Consumer Electronics Daily News

Rhapsody Acquires Napster International

Rhapsody announced its European expansion today through the acquisition of Napster International, the first subscription (flat-rate) music service in Europe. Rhapsody will own and operate the Napster service in Germany and the United Kingdom.

"The acquisition of Napster and its subscriber base in the UK and Germany gives us an ideal entry to the European market," said Jon Irwin, president, Rhapsody. "Through the benefit of scale, the strength of our editorial programming and strategic partnerships, we can now bring the Napster service to even more consumers on a variety of platforms."

The news of the acquisition was warmly received among music industry executives across Europe, who have been ardent supporters of Rhapsody and its business model.

"Rhapsody has played a pivotal role defining streaming music services, which are essential to the future of the entire industry," said Rob Wells, president, global digital business, Universal Music Group.  "I welcome Rhapsody's arrival in Europe, where I am eager to see them duplicate their success attracting paid subscribers in the United States." 

Rhapsody retains all Napster International employees and will operate under the Napster brand in Germany and the UK, where it is widely recognized, based on an independent brand awareness study.  Napster subscribers will be migrated to Rhapsody's infrastructure in March, at which time they will enjoy new features, including a new Web experience and improved speed and performance—while keeping the music libraries they have built.

"We have always been and will continue to be committed to offering music fans the most flexible, comfortable way to consume and discover music – wherever and whenever they want," said Thorsten Schliesche, general manager, Napster International.  "The acquisition is another important milestone. Combining Napster International subscribers with Rhapsody's massive base in the U.S. will further strengthen our position as the leading music subscription service."

Napster subscribers will immediately benefit from several improvements to the product.  In coming months, consumers will also see enhancements to the Web client and mobile apps, most notably improved offline playback quality and a greater ability to manage playlists.

Rhapsody was the first subscription music service, launched in December 2001. Today, it is the largest premium subscription music service in the United States, with more than 1 million paying subscribers and more than 14 million tracks across nearly 600 genres.  The Rhapsody service is available on more than 70 consumer electronic devices, including all smartphone platforms; more than any service of its kind.  Rhapsody subscribers also enjoy original editorial content from its staff of the most renowned music writers anywhere, including reviews, features, playlists and more than 200 programmed radio stations.

"This is the perfect time to extend our borders—both geographically and technologically, as we take our service to new places, including the automobile and the living room," said Irwin. "Consumer demand for subscription music has never been greater, and our partners are eager to bring music to the masses in new and creative ways. There is a lot of room for growth in this market and I firmly believe that 2012 is going to be our biggest year yet."

Apple Reports Highest Quarterly Revenue and Earnings Ever

Apple® announced financial results for its fiscal 2012 first quarter which spanned 14 weeks and ended December 31, 2011. The Company posted record quarterly revenue of $46.33 billion and record quarterly net profit of $13.06 billion, or $13.87 per diluted share. These results compare to revenue of $26.74 billion and net quarterly profit of $6 billion, or $6.43 per diluted share, in the year-ago quarter. Gross margin was 44.7 percent compared to 38.5 percent in the year-ago quarter. International sales accounted for 58 percent of the quarter’s revenue.

The Company sold 37.04 million iPhones in the quarter, representing 128 percent unit growth over the year-ago quarter. Apple sold 15.43 million iPads during the quarter, a 111 percent unit increase over the year-ago quarter. The Company sold 5.2 million Macs during the quarter, a 26 percent unit increase over the year-ago quarter. Apple sold 15.4 million iPods, a 21 percent unit decline from the year-ago quarter.

“We’re thrilled with our outstanding results and record-breaking sales of iPhones, iPads and Macs,” said Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO. “Apple’s momentum is incredibly strong, and we have some amazing new products in the pipeline.”

“We are very happy to have generated over $17.5 billion in cash flow from operations during the December quarter,” said Peter Oppenheimer, Apple’s CFO. “Looking ahead to the second fiscal quarter of 2012, which will span 13 weeks, we expect revenue of about $32.5 billion and we expect diluted earnings per share of about $8.50.”

Motorola Mobility Announces Fourth Quarter and Full-Year Financial Results

Motorola Mobility Holdings, Inc. today reported net revenues of $3.4 billion in the fourth quarter of 2011, comparable to the fourth quarter of 2010. The GAAP net loss in the fourth quarter of 2011 was $80 million, or $0.27 per share, compared to net earnings of $80 million, or $0.27 per share, in the fourth quarter of 2010. On a non-GAAP basis, net earnings in the fourth quarter 2011 were $61 million, or $0.20 per share, compared to net earnings of $108 million, or $0.37 per share, in the fourth quarter of 2010.

