Air China Starts Beijing-Geneva Flights

BEIJING /PRNewswire/ — Had enough of smog and PM2.5? Want urban creature comforts, pristine air, and glassy lakes? The Beijing – Geneva non-stop flights that Air China commenced on May 7 has made Geneva, the world’s second most livable city, much more accessible to East Asia.
A Capital of All Nations
As the “Capital of All Nations,” Geneva is where the world converges. The League of Nations, the predecessor of the United Nations, was born here. Now, Geneva is home to over 200 leading international organizations, including, among others, the United Nations European headquarters, the International Labor Organization, the International Committee of the Red Cross, and the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom. Geneva is where United Nations alone meets over 8,000 times each year and almost all important issues of the world are discussed. The city is also home to the European headquarters of such leading multinational corporations as Procter & Gamble, Serono, and Firmenich. Geneva is the world’s epicurean center with its 1,100 restaurants; it is one of the world’s most exciting places to eat, with alfresco restaurants and cafes strewn throughout the city where both locals and visitors can shoot the breeze and enjoy the sun over a cup of coffee or a glass of fine wine.
An Easy Journey
Before Air China commenced Beijing-Geneva rotations, Geneva had never been linked by nonstop flights with Beijing and even the entire East Asia, and thus Chinese travelers bound for Geneva had to make transfers elsewhere. Now, Air China’s Beijing-Geneva route spares passengers the trouble of having to make transfers and thusly tremendously cuts the time they have to spend on the whole journey. It also offers an additional flight option to travelers to and from Tokyo, Seoul, Hong Kong, Bangkok, and Manila.
The opening of the nonstop service Beijing-Geneva has increased the number of European destinations served by Air China to 12. It’s a worthy addition to the carrier’s extensive network serving Frankfurt, Munich, Dusseldorf, and other European destinations.
Air China’s Beijing-Geneva Route:
The Beijing – Geneva nonstop flights, CA861/862, are offered four times a week. The outbound flight departs from Beijing at 13:30 Beijing time and arrives in Geneva at 18:25 local time; the return flight departs from Geneva at 20:25 local time and arrives in Beijing at 12:55 the following day.
Source: Air China

Surround Video Makes Producing Panoramic Video Easy for Everyone

GRONINGEN, The Netherlands, July 2, 2013 /PRNewswire/ —

On Tuesday, Surround Video will officially introduce the first end-to-end system to make panoramic video. With this video equipment, everyone will now be able to make and broadcast their own panoramic video recordings.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130702/625289)

The Dutch company’s video system mainly distinguishes itself by its simplicity and ease of use. The recording and broadcasting of video images require the user to only take a few steps. “In fact, all you have to do is connect an internet cable to the device and to an internet connection and you are ready to record and broadcast straight away,” according to Marc Groothelm, Managing Director of Surround Video.

Part of the recording system is a special camera with six separate lenses: five in a horizontal circle and one pointed upwards. The signals of those lenses are sent to a so-called “base unit”, a processing device with a touch screen which processes the separate video images to one seamless whole and transmits it to an online distribution platform. From there the images can be distributed online.

The result is a panoramic video, which is shown inside a virtual sphere. In this sphere, viewers can decide for themselves, where they want to look, by using a mouse, a touch screen or the gyroscope in their smart phone or tablet. The Groningen company’s technique most closely resembles that of Google Streetview, the most important difference being that Surround Video involves panoramic video instead of stills.

“Many producers of TV shows or other forms of video have difficulties providing compelling, additional content online. With panoramic videos they would be able to offer their viewers much more complementary information on already successful ‘traditional’ formats through their online channels — both live and on demand – about recording locations, storylines or actors. With Surround Video they can fully leverage all interactive functionalities the Internet has to offer,” explains Groothelm.

Statistics show that panoramic video material is catching on. People watch panoramic video images three times over on average; a huge difference compared to online traditional video materials.

