Press release:

iPhone 5 Pre-Orders Top Two Million in First 24 Hours

CUPERTINO, California—September 17, 2012—Apple® today announced pre-orders of its iPhone® 5 topped two million in just 24 hours, more than double the previous record of one million held by iPhone 4S. Demand for iPhone 5 exceeds the initial supply and while the majority of pre-orders will be delivered to customers on September 21, many are scheduled to be delivered in October. iPhone 5 is the thinnest and lightest iPhone ever, completely redesigned to feature a stunning new 4-inch Retina™ display; an Apple-designed A6 chip for blazing fast performance; and ultrafast wireless technology*—all while delivering even better battery life.**

“iPhone 5 pre-orders have shattered the previous record held by iPhone 4S and the customer response to iPhone 5 has been phenomenal,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing. “iPhone 5 is the best iPhone yet, the most beautiful product we’ve ever made, and we hope customers love it as much as we do.”

iPhone 5 comes with iOS 6, the world’s most advanced mobile operating system with over 200 new user features including: an all new Maps app with Apple-designed cartography, turn-by-turn navigation and an amazing new Flyover™ view; Facebook integration for Contacts and Calendar, with the ability to post directly from Notification Center; Passbook®, the simplest way to get all your passes in one place; new Siri® features, including support for more languages, easy access to sports scores, restaurant recommendations and movie listings;*** Siri and Facebook-enabled apps like Photos, Safari® and Maps; and Shared Photo Streams via iCloud®.

Pricing & Availability
iPhone 5 will be available at 356 Apple retail stores in the US beginning at 8 a.m. local time on Friday, September 21. Every customer who buys an iPhone 5 at an Apple retail store will be offered free Personal Setup service, helping them customize their iPhone 5 by setting up email, showing them new apps from the App Store and more, so they’ll be up and running with their new iPhone before they leave the store.

iPhone 5 comes in either white & silver or black & slate, and will be available in the US for a suggested retail price of $199 (US) for the 16GB model and $299 (US) for the 32GB model and $399 (US) for the 64GB model. iPhone 5 will be available from the Apple Online Store (www.apple.com), Apple’s retail stores, and through AT&T, Sprint, Verizon Wireless, select Best Buy, RadioShack, Target and Walmart stores and select Apple Authorized Resellers. iPhone 4S will also be available for just $99 (US) and iPhone 4 will be available for free with a two-year contract.****

iPhone 5 will roll out worldwide to 22 more countries on September 28, including Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland.

* LTE is available through select carriers. Network speeds are dependent on carrier networks, check with your carrier for details.
** Battery life depends on device settings, usage and other factors. Actual results vary.
*** Not all features are supported in all countries.
**** Availability varies by carrier.

Apple designs Macs, the best personal computers in the world, along with OS X, iLife, iWork and professional software. Apple leads the digital music revolution with its iPods and iTunes online store. Apple has reinvented the mobile phone with its revolutionary iPhone and App Store, and is defining the future of mobile media and computing devices with iPad.

Iphone 5 Design Thrills Partners, but Will Cost Users

The following is an excerpt from an article in:


The New York Times
Thursday, September 13, 2012

Iphone 5 Design Thrills Partners, but Will Cost Users

By BRIAN X. CHEN

The iPhone 5 has plenty of new features to keep Apple fans happy. But there is one feature Apple unveiled on Wednesday that is likely to annoy many: a new connector on the phone’s base.

The Lightning port, as Apple calls it, is smaller and shaped differently from the old one, instantly rendering obsolete the millions of spare charging cords, docks and iPhone-ready clock radios that its customers have accumulated over the years.

While irritating to some, the Lightning connector could be a boon to the hundreds of companies that sell accessories for iPhones and iPads.

“Apple is testing the patience of its fans,” said Tero Kuittinen, an independent analyst and a vice president of Alekstra, a company that helps customers manage cellphone costs.

“A lot of Apple fans have a lot of different accessories and use the old systems, so this is going to be a fairly expensive shift for a lot of them,” Mr. Kuittinen said. Makers of iPhone accessories are likely to be ecstatic, he added.

Apple, which is selling Lightning cables and $30 adapters that will connect the new phones to many but not all older accessories, is, of course, poised to profit from the design change as well. Apple said the smaller connector allowed it to make the phone thinner and use space inside the device more efficiently.

