Learning Play is Fun and Personalized with Four New Portable Toys

LeapFrog Enterprises, Inc., continues to be top dog with its progressive line of products featuring the playful LeapFrog(R) character “Scout” the puppy. The four new learning toys offer children from ages six months to three years personalized play, on-the-go learning fun and help building preschool readiness skills. The new Scout-themed toys are all on the LeapFrog Learning Path, a free online resource that gives parents insights into what skills their child explores during play.

“Kids will love to play along with Scout in our new line of learning toys. True to our heritage, we deliver the engaging play experience parents expect from LeapFrog, while introducing a broad range of early learning skills,” said Craig Hendrickson, senior vice president, product marketing for LeapFrog.

Personalized Play and Preschool Readiness

Scout, the curious green puppy first brought to life in LeapFrog’s award- winning ClickStart(R) My First Computer continues as the preschool child’s best learning friend in all four new toys.

The green My Pal Scout and purple My Pal Violet, for children six months and older, are plush puppy friends that, via a USB connection, parents can personalize with their child’s name and favorite things (e.g. color, food). Parents can also create a customized playlist from an online database of songs and lullabies that they can download to the plush. These puppy pals can then incorporate the child’s name and favorite things into activities, songs and dialogue to engage the child in a truly personalized way. In addition to the five songs that come pre-loaded on the plush pals, 30 downloadable tunes are available so parents can keep the music fresh. My Pal Scout and My Pal Violet introduce learning skills such as first words, daily routines and counting.

Scout also plays backyard guide to curious two-year-olds learning letter names and sounds in LeapFrog’s AlphaPet Explorer. A portable learning toy with four modes, the AlphaPet Explorer lets kids play at their own level — with Scout alongside to help. Toddlers will have fun exploring the phonics games and hearing fun songs, as they build preschool skills such as letter recognition and fine motor coordination.

Learning Play That Looks Grown-up

Busy three-year olds will love to “play” like their parents do, with LeapFrog’s Text & Learn, a just-for-kids learning PDA. Games that focus on spelling and basic computer skills — with pal Scout right there to help — are only part of the fun with Text & Learn, which lets preschoolers exchange text messages with Scout, check Scout’s planner to see what his week en”tails,” and explore in a pretend browser mode. Other learning activities include letter matching, shape identification and QWERTY keyboard navigation.

Scout is ready to jump in and offer three-year-olds “paws-on” early writing assistance with the new Scribble & Write. A handheld tablet that’s just the right size for anywhere play, Scribble & Write gives step-by-step guidance as children easily trace right over lit-up figures on the LED screen, practicing drawing simple shapes and pictures, then graduating to writing upper- and lowercase letters. Fun learning games help reinforce letter recognition and pencil control skills.

As with most LeapFrog products, the new Scout line is part of the LeapFrog Learning Path, a free online resource that gives parents insights into their child’s activities, details about what skills their child is exploring during play and ideas for other LeapFrog learning toys that match their child’s interests.

Pricing and Availability

All four Scout-themed learning toys will be available at www.leapfrog.com and major retailers in summer 2009. My Pal Scout, My Pal Violet and AlphaPet Explorer all have an MSRP of $19.99. Text & Learn and Scribble & Write have an MSRP of $21.99.


MIMO UM-710 and Touchscreen MIMO UM-740 Displays Function As Cost-Effective USB-Powered Mini-Monitors to Preserve Desktop Space for Multi-Taskers in the Office, at Home or at School

MIMO Monitors are now available for U.S. shoppers at www.mimomonitors.com with free shipping. Using a single USB 2.0 connection for both power and connectivity, the 7″ monitors provide instant secondary or tertiary display — ideal for instant messaging and email clients, video gaming widgets, stock tickers, frequented applications, spreadsheets and documents, streaming media, videoconferencing, or various design tools within programs such as Photoshop.

Sleek-looking and ultra-portable, MIMO Monitors weigh just 1.3 lbs. while featuring a beautiful 800×480 resolution — offering sharp graphics and clear images with no need to install additional video cards. Supporting Windows XP and Vista as well as Mac OS X, both the MIMO UM-710 and MIMO UM-740 monitor models are available with free shipping throughout the U.S. at www.mimomonitors.com.

