New Line From Logitech UE Delivers Pure Undiluted Music, Anytime, Anywhere

Press Releases

New Line From Logitech UE Delivers Pure Undiluted Music, Anytime, Anywhere

New Products Offer Wireless Freedom, Easy Discovery and Sharing of Music

"Today’s fans have their music with them wherever they go – they carry it with them on their tablet or smartphone..."

NEWARK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Today Logitech (SIX:LOGN) (NASDAQ:LOGI) responded to music fans who want pure, undiluted music wherever they go with the launch of a new line of Logitech UE™ products. The products enable people to enjoy their music when and how they want, delivering seamless wireless audio, facilitating discovery and making sharing simple with a complete line of music products that take you from morning to night. The new offering includes earphones, headphones, wireless speakers, and a smart radio.

“Today’s fans have their music with them wherever they go – they carry it with them on their tablet or smartphone,” said Rory Dooley, Logitech senior vice president of music. “But no matter how or where you choose to store or access your favorite music, this lineup is the best way for you to experience it. Whether you want to be completely immersed in your favorite song, to share music with friends, or to discover new favorites, Logitech UE is the clear choice.”

As people shift away from traditional methods of music consumption toward services that are easily accessed through mobile devices, they are increasingly able to surround themselves with their favorite music no matter where they go or who they’re with.

Combining Logitech’s expertise in seamless connectivity with UE’s heritage of providing great sound in the tiniest of packages, the new lineup blends form and function to deliver the right sound for any situation.

Highlights of the new lineup include:

Logitech UE Boombox

The Logitech UE™ Boombox is an on-the-go speaker that lets you use your smartphone or tablet to play and control your music from up to 50 feet away. Up to eight Bluetooth®-enabled devices can be paired with the speaker – with up to three connected at the same time – so you and your friends can take turns playing music. With eight custom-tuned drivers, the Logitech UE Boombox delivers sound that is rich, balanced and clear, with enough bass to make every song feel as real and as raw as it should. An integrated, sculptured aluminum handle makes it easy to roam – from the kitchen, to the bedroom, to a party at a friend’s house or anywhere in between – with uninterrupted music at your side. With a six-hour rechargeable battery, you won’t have a power outlet holding you down. The Logitech UE Boombox will be available for a suggested retail price of U.S. $249.99.

Logitech UE Mobile Boombox

The Logitech UE™ Mobile Boombox is an ultraportable speaker that connects to your smartphone or tablet to play and control your music from up to 50 feet away. Because two mobile devices can be connected at the same time, you can keep your two most-frequently used devices connected. Designed to give you surprisingly big sound in a portable package, the Logitech UE Mobile Boombox includes a rechargeable battery that delivers up to 10 hours of music, depending on use, settings and conditions, and can even double as a speakerphone for voice or video calls. With metal finishes, vibrant accents and a grip-action rubber casing, it is built to look good, feel great in your hand, and withstand a little rough and tumble. The Logitech UE Mobile Boombox will be available for a suggested retail price of U.S. $99.99.

Logitech UE Smart Radio

The Logitech UE™ Smart Radio is a dedicated music device that can play Internet radio, online music services and the music on your PC or Mac® – all through one simple, unified interface. The color screen displays album art, track and station information. And you can save your favorite stations and playlists for one-touch access to the music you listen to most. What’s more, the Logitech UE Smart Radio Controller app for iPhone®, iPad® and Android devices transforms your smartphone or tablet into a master music controller, giving you seamless navigation of your music services, radio stations and personal music collection. The rechargeable battery lets you take your music with you around the home, with up to six hours of continuous playback depending on use, settings and conditions. The Logitech UE Smart Radio will be available for a suggested retail price of U.S. $179.99.

Logitech UE 900 Noise-Isolating Earphones

Logitech UE™ 900 Noise-Isolating Earphones deliver sound that is surpassed only by Logitech UE’s professional custom in-ear monitors. Thanks to four-armature speakers and a three-way crossover in a universal fit, you’ll hear a wide soundstage with soul-satisfying bass, heavenly highs and a crisp, piano-like timbre. The unique UE sound signature faithfully recreates the original recording – and adds a low-end kick. Five silicon and three Comply® Foam tips, each designed with a large-bore opening, ensure audio is delivered cleanly. Two detachable, braided cables – one with a mic and controls, and one without – let you swap out the standard cable for a cable with mic and controls. And ear loops offer a secure, comfortable fit no matter what you’re doing. The Logitech UE 900 Noise-Isolating Earphones will be available for a suggested retail price of U.S. $399.99.

