Synaptics to Speak on Mobile Panel at Interop 2010 Tweet

SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- Synaptics Inc. (Nasdaq: SYNA), a leading developer of human interface solutions for mobile computing, communications, and entertainment devices, announced that it will be speaking for the first time at Interop. Andrew Hsu, Synaptics technology strategist and one of the inventors of ClearPad™ touchscreen technology, will be among a select group of wireless and mobile technology experts participating on the "Advanced Technologies: What's Next for Wireless and Mobile?" panel at the Interop 2010 conference and exhibition in Las Vegas. The panel will take place from 9:00 to 10:00 a.m. PDT on Thursday, April 29 in Room 12 at Mandalay Bay Convention Center.

Hsu will present on the rapid evolution of user interface technologies from a capacitive touch market leader's point of view. He is the primary technical contact for Synaptics' worldwide customers in the handheld space. He led the marketing efforts for ClearPad that resulted in the first production phone with a capacitive touchscreen, the LG Prada. More recently, he managed the highly successful Fuse mobile concept project with partners, TheAlloy, The Astonishing Tribe (TAT), Immersion, and Texas Instruments Incorporated (TI).

"In the past decade, the mobile phone has evolved into a computing platform for the masses and an intuitive user interface serves as a portal into the cloud," said Hsu. "We will explore the growing importance of usage models and wireless computing during the panel. Ultimately, an intuitive user interface leads to innovative software and drives segment adoption, which in turn fosters consumer demand for an even more sophisticated channel to access the cloud."

The panel will be moderated by Tim Scannell, editorial director for TechnologyGuide.com, TechTarget. He will lead the discussion on technological advances in a broad range of markets including user interface, handheld, processor technology and storage. The panelists will examine key wireless technologies and their impending impact, as well as educate industry professionals on emerging venues to maximize benefits while lowering business costs. Panelists joining Hsu include Ronny Haraldsvik, vice president of marketing, SpiderCloud Wireless, Inc. and Tom Medrek, senior vice president and general manager, multiservice access, Mindspeed Technologies.

About Synaptics

Synaptics (NASDAQ: SYNA) is a leading developer of human interface solutions for the mobile computing, communications, and entertainment industries. The company creates interface solutions for a variety of devices including notebook PCs, PC peripherals, digital music players, and mobile phones. The TouchPad™, Synaptics' flagship product, is integrated into a majority of today's notebook computers. Consumer electronics and computing manufacturers use Synaptics' solutions to enrich the interaction between humans and intelligent devices through improved usability, functionality, and industrial design. The company is headquartered in Santa Clara, Calif. www.synaptics.com

About Interop

Interop® drives the adoption of technology, providing knowledge and insight to help IT and corporate decision-makers achieve business success. Part of UBM TechWeb's family of global brands, Interop is the leading business technology event series. Through in-depth educational programs, workshops, real-world demonstrations and live technology implementations in its unique InteropNet program, Interop provides the forum for the most powerful innovations and solutions the industry has to offer. For more information about these events visit, www.interop.com.

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LG Electronics, Tribeca Film Festival Partner to Host Festival's First Ever Premiere on Television Tweet

'Keep Surfing' to Premiere on New LG Infinia LED HDTV with THX Certification.

NEW YORK -- For the first time in the festival's history, the Tribeca Film Festival will premiere a feature film, Keep Surfing, on a television - LG Electronics' new "Infinia" LED high-definition televisions (HDTVs).

LG Infinia HDTVs are designed to deliver the ultimate in picture quality, bringing the director's screening room into your living room. As the only LED LCD HDTVs in the United States to receive THX Display Certification, LG's LE8500 and LX9500 Infinia series provide "something better" in home entertainment allowing viewers to experience the exact same colors, shadows and details as moviegoers in the theater.

Actress Jamie-Lynn Sigler, best known for her role as Meadow on "The Sopranos," is hosting the private premiere of filmmaker Bjorn Richie Lob's Keep Surfing tonight in the Tribeca Grand Hotel's penthouse suite. Lob's film, which chronicles river-surfing on the Eisbach in Munich, Germany, was shot in various formats including 16mm and 35mm, providing stunning shots of the landscape and river.

