Press Releases

"Protect Indiana Jobs" Petition Delivers More than 80,000 Signatures Encouraging Elected Officials to Help Keep Jobs in Indiana and Preserve Options for Students

FISHERS, Ind.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Joined by various community leaders and state and local elected officials, Sallie Mae--the nation's leading saving, planning and paying for education company--today announced the results of a community-led effort to protect local jobs in Indiana and options for students. Over the past month, more than 80,000 county and state residents signed the "Protect Indiana Jobs" petition, voicing their concern about legislation in Congress that jeopardizes local jobs.

The total number of petition signatures, 81,437, was revealed at a town hall event at Sallie Mae's Fishers facility amidst hundreds of Sallie Mae employees. Sallie Mae has had a presence in Indiana for more than 40 years serving more than 20 million students and families and more than 4,000 colleges and universities across the country. The company employs more than 2,300 Hoosiers between its two facilities located in Fishers and Muncie.

"For decades, Sallie Mae has done great work to support millions of students and families and that is felt right here in Central Indiana through employment opportunities and economic development," said Scott Faultless, President, Fishers Town Council. "With unemployment in our region at more than 10 percent, these are jobs we can't afford to lose."

Legislation passed by the U.S. House of Representatives would require all federal student loans to be originated by the federal government, jeopardizing hundreds of private sector jobs in Indiana and hampering related economic development in the state. Sallie Mae currently contributes more than $148 million annually to the local economy and has contributed millions to local charities.

With legislation now under consideration in the U.S. Senate, the community-led petition asks Indiana's Senators to support alternative proposals that would accomplish the President's goals of making college more affordable while also preserving quality local jobs relied on by families and communities and valuable services for students.

"The response from the community has been incredible," said Jon Kroehler, Senior Vice President, Sallie Mae. "Our local leaders, our families, our friends, our neighbors; more than 80,000 concerned citizens want our Senators to understand the economic impact of these jobs and the valuable services we provide students and families every day."

Consistent with the President's reform proposal, the Community Proposal, an alternative plan supported by Sallie Mae and a broad coalition, would eliminate lender subsidies and have federal ownership of all student loans, generating $87 billion in mandatory federal budget savings to increase student aid and preserve options and services for students.

For more information on the "Protect Indiana Jobs" petition campaign or to learn more about the community's alternative proposal to make college more affordable, please visit www.ProtectIndianaJobs.com.

SLM Corporation (NYSE: SLM), commonly known as Sallie Mae, is the nation's leading provider of saving, planning and paying for education programs. Through its subsidiaries, the company manages $192 billion in education loans and serves 10 million student and parent customers. Through its Upromise affiliates, the company also manages more than $21 billion in 529 college-savings plans, and is a major, private source of college funding contributions in America with 11 million members and more than $500 million in member rewards. Sallie Mae and its subsidiaries offer debt management services as well as business and technical products to a range of business clients, including higher education institutions, student loan guarantors and state and federal agencies. More information is available at www.salliemae.com. SLM Corporation and its subsidiaries are not sponsored by or agencies of the United States of America.

    Source: Sallie Mae

SAN DIEGO, Nov. 11 /PRNewswire/ -- Kempler & Strauss(TM), a world-leading designer and manufacturer of innovative mobile devices and wireless technology products, today announced that it has been named an International CES Innovations 2010 Design and Engineering Awards Honoree for the Kempler & Strauss W Phonewatch. Products entered in this prestigious program are judged by a preeminent panel of independent industrial designers, engineers and members of the media to honor outstanding design and engineering in cutting edge consumer electronics products across 36 product categories.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20091111/LA09451)

The W Phonewatch is the world's smallest full-function GSM quad-band cell phone watch, and is optimized for use with the included Communicator, an innovative Bluetooth-enabled hands-free device that can be carried in a pocket or worn as a headset and enables users to talk on the phone and listen to stored MP3 files in stereo. The attractive, wearable W Phonewatch is ideal for individuals with an active lifestyle and incorporates many of the features found in full-sized smartphones, including a GSM quad-band phone, wrist watch, touchscreen interface, still and video cameras, MP3 player, and a host of productivity applications.