Accessories for Apple products are already a vast and lucrative business. In the last year, iPad, iPod and iPhone add-ons, including speakers, cases and power chargers, generated $2 billion in sales in the United States alone, according to the NPD Group, a research firm.

For more, visit www.nytimes.com.

Synaptics Introduces Advanced Touch Experience in Nokia Lumia 920 and Nokia Lumia 820

Press release:

Synaptics Introduces Advanced Touch Experience in Nokia Lumia 920 and Nokia Lumia 820

Super Sensitive Touch™ built on ClearPad™ Series 3 enables enhanced touch support on Nokia’s first Windows Phone 8 smartphones

SANTA CLARA, Calif. – Sept. 5, 2012 – Synaptics Inc. (NASDAQ: SYNA), a leading developer of human interface solutions, today announced that the new Nokia Lumia 920 and Nokia Lumia 820 will be the first smartphones in the world to use a new advanced multi-touch experience based on the Synaptics ClearPad capacitive touchscreen sensing technology.

Synaptics ClearPad Series 3, the premier mobile touch solution for premium high end smartphones, has raised the bar for high performance touch on the Lumia 920 and Lumia 820 with the introduction of support for gloves and fingernails.

Previously, people were unable to use their smartphone touchscreens with gloved fingers or long fingernails, requiring them to remove their gloves, or awkwardly position their fingers with long nails in order to operate their phones. For the first time ever, ClearPad Series 3 technology instantly optimizes the touch experience by automatically detecting the presence of skin, gloved fingers, or fingernails, giving users a seamless multi-touch experience regardless of input methods.

“With Synaptics’ continuous innovation on touch, we are able to pioneer new technologies that improve smartphone user experience,” said Kevin Shields, senior vice president, Smart Devices, Nokia. “Nokia has been a leader in display technology, and we are setting a new standard with Super Sensitive Touch technology on the Nokia Lumia 920 and Nokia Lumia 820.”
Nokia’s flagship Windows Phone 8 device, the Lumia 920, features an impressive smartphone display based on exclusive technology called Nokia PureMotion HD+. With better than HD resolution, overdrive technology for keeping moving images pixel-perfect and sunlight enhancements for easy viewing even in the brightest sunlight, the 4.5 inch display of the Lumia 920 produces a totally immersive experience. PureMotion displays are super-sensitive with any touch interaction, enabled by the ClearPad Series 3 technology.

“We are excited to participate with Nokia as they unveil their first Windows Phone 8 devices by enabling advanced features such as gloved finger support,” said Kevin Barber, senior vice president and general manager of Synaptics Handheld Division. “Synaptics and Nokia have partnered for many years and we’re pleased to continue the innovation with the introduction of these new devices.”

ClearPad Series 3 offers up to 10 finger full-time tracking and fast refresh rates, with industry leading signal-to-noise-ratio (SNR), delivering high performance to the most demanding smartphones. Synaptics’ patented SignalClarity™ technology improves tracking accuracy, finger separation, and environmental and electrical noise robustness for an unmatched user experience. Synaptics’ Design Studio™4 (DS4) accelerates the ClearPad development cycle by enabling customers to evaluate and optimize the performance of their touch experience, enabling OEMS to implement their custom ClearPad sensor solution more efficiently.

For up-to-the-minute Synaptics news, follow @SynaCorp on Twitter. For more information on Synaptics’ products and solutions, please visit www.synaptics.com.

About Synaptics
As a leading developer of human interface solutions which enhance the user experience, Synaptics provides the broadest touch solutions portfolio in the industry. The ClearPad™ family supports touchscreen solutions for devices ranging from entry-level mobile phones to flagship premium smartphones, tablets and notebook PCs. The TouchPad™ family, including ClickPad™ and ForcePad™, is integrated into the majority of today's notebook PCs. Synaptics’ wide portfolio also includes ThinTouch™ supporting thin and light keyboard solutions, as well as key technologies for next generation touch-enabled video and display applications.
(NASDAQ: SYNA) www.synaptics.com

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Muve Music, for Mobile Users, Thrives in Shadow of Competitors

The following is an excerpt from an article in 

The New York Times
Wednesday, August 29, 2012

Muve Music, for Mobile Users, Thrives in Shadow of Competitors

By BEN SISARIO

The digital music company Spotify, which uses free song streams to lure people to paid subscriptions, has earned the music industry’s approval by making money from listeners who might otherwise use their computers to download songs illegally.

