Daily Archives: May 8, 2014

Technology

XebiaLabs to Offer Jenkins Enterprise by CloudBees

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XebiaLabs today announced a reseller partnership with CloudBees, the enterprise continuous delivery leader, to market, license, resell and support Jenkins Enterprise by CloudBees, the enterprise version of Jenkins CI.

Boston, MA (USA), May 08, 2014 — XebiaLabs, the leading provider of Delivery Automation for the enterprise ( http://www.xebialabs.com ), today announced a reseller partnership with CloudBees, the enterprise continuous delivery leader, to market, license, resell and support Jenkins Enterprise by CloudBees, the enterprise version of Jenkins CI. Jenkins CI is the most popular open source continuous integration (CI) server and is used by thousands of organizations around the globe. CloudBees is a major supporter of the Jenkins community and the ecosystem that has sprung up around Jenkins.

XebiaLabs will market and introduce Jenkins Enterprise by CloudBees to its roster of global customers in financial services, utilities and manufacturing. Jenkins Enterprise by CloudBees is a professional-grade offering, specifically targeted at large organizations. It comprises open source Jenkins with the additional value-add of technical support from CloudBees expert engineers and additional plugins that address more sophisticated requirements typically found within large enterprises.

Jenkins excels at automating and monitoring iterative development processes such as builds and tests. Traditionally known for enabling CI, Jenkins is now being extended into deployment to enable continuous delivery. Built with Java, Jenkins provides more than 900 plugins to support the building and testing of virtually any project with support for a broad range of technologies and applications.

“Our respective companies have always shared a similar mission. And that is to promote the benefits of continuous integration and continuous delivery, to help organizations get their software into production as fast and as efficiently as possible,” said Coert Baart, CEO, XebiaLabs. “We’re looking forward to a long and prosperous partnership with CloudBees, a company that has been close to XebiaLabs for quite some time.”

“We are pleased to deepen our relationship with XebiaLabs, a long-time trusted partner,” said Mike Lambert, Vice President of Sales – Americas, CloudBees. “Having collaborated with XebiaLabs on many fronts, we know their organization to be reputable and staffed with expert professionals. We look forward to enabling our joint customers to benefit from continuous delivery.”

In January, the two companies hosted an event for the Jenkins user community in Boston, led by Jenkins founder Kohsuke Kawaguchi, who is also the chief technology officer at CloudBees.

Most recently, XebiaLabs rolled out XL Platform, a suite of applications comprising XL Deploy, for application release automation, XL Release, for enterprise release management for DevOps and Continuous Delivery, XL Test, the first dedicated Agile test management and analysis tool and XL Scale, for on-demand provisioning and scaling of full environments. For more details on the new XL Platform and the easy and complete integration with Jenkins Enterprise, please visit http://www.xebialabs.com/products/xl-platform/

About CloudBees:
CloudBees ( http://www.cloudbees.com ) provides a Continuous Delivery Platform that accelerates the development, integration and deployment of web and mobile applications. The CloudBees Continuous Delivery Platform offers a rich set of resources to support continuous delivery, from coding activities to testing, staging and production deployments. By building on the power of Jenkins CI, CloudBees enables you to adopt continuous delivery incrementally or organization-wide, supporting both on-premise and cloud-based development and deployment processes.

CloudBees serves the needs of a wide range of businesses from small startups that need to quickly create new on-line businesses, to large IT organizations that need to rapidly respond to dynamic market opportunities. Follow CloudBees on Twitter (@CloudBees), on Facebook and on Google+. You can also try CloudBees for free. Backed by Matrix Partners and Lightspeed Venture Partners, CloudBees was founded in 2010 by former JBoss CTO Sacha Labourey and an elite team of middleware and open source technology professionals.

About XebiaLabs:
With customers such as 3M, John Deere, Expedia, GE, and Société Générale, XebiaLabs is a leading provider of delivery automation software that helps organizations deliver business value faster and more efficiently. Headquartered in the U.S., XebiaLabs has a world-wide network of sales offices and partners. http://www.xebialabs.com

Press & Media Contact:
Victor Cruz, Principal
MediaPR.net, Inc
Essex, MA – USA
+1 (978) 768-6888
vcruz@mediapr.net
http://www.xebialabs.comi

Technology

XebiaLabs to Publish “The IT Manager’s Guide to Continuous Delivery”

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Publication explains how organizations can leverage Continuous Delivery concepts to develop production software within days instead of months.