For the full year, 2011 net revenues were $13.1 billion, up 14 percent compared to 2010. For the full year, the GAAP net loss was $0.84 per share compared to a loss of $0.29 per share in 2010. On a non-GAAP basis, net earnings were $0.33 per share compared to a loss of $0.28 per share in 2010.

The Company generated positive operating cash flow of $225 million and $357 million in the fourth quarter and full year, respectively. Total cash at the end of the quarter was $3.6 billion and includes cash, cash equivalents, and cash deposits.

Details on non-GAAP adjustments and the use of non-GAAP measures are included later in this press release and in the financial tables.

"In the fourth quarter, we received very positive consumer response to Motorola RAZR, which combined an iconic brand with ultra-thin in an innovative smartphone.  Our Home business continues to be a leader in the industry's transformation to all IP, with unique solutions that enable rich media experiences across any screen," said Sanjay Jha, chairman and chief executive officer, Motorola Mobility. "We remain energized by the proposed merger with Google and continue to focus on creating innovative technologies."     

Operating Results

Mobile Devices net revenues in the fourth quarter, impacted by the increased competitive environment, were $2.5 billion, up 5 percent compared with the year-ago quarter. The GAAP operating loss was $70 million compared to operating earnings of $72 million in the year-ago quarter. The non-GAAP operating loss was $19 million compared to operating earnings of $56 million in the year-ago quarter. For the full year 2011, net revenues were $9.5 billion, an increase of 22 percent compared to 2010. The 2011 GAAP operating loss was $285 million compared to an operating loss of $76 million in 2010. The 2011 non-GAAP operating loss was $126 million compared to an operating loss of $198 million in 2010.

The Company shipped a total of 10.5 million and 42.4 million mobile devices in the fourth quarter and full year 2011, respectively. This included 5.3 million and 18.7 million smartphones and approximately 200 thousand and 1 million tablets in the fourth quarter and full year, respectively.

Mobile Devices highlights:

• Launched Motorola RAZR^™ extending the iconic RAZR brand around the world
• Announced DROID RAZR MAXX^™, featuring twice as much battery life as the leading competitor and measuring only 8.99 millimeters
• Unveiled the award-winning DROID 4 by Motorola, the thinnest and most powerful 4G LTE QWERTY smartphone featuring a five-row keyboard and edge-lit keys
• Introduced two new 4G LTE tablets, the DROID XYBOARD 10.1^™ and XYBOARD 8.2^™.
• Announced the "life proof" Motorola DEFY^™ MINI and slim MOTOLUXE^™, two new value priced additions to Motorola's growing budget-friendly portfolio
• Shipped award-winning MOTOACTV^™, the world's first combined GPS fitness tracker and MP3 player
• Launched two flagship devices in China – the TD-SCDMA Motorola MT917 and the Motorola XT928, a dual-core, dual-mode, dual-standby smartphone

 

Home segment net revenues in the fourth quarter were $897 million, down 11 percent compared with the year-ago quarter. GAAP operating earnings were $57 million, compared to $54 million in the year-ago quarter. Non-GAAP operating earnings were $84 million compared to $90 million in the year-ago quarter. Fourth quarter set-top shipments were down 3 percent compared to the year-ago quarter. For the full year 2011, net revenues were $3.5 billion, compared to $3.6 billion in 2010. GAAP operating earnings increased to $226 million from $152 million in 2010. The 2011 non-GAAP operating earnings increased to $332 million from $272 million in 2010. Full year set-top shipments were up 6 percent compared to 2010.

