Mediaboss Marketing

MINNETONKA, Minn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Digi International (NASDAQ: DGII - News) today released the iDigi Connector, a free software download that allows any device, regardless of manufacturer or operating system, to seamlessly connect to the iDigi Device Cloud™. This means any device, anywhere, can now connect to any Internet application.

“The iDigi Connector makes the iDigi Device Cloud a completely open platform and extends the benefits of cloud connectivity to any device in the world,” said Larry Kraft, senior vice president of global sales and marketing, Digi International. “It enables easy access and control of devices over the Internet making the ‘Internet of ANYthing’ a reality.”

The iDigi Connector features an extremely small memory footprint that will fit even in low-cost microcontrollers. It supports two-way messaging for full cloud-to-device messaging and control and works on any device operating system. By enabling access to the device from the application, new device types can be added to a network without changing the application. This allows organizations to maximize their investment in their applications. Additionally, any derivative works created with the iDigi Connector are the property of the developer.

The iDigi Device Cloud provides the infrastructure required to access, control, configure and upgrade devices securely over the Internet. It is a secure and scalable platform that meets the highest standards of reliability. With the iDigi Connector, the iDigi Device Cloud provides instant connectivity to any type of device from any manufacturer. This allows software developers to access the rich features of the iDigi Device Cloud, including device management tools and robust security capabilities.

For more information about the iDigi Device Cloud, visit http://www.idigi.com.

About Digi International

Digi International is making wireless M2M easy by developing reliable products and solutions to connect and securely manage local or remote electronic devices over the network or via the Web. Digi offers the highest levels of performance, flexibility and quality, and markets its products through a global network of distributors and resellers, systems integrators and original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). For more information, visit Digi's Web site at http://www.digi.com, or call 877-912-3444. All brand names and product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies.

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Digi Enables Internet of ANYthing with iDigi Connector

MARLBOROUGH, Mass., Feb. 28, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- ioBridge, Inc. (http://www.iobridge.com) is pleased to announce that Zodiac Pool Systems, Inc. (http://www.zodiacpoolsystems.com) selected ioBridge to provide Internet connectivity technology and cloud services for its new iAquaLink™ intelligent pool and spa control product. iAquaLink allows pool owners to control their pool from their smartphones using native apps for iPhone and Android or from web browsers.

"It's critically important to Zodiac and our Jandy Controls business to maintain our reputation for highly dependable, intuitive pool and spa automation," said David Goldman, Director of Product Development at Zodiac. "We're delighted to raise the bar yet again by incorporating ioBridge's technology to deliver an affordable solution that creates tremendous value for our builder / installer customers and the pool owner alike."

During technical evaluations, Zodiac was impressed by the ease of setup and operation of ioBridge's IO-204 Web gateway for allowing Internet control and monitoring of devices. Zodiac realized that ioBridge's technology could Internet-enable Zodiac's existing AquaLink® control system and add new features such as real-time control and monitoring and secure remote access.

"We are extremely proud to have been chosen by Zodiac to provide connectivity technology for their new iAquaLink intelligent pool control system," said Dr. Robert Mawrey, CEO of ioBridge. "The flexibility and accessibility of the ioBridge platform allows companies to enhance the value of their products. We believe that the iAquaLink is a wonderful example of an Internet-enabled product and that it provides a competitive edge that sets Zodiac apart from other pool and spa control system providers."

ioBridge specializes in providing manufacturers like Zodiac Pool Systems with technology and services that easily and cost-effectively Internet-enable new or existing products. 

Customers choose ioBridge's technology for the following reasons:

Ease of Installation and Operation: ioBridge's embedded devices are designed to be easy to install and manage. Devices connect securely and directly with ioBridge Cloud Services via an Internet connection. No port-forwarding or dynamic DNS configuration is required, making installation easy for consumers. ioBridge accommodates a large number of devices per server, which minimizes ongoing operating costs. Low Cost: Rather than using Linux on expensive CPUs, ioBridge's embedded technology uses low-cost microcontrollers and can leverage existing designs. ioBridge works with a wide range of connectivity solutions, including Wi-Fi, radio frequency, and Ethernet. Easy-to-Create New Applications: ioBridge provides a free Web-interface and user-configurable dashboard. Customers can create a new dashboard to monitor and control almost anything without writing any software. Adds Value to Products: ioBridge provides a set of technology building blocks that include embedded hardware and software modules and Web components, such as APIs, making it possible for existing or new products to be rapidly and cost-effectively Internet-enabled. Highly Scalable and Expandable: The cloud technology behind ioBridge is able to support 100,000 to 1,000,000 devices per server in low-traffic situations common to many Internet-enabled devices and remote monitoring applications. ioBridge provides an API that can be used to develop custom applications or to integrate with third-party systems.

