Citi® Campaign Brings to Life More Music, Sports and Dining for Credit and Debit Card Customers

New York – Have you wondered what it would be like to cook alongside a celebrity chef or hear your favorite music live from VIP seats? Citi® Private Pass®, an entertainment access program, offers access to thousands of events each year including presales, preferred seating and VIP experiences. Citi® credit or debit card customers can purchase tickets through www.citiprivatepass.com, and some events are complimentary. The experiences offered across sports, dining and music are illustrated in the new Citi advertising campaign, “MORE” and broadcast commercial, “The Ex.”

The “MORE” campaign shows the special access for Citi credit and debit card customers, by highlighting musicians, athletes, chefs and more. Each of the celebrities featured in the campaign has been or will be part of a Citi Private Pass event, including: Alicia Keys, Rickie Fowler, David Ortiz, Cal Ripken Jr., the Fresh Beat Band, Gladys Knight, Santana, Daniel Boulud and Giada De Laurentiis.

“Whether our customers want to see their kids’ joy in playing with baseball legends or seeing their favorite band, we’re offering exclusive access to experiences of a lifetime,” said Ralph Andretta, Head of Co-Brands and Loyalty at Citi Cards. “These ads show how anyone with a Citi credit or debit card can get more music, sports and dining.”

As part of the campaign, a new television commercial, “The Ex” gives the audience a view of the type of intimate experiences offered to Citi Private Pass customers. The storyline shows a man rebounding from a relationship breakup by enjoying an art gallery, cooking with Giada De Laurentiis and meeting Alicia Keys after a performance. Alicia Keys’ first single from her upcoming album, Girl on Fire, is featured in the broadcast commercial.

Added Giada De Laurentiis, “It was fun to show the kind of intimate and interactive culinary experiences Citi customers can enjoy. I’m always excited to share my passion for food, favorite recipes and techniques in the kitchen.”

Citi Private Pass offers customers access to events where they can experience the best sports, dining and music. Citi is expanding VIP experiences this fall, including some events where customers can interact with their favorite celebrities. Upcoming events include watching a Sunday football game in John Madden’s production facility and an exclusive culinary experience at Restaurant Daniel prepared by Chef Daniel Boulud.

The Citi Private Pass campaign is brought to life in a breadth of channels, including television, print, digital, events and advertisements at New York City's Bryant Park, The Grove in Los Angeles and Ogilvy Station in Chicago. While this is a national campaign, there will be significant focus on key markets through advertisements in Citibank branches.

“Citi’s access to the best in dining, sports and entertainment enables us to tap into our customers’ passion areas and earn their loyalty,” said Vanessa Colella, Head of North America Marketing at Citi. “This multifaceted campaign uses a variety of channels to engage customers and illustrate how we are providing them with unforgettable experiences.”

Learn more, and sign up for the weekly Private Pass newsletter highlighting upcoming experiences, on www.citiprivatepass.com. While the Citi customer purchases the ticket or experience, there are no incremental fees to enjoy Citi Private Pass. Citi customers with a Citi Amex, MasterCard or Visa credit or debit card have access to Citi Private Pass.

To view the advertisements, please visit www.youtube.com/citi.

For more information click on Citi Logo  

 

Citi and DED Sign Comprehensive Memorandum of Understanding for Joint Promotion of Dubai as Trade and Investment Destination

Dubai – Citi Transaction Services (CTS), a Division of Citi, today signed a comprehensive Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Department of Economic Development (DED) – Government of Dubai – designed to boost Dubai's attractiveness as an investment destination and a trade hub for multinational corporations, as well as promote a more conducive environment for the establishment of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the country.

Signed by HE Sami Al Qamzi, Director General of DED, and Mr. Atiq Ur Rehman, Citi's Chief Executive Officer for the Middle East Division, the MoU calls for cooperation on a series of presentations and roadshows outside of the UAE to help attract fresh Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) into the city.


It also points to the exchange of expertise, best practices and vital information to help facilitate export efforts, SME initiatives, business registrations through Citi's banking platform, including services provided by CTS and Global Subsidiaries Group (GSG).

Citi's involvement is driven by ‘Citi for Cities,' a global initiative which aims at transforming and modernizing city infrastructure, supporting economic development and job creation, and enhancing cities' livability.