Home highlights:

• Launched DreamGallery next-generation HTML-5 video navigation software in North America with Shaw Communications
• Expanded video leadership and paved the way for Canada's move to all-MPEG-4 broadcast and On-Demand HD services with Eastlink
• Demonstrated market leadership with introduction of new carrier Ethernet product line for the deployment of cost-effective commercial services
• Introduced Motorola APEX3000, which delivers market-leading density to cost-effectively add greater demand for narrowcast services such as VOD and DVR
• Selected by Altibox AS in Norway to provide VAP 2400 HD wireless video bridge to enable multi-room TV services

 

Merger Update

As previously announced on August 15, 2011, Motorola Mobility and Google Inc. ("Google") (NASDAQ: GOOG) entered into a definitive agreement for Google to acquire Motorola Mobility for $40.00 per share in cash, or a total of approximately $12.5 billion.  On November 17, 2011, Motorola Mobility stockholders voted overwhelmingly to approve the proposed merger with Google at the Company's Special Meeting of Stockholders.  The Company continues to work closely with Google to complete the proposed acquisition of Motorola Mobility as expeditiously as possible.

The Company notes that the transaction remains subject to various closing conditions. Antitrust clearances, or waiting period expirations, are required by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), by the European Commission, and in Canada, China, Israel, Russia, Taiwan and Turkey. Requisite filings have been submitted to the appropriate regulatory body in each of these jurisdictions. Clearances have been received in Turkey and Russia. In Canada and the United States, the statutory waiting period for the transaction has expired although the parties have been informed that the reviewing agencies have not closed their respective investigations.  In December 2011, the Chinese Ministry of Commerce proceeded to phase two of its investigation.  In February, the European Commission is expected to announce whether it will close its investigation or proceed to a phase two investigation.  

The Company currently expects the transaction to close in early 2012 once all conditions have been satisfied and reminds stockholders that it is possible that the failure to timely meet such conditions or other factors outside of the Company's control could delay or prevent completion of the transaction altogether.

For more information on the proposed merger, please visit http://investors.motorola.com.

Panasonic LFP30 Series of Professional LCD Displays Named a DIGI Award Winner by Digital Signage Magazine

Panasonic, a provider of professional plasma and LCD display and digital signage solutions, today announced its LFP30 Series of professional LCD displays was named a DIGI Award winner by Digital Signage magazine. The LFP30 Series won the Best New Generation Display Device, Large Screen category. The LFP30 Series are built as a reliable display solution for full-outdoor and semi-outdoor environments, distinguished by high brightness, low power consumption and a wide range of professional features.

The displays are resistant to harsh environmental conditions such as heat and humidity, extreme cold and, with its IP66 rating, are dustproof and highly water resistant. The LFP30 Series’ aluminum casing provides corrosion-resistance and additional structural strength. Unlike most outdoor displays, which require separate bulky and expensive enclosures, the LFP30 Series requires none. The LFP30 Series is available as the 42-inch TH-42LFP30W and the 47-inch TH-47LFP30W.

The trans-reflective liquid crystal design of the LFP30 Series screens ensures excellent visibility (1,000cd/^m2) in bright, outdoor locations, allowing the displays to reduce power consumption in these environments. Most outdoor digital signage solutions counter light reflection issues with an increased backlighting, which results in greater power consumption. The LFP30 Series’ low power consumption means that both sizes meet Energy Star Displays 5.1 standards.

These characteristics make the device perfect for environments such as:

• Open-air cafes and restaurants as menus and advertising panels
• Shopping malls as advertising panels and store guides
• Public transportation hubs as schedule, route guide and advertising panels
• Factories for production line control
• Sports facilities for training videos and fan information
• Quick-serve restaurants for menu boards and drive-thru lanes

“As the market for digital signage continues to grow, customers want to use display solutions in a wider range of environments,” said Rick Albert, Vice President, Flat Panel Displays-Hospitality, Panasonic. “As a result, Panasonic is building solutions that meet these needs. This award is recognition of the work Panasonic has done to design and engineer products that allow customers to get the most of their digital signage deployments, even in harsh conditions.”

The DIGI Awards recognize the resellers, integrators and service providers who have gone the extra mile to ensure success for their clients, thereby furthering the digital signage industry as a whole. Additionally, they recognize the best New Products for the digital signage and DOOH market.

“As Chair of the Judges Committee for the DIGI Awards, I want to congratulate all the Winners of 2012 DIGI Awards,” said David Keene, editor, Digital Signage Magazine. “The judges had a hard time selecting from the varied and excellent entries. We honed in on the entries that really stood out in showing us not just technology packages but how digital signage and DOOH best practices are playing out, in the field, with real-world solutions and products.”

The TH-42LFP30W and TH-47LFP30W are sold via authorized Panasonic resellers at estimated prices of $8,500 and $11,000, respectively. Sales inquiries for the LFP30 Series of professional LCD displays should be directed to [email protected] or 877-803-8492.