Boston, MA (USA), May 08, 2014 — Turning good ideas into marketable software quickly is now a business imperative for every enterprise. Turning Continuous Delivery – accelerating the software development and release process – has been a top priority for CIOs based on recent surveys conducted with Fortune 1000 companies. Software development objectives such as these set the stage for “The IT Manager’s Guide to Continuous Delivery,” a new book announced today by XebiaLabs ( http://www.xebialabs.com ).

This is one of the only guides of its type that covers the subject of Continuous Delivery. It presents measurable business benefits and is written for non-technical readers, starting with concrete advice on how to get started.

Authored by four Continuous Delivery experts with extensive hands-on experience, the book champions the concept of Continuous Delivery in enabling organizations to build automated software delivery platforms for releasing high-quality applications faster. The book also presents how Continuous Delivery is a set of processes and practices that radically removes waste from the software production process and creates a rapid and effective feedback loop with end users.

“In a competitive economic environment, every organization should consider this game-changing approach,” says co-author Andrew Phillips, who is also Vice President of Product Management at XebiaLabs. “Continuous Delivery helps reduce time-to-market from weeks and months to days or even hours.”

Other authors of book include Xebia IT Architects Principal Consultants Michiel Sens, Adriaan de Jonge, and Mark van Holsteijn. Xebia is an international IT services firm with 400 employees.

David Farley, co-author of “Continuous Delivery,” said, “Continuous Delivery is at the leading edge of software development thinking. Much of the literature and discussion focuses on the technical aspects, but CD is a process that crosses boundaries and helps to make businesses more efficient. This book describes that process.”

To start the path to Continuous Delivery and experience the benefits of delivering business value quickly, a copy of “The Manager’s Guide to Continuous Delivery” can be accessed by visiting http://go.xebialabs.com/IT-Managers-Guide-to-CD.html.

About XebiaLabs:
With customers such as 3M, John Deere, Expedia, GE, and Société Générale, XebiaLabs is a leading provider of delivery automation software that helps organizations deliver business value faster and more efficiently. Headquartered in the U.S., XebiaLabs has a world-wide network of sales offices and partners. www.xebialabs.com

Press & Media Contact:
Victor Cruz, Principal
MediaPR.net, Inc
Essex, MA – USA
+1 (978) 768-6888
vcruz@mediapr.net
http://www.xebialabs.com

Technology

QASymphony Unveils 3 Tiers of Software Testing Tools

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Scalable tools for QA people: qTest Project, qTest Pro, and qTest Enterprise, suit every size development project and organization.

Atlanta, GA (USA), May 08, 2014 — QASymphony ( http://www.qasymphony.com ), a leading provider of test management platforms for agile development teams, today formally announced a major new update to its qTest test management platform. This update provides extensive integration capabilities through the formal release of its APIs, support for test automation tools such as Selenium and testNG, and features that help simplify management of large global teams.

Along with new capabilities, QASymphony is also offering the qTest test management solution as three separate editions. qTest Project, Pro, and Enterprise options provide testers with the flexibility they need to gain the benefits across different testing scenarios and Agile strategies. Available in the cloud or installed on-premise, the SaaS tools start as low as $1 per user per month.

While qTest Project is geared for small teams of less than 10 users working on single projects, qTest Pro is for small to mid-size teams looking to upscale and improve test management. qTest Enterprise, as the name implies, is designed to support many users on multiple projects and integrate with other enterprise-level apps.

“We’ve learned a few things from listening to our 8,000+ users, and the one clear message that stands out is that testers in various size teams want a testing tool tailor-made to fit the way they work. The ‘one-size fits all’ approach doesn’t work,” says Vu Lam, QASymphony co-founder. “In short, the qTest platform with various options to choose from enable teams to communicate better and test faster in agile environments.”

The qTest platform provides a collaborative work environment for teams to manage requirements, design test cases, plan test execution, track defects, and generate status and quality-metrics reports. With support for both scripted and exploratory testing, qTest is the only platform that lets you add innovative exploratory to manual and automated test management, creating a consolidated solution that accelerates the testing process to keep pace with today’s rapid agile software development.

