IT News Head Lines (TweakTown) 4/15/2015

Mobile games are spending more on TV advertisements than console games
Mobile game publishers are breaking out their checkbooks to invest in expensive TV advertisements, outpacing console game publishers, according to the iSpot.tv advertising tracking firm. Companies such as Machine Zone, Supercell and King want to attract more mobile gamers to their products, and don't have the name recognition as larger, traditional game studios.

Thirty percent of the overall TV advertising revenue spent during Q1 was dedicated to King, Machine Zone and Supercell, with mobile game companies spending $130 million so far in 2015. Companies such as Sony, Nintendo, Microsoft, 2K Games, Electronic Arts and Ubisoft all trail the mobile gamers - and it looks like gamers are paying attention.

"These spending patterns may merely indicate that mobile games are taking advantage of the relative lull in major game console advertising," said Sean Muller, CEO of iSpot.tv, in a guest post on Venture Beat. "But so long as this TV ad push results in more app downloads, we may likely be seeing a new long-term competitor to the mix."

Chances are, you've noticed Machine Zone's Game of War 2015 Super Bowl commercial:

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US looking to re-establish technological edge, focus on cybersecurity
As part of the US Defense Department's "Better Buying Power 3.0" initiative, the government wants to see closer relationships forged with the private sector. The main goal of the program is to make sure the US doesn't lose a technological edge over foreign adversaries, as the DoD dumps money into new R&D efforts.

A major effort will focus on keeping next-generation weapons technology and defense systems secure from cyberattacks - something that is of major concern, especially from China, Russia, and other countries with sophisticated cyber militaries.

"It includes the industrial base that supports us and their databases and their information," said Frank Kendall, undersecretary of defense for acquisition, technology and logistics, in a statement. "It includes what we hold in government. It includes the logistics support information, the sustainment information, the design information, the tactical information. Everything associated with the product is a potential point of attack. And we are under attack in the cyber world, and we've got to do a better job protecting our things."


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Get 'Spirited Away' in our Blu-ray giveaway, thanks to Madman
To celebrate this week's release of the classic Studio Ghibli animated film 'Spirited Away' for the first time on Blu-ray HD, we have copies of the film to give away to five lucky readers.

In a place that doesn't exist - something impossible happens. From Hayao Miyazaki, one of the most celebrated filmmakers in the history of animated cinema, comes the Academy Award winning masterpiece, 'Spirited Away' - the wondrous fantasy about a young girl named Chihiro who discovers a secret world of strange spirits, creatures and sorcery. When her parents are mysteriously transformed, she must call upon the courage she never knew she had to free herself and return her family to the outside world.

To go into the running to take a Blu-ray home, simply answer the following question in no more than 50 words:

If you could be Spirited Away to anywhere on Earth, where would you go and why?

To enter, simply 'like' this post and share via Facebook or Twitter and send your answers, along with your postal address to ben at TweakTown dot com before the competition closes on April 15th.

'Spirited Away' is available on Blu-ray HD, as well as DVD from Australian retailers from April 15th.


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Price of electric vehicles sliding, increasing interest among buyers
It wasn't too long ago when electric vehicles were seen as niche products for more affluent car buyers, but auto manufacturers want to make EV more affordable for everyone.

Price of batteries used in EVs has decreased, helping generate more sales, with a 14 percent annual drop from 2007 to 2014, according to a recent study. Manufacturers choose to keep the cost of lithium-ion battery production relatively secret, but mile ranges are increasing.

It looks like "events" are "moving quicker than expected in lithium-ion battery technology," though the price tags often could be misconstrued, according to Luis Munuera, energy analyst for the International Energy Agency, in a statement to the MIT Technology Review.

There were more than 700,000 plug-in EVs sold worldwide by the start of 2015, which was a drastic increase from 400,000 year-over-year - with multiple models available to auto buyers in the United States, China, Europe, and Japan.


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Hillary Clinton wins praise for using social media to launch 2016 bid
Democratic presidential contender Hillary Clinton has won over support after turning to Twitter, Facebook and YouTube to make an announcement of her upcoming presidential campaign. Even though Clinton is a well recognized name in politics, it's expected she will try to use social media to promote a clear message in an effort to win over voters.