Visit http://www.ioBridge.com for more applications and information on how ioBridge works with manufactures such as Zodiac. 

About ioBridge, Inc.

ioBridge, Inc. (http://www.iobridge.com) offers technology and services that allows almost anything to be Web-enabled and monitored and controlled over the Internet. ioBridge's technology includes a Web services platform that customers use to extend the technology for many applications. ioBridge provides OEM and commercial integration services and licensing of core, patent-pending embedded and cloud technologies.

CONTACT:

Hans Scharler
ioBridge, Inc.
Phone: 508-630-2165
Email: press@iobridge.com

This press release was issued through eReleases(R).  For more information, visit eReleases Press Release Distribution at http://www.ereleases.com.

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ioBridge Provides Internet Connectivity Technology and Cloud Services for New Intelligent Pool Control System by ...

Netflix doesn't have to sweat losing its big Starz Play movie library because viewers come to the Internet for their television fixes and Netflix has built up a pretty valuable store of TV selections in the last few months. As of last fall, the streaming service's executives estimated that show watching made up 50 to 60 percent of total viewing and analyst Richard Greenfield puts it even higher at 80 percent, reports The New York Times' Brian Stelter. Meanwhile, viewing of new release movies has gone down from 8 to 2 percent in the last year. And it's not just on Netflix. All over the Internet, TV reigns. 

RELATED: How to Survive on the Post-Starz Netflix

On Hulu, for example, the entire first page of top played content is full of television show episodes and not a single movie. As of September 2010, iTunes had sold over 450 million TV episode downloads, compared to 100 million movie downloads. This phenomenon says more about the nature of television watching, than it does about preferences. As long, addictive movies, TV shows have the potential hook users for longer periods of time than movies. A season of Mad Men, just one popular show Netflix offers, has four seasons available for streaming, 13 episodes per season, 48 minutes per episode, so there are hours and hours more to watch than any single movie. Numbers aren't available, but there's a good chance that by sheer volume, Netflix may have more television content in its library than movies, which could skew the stat. 

RELATED: The Movies You Won't Be Able to Watch on Netflix Anymore

We also think the Internet-television phenomenon has to do with what the Atlantic Wire's Ray Gustini calls small screen syndrome. Laptops look like television sets; not like big movie screens. We're conditioned to watch hours of bitty televisions shows on that type of screen, rather than films. It just feels natural. 

RELATED: No Matter What Time Warner Says, Cord Cutting Is Happening

Whatever the cause, this all works out for Netflix, as it is about to lose its Starz Play and has since invested in shows. Since news of the failed renewal deal Netflix has signed contracts with the CW, AMC; IFC; Sundance; WE; TLC; Discovery and Animal Planet on top of investing in its own original stuff. With hours more television options, Netflix won't feel empty. Plus, the Starz movie selection wasn't that great, anyway. 

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The Internet Was Made for Television

Wired up: These fiber-optic cables provide one-gigabit-per-second data to 150,000 homes and businesses in Chattanooga, Tennessee.
Chattanooga Electric Power Board

City with Superfast Internet Invites Innovators to Play

A Tennessee city with one-gigabit-per-second Internet runs a $300,000 contest to find ways of using it.

Tuesday, February 28, 2012 By David Talbot

Citizens in Chattanooga, Tennessee, have access to one-gigabit-per-second Internet—that's 100 times the U.S. national average, and fast enough to download a two-hour movie in about five seconds. The only question is: what to do with it?

The city is hoping a contest with $300,000 in prize money will help answer that question. Entrants are invited to come up with clever ways of making use of the city's blisteringly fast Internet, which was installed in late 2010 with a $111 million U.S. Department of Energy grant, as part of federal stimulus efforts that also built out the city utility's long-planned smart grid.

Some early entries include health-care applications, such as transferring larger files like CT scans in real-time so that specialists can serve a larger area. Ideas contributed by students include a platform for high-definition video debates, and international collaborations with students in Sri Lanka, London, Jamaica, and elsewhere.

But even if some great ideas come out of the contest, the fact remains that most people in the U.S. still have access to only relatively slow Internet connections. Late last year, the United States ranked 25th in the world for average available Internet speed. By the end of this year, South Korea, a world leader in Internet speed, will provide one-gigabit service nationwide for about $27 a month.

Furthermore, where superfast Internet is available in the U.S., it is typically prohibitively expensive. The Chattanooga service has been available for more than a year to 150,000 residential and commercial customers for $350 per month, but it has so far found only eight residential subscribers and 18 commercial ones.