Commenting on the MoU with Citi, Mr. Al Qamzi said: "We are delighted that Citi, a global name in banking and finance, will be partnering with DED on multiple initiatives. Both DED and Citi have the common goal of improving Dubai's viability as a global economic hub, and today's MoU lays the foundation for a solid and long term partnership."

"Dubai continues to make strides as a city of choice for businesses, multinational corporations and expatriate population. We are delighted to have the opportunity to assist DED in enhancing Dubai's competitiveness in the future," said Mr. Rehman.

According to ‘Hot Spots,' a March 2012 Citi-commissioned Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) report which analyzed the competitiveness of 120 cities worldwide based on a city's ability to attract capital, business, talent and tourists, Dubai ranked 10th under the measure of Financial Maturity and 40th in the overall rating.

Citi has been in the Arab world for nearly 50 years and views the region as critical to its global franchise. It currently offers full-scale corporate banking services across 10 Arab countries, including Egypt, UAE, Lebanon, Jordan, Tunisia, Morocco, Algeria, Bahrain, Qatar and Kuwait as well as Pakistan. Its consumer banking services cover UAE, Egypt, Bahrain and Pakistan, while it maintains close relationships with high net worth clients in the region through the Citi Private Bank.

For more information click on Citi Logo   

Winners Announced for the Citi Micro-Entrepreneurship Awards for the Caribbean

Kingston, Jamaica – The Citi Foundation, the Caribbean Microfinance Alliance and the Multilateral Investment Fund (MIF) are pleased to announce the winners for the inaugural Citi Micro-entrepreneurship Awards for the Caribbean. The Awards recognize a microfinance institution and a micro-entrepreneur that have each demonstrated remarkable success in the English-speaking Caribbean. Five finalists were chosen for each award, and a jury of six experts on microfinance and micro-entrepreneurship in the region has selected the winners.

The winner of the Excellence in Microfinance Award will receive a cash prize of US$10,000, and the winner of the Excellence in Micro-entrepreneurship Award will receive a cash prize of US$3,000. Both winners will also receive a short video on their business or institution, an award certificate and a trip to the award ceremony at the Caribbean Microfinance Forum IV in Bridgetown, Barbados on September 30, 2012.

The winner of the Excellence in Microfinance Award is

Access Financial Services (Jamaica)

Access Financial Services has established itself as one of the premier providers of loans in the Jamaican microfinance sector, serving 5,599 active business loan clients through its 14-branch island-wide retail network. Founded in 2000, the company was successfully listed on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange by 2009. Access has prioritized “working class entrepreneurs” as a key market segment and consistently provides convenient and innovative loan products for this segment. Despite a challenging economic environment which saw a 1.1% decline in Jamaica’s gross domestic product, in 2011 Access recorded a 35% increase in the number of loans disbursed.

The winner of the Excellence in Micro-entrepreneurship Award is

Javier Basto, Basto & Sons Plantain Chips (La Inmaculada Credit Union, Belize)

In 2008, Javier Basto began frying plantains in his backyard and selling them to friends and neighbors in affordable US$0.50 bags in Guinea Grass Village, Belize. From that humble beginning, his plantains gradually gained popularity for their unique and tasty flavor, and he soon expanded with financing from La Inmaculada Credit Union for equipment and improved facilities. The Basto & Sons product line now includes cassava chips and churros (a fried flour-based chip) and is sold to grocery stores in Orange Walk Town, Corozal Town and Belize City. Sales have risen quickly from US$39,000 in 2009 to US$68,250 in 2011. Mr. Basto now has seven employees and sells 5,000 bags per week with a goal of expanding to 7,000 bags per week.

The four other finalists for the Excellence in Microfinance Award were:

• Churches Cooperative Credit Union (Jamaica)
• First Regional Cooperative Credit Union (Jamaica)
• Institute of Private Enterprise Development (Guyana)
• Seva MFI (Suriname)

“The microfinance institution finalists demonstrate professionalism, innovation and above all, dedication to their clients, as they achieve success in Caribbean marketplace,” said Tomas Miller, MIF Access to Finance Unit Chief and Awards Jury Member. “By helping their clients grow their businesses through loans, training and other services, these institutions are fostering economic development in their communities.”