"Keep Surfing took 10 years to complete. I want the audience to experience not only the passion of the surfers, but the beauty of the river and environment surrounding them," said Lob.

According to Geoffrey Gilmore, chief creative officer, Tribeca Enterprises, "More consumers are looking to bring the film festival experience home and with the evolution of LG's technology to provide theater-quality images, consumers have a greater opportunity for high quality screening experiences at home."

THX is known for its design and certification of world-class cinemas, film mastering and post-production. Its Certified Display program represents a superior benchmark to aid consumers when selecting a new HDTV. The THX Certified LED HDTVs feature THX Mode, a playback setting designed to recreate the same color levels used in the Blu-ray mastering studio, providing viewers at home with the same viewing experience as moviegoers in the theater.

"THX certification candidates undergo a rigorous design and laboratory testing process, which includes 200 THX bench tests covering more than 400 data points to ensure accurate color and exceptional image quality and signal processing performance," said Rick Dean, senior vice president, THX. "No other manufacturer's LED LCD HDTVs on the market today have been able to meet these stringent requirements."

Infinia is the flagship of LG's new LED LCD HDTV line. Leading these introductions is the Full LED Slim technology. The unique backlight structure on its Full LED Slim models (LX9500 and LE8500) allows for the Infinia line's ultra-slim depth and picture quality worthy of THX Display Certification. LG is also the first manufacturer to include the "THX Bright Room" setting which optimizes the contrast, gamma and other settings for watching movies in rooms with a lot of ambient light.

By simply selecting one of the THX modes on an Infinia model, consumers can easily turn their living room into a screening room with just the touch of a button. Together, these features provide consumers with infinite possibilities in home entertainment. The LX9500 and LE8500 Inifina series each include 55- and 47-inch class models (54.6 inches diagonal and 47.0 inches diagonal, respectively).

LG Electronics USA also is the official HDTV sponsor of the Festival and has installed more than 50 LG HDTVs and a host of Blu-ray Disc players in movie theaters, box offices and special event locations throughout lower Manhattan during the 12-day festival. These screens are showing content promoting the Festival, movie trailers and premiere schedules. For more information, please visit: www.LG.com.

ABOUT LG ELECTRONICS USA

LG Electronics USA, Inc., based in Englewood Cliffs, N.J., is the North American subsidiary of LG Electronics, Inc., a global force and technology leader in consumer electronics, home appliances and mobile communications. In the United States, LG Electronics sells a range of stylish and innovative home entertainment products, mobile phones, home appliances and business solutions, all under LG's "Life's Good" marketing theme. For more information, please visit www.LG.com.

ABOUT TRIBECA FILM FESTIVAL

Robert De Niro, Jane Rosenthal and Craig Hatkoff founded the Tribeca Film Festival in 2001 following the attacks on the World Trade Center to spur the economic and cultural revitalization of the lower Manhattan district through an annual celebration of film, music and culture.

The Festival's mission is to help filmmakers reach the broadest possible audience, enable the international film community and general public to experience the power of cinema and promote New York City as a major filmmaking center. Tribeca Film Festival is well known for being a diverse international film festival that supports emerging and established directors.

The Tribeca Festival has screened over 1100 films from over 80 countries since its first festival in 2002. Since its founding, it has attracted an international audience of more than 2.3 million attendees and has generated an estimated $600 million in economic activity for New York City.

ABOUT THX LTD.

From the big screen to your screen, THX ignites your passion for exciting entertainment experiences. Founded by George Lucas and recognized by audiences around the globe, THX is synonymous with the design and certification of world-class cinemas, premium audio systems, HDTVs, and blockbuster movies and games. Products featuring THX defy convention and define quality in their class, whether in the cinema, home or on the road. For more information, visit www.thx.com.

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Innovate!100 Semi-finalists to Pitch in Paris on April 26 Tweet

Innovate!2010 - Global competition to identify the 100 most promising technology startups.