Moreover, thanks to the simplicity of the Surround Video system, video producers do not or hardly have to change anything in the way they work. “Our system fits into the existing work flows”, according to Groothelm.
Source: Surround Video

“Adecco Launches Specialty Recruitment Business in Asia to Support the Region’s Expanding Luxury Retail Sector”

“Adecco Retail opens in Hong Kong, Singapore and Taiwan”
SINGAPORE /PRNewswire/ — Adecco Asia has today announced the launch of a regional network of offices that will provide staffing and recruitment services to Asia’s fast growing luxury retail sector. Adecco operations in Hong Kong, Singapore and Taiwan — all wholly owned subsidiaries of the world’s leading HR company — The Adecco Group — will leverage on existing relationships and create new partnerships with brands involved in the exclusive and expanding luxury retail sector in Asia.
The launch of a specialty recruitment business in the luxury retail sector is timely for Adecco, with Asia being one of the world’s most important markets for luxury brand purchases — due in part to increasing consumer affluence in the region’s emerging markets. Indeed, the fastest global growth in luxury goods sales in 2013 is expected to be seen in South East Asia — with analysts predicting a 20% increase.
Adecco subsidiaries in Asia have supported the retail sector since 1984, when the organisation first established operations in the region. The company’s ability to effectively recruit boutique store managers and other key retail personnel, prompted its recent decision to further segment this sector to be able to quickly identify talent to match to roles with the world’s leading luxury brands with a presence in Hong Kong, Singapore and Taiwan.
“As we continue to see luxury boutiques opening across the Asia region, it is evident that the brands that can identify the best talent will have the opportunity to grow the fastest. With the talent crunch that exists in many regional markets, those organisations that are highly focused on both recruitment and effective employee retention will clearly have an edge. In Asia, Adecco has already been successful in supporting recruitment initiatives in this area and by establishing a niche specialty business, will play an even greater role in how this sector develops across the region”, commented Christophe Duchatellier, CEO, Adecco Asia.
About Adecco
The Adecco Group, based in Zurich, Switzerland, is the world’s leading provider of HR solutions. With over 31,000 FTE employees and over 5,200 branches, in over 60 countries and territories around the world, Adecco Group offers a wide variety of services, connecting more than 650,000 associates with over 100,000 clients every day. The services offered fall into the broad categories of temporary staffing, permanent placement, career transition and talent development, as well as outsourcing and consulting. The Adecco Group is a Fortune Global 500 company.
In Asia, Adecco operates a network of offices in mainland China, Hong Kong, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam.
For further information, please contact:
Ian Grundy, Head, Marketing & Communications,
Adecco Asia
Tel: +65-6835-3400
e-mail: ian.grundy@adecco.com
web: adecco-asia.com
Source: Adecco Group

Frost & Sullivan: New Concepts in Urban Rail Rolling Stock Change the Transportation Landscape

A decade of flurried development in light rail systems is accelerating the entry of new technologies and participants

LONDON, July 2, 2013 /PRNewswire/ — Steady increase in passenger volumes is powering demand for rolling stock systems in the Western European urban rail market. Intensifying competition has furthered market growth and fuelled adoption of new products and participants in the market, which underwent heavy consolidation between 2000 and 2010. The urban rail market is seeing the successful adoption of concepts such as trams on tyres or the wide scale implementation of automated people mover (APM) systems that were until recently used in airports to connect terminals.

New analysis from Frost & Sullivan (http://www.automotive.frost.com), Strategic Analysis of Growth Opportunities in the Western European Urban Rail Market for Rolling Stock Systems, finds that a total of 10,201 rolling stock – 5,475 light rail vehicles, 3,961 metro vehicles, and 765 APM vehicles (new orders and replacements combined) will be delivered by 2021 across Europe.

Integration of mobility in urban Europe is happening at a rapid pace and urban rail is one of the most important enablers for this trend. As a result, strong orders are expected in the light rail and APM system segments.

“Increasing operational demands and passenger volumes are pushing operators to place orders for new rolling stock,” noted Frost & Sullivan Research Analyst Shyam Raman. “Replacements for aging fleet will also push up the level of new orders. Most of the trams in service today are operating at light rail capacities and Frost & Sullivan analysis has identified 2,156 light rail rolling stock in Germany, Italy and Sweden alone that are nearing or have crossed 35 years of active service.”