The other four finalists for the Excellence in Micro-entrepreneurship Award were:

• Romaldo Cal, Cal’s Bakery (La Inmaculada Credit Union, Belize)
• Somaroe Khemradj, Rice Farmer (Seva MFI, Suriname)
• Beverley Paton, Beverley Grocery (Institute of Private Enterprise Development, Guyana)
• Norine Roberts, S & N Enterprise (Grenville Cooperative Credit Union, Grenada)

“All of the finalists for the micro-entrepreneur award started off with just an idea and a small amount of capital to start their business. They are engaged in diverse activities, such as baking, farming and retailing, and in just the past three years, most of them have more than doubled their annual sales. Through remarkable drive, ingenuity and hard work, these entrepreneurs have overcome challenges, expanded their business, hired new employees and helped to improve their respective communities,” said Winsome Leslie, MIF Senior Specialist and Team Leader for the Caribbean Microfinance Capacity Building (CARIB-CAP) I and II programs.

Dennis Evans, Citi Cluster Head for the Caribbean, said: “This initiative is part of Citi's commitment to the economic empowerment and financial inclusion of the communities where we are present. Citi is proud to be working with the IDB MIF in supporting the Caribbean Microfinance Alliance and to be launching the Citi Micro-entrepreneurship Awards (CMA) in the English-speaking Caribbean for the first time. I look forward to meeting and congratulating the winners in person at the awards ceremony.”

The Citi Micro-entrepreneurship Awards will be presented at the Caribbean Microfinance Forum IV in Bridgetown, Barbados on September 30, 2012. The Forum is an important knowledge-sharing venue for microfinance institutions in the Caribbean and discussions this year will cover issues such as the state of microfinance in the Region, responsible microfinance (e.g., client protection) and the Smart Campaign, the value of a Caribbean microfinance network as a mechanism for knowledge-sharing, and development of the microfinance industry. Individuals interested in attending can contact Villet Bennet at Villet.bennet@developmentoptionsja.com. The Caribbean Microfinance Forum is being held in conjunction with the Inter-American Forum on Microenterprise (FOROMIC) hosted by MIF/IDB Oct. 1-3, 2012, in Barbados.

The Citi Micro-entrepreneurship Awards for the Caribbean are financed by the Citi Foundation and administered by the Caribbean Microfinance Alliance (CMFA) and the MIF. The awards program has three goals: 1) to raise awareness about microfinance; 2) to build awareness about the important role microentrepreneurs play in their local economies; and 3) to develop the next generation of microfinance networks.

For more information click on Citi logo  

Sam Spratt's autographed Angry Birds t-shirts up for grabs!

Can Angry Birds get any cooler? Sam Spratt has put his amazing artistic skills to our disposal and illustrated his view of the Angry Birds flock. We have made these cool designs available for everyone in the form of t-shirts - check them out!

And now it's competition time!

You can win one of these cool tees autographed by Mr Spratt. If you want one, simply let Rovio know which is the coolest design and where would you wear the t-shirt. You can submit your answer in the comments, by tweeting with the hash tag #SamSprattBirds or sending Rovio an email to community@rovio.com.


The contest begins NOW and ends on Sunday 9th September 9PM GMT!



For more information click on Angrybird image  

Lego Toys - Very Popular Toys in the World

Lego Toys are popular and collected by both children and adults. They are customisable
and they are mixed and matched from a large number of deifferent gears and minifigure
which results in a large number of combinations

These Lego Toys also consists of colorful interlocking plastic bricks can be assembled in
many ways like vehicles, Buildings, Robots, Spaceships, Aircrafts and so on.

 

 

Some Lego Toys are named as specific characters either licensed from film franchises or

of Lego's own creation like Starwars, Batman, Ninjago, Harry Potter, Dino, Kingdoms, 

Cars, Alien Conquest, Super Heroes and  many more.

For Lego Toys shopping click here

For Lego Games, Videos and Movies click here

For more information on Lego Toys and Products click on Lego logo  

Sony Alpha NEX-7 More than a Pocket Camera

Alpha NEX-7 with 18-55mm lens, Model Features : 24.3MP, up to 10 fps shooting, AVCHD™ 1080/60p/60i/24p HD movies, APS-C size HD image sensor, Sweep Panorama, Auto HDR, Tru-Finder™ OLED electronic viewfinder, E-mount 18-55mm lens 

Compact Camera Redefined :

Want a camera that fits in your pocket or purse, yet offers the quality and performance of one nearly twice its size? The NEX-7 is it—complete with a massive 24.3MP APS-C sensor and a through-the-lens OLED electronic viewfinder. 