SAN FRANCISCO and PARIS -- Innovate!2010 is a global competition produced by Guidewire Group, the world's leading analyst firm focused exclusively on startups and emerging markets, to identify and promote 100 top technology startups from around the world. On April 26, Paris will play host to the eleventh regional 'Pitch Slam' event in the Innovate!2010 series.

Taking place at the Microsoft Conference Centre, the Paris Pitch Slam will feature two rounds of rapid-fire pitches by Innovate!100 semi-finalists. At each session, the semi-finalists will receive invaluable feedback from a panel of expert judges that includes Amina Belghiti (Head of Developer Platform and New Ventures for Europe, PayPal), Nicolas Debock (Innovation and Strategy, Xange), Martin Duval (Founder and CEO, bluenove), Laurent Perriault (Partner, MGT), Sam Rosenbalm (Director of Community Development, Emerging Business Team, Microsoft), Roxanne Varza (Editor, Techcrunch France), Matteo Rizzi (Innovation Leader, SWIFT), Chipper Boulas (Founder and Managing Director, Boulas Ventures), Stephanie Bouchet (Founder, RougeFrog), and Guillaume Berthet (idEES and BizSpark startups, Microsoft).

Startups will be evaluated using Guidewire Group's proprietary G/Score™ assessment methodology, and the G/Scores from the Paris Slam will be aggregated with the results from over 20 other Innovate!2010 Pitch Slam events being held this year to determine the Innovate!100 -- an elite list of the top 100 technology, media and communications startups.

Confirmed Innovate!100 semi-finalists presenting at the Paris Pitch Slam as of April 25 include:

Allmyapps: Solution that enables users to install and reinstall all their desktop applications safely and easily.

Beezbox: Real-time social business platform to promote engagement with customers and partners.

Bookioo World: Online dating site that takes a "women-driven" approach that enables women to coordinate plans and meet people with more privacy and security.

COORP: Private social networks, services and media that enable sports clubs to promote participation by their fans and sponsors.

EcoVadis: Collaborative platform, allowing companies to assess the environmental and social performance of their suppliers on a global basis.

Flipstory.com: Allows any user to upload and edit a digital video clip, then receive it on a paper "flipbook."

Gekko: Personalized hotel recommendation engine to find, compare and book in various cities.

Hop-Cube: Develops a scoring system called HopScore that evaluates the eco-awareness of products.

Intelen: Innovative solutions for energy measuring, decision methodology and data mining to promote energy efficiency and CO2 reduction.

Leetchi.com: Web application that allows a group of friends to pitch in to buy a gift together.

Novapost: Electronic HR documents distribution and archiving systems for the employee as well as for the employer.

Openchain: Web-based certification tool for international trade and customs compliance.

Silentale: Offers a simple way to efficiently store, search and retrieve critical information from diverse contact and message sources.

SmartGrains: Develops ParkSense, a system composed of ground-mounted sensor units and wireless guidance signs that automatically guides drivers to vacant parking spots.

Sparkom: Platform that connects computer users with service providers and friends who can offer the technical help users require easily, instantaneously and by screen sharing.

Stupeflix: Turns digital content (images, text, audio, videos) into custom-tailored, broadcast-quality videos.

SubMate: Online application that allows train commuters to discover each other.

Tellmewhere: Mobile application that combines Facebook and local search to help you discover places you'll like and share your experiences with your friends.

Tryane: Collaboration metrics for corporate performance.

Ulteo: Develops an open source virtual desktop solution for the enterprise.

Wozaik: Web service that turns any fragment of your favorite Web sites into visual, interactive and automatically updated bookmarks.

Yatedo: Search engine based on semantic technology that helps users keep track of their information that is dispersed across the Web, organize it, and build a public global profile that summarizes their online activity based on their privacy settings.

Further information on the Innovate!2010 program and the schedule of upcoming Pitch Slam events can be found at www.innovate100.com. To attend the Paris Pitch Slam, sign up online at: http://2010pitchslamparis.eventbrite.com/.