For more information on Panasonic’s digital signage solutions go to http://www.panasonic.com/business-solutions/digital-signage.asp.

47 Percent of Americans Think Electronic Devices Will Have a Positive Impact on Education

With the growing numbers of e-readers, tablets, iPads, smartphones and other electronic devices, Poll Position wanted to know what most Americans thought about the impact they would have on education.

A Poll Position national scientific telephone survey asked, ‘Do you think the growing number of electronic devices will have a positive or negative effect in educational development for youth in America?

Forty-seven percent of Americans said they think electronic devices will have a positive effect in educational development, 33% said the growing number of devices will have a negative effect and 21% did not have an opinion.

A majority of Americans between the ages of 18-44 see electronic devices having a positive effect on educational development.

Among those in the 18-29 age group, 50% see electronic devices having a positive effect, 26% think they will have a negative effect and 24% offered no opinion.

In the 30-44 age group, 54% think electronic devices will have a positive effect on educational development, 31% see a negative effect and 15% did not have an opinion.

Men and women differed slightly on the question. Among men, 49% see electronic devices as having a positive effect, 31% see a negative effect and 21% offered no opinion. Women saw electronic devices as having a positive effect by a 47% to 35% margin

See a breakdown of survey participants by age, race, gender, and political affiliation in crosstabs for this poll at http://media.pollposition.com.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/Poll-Position-Crosstabs-Electronic-devices.pdf.

Microsoft Provides Tips to Help Protect Your Online Image

In observance of Data Privacy Day 2012, Microsoft Corp. is releasing new data about consumer behaviors online and is offering guidance and tips to help people better manage their online profiles and maintain a positive reputation. In an increasingly connected world, everything people do online, from responding to emails and texts to clicking the "like" and "retweet" buttons on favorite Web pages, uploading photos and making purchases online, contributes to their online reputation.

Although 2012 is still new, Microsoft recommends people resolve to actively monitor and safeguard their online reputations.

Microsoft commissioned a survey* of 5,000 people that revealed a wide variance of online behaviors and attitudes and explored the resulting impact to people's overall online profiles and reputations. With respondents from the U.S., Canada, Germany, Ireland and Spain, the research shows that although 91 percent of people have done something to manage their overall online profile at some point, a smaller percentage feel in control of their online reputation (67 percent) and fewer than half actively think about the long-term consequences of their online activities (44 percent). Further details on this survey and Microsoft's commitment to privacy and involvement in Data Privacy Day can be found at http://www.microsoft.com/privacy/dpd.

"Your online reputation is shaped by your interactions in the online world and spans the disparate and varied data about you, whether created and posted by you or others. This information can have a lasting presence online, and can affect your life in many ways — from maintaining friendships to helping you keep or land a new job," said Brendon Lynch, chief privacy officer, Microsoft. "Our research reinforces the fact that people want a range of privacy options. Microsoft is committed to offering meaningful choices and helping to ensure that people have the tools to make informed choices online to better manage their privacy and online reputations."

To help people put their best digital foot forward, Microsoft is offering the following tips to help cultivate and maintain a positive online reputation:

• Stay vigilant and conduct your own "reputation report" from time to time.
  • Search all variations of your name in Bing and other popular search engines, and evaluate if the results reflect the reputation you'd like to share with the world, including current or future employers, colleagues, friends and family members.
  • Research found that 37 percent of adults rarely or never do this.*
• Consider separating your professional and personal profiles.
  • When you are job hunting, applying to a school or looking for new insurance or a loan, remember that your online profile can be a determining factor for hiring managers and application reviewers. Be sure to use different email addresses, screen names, referring blogs and websites for each profile, and avoid cross-referencing personal sites.
  • Fifty-seven percent of adults think about taking steps to keep their work and personal profiles private; however, 17 percent of people have inadvertently shared information online that was intended to remain private. Most commonly shared are details about one's personal life (56 percent) and personal photos (38 percent).*
• Adjust your privacy settings.
  • In Internet Explorer 9 or other Web browsers and on social networking sites, personal blogs and other places where you maintain personal data, review and use the privacy settings to help manage who can see your information, how people can search for you, who can comment and how to block unwanted access.
  • According to the survey, 49 percent of adults do not use privacy settings on social networking sites.*
• Think before you share.
  • Think about what you are posting (particularly personal photos and videos), who you are sharing the information with, and how it will impact your reputation. Talk with friends and family about what you do and do not want shared about you, and ask them to remove anything you don't want disclosed.
  • Fourteen percent of people have been negatively impacted by the online activities of others. Of those, 21 percent believe it led to being fired from a job, 16 percent to being refused health care, 16 percent to being turned down for a job they were applying for, and 15 percent to being turned down for a mortgage.*
• Be a good digital citizen.
  • The Web has a long memory. Conduct yourself in a civil manner, showing respect for those with whom you engage.
  • Microsoft offers guidance on how to be a better digital citizen in its Digital Citizenship in Action Toolkit.