Logitech UE 9000 Headphones

With the Logitech UE™ 9000 Headphones, there are no wires and no distractions. They connect wirelessly to your favorite Bluetooth devices, but also include an optional cable should you want to go wired or run out of power – plus, they fold flat when you’re on the go. The high-resolution drivers of the Logitech UE 9000 Headphones deliver pure, undiluted audio that’s distinctly UE – rich, clear and perfectly tuned – for a spacious soundstage and a remarkable level of power, punch and clarity. Powered by a long-life battery, our proprietary Bluetooth implementation provides freedom from cords without sound-quality compromises. Listen wired or wirelessly – so the music never has to stop. Active noise canceling technology filters out ambient noise for a more immersive experience. With asymmetrical memory foam cushions, articulating joints and an around-the-ear design, the Logitech UE 9000 Headphones conform to the contours of your head, so you’ll be comfortable for those extended listening sessions. Logitech UE 9000 Headphones also feature intuitively and discreetly placed controls that respond to the touch of your fingertips, so you can select songs, turn up the volume, or answer a call – naturally and easily. The Logitech UE 9000 Headphones will be available for a suggested retail price of U.S. $399.99.

Logitech UE 6000 Headphones

Tune in to the music and tune out everything else with your Logitech UE™ 6000 Headphones. They connect to your favorite devices, fold up like sunglasses when you’re on the go and come with a splitter to make sharing simple. The distinct UE sound signature provides pure, undiluted audio with a wide-open soundstage and a remarkable level of detail in all your music. Active noise canceling technology filters out ambient noise for an immersive listening experience. The Logitech UE 6000 Headphones feature plush memory foam cushions; breathable, soft-as-leather surfaces; and an around-the-ear design. The Logitech UE 6000 Headphones will be available for a suggested retail price of $199.99.

Logitech UE 4000 Headphones

The powerful, high-sensitivity drivers in the Logitech UE™ 4000 Headphones make your music come alive with depth, authenticity and emotion. You can immerse yourself in your music with these compact on-ear headphones that come with a zippered, microfiber-lined travel pouch. On-cord mic and controls let you answer calls, change tracks and adjust volume – all without taking your phone or device out of your pocket. The Logitech UE 4000 Headphones also feature plush memory foam cushions; breathable, soft-as-leather surfaces; and an on-the-ear design. The Logitech UE 4000 Headphones will be available for a suggested retail price of $99.99.

Availability

All of these new music products, compatible with your iPhone, iPad or iPod touch, are expected to be available in the U.S. and Europe beginning in September 2012 at Apple Store locations. For more information, please visitwww.LogitechUE.com or our blog.

About Logitech

Logitech is a world leader in products that connect people to the digital experiences they care about. Spanning multiple computing, communication and entertainment platforms, Logitech’s combined hardware and software enable or enhance digital navigation, music and video entertainment, gaming, social networking, audio and video communication over the Internet, video security and home-entertainment control. Founded in 1981, Logitech International is a Swiss public company listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange (LOGN) and on the Nasdaq Global Select Market (LOGI).

News Release from GE

21 February 2012

GE Announces Upgraded Video Compression Module to Enhance Military Decision Making and Troop Safety

 

ICS-8580 rugged XMC responds to growing use of video in conflict zones

CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA February 21, 2012 GE Intelligent Platforms today announced an enhanced version of the ICS-8580 rugged high definitionvideo compression XMC module. Designed in response to the growing use of video in a broad range of defense applications, it allows very high quality moving images to be captured, transmitted and stored at very high speed with very low latency and with minimal consumption of precious bandwidth or disk space. As such, it can make a significant contribution to superior decision making and improved troop safety.

The ICS-8580 can capture video inputs and archive or stream them overEthernet, managing multiple streams and performing capture, manipulation, conversion, compression, storage, decompression and video display. Its rugged XMC form factor means that it is compact, lightweight and consumes little power, enabling it to be easily deployed in systems destined for deployment in harsh environments that are constrained by size, weight and power (SWaP).

The original version of the ICS-8580 has been widely deployed in programs such as NASA’s Global Hawk initiative.