"We're pleased and honored to have received recognition for the W Phonewatch as our engineers and design team have dedicated an incredible amount of time and effort into bringing to market a product that is as useful and versatile as it is innovative," explained Isaac Calderon, president of Kempler & Strauss. "The W Phonewatch brings to the masses a wireless wearable communication device that combines stylish looks with robust functionality. Because the W Phonewatch is conveniently worn on the wrist, it is ideal for people with an active lifestyle providing them with convenience and enhanced safety as they enjoy outdoor activities. While the W Phonewatch is fully-compatible with Bluetooth headsets and in-vehicle systems, we also ship the product with our innovative Communicator device which can be carried in a pocket or worn as a headset to take phone calls or listen to MP3 files in stereo."

The prestigious Innovations Design and Engineering Awards have been recognizing achievements in product design and engineering since 1976. It is sponsored by the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA)®, the producer of the International CES, the world's largest consumer technology tradeshow, and endorsed by the Industrial Designers Society of America (IDSA), the voice of industrial design, committed to advancing the profession through education, information, community and advocacy.

Kempler & Strauss' W Phonewatch will be displayed at the 2010 International CES, which runs January 7-10, 2010 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Innovations Design and Engineering Showcase will feature honorees by product category in the Grand Lobby of the Las Vegas Convention Center and will also be featured at CES Unveiled: The Official Press Event of the International CES on Tuesday, January 5.

The Innovations entries are judged based on the following criteria:

    --  Engineering qualities, based on technical specs and materials used
    --  Aesthetic and design qualities, using photos provided
    --  The product's intended use/function and user value
    --  Unique/novel features that consumers would find attractive

    --  How the design and innovation of the product compares to other products
        in the marketplace

Products chosen as an Innovations honoree reflect innovative design and engineering of the entries. Examples may include the first time various technologies are combined in a single product or dramatic enhancements to previous product designs.

Innovations 2010 Design and Engineering honoree products are featured on www.CESweb.org/Innovations, which lists product categories, as well as each product name, manufacturer information, designer, description, photo and URL.

About Kempler & Strauss

Kempler & Strauss is a subsidiary of San Diego, Calif., based VNA Group, a conglomerate of companies that include transportation vehicles, fitness equipment, entertainment technology, and consumer products.

The VNA Group delivers to consumers and businesses around the world a diverse array of innovative products and services that enhance and improve the way that people work and play.

Kempler & Strauss designs and manufactures innovative mobile devices and wireless technology products that enable consumers and businesses to enjoy the growing array of advanced applications made possible by the convergence of the Internet and entertainment industries. Kempler & Strauss' business philosophy is simple: to dedicate their talent and technologies to creating superior products and services that contribute to a better global society.

Kempler & Strauss is headquartered in San Diego, Calif. For more information, visit the company's Web site at www.kemplerusa.com.

© 2009 Kempler & Strauss. Kempler & Strauss, and the Kempler & Strauss logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Kempler & Strauss in the United States and/or other countries. Other brand and product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders. Information is subject to change without notice. All rights reserved.

SOURCE Kempler & Strauss

Nationwide Typing Competition to Award $2,000 Grand Prize to Fastest Typist; Final Bout to Take Place at SXSW Interactive Festival in Austin, Texas

AUSTIN, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Das Keyboard has launched its search for the nation's fastest fingers on a keyboard, announcing today the launch of the first-ever Ultimate Typing Championship.

From geeks and gamers to soccer moms and plumbers, the Ultimate Typing Championship (UTC) is an opportunity for individuals to prove they have the fiercest typing skills around. Conceived by the makers of the award-winning Das Keyboard, the UTC will award $2,000 to the competition's fastest typist--a person who also will receive the distinct honor of being crowned as the nation's first Ultimate Typing Champion.