The following Tweet has garnered more than 100,000 retweets and has been favorited more than 97,000 times:

I'm running for president. Everyday Americans need a champion, and I want to be that champion. -H https://t.co/w8Hoe1pbtC
- Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) April 12, 2015

Even so, some have criticized Clinton and said the launch was "lackluster" and she missed "a huge opportunity to have an organized campaign with influential supporters and advocates all rallying and empowered," according to Jared Levy, founder of the Guru Media marketing agency.


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Apple Watch should help boost interest, sales of rival smartwatches
The Apple Watch has drawn intense media attention and interest from consumers, but people not interested in spending $349 - or more - have plenty of alternatives they can choose from. The overall smartwatch market is still extremely small, but with a growing number of vendors stepping up to release products, there is great hope that consumers will begin adopting wearables in the future.

"Apple (has) left room for the competition with their fairly high price," said Nick Spencer, senior practice director of ABI Research, in a statement published by CNBC. "I think this enables the consumer scenario of, Apple has launched a smartwatch, therefore I need one, but don't want to pay $349, so I'll buy a (cheaper) Android watch instead."

There were more than 5 million smartwatches shipped in 2014, with Samsung selling 2.15 million units - and no other competitor selling more than 1 million - and those numbers are expected to accelerate in 2015. The launch of the Apple Watch, however, has brought new attention to the smartwatch market, and could help bring even more attention to the market.


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SOUL Electronics introduces its Bluetooth Run Free Pro earbuds
Consumer electronics company SOUL Electronics has introduced the Run Free Pro, Bluetooth-powered in-ear headphones designed for athletes. The waterproof in-ear unit also includes wind noise reduction technology to help eliminate wind interference, which often times can ruin audio quality.

The custom design is guaranteed to stay in your ears using an interchangeable lock system, so athletes and active users don't need to worry about earbuds falling out. The Run Free Pro uses Bluetooth 4.0 and is now available with a $129 MSRP.

"The Run Free Pro exemplifies an audio accessory that perfectly complements hitting the streets for a run or sustaining an active lifestyle," said Jerry Lai, Marketing Manager at SOUL Electronics. "This means as someone is running and, often times, earbuds will fall out, the lock will securely keep the earphone body tight and in place. We wanted to create more products for the fitness and active lifestyle, with the goal to maintain the same SOUL Electronics brand identity."

Athletes are always on the lookout for earbuds and headphones they can use while running, cycling or otherwise enjoy the outdoors - and while there are a growing number of options available - it can still be extremely difficult to figure out which products to purchase.


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Social media creates new opportunities to cyberbully one another
Social media is used for a lot of good purposes, but also has turned into the perfect outlet for middle and high school students to cyberbully and threaten one another. During a recent study, half of students in the Detroit area admitted to bullying one another, spreading rumors, or demanding sexting-related content from their peers, according to Wayne State University.

Forty six percent of students in "high risk schools" conducted social media misuse, while 54 percent of students in "low risk-schools" admitted to the same behavior.

"It begins with the constant texting or the stalking on Facebook," said Poco Kernsmith, associate professor of social work at Wayne State University, in a statement published by the Detroit Free Press. "'Where are you?' and 'Who are you with?' It becomes 'I don't want you to hang out with your friends,' and 'I don't like the way you dress.' It becomes controlling and isolating."

Older generations sometimes find it difficult to grasp the new challenges facing young people and teenagers - but in a digital age, there is constant communication and connectivity.


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Become A Java Pro with 90% Off The Java Developer Course Bundle

The only thing better than a one-stop shop for mastering Java? Finding out it's going for 90% off here.

Oh, and did we mention that you don't need any Java knowledge to get started? Udemy's Java Developer Course Bundle will train you on Java basics and beyond, with over 71 hours of content and more than 540 lectures covering Android app development, website building, and more. The six-course package has you learning from trusted industry pros at your own pace, so you can make sure you're proficient in each concept before moving on.

