, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP, G4S, GSK, Gymnova, Heathrow Airport, Heineken UK, Holiday Inn, John Lewis, McCann Worldgroup, Mondo, NATURE VALLEY, Next, Nielsen, Populous, Rapiscan Systems, Rio Tinto, Technogym, Thames Water, Ticketmaster, Trebor and Westfield.

There is one domestic Tier One Paralympic Games-only Partner, Sainsbury’s and one domestic Tier Three Paralympic Games-only Supplier, Otto Bock. The London 2012 Paralympic Games also acknowledges the support of the National Lottery

©Copyright 1997-

, Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.
Vocus, PRWeb, and Publicity Wire are trademarks or registered trademarks of Vocus, Inc. or Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.