Even so, in Tennessee they are optimistic that the contest will bring rewards. "Eventually, these fatter pipes will get filled with bandwidth-eating applications," says Jack Studer, partner at the Lamp Post Group, a VC firm in Chattanooga that, along with companies including Alcatel, Cisco, and IBM, is sponsoring the contests.

"What we are trying to do is inject some capital into innovation, with the goal of driving demand for higher-bandwidth networks and jump-start adoption across the country and world," Studer says. "We plan to do this for multiple years—in the second and third year, we may see a revolutionary jump to things we may not be thinking about now."

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City with Superfast Internet Invites Innovators to Play

February 28, 2012, 2:43 PM EST

By Belinda Cao

Feb. 29 (Bloomberg) -- Chinese Internet stocks climbed, led by Sina Corp., after the company said its Twitter-like Weibo service may start contributing to sales in the second half.

Sina, owner of China’s third-most visited website, jumped the most in four months and was the biggest gainer on the Bloomberg China-US 55 index of the most-traded Chinese stocks in the U.S. which added 1.7 percent to 108.57 by 1:08 p.m. in New York. Youku Inc., owner of China’s largest video sharing website, surged to a six-month high while Baidu Inc., operator of China’s biggest search engine, climbed to the highest level since Feb. 16 based on closing prices.

Shanghai-based Sina has jumped 37 percent this year as Weibo users rose by about 50 million to more than 300 million in the past three months, according to Chief Executive Officer Charles Chao. Prospects the government will take further steps to preserve Chinese growth, the fastest of major economies, has helped drive a 13.4 percent gain in the Bloomberg China-US 55 measure in 2012. Policy makers cut the reserve ratio for banks for the second time in three months on Feb. 24.

“China’s Internet stocks, especially the bigger names like Sina and Baidu, still have lots of room for growth going forward,” Agnes Deng, a Hong Kong-based portfolio manager whose $405 million Greater China Fund invests in Chinese equities, said in an interview at Bloomberg’s headquarters in New York yesterday. “China’s economy will be able to maintain growth of more than 8 percent” this year, she said.

Shanghai-based Sina leaped 13 percent to $71.25, poised for the biggest daily gain since Oct. 13.

‘Meaningful Monetization’

The company plans to start “meaningful monetization” from Weibo in the second half of 2012, CEO Chao said in a conference call yesterday.

“We do not expect that total monetization on Weibo will be significant this year,” he said. The company will start a Weibo-based display advertising system in the second quarter and several fee-based services beginning in the second half, Chao said.

Weibo may contribute $20 million to $30 million to Sina revenue in 2012, Andy Yeung, a New York-based analyst at Oppenheimer & Co Inc. wrote in a research note issued yesterday.

Net income of Sina totaled $9.3 million in the fourth quarter, from a net loss of $100 million a year earlier and a loss of $336.3 million in the previous three months, it said in a Feb. 27 statement.

Deng at the Greater China Fund said she is looking for better “valuation levels” to buy Internet stocks including Sina, after selling holdings of the company when its stock price reached $140 in April. The fund she manages has increased 18 percent this year after posting a 23 percent loss in 2011.

China ETF Climbs

The iShares FTSE China 25 Index Fund, the biggest Chinese exchange-traded fund in the U.S., climbed 1.5 percent to $40.31 yesterday, extending a 3.8 percent advance this month. The Standard & Poor’s 500 Index added 0.3 percent to 1,371.57, set for the highest close since June 2008.

Beijing-based Youku advanced 8.3 percent to $24.93 in New York and was poised for the highest close since Aug. 31.

The company is scheduled to report its fourth-quarter results on March 14. Sales for the quarter probably rose 97 percent from a year earlier to 300.07 million yuan ($47.6 million), according to the average estimate of five analysts in a Bloomberg survey. That would exceed the company’s previous forecast of 297.3 million yuan.

Youku competitor Tudou Holdings Ltd., China’s second- largest video sharing website, advanced 4.5 percent to $15.89. Renren Inc., a Beijing-based social networking website, jumped 8.6 percent to $5.58, set for the highest closing level this month.

Beijing-based E-Commerce China Dangdang Inc., the biggest Internet-based online book retailer in China, advanced 8.1 percent to $6.79 in New York, the biggest gain in a month. Baidu jumped 2.7 percent to $138.12.

Sohu.com Inc., which owns the third-biggest search engine, rose 5 percent to $51.44 while online games operator NetEase.com Inc. climbed 4.9 percent to $53.60.

--Editors: Marie-France Han, Emma O’Brien

To contact the reporter on this story: Belinda Cao in New York at lcao4@bloomberg.net

To contact the editor responsible for this story: Emma O’Brien at eobrien6@bloomberg.net

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Sina’s Weibo Outlook Buoys Internet Stock Gains: China Overnight