About Innovate!2010

Innovate!2010 is a global competition to identify and promote the top 100 global technology start-ups. The program enables the most promising startups to gain access to resources and opportunities to accelerate the growth of their companies. Innovate!2010 also enables its partners, including technology and telecommunications vendors, government agencies, professional services providers, technology scouts and investors, to identify and engage hundreds of highly vetted, fast-growing startups and raise their brand profile in the global startup community. Innovate!2010 sponsors and partners include leading organizations like Alacatel-Lucent, BestBuy, Cisco Systems, Comcast, DifferenceEngine, eBay, EMC, HP, HSBC, Hearst, IBM, LaPoste, LG Electronics, Microsoft, O2 Litmus, Oracle, PayPal, PWC, Quickstart Global, RIM, SAP, Silicon Valley Bank, Sony, SWIFT, Turner Broadcasting, Verizon, and the City of Zaragoza; as well as European and US economic development agencies, and dozens of leading angel and venture capital investors.

About Guidewire Group, Inc.

Guidewire Group is a global market intelligence and advisory firm passionate about technology

entrepreneurship. Our exclusive focus on early-stage companies and emerging technology markets drives insight and opportunity to our clients and community. At the heart of our offerings is the G/Score™, a proprietary assessment tool that brings clarity and focus to the art of transforming ideas into successful enterprises. Developed over the course of more than 20,000 startup interviews, the G/Score has proven to be a reliable predictor of startup viability and promise. Our G/Score data helps technology investors, customers and platform vendors rapidly qualify and respond to startup deal flow from even thousands of startups. Our G/Score assessment tools help startups, investors, service providers and government agencies to identify and benchmark competitive strengths and weaknesses, and our Studio G business acceleration programs helps startups achieve their growth objectives with clarity of purpose, speed and efficiency.

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Dictionary.com Announces 10 Million Mobile Downloads; New App for iPad Accelerates Mobile Growth Momentum Tweet

OAKLAND, Calif. -- Dictionary.com (www.dictionary.com), the leading online and mobile dictionary, and a service of Ask.com, announced that it has reached the 10 million download milestone for its popular mobile products.

Every month, 50 million unique users leverage Dictionary.com online and on-the-go with mobile devices for real-time word discovery. The company's new iPad application, with 100,000 downloads to date*, and open API represent its continued commitment to make its offerings universally available through online, mobile, eReader and other wireless devices.

"We've received fantastic customer feedback regarding our popular Dictionary.com app for iPhone that was launched last April, and are thrilled to extend this experience to a new, growing user base of iPad users," said Shravan Goli, president, Dictionary.com. "Dictionary.com for iPad is a great way for people to enhance their command of language by discovering new words while on-the-go, and accessing precise definitions and audio pronunciations at the exact moment they need to."

Dictionary.com's various mobile apps for the iPhone, iPad, BlackBerry and Android, have reached 10 million downloads in little over a year—including 6.5 million for the iPhone with its over 1 million words and definitions and highly acclaimed 'word shake' feature for new words and topics. Hailed as an "Apple Staff Favorite" and the "number one iPad app for college students**," the new Dictionary.com iPad app is available at the iTunes App Store, where it is the store's top free reference app.

"Each month, with a simple tap, Dictionary.com's mobile applications enable millions of people to instantly discover word meanings that match their lifestyle needs—whether professional, academic or social," said Goli. "And, our long-standing API program has strengthened our leadership in the mobile space by enabling partners like Samsung to put the full power of Dictionary.com in their mobile and online applications."

Dictionary.com's open API powers many of its mobile applications, including those for BlackBerry and Android; and is used to create customized, white-label applications, such as the downloadable reference app Samsung includes in the Omnia II mobile phone. This robust API, available at www.dictionary.com/API, enables developers to leverage Dictionary.com's comprehensive offerings such as definitions and etymologies to enhance word games and create learning language applications and other word-related apps for online, mobile and wireless environments.