Choose from a range of available lenses to achieve the perfect composition, then give the conveniently-placed Tri-Navi™ dials a spin for instant manual control. 

With Full HD video and up to 10 fps, the NEX-7 delivers the professional performance of a DSLR in a gorgeous, easy-to-carry package you can take anywhere. 

Best in Class Resolution :

Bigger sensors equal better pictures. The NEX-7 boasts a huge, 24.3MP APS-C sensor—the same size sensor used in most DSLRs—for ultra-high resolution and incredibly-detailed photos that make for gorgeous enlargements. 

With a EXMOR CMOS sensor 13 times larger than the average compact camera, the NEX-7 offers the image quality and performance of a DSLR in about half the size and weight. 

10 Photos in 1 second :

Whether shooting a sequence of your preschooler's somersault, or the game-changing instant when ball meets bat, you're sure to capture the most critical moments with up to 10 fps continuous shooting at full 24.3MP resolution (exposure and focus fixed at the first frame). 

It's ideal for high-speed sports photography or capturing the fast, fleeting moments other cameras miss. Standard continuous shooting is also available at up to 2.5 fps. 

Make HD Movie Magic :

Record crystal-clear HD movies in super-smooth 60p, standard 60i or richly-cinematic 24p—all at Full HD 1920 x 1080 resolution (records in 29-minute segments).

Shoot in the industry-standard AVCHD™ codec for stunning fast-motion video with reduced distortion, or choose the web-friendly MP4 format for easy uploading to sites like Facebook^® and YouTube™. 

Control at your finger tips :

Looking for a quick and intuitive way to set aperture, exposure, ISO and more—faster than ever? Three Tri-Navi control dials put everything at your fingertips for convenient manual control of aperture, exposure, ISO and more. You see the results instantly through the viewfinder or on the camera's tiltable 3.0" LCD. It's the perfect feature for experienced photographers who want immediate, hands-on access to up to three controls at once.  

World's first OLED Viewfinder :

There's never been anything quite like the Tru-Finder™ OLED electronic viewfinder, which brings eye-level, through-the-lens viewing to the NEX-7. Boasting 2359K dots and a high contrast ratio for top resolution and unprecedented brightness, images pop with clarity and detail making it easier than ever to compose your shots. You can even see the results of camera adjustments in real time through the viewfinder.

Fascinating Picture Effects :

Let your imagination run free with 11 in-camera creative effects. Transform ordinary portraits into colorful, high-contrast works of art with Pop Color. Get the tilt-shift photography look with Miniature effect. Try Toy Camera for a nostalgic, lo-fi feel, or make your focal point pop with Partial Color effect. Plus, experiment with Posterization, Retro Photo, Soft Focus and more for unique photos you'll love to show off.  

For specification and Price Details Click Here

For more information click on the camera  

 

Nokia Lumia 920

Nokia Lumia 920 The world's most innovative smartphone, Nokia's next
generation Lumia family comes with a unique lens that lets you take a series
of photos with a single click.

You can combine smiles, edit images and enhance in an instant to create that perfect shot that never took place. When you’re done, use the Mosaic tool to build a story from six images. Then upload your snaps straight away for your friends to see.

Nokia City Lens :

With City Lens you can discover all your city has to offer around you, just by looking through your camera display.

Just hold your phone up and watch nearby restaurants, hotels, and other businesses pop up on your screen. 

You can find suggestions on where to eat. Find the nearest bars. Then read reviews, get phone numbers, link to websites or create a list of places to visit another time. 

Innovative Design, Wireless Charging and Swappable Shells :

The new Lumia family is designed with loads of special features. 

Like wireless charging built in. Just place your phone on its plate to boost the battery.

There are lots of wireless chargers to choose from – including the beautiful Nokia Wireless Charging Plate and the Charging Pillow by Fatboy. And if you want to charge the Lumia 820 wirelessly, just add a Wireless Shell.

With a range of colours on offer you can pick one that suits you. And get new accessories like speakers and headsets to match.

Nokia Music :

With Nokia Music you can stream music on your phone, completely free.There’s no sign-up and no subscription. Just a massive library of tracks and customised playlists based on your favourite artists.

It works offline, too – download a playlist onto your phone and you can listen to it whenever you want. We’ve also got great accessories to make listening even better – like a Nokia Purity Pro Stereo Headset from Monster. Or our new JBL Portable Wireless Speaker. All designed to look great with your Lumia. 