The MIMO UM-710 boasts a pivoting monitor for either landscape or portrait views, and features 350 cd/m2 brightness with a contrast ratio of 400:1. Priced at $129.99, the MIMO UM-710 is a smart, efficient way for users who run a number of applications simultaneously to declutter and maximize desktop space. The MIMO UM-710 utilizes just one USB 2.0 connection for both power and connectivity.

The MIMO UM-740 includes all of the MIMO UM-710 characteristics plus a range of additional features, most notably touchscreen functionality. Additionally, the MIMO UM-740 features webcam capabilities, a microphone and audio in/out pass through. The MIMO UM-740 also includes a second USB 2.0 connection for systems that do not meet power requirements. Priced at $199.99, the MIMO UM-740 is a vital solution for multitasking computer-using professionals.

Economical and long-lasting, both the MIMO UM-710 and MIMO UM-740 are now available in the U.S. at www.mimomonitors.com, which offers free shipping for both devices to any destination in the U.S.

Source: MIMO Monitors


DesignWare IP Provides Standardized Interface Between USB 3.0 Host Controllers and USB 3.0 Software Stack

Synopsys, Inc., a world leader in software and IP for semiconductor design and manufacturing, announced the addition of the DesignWare(R) SuperSpeed USB xHCI Host Controller to the complete DesignWare SuperSpeed USB (USB 3.0) IP solution consisting of device and host controllers, PHY and verification IP. The complete solution also includes a SuperSpeed USB virtual platform and drivers to aid software development. The SuperSpeed USB xHCI Host Controller supports the current Extensible Host Controller Interface (xHCI) draft specification, which offers a standardized method for communication between USB 3.0 host controllers and the USB 3.0 software stack.

The DesignWare SuperSpeed USB xHCI Host Controller, operating at 5 Gbps, is targeted at high performance netbooks, set-top boxes, digital video recorders, digital TVs, and mobile internet devices that want to take advantage of SuperSpeed USB’s 10x increase in throughput. To help ensure interoperability with multiple operating systems, standard off-the-shelf USB 3.0 xHCI software stack drivers can be used with the DesignWare SuperSpeed USB xHCI Host Controller, allowing designers to focus on developing differentiated features and spend less effort on software development. Additionally, the DesignWare SuperSpeed USB xHCI Host Controller can be configured to support multiple ports, enabling designers to implement their required configuration without having to manually modify their existing source code.

“Synopsys is an active member of the USB Implementer Forum, and we commend their continued contribution to the advancement of the SuperSpeed USB ecosystem,” said Jeff Ravencraft, president and chairman, USB Implementers Forum. “The addition of the xHCI Host Controller to the DesignWare SuperSpeed USB IP offering will enable Synopsys customers to quickly deploy SuperSpeed USB products to the design community.”

The DesignWare SuperSpeed USB xHCI Host Controller is optimized for low power consumption to extend product battery life, implementing dual power rails to allow nearly the entire core to be completely turned off while in suspend mode. The controller’s low power design information is provided in the industry standard Unified Power Format (UPF), enabling designers to use the Synopsys’ Eclypse(TM) Low Power Solution to automatically implement aggressive power management schemes for dynamic and leakage power.

“As a leading provider of USB IP for nearly a decade, Synopsys continues to develop high quality IP that helps designers lower the risk and cost of implementing the latest USB 3.0 connectivity into their system-on-chip designs,” said John Koeter, vice president of marketing for the Solutions Group at Synopsys. “With the addition of the xHCI Host Controller to our DesignWare SuperSpeed USB IP offering, designers can turn to a single, trusted vendor for an integrated USB 3.0 IP solution for their design needs.”

Availability

The DesignWare SuperSpeed USB xHCI Host Controller is scheduled to be available to early customers in Q2 2009.