In its shadow, another service, Muve Music, has quietly built one of the largest subscriber bases in the business by going after a part of the market that most digital companies have largely ignored: people who may not have computers at all.

Muve, a phone-based music plan sold through Cricket Wireless, offers unlimited song downloads for $10 a month, tucked inconspicuously into a customer’s monthly cellphone bill, which ranges from $55 to $65. In many ways its users defy the conventional profile of a digital music consumer. They are young and urban, yes, but instead of a laptop or a tablet, they use a phone for everything. Most earn less than $35,000 a year and lack credit cards, so they prefer Cricket’s month-to-month cash plan.

Since its introduction in January 2011, Muve has signed up 600,000 users, putting it in the league of Rhapsody, which has about one million subscribers, and Spotify. (Spotify has four million paying users in 15 countries, but has not said how many of those are in the United States.) And Muve is poised for another growth spurt with a new line of phones that the company believes could bring in millions of new users.

“Cricket’s customer is young, is ethnic, and tends to be middle and lower income,” said Jeff Toig, the senior vice president of Muve Music. “This is not a segment of the market that the major technology companies innovate for.”

For more, visit www.nytimes.com.

AT&T U-verse TV Reaches 300,000 Subscribers in Houston

Houston Customers Get TV Service That Ranks Highest in Customer Satisfaction in J.D. Power and Associates Study

Houston, Texas, March 27, 2012

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AT&T* today announced that more than 300,000 customers have made the switch to AT&T U-verse for their TV service in Houston.  

AT&T U-verse services, which are all delivered over AT&T’s advanced Internet Protocol (IP) network, offer a new alternative to cable with a better DVR, better features and apps, and a better TV experience. AT&T U-verse allows customers to bring together their TV, broadband, home phone and AT&T wireless services ― all on one bill ― with unique features that provide a new level of integration, convenience and control. And now, AT&T U-verse TV ranked "Highest in Residential Television Service Satisfaction in the South, Four Years in a Row," according to the J.D. Power and Associates 2011 Residential Television Service Provider Satisfaction Study^SM.

 “Reaching this milestone shows we’re providing customers with a better choice and experience than cable,” said Chris Penrose, vice president and general manager, AT&T South Texas. “More people than ever are making the switch to U-Verse as we provide regular upgrades and new, cool applications that enhance your TV experience.”

More Choice, Advanced Features

AT&T U-verse TV is the only 100 percent Internet Protocol-based television (IPTV) service offered by a national service provider, making AT&T U-verse one of the most dynamic and application-rich services available today, with advanced capabilities that customers don’t get from other providers.

Where AT&T U-verse services are available, U-verse TV customers can enjoy numerous features and applications, including the ability to manage their DVR recordings, and for qualifying TV customers, watch hit TV shows on select smartphones with U-verse Mobile; the freedom to manage and playback recorded programs from a single DVR on any U-verse connected TV in the house with Total Home DVR; the ability to choose and watch up to four of their favorite channels at one time with the exclusive My Multiview app; an extensive High Definition (HD) channel lineup with access to more than 170 HD channels; the ability to program DVR recordings from their Web-connected mobile phone or PC; personalized, on-screen weather, sports, traffic and stock information via AT&T U-bar; the ability to check the current weather conditions and forecasts in any U.S. city with Weather On Demand; and more.

With AT&T U-verse High Speed Internet services, every AT&T U-verse customer or small business broadband user can enjoy faster available speeds. Packages include a range of speeds, with the fastest downstream speeds up to 24 Mbps. All AT&T U-verse High Speed Internet packages include wireless home or office networking capability at no extra cost.

AT&T U-verse Voice is a managed IP-based service that is delivered over AT&T’s fiber-rich network. This allows U-verse Voice customers to enjoy great sound quality and reliability, as well as innovative calling features that integrate with your AT&T U-verse TV, high speed internet and AT&T wireless services. Customers can benefit from a single, combined voice mailbox for AT&T U-verse Voice and AT&T wireless messages; an online portal to manage your call preferences and settings from any PC; an online voice mailbox; the ability to view your incoming calls and voicemail notifications on your TV with Caller ID on TV; the ability to view your Call History on your TV and initiate a call from your PC or TV using Click to Call; and more. All U-verse Voice customers have 911 service.