Use Real Office in the Real World :

Nokia Lumia Windows 8 smartphones come with full-versions of Microsoft Office, Outlook and Internet Explorer 10. So you can create and edit Microsoft PowerPoint, Excel and Word documents when you’re out and about, and browse easier than ever.

You can also sync all your work files on your PC and phone using SkyDrive. And if you need to share documents with colleagues, you can use SharePoint or Office 365 servers to make sure everything stays safe.

Live Tiles :

Once you’ve tried Live Tiles, you’ll wonder what you did without them.

Powered by Windows 8, each tile gives you instant access to your favourite apps, contacts, Facebook, emails and tweets on your homescreen. You can pin new tiles up any time, move them around on screen and change their size. The tiles update in real-time when anything new happens. So you stay up-to-date with everything – all in a glance. 

For specification details cleck here

For more information Click on Nokia Logo 

Intel® Xeon Processors and Xeon Phi™ Co-Processors Promise to Power World's Most Efficient HPC Data Center

SANTA CLARA, Calif., Sept. 5, 2012 – Signaling its commitment to energy-efficient high- performance computing, Intel Corporation today announced that it will work with HP to help design and provide the U.S. 

Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) with a supercomputing system that will drive research across a number of energy-related initiatives, including renewable energy and energy-efficient technologies. The new High Performance Computer (HPC) data center promises to become one of the world's most efficient installations.

The system is scheduled to deliver full compute capacity in the summer of 2013 and will feature approximately 3,200 Intel® Xeon® processors including current-generation Intel® Xeon® processor E5-2670, future 22nm Ivy Bridge based processors and approximately 600 new Intel® Xeon Phi™ co-processors. The total peak performance of the system is expected to exceed 1 Petaflop (equivalent to a thousand trillion floating point operations per second) and it will be the largest supercomputer dedicated solely to renewable energy and energy efficiency research. Leading energy-efficient capabilities of Intel Xeon processors and Intel® Xeon Phi™ co-processors combined with the new HP warm water cooling solution and innovative data center design will result in this facility likely being the world's most efficient data center with a power usage effectiveness (PUE) rating of 1.06 or better.

"The heart of NREL is based on a powerful combination of the Intel Xeon processor E5 product family, which leads the data center industry in performance per watt, and Intel Xeon Phi co-processors which are setting new records for energy efficiency," said Raj Hazra, vice president and general manager of Intel Technical Computing Group. "We are proud that the very best energy-efficient processing technology in computing is the foundation for the supercomputer that will drive the research for renewable energy and energy-efficient technologies."

Data Center Nearly Twice as Efficient as Industry Average

The data center industry uses the PUE rating as the standard measurement to describe the power usage effectiveness and measure the efficiency of any given site. The ideal PUE rating would be 1.0, and PUE of 2.0 means that for every watt of power used for IT equipment, an additional watt is used in overhead like cooling systems. According to the EPA's Energy Star Program*, a typical PUE is 1.92. With a PUE rating for this system expected to be 1.06 or better,NREL's installation will be nearly twice efficient as average.

"At NREL, we have taken a holistic approach to sustainable computing," said Steve Hammond, NREL Computational Science director. "This new system will allow NREL to increase our computational capabilities while being mindful of energy and water used. We will take advantage of both the bytes of information produced and the BTUs produced. The new HPC system will dramatically improve our modeling and simulations capabilities used to advance energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies as well as energy system integration. At the same time, NREL's partnership with Intel and HP will demonstrate best-in-class for energy-efficient computing and data center design and will provide a laboratory for collaborative research to address future energy challenges in HPC systems and data centers."

Intel and HP experts worked with data center designers at NREL to leverage innovative warm water liquid cooling technology to maximize the reuse of heat. There will not be any traditional mechanical or compressor-based cooling systems; the "waste heat" from the computer system will be used as the primary heat source in the adjacent office and lab space. Excess heat can also be exported to other areas of the NREL campus. The data center design is compact, resulting in short runs for both electrical and plumbing components.