For more information on DesignWare USB IP, please visit: http://www.synopsys.com/IP/InterfaceIP/USB/Pages/default.aspx

Also, visit the USB IP blog at http://www.synopsysoc.org/tousbornottousb/


Jabra DIAL 520 OC Offers Portability, Lower Total Cost of Ownership for Customers

GN Netcom, one of the world leaders in innovative headset solutions, announced its first USB phone to support Microsoft Office Communications Server 2007 Release 2, the Jabra DIAL(TM) 520 OC. Offering plug and play capabilities and portability at an affordable price, the DIAL 520 OC USB phone expands Jabra’s award-winning line of products that support Office Communications Server 2007 R2 and include corded, wireless DECT, and multiuse Bluetooth headsets. Also announced is a new Bluetooth(R) headset to extend the line of Jabra headsets optimized for Office Communications Server 2007 R2.

With the Jabra DIAL 520 OC, GN Netcom has created a unique USB phone that features innovative capabilities with Office Communications Server 2007 R2, true wideband audio for optimum call clarity, and intuitive usability. The Jabra DIAL 520 OC also features dedicated answer, end and mute buttons for seamless integration with Office Communications Server 2007 R2.

“As a Microsoft Gold Certified Partner, we were able to work closely with Microsoft to create a product that not only takes advantage of the innovative features introduced in Office Communications Server 2007 Release 2, but also offers portability and the lowest priced handset available for Office Communications,” said Chris Briglin, Vice President of Business Development, GN Netcom. “The Jabra DIAL 520 OC is an ideal product for every type of Office Communications 2007 user, offering high usability features to help maximize productivity and making the most of IP telephony from the office or the road.”

The Jabra DIAL 520 OC phone includes features that make it suitable for a variety of industries and employees, from office personnel to field employees and executives. Key product features include:

  • Seamless integration with Office Communications Server 2007 R2 through dedicated answer, end and mute buttons
  • Wideband audio for optimum call clarity
  • Intuitive instant usability with no additional drivers needed
  • LCD display showing call details

“GN Netcom end points take advantage of the wideband capabilities in Microsoft Office Communications 2007 Release 2, enabling customers to unify their communications systems and meet the growing demand for enhanced business collaboration,” said Moz Hussain, director of the Unified Communications Group at Microsoft Corp. “Microsoft is excited to work with GN Netcom to demonstrate the value of software-powered unified communications solutions to our customers.”

In addition to the Jabra DIAL 520 OC, GN Netcom will introduce the M5390 USB for Office Communications. The Jabra M5390 USB OC is a Bluetooth headset featuring a wireless range of 200 feet, wideband audio and simultaneous pairing with mobile phones and Office Communications.

The Jabra DIAL 520 OC and the Jabra M5390 USB OC will be available through GN Netcom’s global network of authorized distributors and resellers. For further information, please visit www.jabra.com/microsoft.


Autojobs.nl, a market-leading web-based recruitment service serving the automotive industry, has deployed Yubico’s YubiKey authentication token together with the Oblivion Content Management Server, in order to ensure that only authorised key holders have access to their candidate database.

“Autojobs’ core competency is in providing accurate, up-to-date candidate profiles to the automotive industry. Therefore, we are very pleased to partner with Oblivion’s service and Yubico’s token technology to meet our access challenges,” says Managing Director, Autojobs.nl. “The YubiKey is a very easy-to-use and cost-effective solution to managing access securely. With this solution in place, we can be confident of maintaining and growing our leadership position in the automotive recruitment sector.”

The Product Solution consists of YubiKey authentication tokens, configured to work with the Oblivion Content Management Hosting and Authentication Server.

Autojobs.nl selected a solution which elegantly combines Oblivion’s service with Yubico’s YubiKey token technology. Oblivion extended their database application with the Oblivion Authentication Server, which was integrated quickly and easily with the YubiKey using the web API provided via Yubico’s developer forum. Edwin van Nuil, Head of Development at Oblivion commented, “The simple, open source approach of Yubico and their published API made the integration of the YubiKey a quick and painless exercise. It’s just not possible to do this with other solutions. I would recommend the YubiKey to any service or hosting provider looking for an elegant, easy-to-implement and low-cost authentication solution.”

“With Autojob.nl’s principal business assets safely secured ‘in-the-cloud’ with YubiKey and Oblivion, they are free to focus on their core competency while maintaining and growing their market leadership position in automotive recruitment. I am confident that together with our partners, we will be able to help many more organisations achieve the transition to secure cloud computing,” said Simon Hibbert, Director EMEA Sales at Yubico.





Categories

Archives

Blogroll

Meta