New InformationWeek Reports Research Finds Mixed Outlook for Windows 8

InformationWeek Reports (reports.informationweek.com), a service for peer-based IT research and analysis, announced the release of its latest research report. Our Windows 8 report encompasses analysis of results from InformationWeek's recent survey on IT's plans for Microsoft's new client and server OS. Nearly 1,000 business technology professionals, all from organizations with 500 or more employees, responded to this poll.

Research Summary:

Windows XP still rules the corporate desktop roost, according to InformationWeek's October 2011 Windows 8 Survey. Ninety percent of respondents say XP is in use on their companies' PCs, despite Microsoft's plan to end support. Among those who do plan to upgrade on desktops and/or laptops, 58% will eventually run Win 8 on 76% or more of these devices.

Other Findings: 

• 28% have not yet established any timeline for migrating to Win 8 on desktops/laptops compared with just 18% who will upgrade within 12 months.
• On the server side, 39% of those upgrading will eventually run 76% or more of their devices on Windows 8 Server; the top driver is a more capable version of Hyper-V.
• For PCs, Windows Vista lags behind both Linux and Mac OS X in terms of penetration, 20% vs. 34% and 29%, respectively.

The report author, Randy George, is a senior systems analyst for a major-league sports team.

For full access to the research data, members can download now: http://reports.informationweek.com/abstract/7/8611/Enterprise-Software/research-windows-8.html

"One area where Win 8 isn't being received with much excitement is mobile devices," says Lorna Garey, content director of InformationWeek Reports. "Just 1% currently run the OS on smartphones or tablets, and 21% have no plans to do so in the future."

Calling All Inventors: The Manufacturing EXPO in Cleveland Is Where Experts Will Gather to Share Ideas and Expand on a North American 'Manufacturing Revolution'

Entrepreneurial inventors and can-do manufacturers will have the opportunity to meet, swap ideas and join forces in what's being dubbed the new "manufacturing revolution" at the Inaugural Manufacturing EXPO: Putting a Face on Manufacturing, Feb. 14 and 15, 2012, at The Galleria in Downtown Cleveland.

The first-of-its-kind event will bring inventors face-to-face with about 175 exhibitors representing just about every aspect of manufacturing. More than 3,000 attendees from across the United States and Canada are expected. Eight regionally and nationally renowned speakers will share their manufacturing-specific insights, including information on the potential impact of the new America Invents Act.

At The EXPO, inventors will find themselves in an elite category with some of the region's and the world's most significant manufacturers, according to Mary Kaye Denning, founder and president of The Manufacturing Mart, creators of The EXPO. "Where else but at this EXPO can you display your invention next to the latest ideas brought forth by NASA?" Denning asks.

The EXPO will feature a designated pavilion for North American inventors called "Design: Protect: Package: Ship." Booth prices are $550 and allow for up to two inventors per booth. Inventors will also have the opportunity to enter the Export Experiment, which is open to inventors with new and exciting ideas.

Hotel accommodations can be made at the Hampton Inn in Downtown Cleveland for $79 per night.

For more information about The EXPO or to register, visit http://www.mfgtradeshow.com, or call 216.583.9300.

The EXPO is sponsored by Penton Media, The City of Cleveland, StudioTh!nk and The Galleria at Erieview.

Carbonite Home Earns Coveted "Parent Tested Parent Approved" (PTPA) Seal of Approval

Carbonite, Inc., a leading provider of online backup solutions for consumers and small and medium sized businesses, announced that Carbonite Home has been awarded the PTPA Winner's Seal of Approval.  PTPA Media has North America's largest volunteer parent testing community, with over 40,000 parents.