Intel Xeon Phi: A Key Ingredient

One of the key ingredients in making this facility energy and performance efficient was the inclusion of the upcoming Intel® Xeon Phi™ co-processors. Made using Intel's 22nm 3-D tri-Gate transistor technology, the co-processors based on Intel Many Integrated Core (MIC) architecture offer a combination of leading performance efficiency and friendly programming model, allowing developers to achieve great performance at low energy and time cost associated with optimizing applications for taking full advantage of new technology. NREL was participating in the software development for Intel MIC architecture, and spent only a few days to port a half-million lines of code of the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) application to prepare for taking full advantage of the energy efficiency and performance of Intel Xeon Phi cores. WRF is one of several atmospheric modeling tools NREL is deploying in wind energy research.

"The idea is to make wind power compelling from a cost-of-energy standpoint," said John Michalakes, NREL HPC scientist. "Modeling the wind energy systemfrom meteorological to turbine scales means squeezing every last ounce of performance from our simulations, and the ability to develop and optimize using the same software ecosystem as the host Intel Xeon processor is a tremendous boost for application performance, scaling and programmer productivity."

Intel is committed to driving energy efficiency in its products and manufacturing operations. Intel's IT organization continues to improve the energy efficiency of the company's data centers and completed projects that have saved nearly 120 million kWh of energy over the past 2 years. Additionally, Intel has invested more than $58 million in resource conservation and efficiency projects to reduce energy use in operations, saving more than 825 million kWh of energy since 2001.

For more information click on intel logo   

Intel Aims to Streamline Development and Deployment of Intelligent Signs with New Digital Signage Kit

SANTA CLARA, Calif., Sept. 5, 2012 – Retailers and advertisers are increasingly turning to digital signage to explore new ways to attract and engage consumers. However, evaluating digital signage solutions involves a costly, time-intensive process of collecting and integrating software and licenses before ever beginning content creation. Addressing this growing need, Intel Corporation today announced the next-generation Digital Signage Evaluation Kit-12 (DSEK-12) designed to streamline the digital signage evaluation process, reduce costs and enable faster deployment across a range of market segments including retail, healthcare and transportation.

The DSEK-12 features technologies from Intel, Kontron* and Microsoft* in a pre-loaded and validated system. The kit includes an OPS-compliant Kontron media player KOPS800 based on 3rd generation Intel^® Core^TM processors as well as a 180-day evaluation copy of Windows Embedded POSReady 7. In addition, demos of Content Creation and Content Management Software (CMS) from Flypaper* and Scala* are included.

"Retailers and advertisers are exploring digital signage as a new avenue to convey their message in enticing and engaging ways for consumers," said Jose Avalos, director of Visual Retail at Intel. "In fact, we believe the global market for digital signage will reach 10 million media players and a corresponding 22 million digital signs by 2015. The new Intel solution helps streamline the development and deployment process of digital signage, allowing companies to spend more time crafting engaging content and less time dealing with software integration."

Additionally, the DSEK-12 comes pre-loaded with Intel^® Audience Impression Metrics (Intel^® AIM Suite), a software solution designed to deliver personalized content to consumers while providing retailers and advertisers with valuable analytics. The software anonymously monitors viewer metrics, such as gender, age bracket and length of attention, and analyzes the data in real-time. The kit also features Intel® vPro™ Technology for easy platform management.

With the incorporation of Windows Embedded POSReady 7, developers can create innovative media experiences, rich interactive applications and compelling user interfaces.

"Working with Intel and Kontron helps us deliver the flexibility of Windows to developers driving innovation across the digital signage environment," said Cuong Pham, product manager for Windows Embedded at Microsoft. "Providing these tools in a cohesive package helps companies enjoy the real-time benefits of intelligent systems while bringing an engaging, targeted experience to customers."

Once software development is completed, the developer can choose to use the entire kit or uncouple the Kontron media player KOPS800 and deploy that portion directly into any Open Pluggable Specification (OPS) compatible monitor. This modular approach enables optimal scalability for different graphics and processing performance needs without sacrificing overall time to market.

"The DSEK-12 enables quicker solution deployments by enabling a simplified, integrated development environment," said Kevin Rhoads, vice president of Embedded Products at Kontron. "With its out-of-the-box support for multiple leading content provider platforms and displays, customers now have a choice for quick digital signage content development and deployment."

The DSEK-12 is available for purchase now from Kontron and through the distribution channels of Avnet and Arrow.

For more information click on intel logo  

Citi Named Best Foreign Commercial Bank in China

Shanghai, China – Citi has been named by FinanceAsia magazine as the “Best Foreign Commercial Bank in China” in 2012.