Grab it before we beat you to it-the Java Developer Course Bundle is just $39 for a limited time at TweakTown Deals


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Europol, FBI successfully shuts down Beebone malware
The Europol Cybercrime Centre and the FBI teamed up to bring down the Beebone botnet, a custom operation that installed malware on unknowing victims. At least 12,000 machines were infected - with an estimate up to 100,000 zombie PCs - hijacked by cybercriminals. The malware was used to collect stolen passwords and download third-party applications onto victim PCs, officials noted.

"The fact that it [the malware] is complicated suggests that it could be used for more targeted attacks," said Paul Docherty, director of Portcullis Security, recently told the BBC. "If those responsible were able to harness similar difficult-to-detect code they could potentially move the point of attack from home users to corporate users or other entities which typically hold large amounts of sensitive, valuable data."

The polymorphous malware utilized its unique ability to change its "shape" so it was better able to evade cybersecurity defenses - and continue hijacking new users.

"Enterprises need to consider proactive detection strategies in addition to prevention for these commonplace threats that evade existing anti-malware defenses," said Muddu Sudhakar, CEO of the Caspida cybersecurity firm. "Looking at behaviors of users and machines without rules or signatures can help you locate and eliminate bad stuff that inevitably slips through defenses."


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Analysts: PC market shrunk up to 6.7% in Q1, businesses stop upgrading
According to analysts Gartner and IDC, the computer market has shrunk over Q1 2015 by between 5.2% and 6.7%. The analysts say this is due to many companies halting their OS upgrades from Windows XP.

Many businesses that wanted to modernize their PCs have already done so, so they've stopped this upgrade path and the market is feeling it. The IDC is claiming that Q1 2015 witnessed the lowest volume of PC shipments since the beginning of 2009, which is a big call considering that the world was still feeling the global financial crisis (GFC) at the time.

But, it's not all doom and gloom as companies like Lenovo and ASUS are seeing a big resurgence, thanks to the two companies pushing into larger Windows tablets - according to Gartner's report, anyway. Acer, Dell and many other system builders are still looking into troubles - but there is hope: Windows 10 is nearly here, which should see gamers, businesses and everyone in between upgrading.


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Star Citizen's first-person shooter combat explained in great detail
Roberts Space Industries has taken to its website to provide a very in-depth article on how the first-person side of Star Citizen will work, teasing that there will be three different stances, as well as having your breathing impact gameplay.

First, the three different stances will include: lowered stance, ready stance, and ads stance. RSI explains that having three different stances means "that the game will have a more realistic system of weapon handling, which will immediately impact gameplay. Star Citizen's three stances are Lowered, Ready and Aim Down Sights (ADS). The Lowered stance trades the ability to fire for maneuverability. The Ready stance slows a soldier's movement while making reactionary fire and aiming a lot faster and more accurate. The ADS stance is the most accurate, but has the slowest movement and most restricted visibility of the three stances".

Not only that, but breathing will have a big part to play in the Star Citizen first-person shooter mode, which is "simulated in order to make first person combat a much deeper and more tactical experience than many familiar FPS titles". A big part of this is stamina, which is "a resource you will need to manage" according to RSI. The developer continues: "Performing actions such as sprinting, vaulting, mounting, climbing and breath control (detailed below) will lower your stamina. Low stamina will have several temporary knock-on effects, such as drastically reduced sprint distance, diminished ability to aim properly, and even a reduced amount of time that breath can be held".

The team goes into great detail on the FPS module of Star Citizen, so if you want to read it in great depth, check it out here.


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Seek XR Thermal Camera for Android Review

Introduction

A few months ago, I reviewed Seek Thermal's first thermal camera for smartphones, and I was very impressed with its performance, especially at its low price. To be honest, I wanted the thermal camera to use in my reviews of computer hardware; the ability to see how products perform thermally is an invaluable capability. However, while the original Seek Thermal camera was very affordable, it left me wanting more for macro circuit shots. I ended up purchasing a marco-lens off EBay which worked great, but limited the camera to only take pictures from exactly three inches away.

When I was at CES, Seek Thermal invited me to see their newest product, the Seek Thermal XR, which had a lens capable of focusing, something I felt was missing from the original product. While there is an internal shutter (its audible) which helps refine the image, the ability to manually focus is one feature I was extremely excited to use. I have had the Seek Thermal XR for over a month now, I have taken over 600 pictures for reviews and recorded a few videos. Follow me as I tell you what I think about their new camera.