Pricing and Support:
Available today, qTest Project ($1/mo.) includes 24×7 email tech support. qTest Pro ($29 per user per month, billed annually) and qTest Enterprise ($49/mo.) additionally include 8×5 online and 8×5 telephone tech support services. Enterprise option includes automation support via TestNG and Selenium services (http://testng.org/doc/selenium.html).

qTest eXplorer, an add-on to qTest that automatically captures a tester’s actions in both text steps and screen captures, is offered at $38/mo. Pay-as-you-go options are available.

qTest arrives fully featured with pre-built integration with popular development lifecycle tools and defect tracking systems with modules that include:

* Test Planning
* Requirement management
* Test case management
* Test execution
* Defect tracking
* Dashboards and Reports
* Built in workflows and collaboration

About QASymphony:
QASymphony is a leading provider of testing solutions that fit the needs of development teams at any size. Whether you are running a small team and need basic testing help or you manage large global teams looking for better coordination and visibility, our test management and agile testing solutions can help. With HQ in Atlanta, GA, and operations in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, QASymphony is a software company building tools that accelerate testing, helping you keep up with the pace of agile development. Empowering the QA testing teams for companies such as Good Technology, Silverpop, BetterCloud, and Zappos, QASymphony is a software-loving team, united by a common belief that good software can be delivered fast with high quality.

Website: www.qasymphony.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/qasymphony
Twitter: www.twitter.com/qasymphony

Press & Media Contact:
Victor Cruz, Principal
MediaPR.net, Inc
Essex, MA – USA
+1 (978) 768-6888
vcruz@mediapr.net
http://www.qasymphony.com

Business

Tempe Entrepreneur Joshua Hadley Nominated as Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year Semifinalist

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EY Award Semifinalist Recognized For Great Leadership in Entrepreneurial Venture

Tempe, Arizona, May 08, 2014 – Local entrepreneur and Now Communications Founder and CEO, Joshua Hadley, has been chosen as a semifinalist for the Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award. This prestigious award celebrates business leaders who wholeheartedly believe in their mission, embrace and take on challenges and want to make the world a better place for the future generation.

The EY Entrepreneur of the Year Award celebrates strong entrepreneurs who creatively find ways to raise capital and grow their enterprises and Joshua Hadley is no exception. He started Now Communications in a friend’s spare bedroom in 2009, and has since transformed his media company into the preferred DirecTV retailer and the top volume dealer in Arizona.

Hadley was acknowledged for excellence in the topic of telecommunications, as one of the winners in the state of Arizona for 2014.

Hadley is excited to pour that momentum in to his new venture Farmers Brand, which developed Green Lightning™, a safe, all-purpose fertilizer product with a groundbreaking Nano Organic Technology™ that creates rapid nutrient absorption and amazing growth in all plants.

“Arizona is a great place to raise a family, and I want to give back by creating a 1,000 jobs in the next 5 years with this amazing product,” said Hadley. “I believe that if we focus on making the world a better place through entrepreneurism, we will make a huge impact on the quality of life.”

Hadley is honored by the Ernst and Young nomination and for the chance to be mentioned in the likes of many great entrepreneurs who had previously won the Entrepreneur of the Year Award, such as Dara Khosrowshahi, President and CEO of Expedia, Inc., Nicholas Woodman, Founder and CEO of GoPro, Spencer Rascoff, CEO of Zillow, Inc. and John Sperling, Founder of the Apollo Group.

“I am honored and grateful to be counted among the Ernst and Young Entrepreneurs across the globe, it is an extremely elite class. Ernst and Young is an amazing company with a high level of operational integrity, in the world of business they are as good as it gets” said Hadley.

As the first and only truly global award of its kind, Entrepreneur Of The Year celebrates those who are building and leading successful, growing and dynamic businesses, recognizing them in more than 150 cities in more than 60 countries. Ernst & Young is a global leader and are committed to building people’s trust in professional services firms and the quality of financial reporting. Their Entrepreneur of the Year program is meant to honor those entrepreneurs who have a good idea and an even better method of making that idea happen.

Now Communications was also on The 2013 Inc. 500 List, ranked number 36 for one of the fastest growing companies in the country.

About Farmers Brand:
Farmers brand is a company dedicated to creating amazing products for an amazing world. Our team is passionate about creating premium quality products that can be enjoyed by consumers everywhere.

We have a team comprised of INC 500 executives, retail experts, and an advisory team with Wall Street and main street experience. We love solving problems and are dedicated to providing the market with revolutionary products that make the world a better place. Learn more at http://www.farmers-brand.com/

Contact:
Scott Kelly
Black Dog Promotions
9920 S. Rural Rd., Ste 108
Tempe, AZ 85284
480-206-3435
scott@blackdogpromotions.com
http://www.blackdogpromotions.com

Business

Property Market sees Influx of Young, Savvy Buyers

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While the end of the first-home buyer’s grant was expected to dampen the market’s appetite for new property, it has in fact created a range of new and creative buying trends amongst younger Australians.

Gold Coast, QLD, May 08, 2014 – While the end of the first-home buyer’s grant was expected to dampen the market’s appetite for new property, it has in fact created a range of new and creative buying trends amongst younger Australians.