Andrew Au, Chief Executive Officer, Citi China, said: “We thank FinanceAsia for its recognition of our work in China. 2012 marks the 200th anniversary for Citi globally, and it is also the 110th anniversary for us in China. It has been another strong and robust year for us, as we saw continuous development and growth momentum across all our businesses in China.”

Commenting on the decision to grant Citi China its award, the editors of FinanceAsia noted: “In the year that many foreign banks became cautious and slowed their investment in the world’s second-biggest economy, Citi has remained committed, and its efforts have certainly paid off. During the past year, the bank has performed strongly across multiple business lines. Most notably, it received regulatory approval to become the first international bank in China to launch a card business under its own brand. The card business will likely fuel Citi’s growth momentum in China. Citi’s card approval came shortly after receiving preliminary approval to establish a securities joint venture with Orient Securities, a local Shanghai brokerage firm owned by the city’s municipal government.”

In August 2012, Citi Orient Securities Company Ltd., a joint venture between Citi and leading domestic firm Orient Securities, went operational. The joint-venture will engage in investment banking business in the Chinese domestic market, including equity and debt securities underwriting. Shortly after that, Citi announced the issuance of its sole-branded credit card in China, making it the first global bank to do so in China.

“China remains one of Citi's highest priority markets in the world,” Mr. Au added. “We continue to invest and grow in China. With the new securities joint venture and credit card offering, we are in a better position to provide both our corporate and retail customers a more comprehensive suite of products and services, as we strive to bring value to them.”

For more information click on Citi Logo   

Citi Czech Republic Launches New Service Citi Global Banking

Prague, Czech Republic – Citibank Europe plc has introduced Citi Global Banking, a new service utilizing Citibank's wide international network of branches to facilitate more convenient banking between the Czech Republic and foreign countries for Citi clients.

The new service enables clients to take care of all necessary administration related to opening a bank account with Citibank in foreign countries before leaving their place of residence, free of charge. At the same time, expats who are planning to live in the Czech Republic can open their new bank account before arriving to the Czech Republic. Citigold clients can automatically use their account and related services abroad if they fulfill requirements for the Citigold program.

"We believe that Citi Global Banking will be appreciated by all Citi clients who regularly travel abroad, for work or privately, as well as by expats living long-term in the Czech Republic," said Veronika Španárová, Retail Bank Head at Citibank. "Launching the Citi Global Banking service is in-line with our long term strategy to focus on customer care and convenience."

Citi Global Banking enables opening and managing a bank account with Citibank in any of the 30 countries where the service is offered and through the Global Support Centers free of charge.

Visit Citi Global Banking, Czech new website www.citibank.cz.

For more information Click on Citi Logo  

Citi Hungary and NESsT Announce Winners of 2012 Social Enterprise Competition

Budapest, Hungary – On August 29, NESsT and Citibank announced the winners of the 2011/2012 NESsT-Citibank For-Profit Social Enterprise Development Program, which supports the development of for-profit social enterprises in Hungary. Anna Horvath, NESsT Enterprise Development Manager in Hungary, and Batara Sianturi, Citi Country Officer for Hungary, presented the awards to the winners at the ceremony.

Hungary CCO Batara Sianturi (back row, center) with Citi and NESsT colleagues together with the representatives of the award-winning social enterprises at the Award Ceremony.

NESsT defines social enterprises as businesses designed to solve critical social problems. The for-profit social enterprises sell products and services, their activities being undertaken in the context of a social mission, such as supporting job creation for underprivileged people or addressing an environmental issue. Operating in the private sector, these businesses seek to balance both profits and mission to maximize financial gain and social impact.

With 10 business plans, nine for-profit social enterprises participated in a 10-month, NESsT-run program consisting of a series of business planning training and coaching, as well as developing financing methods to improve their bottom line and increase their social impact. At the end of the program, three businesses were selected for developing the most successful business plans and were awarded US$20,000 to grow their enterprises. In addition, they will enter the NESsT portfolio, which includes a one-year advisory and training opportunity worth over US $5,000 each.

Batara Sianturi, Citi Country Officer for Hungary, said: "Economic empowerment of small and growing businesses is one of the key focus areas of our community programs at Citi around the world, and this program is an excellent fit. The tremendous positive feedback we received from the participating businesses reinforces our vision for this joint program with NESsT; we believe that, by focusing on innovative solutions and delivering an approach that goes beyond just philanthropy, we are building social enterprises and supporting them in gaining more space and attention in the profit sector."