AT&T U-verse offers multiple combinations of TV, Internet and Voice packages to customize your experience. Standard professional installation is included with most packages. Additional promotional offers may be available to qualifying customers who bundle U-verse Internet or U-verse Voice service.

For additional information on AT&T U-verse — or to find out if it’s available in your area — visit AT&T U-verse.

*AT&T products and services are provided or offered by subsidiaries and affiliates of AT&T Inc. under the AT&T brand and not by AT&T Inc.

AT&T Brings First LTE Windows Phone to Market with Nokia Lumia 900, Available for Customers April 8 for $99.99

AT&T Brings First LTE Windows Phone to Market with Nokia Lumia 900, Available for Customers April 8 for $99.99

Dallas, Texas, March 26, 2012

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The Nokia Lumia 900, the Windows Phone named “Best of CES” for all smartphones, will be available exclusively in the U.S. from AT&T* on April 8 for $99.99.  One of the first 4G LTE Windows Phones in the world, the Nokia Lumia 900 gives AT&T customers more 4G LTE choices than ever before and the largest selection of Windows Phones in the U.S.  For more information, customers can visitwww.att.com/lumia or AT&T’s Consumer Blog.

Customers who can’t wait to get their hands on this new smartphone can pre-order it in cyan or black beginning March 30 by visiting http://www.att.com/lumia or any AT&T company-owned retail store. Qualified business customers who receive wireless service discounts can pre-order the Lumia 900 online, beginning the afternoon of March 30, at http://www.att.com/nokialumia900.

Running on AT&T’s superfast 4G LTE network, the Lumia 900 delivers an unsurpassed mobile experience. With 4G LTE speeds, the people-first style of Windows Phone 7.5 and outstanding design lets customers access their emails, music and social media quickly and helps them look good while doing it.  The Lumia 900 will be available in unique and eye-catching cyan blue and a matte black on April 8, with a newly announced high-gloss white version on sale beginning April 22.

“AT&T and Nokia’s relationship spans many years and we’re thrilled to introduce their first 4G LTE Windows Phone only for our customers,” said Jeff Bradley, senior vice president – Devices, AT&T Mobility.  “The Lumia 900 is impeccably designed with clean lines and a camera that rivals stand-alone digital cameras on the market today.  Combine that with the people-first Windows Phone experience and our 4G networks – the nations’ largest – and it’s clear that this is one of the best phones customers can find.”

The Nokia Lumia 900 has a 4.3-inch ClearBlack AMOLED display for rich, bright images both indoors and out and a long-lasting 1830 mAh battery for enjoying content.  

Its 8 megapixel camera includes Nokia's exclusive Carl Zeiss optics, with large aperture (F2.2) and wide angle focal length (28mm) for high-quality, uncropped images even in low-light conditions. The front-facing camera boasts a large aperture and a wide angle lens that ensures sharp, bright images for high-quality video calling, right out of the box.  Additionally, customers can enjoy their favorite music and videos from their Lumia 900 wherever they are with the Nokia Purity HD On Ear Stereo Headset by Monster, also available beginning April 8.**

The Nokia Lumia 900 offers AT&T customers a range of leading content experiences such as:

·         AT&T U-verse Mobile lets U-verse TV subscribers browse the U-verse TV program guide, schedule and manage their DVR recordings, and watch hit TV shows while on the go. The U-verse Mobile library includes more than 100 TV series and more than 700 TV shows from a variety of genres.

·         Nokia Drive, available to download from Windows Phone Marketplace, provides free voice-guided, turn-by-turn navigation with a dedicated in-car user interface that turns the Nokia Lumia 900 into a GPS navigation device.

·         The exclusive ESPN sports hub is pre-loaded on the Nokia Lumia 900, and provides a one-stop sports application for news, videos and scores. 

Limited 4G LTE availability in select markets.  4G speeds delivered by LTE, or HSPA+ with enhanced backhaul, where available.  Deployment ongoing.  Compatible device and data plan required. LTE is a trademark of ETSI.  Learn more at att.com/network.