Specifications

There are two versions of the Seek Thermal XR, one for Android and one for Apple phones, you will need to check their website to confirm your phone supports the camera as it requires your phone to provide power. The Seek Thermal and Seek Thermal XR are basically identical internally, they have the same specifications and they use the same application. The image metadata is also identical between the two cameras.

Here the manufacturer has provided the different ranges that each camera supports. By default, the Seek Thermal XR zooms in more than the Seek Thermal, which means if you want the same image, you need to take a few steps back with the XR model. Later on, I will compare images between the two.

PRICING: You can find the Seek Thermal XR Extended Range Thermal Imager, Android (UT-AAA) for sale below. The prices listed are valid at the time of writing, but can change at any time. Click the link to see the very latest pricing for the best deal.

United States: The Seek Thermal XR Extended Range Thermal Imager, Android (UT-AAA) retails for $266.82 at Amazon.

Australia: Find other tech and computer products like this over at PLE Computer's website.

Canada: The Seek Thermal XR Extended Range Thermal Imager, Android (UT-AAA) retails for CDN$179.95 at Amazon Canada.
... Read the rest in your browser!



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HGST Ships NVM Express Compliant Solid-State Drives
Helping the world harness the power of data, HGST, a Western Digital company, today announced it is shipping its NVMe compliant Ultrastar SN100 Series PCIe SSDs - the industry's highest-performing NVMe compliant SSDs. Ideally suited for mission-critical data center workloads, including scale-out databases powering today's largest online and cloud services, the HGST SN100 series enables businesses to achieve a better return on their data center infrastructure investments by realizing gains such as more database transactions per second, lower access latency and easier application scaling.

The new HGST PCIe SSDs are a key building block for delivering HGST server-side Flash solutions. In these solutions, the Ultrastar SN100 Series SSDs are combined with HGST server software - specifically, the HGST Flash Software Suite and HGST Device Manager. This powerful combination creates a server-side Flash platform solution with superior TCO that delivers clustering, scalability, high availability and manageability for performance applications. For MySQL, HGST's server-side Flash solutions have delivered up to 40 percent server consolidation with up to 60 percent performance improvement while maintaining existing MySQL architectures.

The Ultrastar SN100 Series' performance leadership is demonstrated by its capability to deliver 310,000 I/O operations per second (IOPS) for mixed read/write workloads that are commonly found in a variety of mission-critical data center applications, including traditional and scale-out databases, virtualization, and big data analytics.

"With our new Ultrastar SN100 Series, HGST is helping today's data center professionals meet one of their most important and difficult storage challenges: deliver extremely high application performance in a cost-effective manner," said Mike Gustafson, senior vice president and general manager, HGST Flash Platforms Group. "By standardizing the deployment process with NVMe, IT organizations can now realize unprecedented gains in terms of application performance, server consolidation, and simplified setup and management in Linux, Windows and virtualized environments. This milestone is important as it allows customers to easily implement high-capacity PCIe SSDs at scale in a variety of data center environments."

The new Ultrastar SN100 Series delivers exceptional value by minimizing the cost of deploying and managing high-performance storage in scale-out and cloud environments. The HGST Ultrastar SN100 Series leverages standard NVMe drivers to take advantage of the benefits of PCIe without requiring vendor-unique drivers. This makes the Ultrastar SN100 Series as easy to deploy as traditional storage devices while offering the best performance. The Ultrastar SN100 Series is available in both a low profile half-height, half-length (HH-HL) add-in card, and a hot-swappable 2.5-inch small form factor (SFF) drive for maximum serviceability. Both form factors are available in an industry-leading density of up to 3.2 TB.