"Typing may not yet be considered a competitive sport, but we think that perception will start to change once everyone begins to experience the intensity that this competition promises to deliver," said Daniel Guermeur, founder of Das Keyboard and brainchild of the Ultimate Typing Championship. "We expect to see competitors sweating like gladiators engaged in the heat of battle. And even though trash talking is perfectly acceptable, we really prefer that participants let their keystrokes do the talking for them."

Competing in the UTC

The UTC is open to individuals who are at least 18-years-old and legal residents of the United States at the time that they register for the competition. The general UTC online competition runs through December 31, followed by a semi-final "Round of Six" that happens online in early January 2010. The final round will take place in person at the South by Southwest Interactive Festival in Austin, Texas, during which two individuals will compete head-to-head for the grand prize and UTC crown.

An online typing application called TyprX was created specifically for the UTC and will be used to conduct the competition's typing races. The application tracks an individual's progress as they type through a random paragraph of text, then calculates their final words-per-minute (WPM) typing speed once they've completed a race. Individuals can take a typing test as many times as they'd like during the general UTC online competition. Top race results will be shared on the UTC website's leader board in near real-time, enabling participants to track their performance and keep a close eye on their competition.

"People are going to get hooked once they start competing in the UTC," added Guermeur. "Their fingers will ache; they'll dream about winning; they'll become attached to their keyboards like they never have before. Let the typing begin, and may the best typist win!"

For more details on the Ultimate Typing Championship and to participate in the competition, please visit www.ultimatetypingchampionship.com.

About Das Keyboard

Das Keyboard is a sub-division of Metadot Corporation, a privately held technology company headquartered in Austin, TX dedicated to delivering innovative technology products to increase productivity and lower costs. Developed in 2005, Das Keyboard has been praised by major media outlets, techie magazines, geeks and regular people who use a keyboard for the entire workday. For more information, please visit www.daskeyboard.com/blog or www.twitter.com/daskeyboard.

    Source: Das Keyboard

DALLAS, Nov. 11 /PRNewswire/ -- The number of U.S. broadband households watching premium online content, including movies and TV shows via the Internet, doubled in the last year, according to Broadband, Communications, and Entertainment Bundles, a new study from Parks Associates. Currently over 25 million U.S. broadband households regularly watch full-length TV shows online, while over 20 million watch movies online.

The international research firm reports that the growing popularity of online portals such as Hulu.com shows rapid growth in the number of viewers who use the Internet to watch long-tail and premium content. This shift highlights the opportunity for service providers to extend their current pay-TV and video-on-demand services to include online and mobile video features. In fact, providers will have to embrace online video services, including the ability to deliver content across multiple platforms, if they are to remain competitive and attract new subscribers.

"Consumer interest in time-shifting content through online portals has increased significantly," said Jayant Dasari, Research Analyst, Parks Associates. "Close to 40% of broadband households today watch full-length television shows over the Internet. Enabling access to content anytime through any broadband-enabled device will be a significant challenge for the service providers. However, broadband video opens new revenue channels and opportunities to upgrade subscribers into higher tiers of services."

The next step, according to Dasari, is for content owners and distributors to come to a consensus on business models so they can monetize consumer interest in online media.

For more information about Broadband, Communications, and Entertainment Bundles, visit http://www.parksassociates.com or contact sales@parksassociates.com, 972-490-1113.

About Parks Associates

Parks Associates is an internationally recognized market research and consulting company specializing in emerging consumer technology products and services. Founded in 1986, Parks Associates creates research capital for companies ranging from Fortune 500 to small start-ups through market reports, primary studies, consumer research, custom research, workshops, executive conferences, and annual service subscriptions.