About Dictionary.com

Dictionary.com is the leading provider of online and mobile language reference products and services. The company is an affiliate of Ask.com, the leading brand for questions and answers online. Both are wholly-owned subsidiaries of IAC ( IACI). Dictionary.com, LLC, includes Dictionary.com, Thesaurus.com, Reference.com and Translator, and serves an average of 50 million unique users worldwide per month (source: 2010 Quantcast data and internal mobile usage data). For more information, please visit www.dictionary.com.

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LG Teams Up with Victoria Beckham and Eva Longoria Parker to Promote Personal Style and Latest Handsets - LG Lotus Elite and LG Rumor Touch Tweet

LG Mobile Phones launches multi-faceted campaign inviting consumers to ‘flaunt their fashion touch’ through two uniquely stylish touchscreen devices.

SAN DIEGO, CALIF. — LG Electronics MobileComm U.S.A., Inc. (LG Mobile Phones) has forged an alliance with fashionable stars Victoria Beckham and Eva Longoria Parker to promote the company’s latest touchscreen mobile phones, the stylish LG Lotus Elite and LG Rumor Touch. The integrated campaign, called LG Fashion Touch, promotes personal style and the idea that mobile phones have become the latest in fashion communication. The partnership includes a print and online campaign, series of MTV vignettes, consumer promotion and an event in Los Angeles to celebrate the integration of fashion and technology.

The LG Fashion Touch campaign pairs two of the most fashionable phones with two of the world’s most well-known fashion enthusiasts. LG partnered with the famous friends because their unique personal styles complement the design aesthetic of the handsets and their friendship aligned perfectly with the dual product launch. LG Lotus Elite is bold and edgy, which is a reflection of Victoria’s style. LG Rumor Touch is a sleek and more classically designed handset, which is a reflection of Eva’s style.

“We don’t believe you should have to compromise your personal style or productivity, when it comes to your choice of mobile phone,” said Ehtisham Rabbani, vice president of marketing and innovation for LG Mobile Phones. “With new touchscreen technology, LG Lotus Elite and LG Rumor Touch deliver the best in functionality and fashion. We are thrilled to be working with Victoria and Eva; their involvement in the campaign highlights the relevancy of our design credo and reinforces the LG style heritage.”

The series of MTV vignettes, produced and directed by documentarist Doug Keeve, depict Eva and Victoria and two very talented up and coming fashion designers -Yotam Solomon and Oday Shakar - as they collaborate together in preparation for the big fashion event in Los Angeles May 24. Tasked to create groundbreaking pieces influenced by the idea of being fashionable in a technological and socially-connected world, Yotam and Oday use their LG phones to gather inspiration for their designs. Their creations will be revealed at the event.

The print ads launch the week of May 3 nationally and will run side-by-side, allowing readers to clearly visualize the duality of the campaign. The ads were shot by fashion photographer, Ellen Von Unwerth and feature Eva and Victoria posing with their respective phones. Both women wear fashions that reflect their personal style and the design aesthetic of their handsets. The ads are featured in weekly magazines as well as fashion-driven monthlies. Banner ads also feature the images.

To engage consumers, LG created the Fashion Touch Style Quiz on the LG Fashion Touch Facebook page www.facebook.com/LGFashion. By taking the quiz, fashionistas can find out what phone and style best suits them and participants will be entered into a sweepstakes for a chance to win tickets to the LG Fashion Touch event in May.

To celebrate the partnership and the culmination of the campaign, Victoria and Eva will host an LG exclusive party that will reflect the intersection of fashion and technology. Guests of the party will include celebrities, stylists and fashion insiders who are known for flaunting their unique ‘fashion touch.’

The stylish LG Lotus Elite and LG Rumor Touch are successors to the popular LG Lotus and LG Rumor. LG and Sprint are proud to offer consumers LG Lotus Elite and LG Rumor Touch in an expanded variety of stylish colors. These sleek and fashionable messaging devices offer users a more advanced handset with the additions of touchscreen technology and new exclusive features. Available in new colors on April 19 in all Sprint retail channels including www.sprint.com, LG Lotus Elite will come in red and black for $99.99 with a new two-year service agreement and $50 mail-in rebate and LG Rumor Touch (currently available in black) will now be available in Red and Purple for $79.99 with a new two-year service agreement and $50 mail-in-rebate.