Key TCO benefits of the Ultrastar SN100 Series include:

• Support for standardized NVMe driver - Eliminates need to install vendor-unique drivers to realize the performance benefits of PCIe SSDs. NVMe support is part of the server operating system, just like support for SATA or SAS SSDs.
• Performance leadership - Suited for the most demanding enterprise applications, including scale-out database workloads, the Ultrastar SN100 Series supports up to 310,000 random mixed read/write IOPS (70/30, 4KB), up to 160,000 random write IOPS (4KB), and up to 743,000 random read IOPS (4KB). Sequential read and write throughput is 3,000 MB/s and 1,600 MB/s, respectively.
• Industry-leading density and choice of form factor - Offered in two form factors: Half-height, half-length add-in card (1,600 GB, 3,200 GB), and 2.5-inch small form factor SSDs (800 GB, 1,600 GB, 3,200 GB).
• Broad system interoperability - Built upon an industry-standard interface utilizing four lanes of PCIe Generation 3.0 (x4) combined with the NVMe protocol, the new SSDs are supported in a large variety of server systems.

Backed by HGST's commitment to quality and reliability, the Ultrastar SN150 HH-HL add-in card is shipping now. The 2.5-inch SFF Ultrastar SN100 SSDs will be available in May.


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Sony Unveils Pro 1 TB and 2 TB Hard Drives with Thunderbolt and USB 3.0
Sony's new HDD models offer dual Thunderbolt and USB 3.0 interfaces for compatibility with a range of widely used computers and devices. These newest entries in Sony's expanding portable storage line-up include PSZ-HB1T, a 1 TB model and PSZ-HB2T, a 2 TB model. Each delivers high performance and durability to professionals who need large capacity, fast, reliable data storage for transport, back-up and transfer of content in the field and on-the-go.

"Professionals need options when making storage purchase decisions, which is why Sony is now offering two high capacity, high-speed, rugged shuttle drives, with flexible interfaces," said Bill Cubellis, Director, Professional and Storage Media Sales & Marketing, Sony Electronics. "Compatibility is also critical, and based on user feedback we included a Thunderbolt port in our HDD. Now users can safely, affordable and easily transport large volumes of content, and deliver it in a timely fashion from the field, from nearly any device." The PSZ-HB2T offers transfer speeds of up to 122 MB/s, while the PSZ-HB1T can read and write at up to 120 MB/s.

Another standout feature of Sony's shuttle drives are their durability. The devices are covered in silicone rendering them shock-resistant, with an internal architecture optimized for use in rugged situations. The drives are tested to withstand drops of up to 2.0m. Furthermore, the interface ports have silicone covers, offering a high level of splash and dust resistance.

While the dual Thunderbolt and USB ports secure data transfer against unexpected problems to one port, with Memory Media Utility software, the highly reliable shuttle drives offer various enhanced functions. The software allows users to manage their portable storage with features such as device information display, reformat for quick erasure and re-use, backup to multiple locations and disk status check to determine optimum replacement time.

Sony's shuttle drives are uniquely designed so multiple units can be stacked, allowing increased airflow and effective cooling.

The HDDs come in a convenient, streamlined hard case, which neatly packages all of the included cables and offers space for detailing the contents of the drive. This allows for protection during transportation, easy handling and organized shelf archiving.

The new Sony PSZ-HB2T and PSZ-HB1T HDDs are planned to be available in May 2015 with suggested pricing to be determined.


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New Turtle Beach PC Gaming Peripherals Now Available
Turtle Beach Corporation announced today that its new lineup of PC gaming accessories, including gaming keyboards, mice and mousepads, is available at select North American retail outlets. Turtle Beach, the 40-year strong staple of the gaming industry best known for its amazing range of console and PC headsets, including the first fully wireless headsets for Xbox One, opens a new chapter with its entrance into the PC gaming accessories market with its first round of gaming keyboards, gaming mice and gaming mousepads, each with their own unique features that cater to an audience ranging from casual players to hardcore professional gamers.

In true Turtle Beach form, the company has created a variety of accessories from which gamers can choose to suit their desires and budgets, and each one is crafted with high-quality, durable construction and features, including Cherry switches and steel reinforced chassis for the keyboards, Avago sensors and Omron switches for the mice, and an assortment of different textured and sized mousepads.

Below is a brief breakdown of all Turtle Beach's new PC gaming accessories, and be sure to see full details here.