These trends include ‘property shares’ and ‘guarantor’s support’, however the most widely used strategy has become borrowing to buy a first property and remaining as an investor rather than an owner-occupier.

Members Alliance CEO David Domingo says these creative strategies have made it possible for more first-home buyers to enter the property market than ever before.

“First-home buyers are now researching to find high growth suburbs and opting to buy rental apartments or houses while living at home or renting a different property,” says Mr Domingo.

“Trends are showing the preferred choice is new housing stock such as detached houses or inner-city apartments with affordability as a major factor.

“The simple fact is that Gen Y are preparing now for when they eventually move out of home, and it’s creating pent up demand for affordable, low-maintenance dwellings that fit this new criteria.”

The latest data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) confirms first-home loans as a proportion of all owner-occupier finance commitments are at a record low.

Mr Domingo says an RP Data report of sales throughout 2013 show 39.4 per cent of capital city unit sales and 27.1 per cent of capital city house sales were below $400,000 – showing affordable opportunities for first-home buyers are still out there.

“There was unprecedented hype around Gen Y unable to enter the property market when the first-home buyers grant for established homes ended, but that has since died down with reports of young buyers now preferring to enter the property market as investors,” says Mr Domingo.

“2014 first-home buyer activity is growing with people aged between 25-35 who are now thinking creatively in terms of how they will enter the property market and buy their first property.

“It’s a matter of the buyer adapting to the ever-changing market and finding a way in that will benefit them financially in the long run, rather than buying a home to live in purely based on emotion.”

Members Alliance is a privately owned financial conglomerate, specialising in financial planning and financial services, providing clients with proven strategies and techniques to ensure a financially secure future.

For more information visit www.membersalliance.com.au. For all media requirements contact Bruce Nelson on 0423 403 449.

Contact:
Bruce Nelson
Zakazukha Marketing Communications
3 Eden Court
Nerang, Queensland 4220
+61 7 5596 6634
bruce@zakazukha.com
http://www.zakazukha.com

Business

Eposeidon Introduces New Model KastKing™ Pro BD Spincasting Reel

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Increased bearing count and other new features have been fitted to the KastKing™ Pro BD model heavy duty spincasting reel for smooth performance and added durability.

Hempstead, NY, USA (May 8, 2014) — Eposeidon‘s new KastKing™ Pro BD series for the serious angler after big fish is now offered in 6000, 7000, 8000, and 10000 sizes. All KastKing™ Pro BD series reels feature 9 shielded stainless-steel ball bearings and an anti-reverse one-way roller bearing.

The KastKing™ Pro BD has a heavy duty corrosion free graphite frame giving it considerable weight saving for all day effortless casting. This large capacity high performance reel’s weights range from only 19 ounces for the KastKing™ Pro BD 6000 and 20 ounces for the BD 7000, BD 8000 and BD 10000. All models have a 4.2:1 gear ratio.

The KastKing™ Pro BD delivers stopping power through its SDS (Superior Drag System). The Pro series BD 6000 and BD 7000 have 28.5lbs. (13 kg) of drag and the BD 8000 and BD 10000 models provide 33 lbs. (15 kg) of drag. The BD’s 9 stainless-steel ball bearings and an instant stop one-way anti-reverse bearing gives ultra-smooth performance. The Pro BD has a CNC machined aluminum alloy spool, durable steel perfect-mesh drive gear and precision machined pinion gear for fish fighting power. Its non-slip right or left-handed interchangeable handle T-grip handle drives directly through its main gear. The saltwater approved Pro BD series reels come in a classic black and gold color scheme with a two-color anodized spool.

“With 9 ball-bearings in this size class, the BD is a pacesetter for the industry. Whether fishing in saltwater or freshwater the Pro BD turns any angler into a Pro,” says Eposeidon’s CEO, Tate Cui. “With retail prices starting at around $49.00 and a one-year warranty, the KastKing™ Pro BD series offers performance and the best value…at any level.”

For more details about Eposeidon’s KastKing™ BD series and other models, please visit http://www.eposeidon.com.

ABOUT EPOSEIDON:

Eposeidon is an e-commerce company (Eposeidon Outdoor Adventure, Inc.) that brings a fresh, innovative approach to anglers by offering quality products at the best prices and no cost, or low cost shipping. Eposeidon’s goal is to exceed expectations through outstanding customer service and superior product value to their customers. Eposeidon is continually expanding its product lines to meet individual fishing equipment needs. Eposeidon is headquartered in Hempstead, NY, USA and sells fishing tackle products globally.