Limited-time offer. Nokia Lumia 900 requires a new 2-yr wireless agreement with voice (min $39.99/mo) and min monthly data plan ($20/mo). Subject to Wireless Customer Agrmt. Credit approval req’d. Activ fee $36/line. Geographic, usage and other terms, conditions and restrictions apply, and may result in svc termination. Coverage and svcs not avail everywhere. Taxes and other charges apply. Data (att.com/dataplans): If usage exceeds your monthly data allowance, you will automatically be charged overage for additional data provided. Early Termination Fee (att.com/equipmentETF): After 30 days, ETF up to $325. Restocking fee up to $35. Other Monthly Charges/line may include a Regulatory Cost Recovery Charge (up to $1.25), a gross receipts surcharge, federal and state universal svc charges, fees and charges for other gov’t assessments. These are not taxes or gov’t req’d charges. Visit a store or att.com/wireless to learn more about wireless devices and services from AT&T.

*AT&T products and services are provided or offered by subsidiaries and affiliates of AT&T Inc. under the AT&T brand and not by AT&T Inc.

Geek Squad® Launches Partner Program to Expand Technology Support for Small Businesses

Geek Squad® Launches Partner Program to Expand Technology Support for Small Businesses

Geek Squad Partner Website to Provide Program Insights, Partner Registration RICHFIELD, MINN., March 27, 2012 - Geek Squad,® Best Buy's 24-hour tech support task force, announced today that it will now offer services and technology support to small businesses (SMBs). Through the Geek Squad Partner Program, Geek Squad will work with third-party sellers to provide services for their own customers, including Geek Squad Office Support which features Geek Squad Agents available for unlimited 24/7 support via phone, online chat, remote, and, with an option to include on-site support. Geek Squad has developed a SMB program that is easy to do business with and provides partners with the tools to make them successful. The Partner Program targets partners who focus on SMBs, to sell the PC, mobile, networking and infrastructure support services.  Target partners include carrier-like master agents, IP telephony resellers and wiring and cabling resellers. And the Partner Program site, http://partnerprogram.geeksquad.com offers tutorials, trainings, sales environment videos and as well as registration. "Geek Squad was founded 17 years ago as a small business technology service and support task force," said George Sherman, senior vice president, services, Best Buy. "Today, our strategic priorities to grow our services business have set the stage to leverage its heritage as a small business resource.  With our service offerings, the expertise of our Geek Squad Agents nationwide, and our solid brand reputation, we believe Geek Squad is uniquely equipped to partner with the resellers community to meet the needs of small business customers today." The Geek Squad Partners Program service plans are designed to help customers with diagnostics and repair, client and server administration, and network integration, including network, firewall, VPN, and server support as well as data backup and transfers. Geek Squad Office Support currently offers two plans: the Standard Plan with unlimited 24/7/365 phone and online support for $24.99 per month per seat, and the Advanced plan with unlimited 24/7/365 phone and online support plus on-site agent support for $49.99 per month. Earlier this year, Best Buy expanded its services capabilities for the estimated $40 billion SMB market when it acquired mindSHIFT Technologies, which provides managed IT, cloud, data center and other professional services across the United States, About Geek Squad Since its expansion nationally in 2004, Geek Squad has grown to nearly 20,000 technicians who support install and repair for consumers and small businesses alike, including computing, home theater, auto electronics, mobile devices and appliances. Geek Squad technicians are available at Precincts in all Best Buy U.S. stores, through house calls and and via online chat, remote support or over-the phone 24 hours a day, seven days a week. About Best Buy Co., Inc. Best Buy Co., Inc. (NYSE:BBY) is a leading multi-channel global retailer and developer of technology products and services. Every day our employees - 180,000 strong - are committed to helping deliver the technology solutions that enable easy access to people, knowledge, ideas and fun. We are keenly aware of our role and impact on the world, and we are committed to developing and implementing business strategies that bring sustainable technology solutions to our consumers and communities. For additional information about Best Buy, visit http://www.investors.bestbuy.com/.

U.S. Stores Learn the Ropes of Shipping to Foreign Shoppers

Excerpt from an article in

The New York Times

Wednesday, March 21, 2012

U.S. Stores Learn the Ropes of Shipping to Foreign Shoppers

By STEPHANIE CLIFFORD

Macy’s has long marketed itself as a shopping destination for visitors to the United States. It offers a savings card with a 10 percent discount for foreign shoppers, custom programs for tour groups and travel agents, and a tourism Web site that lists shopping events and recommended hotels near Macy’s flagship stores.