Each year, Parks Associates hosts executive thought leadership conferences CONNECTIONS(TM), with support from the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA®), and CONNECTIONS(TM) Europe. Parks Associates produces the online publication Industry Insights in conjunction with the CONNECTIONS(TM) Conference series.

http://www.parksassociates.com | http://www.connectionsconference.com | http://www.connectionseurope.com | http://www.connectionsindustryinsights.com

    Contact: Mindi Sue Sternblitz-Rubenstein
    Parks Associates
    972-490-1113
    Email: mindi.sue@parksassociates.com

SOURCE Parks Associates

CHICAGO, Nov. 11 /PRNewswire/ -- Leading health and nutrition organizations - including the American Academy of Family Physicians, American Academy of Pediatrics, American Dietetic Association, American Heart Association, National Hispanic Medical Association, National Medical Association and School Nutrition Association - recognize the valuable role that low-fat or fat-free milk, including flavored milk, can play in meeting daily nutrient needs, and helping kids get the daily servings of milk recommended by the Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

All milk contains a unique combination of nutrients important for growth and development. And flavored milk accounts for less than 3.5 percent of added sugar intake among children ages 6-12 and less than 2 percent of the added sugar intake among teens. Studies have shown that children who drink flavored milk meet more of their nutrient needs; do not consume more added sugar, fat or calories; and are not heavier than non-milk drinkers.

Flavored milk is an important choice because:

    --  Milk provides nutrients essential for good health and kids will drink
        more when it's flavored
    --  Flavored milk contains the same nine essential nutrients as white milk -
        calcium, potassium, phosphorus, protein, vitamins A, D and B12,
        riboflavin and niacin (niacin equivalents)
    --  Drinking low-fat or fat-free white or flavored milk helps kids get the 3
        daily servings* of milk recommended by the Dietary Guidelines for
        Americans, and provides three of the five "nutrients of concern" that
        children do not get enough of - calcium, potassium and magnesium as well
        as vitamin D

    --  Low-fat chocolate milk is the most popular milk choice in schools and
        kids drink less milk (and get fewer nutrients) if it's taken away.

For more information on the science, visit:

    --  2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans
    --  Policy Statement on Soft Drinks in Schools from the American Academy of
        Pediatrics Committee on School Health
    --  Clinical Report: Optimizing Bone Health & Calcium Intakes of Infants,
        Children and Adolescents from the American Academy of Pediatrics'
        Committee on Nutrition
    --  Position of the American Dietetic Association on the Use of Nutritive
        and Nonnutritive Sweeteners
    --  Scientific Statement from the American Heart Association on Dietary
        Sugars Intake and Cardiovascular Health
    --  As published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association: The
        nutritional consequences of flavored milk consumption by school-aged
        children and adolescents in the United States
    --  As published in the Journal of Adolescent Health: Children and
        adolescents' choices of foods and beverages high in added sugars are
        associated with intakes of key nutrients and food groups
    --  As published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association:
        Drinking flavored or plain milk is positively associated with nutrient
        intake and is not associated with adverse effects on weight status in
        U.S. children and adolescents
    --  As presented at American Dietetic Association's annual conference in
        October 2009: The Removal of Flavored Milk in Schools Results in a
        Reduction in Total Milk Purchases in All Grades, K-12
    --  National Institute of Child Health and Development's Program: For
        Stronger Bones...for Lifelong Health...Milk Matters!
    --  United States Department of Health and Human Services Program: Best
        Bones Forever
    --  School Milk: Fat Content Has Declined Dramatically since the Early 1990s
    --  National Dairy Council nutrition education resources:
        --  Fact Sheet: Top 5 Reasons to Raise Your Hand for Flavored Milk

        --  Advertorial: Adding Chocolate to Milk Doesn't Take Away its Nine
            Essential Nutrients

*3 cups of low-fat of fat-free milk or equivalent milk products for those 9 years of age and older and 2 cups of low-fat and fat-free milk or equivalent milk products for children 2-8 years old.

SOURCE National Dairy Council