Media Contact:
Tom Gahan
Director of Marketing
Eposeidon Outdoor Adventure, Inc.
Direct Line: 631-369-0063
US Headquarters: 1-855-830-7430
tgahan@eposeidon.com
http://www.eposeidon.com

Technology

How to Zap free PDF has been Updated

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Para Systems Inc. has updated the free downloadable PDF and made it available on the web.

Pinson, AL, May 08, 2014 – David Etheredge, President Para Systems Inc., has announced that the free PDF e-book on How to Zap has been updated and placed on the web site at http://paradevices.com.

The e-book describes the zapper which is a low voltage pulsed electric field (LVPEF) device that is used to kill microbes in water based environments and may have potential for fighting disease in humans and animals although this subject needs additional study.

The E-book provides some theoretical discussion as well as some ideas for practical applications, including using a regular 9 volt battery to zap for free (other than the cost of the battery). It also provides a number of do’s and do not’s for those interested in pursuing this subject.

Para Systems Inc., the maker of the positive offset zapping products as specified by Dr. Clark such as the ParaZapper™ CC2, ParaZapper™ MY, and the new ParaZapper™ UZI-3 model. For more information on pricing and delivery, visit Hulda Clark Zapper Co. at http://huldaclarkparazapper.com

About Para Systems Inc.
Para Systems Inc. is a US based maker of ParaZapper zapping products. They make a wide range of zapper models available for both US based and international customers from those countries that are not banned from trade by the U.S. government.

Contact:
David Etheredge
President
Hulda Clark ParaZapper sales
5537 Balboa Ct.
Pinson, AL 35126
1-866-765-5116
sales@paradevices.com
http://huldaclarkparazapper.com

Business

Silver-hair Investors Leverage Surplus from Empty Nests

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Australians over 55 have shown overwhelming interest in the property market and are eager to start investing the “dead” equity from their homes.

Gold Coast, QLD, May 08, 2014 – Australians over 55 have shown overwhelming interest in the property market and are eager to start investing the “dead” equity from their homes.

A high number of retirees and soon-to-be retirees are amongst investors who made a mark on the Australian property market in 2013, with activity at its highest levels in December since late 2003 in regards to a proportion of all housing finance commitments, according to RP data released earlier this year.

Members Alliance CEO David Domingo says silver-hair investors are changing the face of the investment market by re-entering with ambitions of returns that other ‘asset classes’ can’t provide.

“The timeline of achievement has shortened with each generation; our parent’s generation had a goal to pay off their homes before retirement, but now baby boomers are chasing full ownership of a $1 million house whilst also wanting to refinance to leverage their equity long before retirement,” says Mr Domingo.

“These days more people are realising they have ‘dead’ equity in their homes, which explains the spike in activity from silver-hair investors.

“Well located and rentable homes are at the top of the over-55s investment wish list, but purchasing means and goals can and do vary.”

These investors are using their age to their advantage, with some investing with funds from their self-managed super fund.

The real estate industry has changed immensely since baby boomers bought their family homes, which is why most experts agree older investors should buy with clear objectives to avoid financial pitfalls, and as importantly seek reputable advice before buying.

Mr Domingo encourages retirees to think long-term with their investments by focusing on a clear mandate.

“This includes suburbs close to railway stations with established and ongoing demand and consistent population growth trends rather than properties promising super high yields today but questionable long-term rental demand tomorrow,” says Mr Domingo.

“It’s a question that all investors should ask, but especially the over-55s: Am I buying for a premium rental yield with higher risk or a long-term capital gain and a reasonable rental income?

“Reaching out for advice from finance and property experts can also help investors steer clear from other common mistakes like retiree investors only buying homes they would live in and most unfortunately ignoring what tenants expect.”

Tenant’s expectations have changed to renting property that is smaller in size, low maintenance and near amenities and public transport.

Mr Domingo says in some cases, silver-hair investors are unaware of what a good investment property looks like today.

“It’s been so long since they went out looking for their own homes and most critically they are least versed in the proper mandate and criteria,” says Mr Domingo.

Members Alliance is a privately owned financial conglomerate, specialising in financial planning and financial services, providing clients with proven strategies and techniques to ensure a financially secure future.

For more information visit www.membersalliance.com.au. For all media requirements contact Bruce Nelson on 0423 403 449.

Contact:
Bruce Nelson
Zakazukha Marketing Communications
3 Eden Court
Nerang, Queensland 4220
+61 7 5596 6634
bruce@zakazukha.com
http://www.zakazukha.com