Carbonite Home was among many entries from across North America competing to earn the PTPA™ Seal. With independent parent volunteers evaluating products in their own homes, PTPA winners are chosen based on merit and consumer experience. The PTPA Media™ Seal has quickly gained recognition as an international leader in certifying consumer products for quality, effectiveness and value. Consumers looking for high-quality products and services rely on the PTPA Winner's Seal as evidence of product excellence.

"At PTPA Media, we are proud to play a role in certifying innovative products that families can trust, and this year, we have identified Carbonite Home as such a trusted product," said Sharon Vinderine, CEO and founder of PTPA Media Inc. "When consumers search for our Seal of Approval on product packaging and web sites, they are essentially searching for validation from their peers.  Their peers will have objectively tested and approved these products based on their performance in a real life environment. That type of resource for families is priceless."

As part of the product evaluation process, PTPA Reviewers offered additional insight on their user experience with Carbonite Home, which included:

• As a blogger and a mom with lots of pictures on my computer, this product is priceless to me. I would be lost if I were to lose everything on my PC.
• Carbonite is very user friendly and easy to navigate. I found it much easier to use than other programs I have used in the past.
• It was incredibly functional, and I was impressed with how seamless it was. With so many important files, I wouldn't have it any other way and I appreciate Carbonite realized this and made sure everything was as effortless as possible.
• I would recommend this product. For a small annual fee you have your main files on your computer backed up to the cloud and accessible anywhere.

"Carbonite online backup services are designed to enable our customers to easily and securely back up the data they want to protect – from priceless family photos and videos to music and email to important records and digital files. We are pleased to be recognized by PTPA Media with this honor," said Tom Murray, SVP of Marketing at Carbonite.

IBM Debuts New Analytics Appliance to Help Retailers Transform Big Data Into Business Opportunities

IBM today announced a new analytics appliance that analyzes up to petabytes of big data including consumer sales data and online shopping trends to help retailers gain actionable insight on buying patterns.

The new appliance helps retailers deliver Smarter Commerce by using analytics to better understand buying patterns across multiple channels, and build stronger, more profitable customer relationships. Clients can now run complex, real-time analytics in a matter of seconds to improve the customer experience, shift marketing campaigns on the fly and boost sales.

In today's digitally transformed marketplace, consumers are increasingly empowered with information on products and services and ways to make competitive purchases, creating a hyper competitive marketplace for retailers. According to IBM, 70 percent of a customer's first interaction with a product or service takes place online, placing more importance on the digital consumer experience.

Through its Smarter Commerce initiative, IBM is defining and leading a new market that it estimates will grow to a $20 billion opportunity in software alone this year, driven by the demands of rapidly shifting customer buying patterns in the era of mobile and social networks. The new appliance is a part of IBM's Smarter Commerce initiative as it can help retailers deepen relationships with consumers and create a sense of brand intimacy.

Retailers need to understand their customers from browsing through purchase and across all channels in order to be more competitive. Tapping into analytics is the key to converting petabytes of customer data into actionable insight, revealing their needs and wants, and driving smarter decision-making across a retailer's organization.

The new IBM Netezza Customer Intelligence Appliance addresses these issues by providing retailers with big data analytics that allows them to analyze all customer interactions within their brand. A combined offering from IBM and business partner Aginity, and Cognos software, retailers can gain a single view of the customer spanning all channels and sales touch points including mobile, online and in store shopping. This means retailers can gain insights on the fly, better predict and target products and promotions, as well as improve store design and pricing.

Bass Pro Shops® adopted IBM's new appliance to gain insight on their customers' needs and provide better products and shopping experiences across all their channels, consisting of retail stores, boat dealerships, internet and catalog sales, wholesale, and hospitality, including restaurants and world class destination resorts.

"IBM analytics allowed us to quickly get information across our multiple channels and lines of business in one place to deliver meaningful analytics that drive top line and bottom line results," said Leslie Weber, Chief Information Officer at Bass Pro Shops®. "We can now create and deliver more targeted promotions, circulars and catalogs to create a better customer shopping experience."

Using the new appliance, retail clients can now also expand their predictive analytics capabilities with SPSS Predictive Analytics and IBM's Global Business Services, allowing them to go deeper in customer segmentation and business analytics.

IBM Netezza appliances are optimized systems based on IBM BladeCenter technology that can analyze petabytes of data significantly faster than competing options, and at a much lower total cost of ownership. Unlike competing appliances, Netezza can be up and running in minutes instead of days or weeks.