Keyboards:

• IMPACT 700 Premium Mechanical Gaming Keyboard - Cherry MX Brown switches, adjustable illuminated keys, two USB 2.0 ports w/audio pass-through, pink/green audio/mic jacks, six-key rollover with full anti-ghosting, steel-reinforced chassis w/gunmetal keycap plates, extra gaming keycaps plus metal keycap puller, full-sized 104-key layout, PC/MAC compatible, USB plug-and-play compatible. MSRP: $199.95.
• IMPACT 500 Mechanical Gaming Keyboard - Compact 87-key tenkeyless layout, Cherry MX Blue switches, six-key rollover with full anti-ghosting, steel-reinforced chassis w/black rubberized coating, detachable braided USB cable, PC/MAC compatible, USB plug-and-play compatible. MSRP: $129.95.
• IMPACT 100 Gaming Keyboard - Emulated mechanical feel, full-size 104-key layout, steel-reinforced chassis w/enhanced matte PBD keycaps, 30-key rollover with full anti-ghosting, PC/MAC compatible, USB plug-and-play compatible. MSRP: $59.95.

Mice:

• GRIP 500 Premium Laser Gaming Mouse - Ergonomic 7-button scroll-wheel mouse, Avago 9800 laser sensors, Omron switches, independently adjustable DPI settings (up to 8200 DPI), designed for PC gaming w/customization software included, up to 50 macros w/up to 100 commands each, 16.8 million color options for scroll wheel and varied illumination effects, five color coded profiles, non-slip soft-touch coating, 6-foot snag-free soft rubber USB cable. MSRP: $69.95.
• GRIP 300 Optical Gaming Mouse - Affordable 5-button scroll-wheel mouse, Avago 3050 optical sensors, Omron switches, adjustable mouse speed settings from 500, 1000 and 1750 DPI and polling rates from 125, 500 and 1000Hz, red-illuminated scroll-wheel and Turtle Beach logo, non-slip soft-touch coating, PC/MAC compatible, USB plug-and-play compatible, 6-foot braided USB cable. MSRP: $39.95.

Mousepads:

• DRIFT Fast Microfiber Mousepad - High-quality microfiber surface for fast/smooth mouse control, large surface area, 100% natural rubber anti-slip base, anti-fray edges, multiple sizes (Medium 270x220mm, Large 350x250mm, X-Large 450x350mm and Wide 900x300mm). MSRP: $14.95 - $34.95.
• TRACTION Textured Control Surface Mousepad - High-quality textured weave surface for perfect balance of friction and maximum mouse control, large surface area, 100% natural rubber anti-slip base, anti-fray edges, multiple sizes (Medium 270x220mm, Large 350x250mm, X-Large 450x350mm and Wide 900x300mm). MSRP: $14.95 - $34.95.

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SMS Audio Announces Licensing Relationship with Reebok
SMS Audio, LLC, a premier audio headphone and accessories brand from Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson, announces a strategic licensing partnership with Reebok. SMS Audio will be Reebok's official fitness headphone licensee across Reebok's global market, with plans for co-branded headphones to hit the market later this year.

"Reebok brings a unique value to SMS Audio, providing widespread exposure and access to a new and passionate consumer base, completely devoted to a fitness lifestyle," said Brian M. Nohe, president of SMS Audio. "Together with Reebok, we hope to improve the total fitness experience by complementing Reebok's performance-driven footwear and apparel with cutting-edge audio products."

SMS Audio will develop a line of Reebok-licensed headphones specifically designed to stand up to the demands required from the wide spectrum of fitness activities for which Reebok manufactures products. The two companies will promote the partnership through a tailored marketing plan designed to reach and engage devout fitness enthusiasts and avid athletes that demand superior performance from their fitness and audio gear.

"Music adds an important dimension to fitness," added Linne Kimball, Reebok's head of licensing. "Whether it is part of mental preparation pre-workout, or whether it adds personal motivation during a long run. In SMS Audio, Reebok has found a partner who understands the unique demands that fitness places on the category, and will work closely with us to create Reebok audio solutions for our fit generation consumer."

The Reebok-licensed headphone collection from SMS Audio will be available in August 2015 at select retail locations including Reebok stores.


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PC Shipments Beat Expectations Despite Great Ods, According to IDC
Worldwide PC shipments totaled 68.5 million units in the first quarter of 2015 (1Q15), a year-on-year decline of -6.7%, and slightly ahead of previous projections, according to the International Data Corporation (IDC) Worldwide Quarterly PC Tracker.