Twenty-five Citibank volunteers contributed to the development of the businesses as business-plan evaluators, mentors and in some cases as co-trainers. They appreciated the methodology of the program and admitted that they also had a lot to learn from the businesses.

Borbala Vaczi, co-owner of "Matyodesign," one of the winning social enterprises, said: "During the program, NESsT staff helped us structure our various development ideas and select a business strategy with the most potential for sustainably growing our business in the long run."

The 2011/2012 NESsT-Citibank For-Profit Social Enterprise Development Program is supported by the Citi Foundation. The program will continue with the 2012/2013 competition to be announced this autumn.

Award-winning businesses – receiving funding and a year of advisory and training:

Alko-soft Bt. (Budapest) – Award: US$8,000
Alko-soft helps individuals and smaller enterprises by offering solutions to their IT problems, provides IT support for people with visual impairment, promotes ICT accessibility, and also produces and distributes special software products, systems and utilities for the visually impaired.

Hazikence Tanoda Kft. (Budapest) – Award: US$6,000
Hazikence offers complex training courses on know-how of natural cosmetics. As a result of their courses, several participants managed to establish their own enterprises, which are further supported by Hazikence through a professional-technological background that also includes a rentable accredited workshop.

Matyodesign (Budapest, Tard) – Award: US$6,000
Matyodesign creates and designs clothes that are hand-embroidered and decorated with traditional Matyo motifs and are suitable for everyday wear. Their mission is to support the Matyo culture to find its place in the 21st century and to help Matyo women in making their knowledge and skills recognized and their work fruitful and well-paid.

To Learn More About NESsT, Please Visit www.nesst.org.

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Lenovo IdeaCentre A720 57-306677 - THE WORLD ’S SLIMMEST 27 inch ALL-IN-ONE PC

The IdeaCentre A720 is a rare combination of up-to-the-minute technology and contemporary style. While it boasts a large, 27" screen, the A720 All-in-One is ultra-slim and a delight to use.

But don't take our word for it: At this year's International Consumer Electonics Show, the A720 raked in the awards, winning Best Desktop from PCMag.com, Best All-in-One Desktop from Computer Shopper, and Best Desktop from PCWorld.

What's more, the IdeaCentre A720 Desktop marks a dramatic advance in comfortably using an all-in-one touchscreen PC. The smartly designed display mount allows you to adjust it across a huge range — from -5 degrees to 90 degrees.

That means you can watch it in a vertical position like a PC or television, slope it gently for relaxed touchscreen use, or slide it into a fully horizontal position to play two-person touch games.

* 10-point multitouch technology provides a compelling user interface.
* The IdeaCentre A720 is the slimmest 27" desktop on the market at the time
   of its release.
* HD video, Dolby® Home Theater™ and stereo speakers and an optional
   Blu-ray Disc™ drive turn the IdeaCentre A720 into a home entertainment hub.

IdeaCentre A720 packed with these specifications

* Intel Core i7 3610QM (2.30 Ghz/ 6MB L2
   Cache) NVIDIA Ge Force GT 630M - 2GB
   Graphics
* 4GB DDR3,  750 GB HDD

* DVDRW
* 27" Multi Touch FULL HD Screen
* 10 Point Multi Touch
* Dedicated 2GB NVIDIA Graphics
* Adjustable Screen( -5 to 90 degree)
* Blue Ray Drive
* HDMI In & Out
* 3-3-3 Year Warranty

*Trademarks: Lenovo, ThinkPad, ThinkCentre, ThinkStation, IdeaPad, IdeaCentre and the Lenovo logo are trademarks of Lenovo. Microsoft, Windows, Windows NT, and the Windows logo are trademarks of Microsoft Corporation. Celeron, Celeron Inside, Centrino, Centrino Logo, Core Inside, Intel, Intel Logo, Intel Core, Intel Inside, Intel Inside Logo, Intel Viiv, Intel vPro, Itanium, Itanium Inside, Pentium, Pentium Inside, Xeon, and Xeon Inside are trademarks or registered trademarks of Intel Corporation or its subsidiaries in the United States and other countries. Other company, product or service names may be trademarks or service marks of others.
  

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