About LG Electronics, Inc.

LG Electronics, Inc. (KSE: 066570.KS) is a global leader and technology innovator in consumer electronics, mobile communications and home appliances, employing more than 84,000 people working in 115 operations including 84 subsidiaries around the world. With 2009 global sales of USD43.4 billion, LG is comprised of five business units –- Home Entertainment, Mobile Communications, Home Appliance, Air Conditioning and Business Solutions. LG is the world’s leading producer of flat panel TVs, audio and video products, mobile handsets, air conditioners and washing machines. LG has signed a long-term agreement to become both a Global Partner and a Technology Partner of Formula One™. As part of this top-level association, LG acquires exclusive designations and marketing rights as the official consumer electronics, mobile phone and data processor of this global sporting event. For more information, please visit www.lgusa.com.
About LG Electronics Mobile Communications Company

The LG Electronics Mobile Communications Company is a leading global mobile communications and information company. With its cutting-edge technology and innovative design capabilities, LG creates handsets that provide an optimized mobile experience to customers around the world. LG is pursuing convergence technology and mobile computing products, while continuing its leadership role in mobile communication with stylish designs and smart technology. For more information, please visit www.lgmobilephones.com.

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NI Technology Updates Outlooks for RF Micro Devices, Anadigics, Cavium Networks, Texas Instruments and FormFactor Tweet

PRINCETON, N.J. -- Next Inning Technology Research (http://www.nextinning.com), an online investment newsletter focused on semiconductor and technology stocks, announced it has updated outlooks for RF Micro Devices (Nasdaq: RFMD), Anadigics (Nasdaq: ANAD), Cavium Networks (Nasdaq: CAVM), Texas Instruments (NYSE: TXN) and FormFactor ( FORM).

Editor Paul McWilliams has displayed uncanny accuracy in identifying winners and losers during this challenging and historic period for the markets. After logging a very successful 2009, McWilliams is now intently focused on the catalysts generating profits in 2010. So far this year, his Next Inning model portfolio is up 23% versus 12% for the Nasdaq. Two of the stocks held in the portfolio are up 85% and 66% year to date. Trial subscribers will have full access to this portfolio as well as email alerts with early notice of what McWilliams sees as the next big winner.

Trial subscribers will receive McWilliams' highly acclaimed State of Tech reports that offer in-depth sector by sector coverage of over 65 leading tech companies and McWilliams' specific guidance on which stocks he thinks investors should own and which should be avoided during the upcoming earnings season. These reports, as well as McWilliams' regular commentary, are available for free to trial subscribers.

In addition, a Next Inning trial subscription also offers access to a new special report on stocks that are likely to benefit most from the boom in demand for mobile bandwidth worldwide driven by Apple's iPhone and other smartphones. Finally, subscribers will have access to McWilliams' daily commentary and actionable alerts that have been providing frequent profit opportunities for Next Inning subscribers for years. To take advantage of this offer and receive these reports for free, please visit the following link:

https://www.nextinning.com/subscribe/index.php?refer=prn1008

McWilliams covers these topics and more in his recent reports:

-- When Wall Street was concerned about RF Micro losing market share at Nokia, McWilliams told subscribers to focus instead on news coming out of China. Now that this prediction has played out as McWilliams expected, what is he looking for in RF Micro's upcoming earnings report? Why might RF Micro be poised to see its profitability soar?

-- The price of ANAD has moved up 305% since it was listed as a good speculative buy in McWilliams' report "Undervalued Tech Stocks for 2009." What has led to the sharp turnaround at Anadigics? What does McWilliams see as the key drivers going forward and will they play towards Anadigics' competitive strengths? Why does McWilliams think Wall Street is underestimating Anadigics' ability to grow profits faster than revenue? What is McWilliams' year-end price target for Anadigics?