Specifically, the enhancements from the previous version of the ICS-8580 include:

• The provision of two DSPs, each of which can be configured as an encoder or decoder, providing superior system flexibility.
• Full support for PCI Express, allowing uncompressed data to be uploaded and downloaded and improving configurability within custom systems
• Provision of an SDK (software development kit) for faster integration with remote configuration options
• Inclusion of six inputs and four outputs for flexible pass-through modes, allowing the use of any front end connector and facilitating integration with legacy systems
• Out of the box ability to connect to a NAS (network-attached storage) for easier integration.
• Support for the synchronization of stereo or mono sound for improved flexibility.

“The increasing deployment of unmanned vehicles by military organizations around the world is increasing demand for the use of video for intelligence, reconnaissance and surveillance applications,” said Rod Rice, General Manager, Military & Aerospace Products, GE Intelligent Platforms. “The ICS-8580 provides a substantial step forward in its ability to stream video, and provides a solution for a new realm of sophisticated, demanding applications.”

In video capture and transmission, the primary challenge is how to maintain video quality in order to maximize critical detail while minimizing the use of bandwidth by implementing highly efficient algorithms: transmitting ‘raw’, unprocessed high definition video data at very high speed requires bandwidth that is rarely available in, for example, air-to-ground applications. Similarly, storage of high definition video data – for later review and analysis, for example - in its uncompressed form can require terabytes of disk space.

The ICS-8580 features H.264 video compression/decompression (codec) technology, which is widely regarded as being the optimum solution: it is considered to be up to 3x as efficient as other codec solutions, allowing vital image detail to be retained while occupying the minimum possible bandwidth or storage.

At the heart of the ICS-8580 lies a combination of a versatile FPGA device coupled with powerful dual DSP signal processors, providing unparalleled compute power for video applications. The FPGA enables video switching, format conversions, scaling, blending and other processing functions while the dual DSP processors enable multichannel video compression and decompression for over 100x reduction in bandwidth with minimal impact on video quality. It can handle up to two channels of full HD (1080p30) or UXGA (1,600 x 1,200 @ 30 frames/second) video, or up to four channels of standard definition video.

For more information: http://defense.ge-ip.com/products/3525

Small Business & Social Media

News release from American Express:

American Express Launches Social Media Show + Tell to Help Small Businesses Harness the Power of Social Media


Members of American Express' New LinkedIn User Group, Business Knowledge Share, Can Get Free Tips, Strategies Directly From Insiders at the Top Social Media Platforms

NEW YORK,  January 26, 2012 -- 

NEW YORK,  January 26, 2012 --  Courtesy of American Express, small businesses now have a brand new resource available to help them grow and succeed through social media. Officially launching today, "Social Media Show + Tell" resides within American Express' newly created Business Knowledge Share enhanced LinkedIn user group. Through a series of "show and tell" videos available to members, representatives from the most popular digital and social platforms – starting with Facebook – explain how their tools can have a formidable impact on small businesses and empower business owners to maximize the potential of the growing digital landscape.

The Social Media Show + Tell videos aim to demystify these platforms for small businesses by providing easy to understand commentary and advice from the leading experts behind each of the platforms. Each video shows how small business owners can take advantage of different social media platforms, walks business owners through each step of the registration process and clearly illustrates the business potential of engaging customers in an ongoing dialogue. Further, group members will be able to engage directly with the featured platform expert to ask questions. Coupled with the collaborative community of Business Knowledge Share, small business owners now have actionable insights relevant to their businesses in a single, easily accessible location. Social Media Show + Tell will next roll out how-to videos containing tips and advice on how to take advantage of the foursquare platform, among others.

"American Express is constantly looking for new and unique ways to provide additional value and support to small businesses and small-business professionals. From launching the ‘Go Social' tool that enables merchants to create and manage coupon-less offers and offering free Facebook ads to small business owners as part of Small Business Saturday, to partnering with foursquare to offer exclusive merchant Specials, our digital initiatives with the leading social platforms are designed to enable small businesses to get ahead and grow," said Penni Berns, Vice President of Americas Merchant Marketing & Insights at American Express. "The Social Media Show + Tell series on Business Knowledge Share further demonstrates how American Express is giving small business owners access to the tools they need to help grow their business."

The Business Knowledge Share LinkedIn user group, which has already attracted nearly 2,000 members, includes small business owners, entrepreneurs and social media experts. The group offers members practical advice and tips about how to grow your business, while providing a community of like-minded peers to exchange news, ideas and support.

Calling All Small-Business Professionals
Social Media Show + Tell on Business Knowledge Share is open to all small-business professionals regardless of their affiliation with American Express. To join the Business Knowledge Share community, prospective members must first join LinkedIn and then request membership for the group at: businessknowledgeshare.com.