Following a strong second half of 2014, which benefitted from the tailwind of the Windows XP refresh and pockets of price-driven consumer activity, the Q1 market faced multiple headwinds - including inventory build-up of Windows Bing based notebooks, commercial slow down following the XP refresh and constrained demand in many regions due to currency fluctuations and unfavorable economic indicators. As a result, growth and volume declined with Q1 shipments below 69 million units, the lowest recorded volume since Q1 2009.

"Despite the decline, PC shipment in the United States declined at a slower rate than all other regions in first quarter, outperforming worldwide trends for the eleventh consecutive quarter. The strength from key vendors, adoption of emerging products, improvements in the consumer market and in the broader economy are all positive signals," said Rajani Singh, Senior Research Analyst, Personal Computing. "The upcoming launch of Windows 10 will consolidate the best of Windows 7 and Windows 8.1. In addition to the free upgrade for consumers for a year after the release, Windows 10 should be a net positive as there is pent-up demand for replacements of older PCs. Only part of the installed base needs to replace systems to keep the overall growth rate above zero for rest of the year."

"Although shipments did exceed an already cautious forecast, the market unfortunately remains heavily dependent on pricing being a major driver, with entry SKU volume masking a still tenuous demand for higher priced systems that is needed to sustain a more diverse PC ecosystem. Pricing pressure is bringing many premium SKUs into formerly mid-level pricing tiers," said Jay Chou, Senior Research Analyst, Worldwide PC Trackers. "As more vendors find it increasingly difficult to compete, we can expect additional consolidation in the PC market."

Regional Highlights

United States - With shipments totaling 14.2 million PCs in 1Q 2015, the U.S. market shrank -1.0% from the same quarter a year ago. Growth was centered in portables, particularly around emerging product categories such as Chromebooks, Bing, Ultraslims and Convertibles. Desktop shipments were also relatively sluggish this quarter.

Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) - Shipments of personal computers in EMEA contracted in the first quarter of 2015, as vendors focused on depleting attractively priced Bing inventory built up during 4Q 2014. The end of Bing promotions on 15 inch notebooks, unfavorable currency exchange rates and consequently an increase in prices of components, all led to a rise of average selling prices and decline in PC shipments. In addition, growth was constrained by a difficult year-on-year comparison. Where year-ago shipments were boosted by the end of support for Windows XP, those replacements have declined significantly in the current quarter - particularly in the commercial desktop segment.

Asia/Pacific (excluding Japan) - volume was close to expectations as scaled-back IT spending due to the ongoing currency fluctuation hit many countries in the region. Outside of the Lunar New Year effect, China was also impacted by excess commercial notebook inventory from earlier quarters as the anti-corruption campaign continues to suppress commercial spending.

Japan - volume declined -44% from a year ago, a bit worse than forecast. A strong Q1 2014 was significantly bolstered by commercial projects and consumer buy-in before a tax-hike, which set the stage for very difficult year-over-year comparisons. A weak Yen further dampened purchasing across segments.

Vendor Highlights

Lenovo held onto the top position with 13.4M units, and grew 3.4%. The vendor continued to aggressively court expansion outside of Asia, especially closing the gap with competition in EMEA. The company also moved ahead of Apple to capture the third position in the U.S.

HP remained in the number two position, shipping nearly 13 million PCs with growth surpassing 3%, driven primarily by resilient growth in US and EMEA. Although growth slowed from earlier in the year, HP & Lenovo continued to outpace the market and their nearest competitors.

Dell came in at the number 3 position, shipping over 9.2 million units, registering a year-over-year decline of -6.3%, its first negative quarter since 2013Q2. Strong results in the U.S. and EMEA in Q1 2014 contributed to a poor year-over-year comparison.

Acer though the vendor continued to see good acceptance of its Chrome offerings, Acer shipments slowed in the first quarter - particularly in EMEA where it had seen a strong rebound in mid-2014 but faced pressure from other market leaders in the fourth quarter.

ASUS had a solid quarter with worldwide volume of 4.8 million and growth of 4.4%, supported by growth in Asia. This brought the company just behind Acer - effectively a tie for fourth place.


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