However, the current economic crisis in the Eurozone is causing funding difficulties for urban rail projects. Under severe pressure to reduce debt levels, governments in the region are being very conservative in releasing funds for public projects. In addition, the lack of regulation in the urban rail market causes project costs to vary widely by country and even by individual lines. This creates further uncertainty for light rail promoters and policy makers in developing strong action plans that convince all stakeholders, including the public.

Nonetheless, regional governments are trying novel ways to bolster the economy. Their aim to create direct and indirect jobs through the development of infrastructure and public transport will result in new projects and regulations that raise demand in the services sector. For instance, the French government levies a 1-2 per cent tax on the payroll of companies with more than nine employees in most cities, which goes toward funding and modernising transport networks. In 2011, 62.3 per cent of the funding for all projects in Paris – an estimated €3.09 billion – was from this tax.

As cities grow old and certain sections of urban areas fall into decline, government agencies encourage land redevelopment to revitalise the economy of the city. Urban rail systems have proven in several cases – like the London Dockland Railways – that new economic city areas can be generated.

“The increasing pace of urbanisation will lead to the integration of the core city centre with the suburbs and daughter cities, resulting in the expansion of city limits,” observed Raman. “This will have a massive impact on mobility, fuelling the development of rail networks and driving rolling stock orders.”

If you are interested in more information on Frost & Sullivan’s study Strategic Analysis of Growth Opportunities in the Western European Urban Rail Market for Rolling Stock Systems, please send an e-mail to Katja Feick, Corporate Communications, at katja.feick@frost.com, with your full contact details.

Strategic Analysis of Growth Opportunities in the Western European Urban Rail Market for Rolling Stock Systems (M77E-18) is part of the Automotive & Transportation Growth Partnership Service program. Frost & Sullivan’s related research services include: Strategic Insight on Global Rail Market, Strategic Analysis of the Global Market for Bus Rapid Transit Systems (BRT), Strategic Analysis of the European And North American Rail Infotainment Market, Strategic Analysis of Passenger Safety for Urban Rail in Malaysia. All research services included in subscriptions provide detailed market opportunities and industry trends evaluated following extensive interviews with market participants.

About Frost & Sullivan

Frost & Sullivan, the Growth Partnership Company, works in collaboration with clients to leverage visionary innovation that addresses the global challenges and related growth opportunities that will make or break today’s market participants.

Our “Growth Partnership” supports clients by addressing these opportunities and incorporating two key elements driving visionary innovation: The Integrated Value Proposition and The Partnership Infrastructure.

The Integrated Value Proposition provides support to our clients throughout all phases of their journey to visionary innovation including: research, analysis, strategy, vision, innovation and implementation.
The Partnership Infrastructure is entirely unique as it constructs the foundation upon which visionary innovation becomes possible. This includes our 360 degree research, comprehensive industry coverage, career best practices as well as our global footprint of more than 40 offices.

For more than 50 years, we have been developing growth strategies for the global 1000, emerging businesses, the public sector and the investment community. Is your organisation prepared for the next profound wave of industry convergence, disruptive technologies, increasing competitive intensity, Mega Trends, breakthrough best practices, changing customer dynamics and emerging economies?

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Contact:
Katja Feick
Corporate Communications – Europe
P: +49 (0) 69 7703343
E: katja.feick@frost.com
http://www.frost.com
Twitter: @Frost_Sullivan or @FS_Automotive
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Join our Forum on LinkedIn: Future of Mobility
Source: Frost & Sullivan

ME System Launches ME Clock & ME Clock App

A new program designed to retrain the mind and emotions.

NEW YORK, July 2, 2013 /PRNewswire/ — ME System, a London-based company, announces the launch of the ME Clock and app, a revolutionary personal trainer for the mind that helps people reshape the way they achieve their goals and overcome challenges.

The ME Clock provides a relaxing, empowering workout for one’s thoughts and emotions by combining life coaching, meditation, hypnosis, and counseling philosophies. The programs are based on 10 years of intensive practice and research by ME System co-founder Mike Squirrell, an expert in the fields of mind-body healing, integrated medicine, and lifestyle coaching.