But only last year did Macys.com — which shoppers worldwide can look at — offer overseas shipping.

“We were getting international traffic,” said Kent Anderson, president of Macys.com. “It was coming whether we were offering them, frankly, any realistic way to interact with the site or not.”

Macy’s is one of several retailers trying to extend its international presence to its Web operations by shipping overseas. In the last year, Williams-Sonoma, J. Crew, Aéropostale, Crate and Barrel and Lane Bryant have added international shipping to their Web sites, while Ann Taylor and Neiman Marcus are working on it.

Some of the retailers are meeting existing or anticipated overseas demand, while others are testing the waters before opening stores in other countries. Either way, they are discovering that shipping beyond the United States is not a simple undertaking.

“Typically the guys we’re talking to start off thinking they can toss it in a box and give it to U.P.S. or FedEx and hope it gets there,” said Michael DeSimone, chief executive of FiftyOne, a technology company that helps retailers add international shipping capabilities.

But there are problems with ordering systems, customs and postal fees, he said.

For example, many retailers do not have software in their warehouse management systems that recognizes foreign postal codes, which — unlike those in the United States — do not always have five digits.

“It sounds like a really stupid reason not to sell internationally,” Mr. DeSimone said, “but I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard this was the biggest roadblock.”

The appeal to reaching customers in other countries is based largely on the popularity of mobile phone sales overseas. Forrester Research expects online retail sales in the Western Europe, Asia Pacific and Latin America regions to increase 67 percent from 2011 to 2015, compared with 42 percent for the United States.

And traffic to American Web sites from international visitors is already high.

Senate Probes Verizon-Cable Deal

Excerpt from an article in

TheHill.com

Senate probes Verizon-cable deal 
By Brendan Sasso

The Senate Judiciary subcommittee on Antitrust, Competition Policy and Consumer Rights will examine Verizon's $3.6 billion deal with a coalition of cable companies on Wednesday afternoon.

Verizon agreed in December to buy wireless airwave licenses, known as spectrum, from cable companies including Comcast, Time Warner and Bright House Networks. Under a separate deal announced simultaneously, Verizon and the cable companies agreed to cross-sell one another's services.

"The subcommittee carefully examines questions about competition in the wireless and video markets, with the ultimate goal of protecting consumers and reducing their cable and cell phone bills, and these deals are no exception," Subcommittee Chairman Herb Kohl (D-Wis.) said in a statement announcing the hearing.

The witnesses will be Randal Milch, Verizon's general counsel; David Cohen, Comcast's vice president; Steven Berry, CEO of the Rural Cellular Association; Joel Kelsey, policy adviser for consumer group Free Press; and Timothy Wu, a Columbia University law professor who specializes in Internet, communications and antitrust issues.

Wu served as chairman of Free Press from 2008 to 2011.

The Federal Communications Commission and the Justice Department are probing whether the deals will hurt competition in the wireless industry.

The Rural Cellular Association, other wireless carriers including Sprint and T-Mobile and consumer groups such as Free Press argue the spectrum deal will allow Verizon, the nation's largest wireless carrier, to consolidate its control over the airwaves, stifling competition. The groups also argue that the cross-marketing deals could lead to price-fixing or other anticompetitive behavior.

Verizon said the spectrum deal will help it meet the growing demands of smartphones and tablet computers. The company pointed out that the cable companies have no immediate plans to use the spectrum licenses.

Younger Shoppers Using Technology

Excerpt from an article in

The New York Times

Saturday, March 10, 2012

Younger Shoppers Using Technology, Not Salespeople

By STEPHANIE CLIFFORD

When Nadia Karim goes shopping, she doesn’t wait around for salespeople. She saves items from apps and Web sites on her cellphone as a shopping list. And as she browses one store — recently trying on Sam Edelman flats at Nordstrom — she uses the phone to check out styles at competitors like Macy’s.

“In all honesty, because I shop so much, I feel sometimes I know the brands better than some of the associates,” said Ms. Karim, 26, an analyst at Intel in Phoenix.

For a generation of shoppers raised on Google and e-commerce, the answer to “Can I help you?” is increasingly a firm “no,” even at retailers like Nordstrom that have built their reputations around customer service.