-- The price of Cavium is up 180% since it was listed in McWilliams' report "Undervalued Tech Stocks for 2009" as a good strategic investment. What is McWilliams' estimated fair value price range for Cavium? What is his year-end price target for the stock? Does McWilliams think NetLogic offers a better risk-adjusted upside than Cavium at current prices?

-- What short-term challenges does McWilliams think might weigh on an otherwise strong quarter from Texas Instruments? What does he think about the company's long-term future? Does McWilliams still think it merits consideration as a strategic investment after moving up 75% from his original buy point? What does he see as a fair valuation for the stock today?

-- McWilliams advised Next Inning readers this morning that he can understand the interest being displayed towards FormFactor recently. The company has nearly half of its stock price represented in the value of its balance sheet and trading far below the nearly $50 high it hit in 2006. However, as he explains it, there were unique reasons behind that rally. What drove FormFactor's success in 2006 and is it likely to repeat in the hot market we're seeing today for semiconductor test equipment?

Founded in September 2002, Next Inning's model portfolio has returned 306% since its inception versus 35% for the S&P 500.

About Next Inning:

Next Inning is a subscription-based investment newsletter that provides regular coverage on more than 150 technology and semiconductor stocks. Subscribers receive intra-day analysis, commentary and recommendations, as well as access to monthly semiconductor sales analysis, regular Special Reports, and the Next Inning model portfolio. Editor Paul McWilliams is a 30+ year semiconductor industry veteran.

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SMART Acquires NextWindow Tweet

Acquisition extends SMART's presence into broader consumer market and strengthens IP portfolio.

CALGARY, Alberta -- SMART Technologies, the world's leading provider of interactive whiteboards, announces the acquisition of New Zealand-based NextWindow (Next Holdings Limited), a leading designer and manufacturer of optical touch technology for integration into all-in-one computers, computer displays and large-format screens. The acquisition reinforces SMART's own investment in optical touch research and development, and combines the two companies' significant optical touch patent portfolios. The NextWindow acquisition is expected to have minimal impact on both businesses' day-to-day operations, offices and company structure. Both SMART and NextWindow are privately held companies.

NextWindow supplies optical touch components to manufacturers of PCs and other interactive displays. Its touch components are used in PCs and monitors sold by Dell, Hewlett-Packard, Lenovo, Medion, NEC, Samsung and Sony. The acquisition extends SMART's current presence in the education, business and government sectors into the broader consumer market. SMART is also expanding its business in Asia, where NextWindow has already been active. In the past year, NextWindow has developed an Asian presence in Singapore, Taiwan and Korea.

"SMART serves a range of markets, and it is timely to diversify our revenue base beyond the sectors we already serve," says Nancy Knowlton, SMART's CEO. "NextWindow's core values, business model, patent portfolio and focus on the consumer market make it an attractive acquisition for us."

"We are combining two companies with complementary expertise and a remarkably similar culture focused on innovation and excellence," says Al Monro, NextWindow's CEO. "NextWindow's development of optical touch technology complements SMART's efforts, and I'm delighted that we are becoming part of SMART."

In the transaction, RBC Capital Markets were financial advisors to SMART and Cowen and Company, LLC were financial advisors to NextWindow.

About NextWindow

Founded in 2001, NextWindow is a designer and manufacturer of optical touch screens for integration into all-in-one computers, computer displays and large-format screens. NextWindow is a leader in optical touch technology, enabling OEMs, ODMs and resellers to add touch-screen capability to their products. With offices in New Zealand, Taiwan, Singapore and the United States, the company provides cost-effective manufacturing for PCs as well as customized solutions for kiosks, digital signage and interactive education. www.nextwindow.com

About SMART

SMART Technologies, the global leader in interactive whiteboards, develops easy-to-use integrated products and services that can improve the way the world works and learns. For more than 20 years, innovation and commitment to excellence have been at the core of our business. We help educators achieve better results with technology products that support student-centered learning. We help businesses become more productive with easy-to-use collaboration solutions that enable better results. Our success is driven by our deep commitment to and engagement with both the education and business communities. www.smarttech.com

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