“The ME Clock takes the science behind a concept that we know works, and packages it for anyone to access on their own time,” explains Mike Squirrell. “The quantified self movement has been propelled by tracking products like the Nike Fuel Band, Fit Bit and the Jawbone Up, but what do you do once you’ve tracked your habits and deficiencies, and these products outgrow their use? ME System provides a training rather than a tracking solution to people’s problems.”

Each ME Clock delivers up to 50 hours of audio messaging sequences, comes with three 21-day cycles, and works in 3 steps – before, during, and after sleep. The additional 12 ME Programs, which can be downloaded for the clock or app (for both Android and iPhone), target the area in one’s life in which they want to achieve change and personal growth.

For a limited time, ME System is offering the 7-Day ME 101 Challenge in which every ME Clock app download will come free with the ME 101 Starter program, allowing users to try the program for 7 days and kick-start their journey towards additional ME programs. Until the end of September, the ME Clock will also include all 12 ME Programs for free.

The ME Clock is available for $299.99 and the additional ME Programs each cost $19.99 at http://www.me-clock.com.

About ME System
ME System is a product innovation company that deploys breakthrough science and technology to create and deliver life-changing products – across the health and wellness, lifestyle design, and personal development sectors – enabling people to “be the ME they want to BE”. ME System was founded in 2012 by Mike Squirrell, an integrated medicine expert and personal development coach, and Mark von Herkomer, an entrepreneur behind many successful health and wellness brands. Through their combined experience, they formed ME System to bring groundbreaking products to market using the latest methodologies from neuroscience, medicine, and technology.

For more information please visit http://www.me-clock.com or follow the team on twitter @ME_System.

Marlie Pattillo
Krupp Kommunications
+1-212-886-6710
mpattillo@kruppnyc.com
Source: ME System

1 in 5 Phishing Attacks Target Banks and Other Financial Organizations

High number of attacks highlights need for proper protection to keep users’ money safe from fraudsters

SINGAPORE, July 2, 2013 /PRNewswire/ — Every fifth phishing attack registered between May 2012 and late April 2013 targeted users of banks and other financial organizations. That figure emerged from research into the evolution of phishing threats carried out by Kaspersky Lab specialists using data from the cloud-based Kaspersky Security Network.

According to Kaspersky Lab, 20.64% of all phishing threats registered between May 2012 and April 2013 were aimed at accounts of banks and other financial organizations worldwide.

The data received from Kaspersky Security Network is indirectly confirmed by the banks: according to the results of a global survey conducted in spring 2013 by B2B International and Kaspersky Lab, about 37% of all banks surveyed were affected by phishing attacks at least once over the previous 12 months.

It’s no surprise that banking and e-commerce has attracted unwanted criminal attention: even a successful attack on search pages, social networks, or email can only yield personal data. To turn a profit, cybercriminals must find buyers for this information. However, successfully using fake online banking or shopping pages leads directly to earnings for the scammers.

But despite the widespread dangers of phishing attacks, simply installing a security product with the necessary functionality to protect financial operations will protect even the most inexperienced users when conducting transactions online.

Safe Money technology – safe online banking and shopping

Kaspersky Lab’s products for home users – Kaspersky Internet Security and Kaspersky PURE – protect online financial operations by implementing our Safe Money technology. A key feature of the technology is that it was developed based on analysis of the techniques used by fraudsters to attack users of online banking services and online stores.

Among its arsenal of protection technologies, Safe Money includes advanced anti-phishing features: for example, the technology prevents the execution of any potentially dangerous code in the browser, thus protecting the user against XSS attacks and attempts to automatically download malware from an infected site. Additionally, the technology checks that users are entering legitimate sites, thanks to its constantly updated database of trusted websites and phishing URLs. At the same time, the heuristic mechanisms integrated in the Kaspersky Lab products can effectively detect malicious links even if they are not included in the database.

Safe Money technology was first introduced in 2012 as part of Kaspersky Internet Security 2013. Since then its advantages have been appreciated by millions of users worldwide.

Jesmond Chang
Phone Number: +60379625913
Email: pr@kaspersky-sea.com or jesmond.chang@kaspersky.com
Source: Kaspersky Lab