But instead of getting defensive, some stores and brands are embracing the change by creating new personal touches that feature gadgets rather than a doting sales staff. Bobbi Brown has touch-screen televisions to demonstrate the perfect smoky eye, something that was once the exclusive domain of makeup artists. The basketball star LeBron James’s shoe store in Miami has 50 iPads to describe its merchandise. Macy’s is testing cosmetics stations where tablets offer reviews and tips. And at C. Wonder, shoppers use a touchpad to personalize the lighting and music in dressing rooms (there is also a button in case, olden-days style, they need to call for help).

The self-service theme, which started years ago with checkout at groceries, has progressed to the point where shoppers can navigate entire stores without once having to say, “Just looking, thanks.”

Companies are adding the technology now because it has gotten cheap enough to make it feasible and because Apple and other tablet and touch-screen makers are increasing their sales efforts. Stores also don’t want to risk losing those customers who are not content shopping from home but nonetheless prefer Pinterest recommendations, Zappos reviews and Fashism feedback to interacting with someone behind the counter.

News Release from Citrix Systems - HDFaces

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Collaborate in HDFaces Video from Your iPad with the New GoToMeeting App

Bernardo de Albergaria, VP and GM of Collaboration for Citrix, announced the new GoToMeeting for iPad app today in his blog.

3/8/2012 » Bernardo de Albergaria » I used to like Adele’s music – almost everyone likes Adele, right? – but I didn’t really love it. Then I saw a recording of her in concert, and everything clicked.

What a performance! Her songs took on extra meaning when I saw the emotion in her face. She wasn’t just singing lyrics anymore; she was conveying a message. And I totally bought in. Even though there were thousands of people in attendance and probably millions watching the recording, I felt a bond with her. And now I probably hate the guy who broke her heart more than she does.

Isn’t it fascinating how much body language and facial expressions – a smile, a nod, an eye-roll – can affect how communication is received? Whether you’re a Grammy-winning singer or, more likely, a hard-working employee or entrepreneur, it’s safe to say that you convey your intended message much more clearly when you can supplement your voice with facial expressions and see your audience’s reactions.

That’s one of the reasons we added HDFaces video conferencing to GoToMeeting®. And that’s why we’re happy to announce that HDFaces is now part of our free GoToMeeting app for iPad. As “anywhere” work continues to trend and fuel success, this built-for business app brings a new level of rich mobile collaboration – in an easy-to-use, one-tap format – from anywhere. (See video demonstrating GoToMeeting for iPad)

Delivering HDFaces video conferencing through the new GoToMeeting app for iPad is just our latest offering in the two collaboration areas we’re concentrating on most: mobile and video.

The first rendition of the GoToMeeting app was released in April 2010 – since then it has consistently ranked in the top 10 free applications for business. It gives anyone with an iPhone or iPad the opportunity to attend GoToMeeting sessions when they’re away from a computer – and that makes scheduling meetings for GoToMeeting customers much more simple.

Meanwhile, our recently released HDFaces feature for GoToMeeting has drawn rave reviews from customers and the press alike. The picture quality is superb, and it just takes one click to turn on and off – we think that’s a big reason why GoToMeeting is the fastest growing major web conferencing service,according to Frost & Sullivan. It truly does change the way people work.

That leads us back to the newest version of GoToMeeting for iPad. Just like GoToMeeting on your computer, the app integrates up to 6 video streams, screen sharing and VoIP and phone audio options in one simple package. This app provides an easy way to stay connected and productive and opens the door for bold new ideas, like taking a meeting on a live tour of a manufacturing plant or doctors bringing in a collaborator via video to help diagnose patients.

Here’s what you can do with the app:

• Attend online meetings from wherever you are.
• Join meetings in seconds by tapping a link in an email.
• Turn on HDFaces video conferencing with one tap.
• Share front or back camera on iPad 2
• Activate talking webcam to see only the speakers video
• There’s a lot more. Check out an exhaustive list on the App Store.

As mobile work and the devices that support them continue to trend, this built-for-business app becomes more of a necessity.

Wherever work happens, you can meet in HDFaces video using the new GoToMeeting app for iPad.Download, enjoy and rest assured that we’ve got more up our sleeve.

Bernardo de Albergaria
VP and GM of Collaboration