National Processing Company Signs Long Term Contract Extension with Select Merchant Services, Inc.

CINCINNATI, July 25, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- National Processing Company (NPC), a Vantiv, LLC company, is pleased to announce that it has recently renewed a multi-year Independent Sales Organization (ISO) contract renewal with Select Merchant Services, Inc. dba Retriever Merchant Solutions for the provision of debit and credit card processing services to merchants.  

With a strong commitment to superior customer service and long-term growth, Select Merchant Services provides a full suite of industry-leading merchant services.  One of NPC's partners for more than a decade, Select Merchant Services appreciates the value that the combined capabilities and expertise of Vantiv, LLC and NPC bring to meeting the unique payment processing needs of small and medium enterprise (SME) businesses.

"I have been a member of the NPC family for almost 12 years and I am thrilled to be working with the combined NPC and Vantiv Leadership Team. I have seen the tremendous synergy and service that has been demonstrated already and look forward to continuing the relationship for many years to come," said Brian Kamstra, President of Select Merchant Services.  "Today more than ever ISOs need to have a partner they can trust in all aspects of business. NPC has been, is, and will be that kind of partner for me. I'm excited to extend my relationship with NPC for what I hope to be the rest of my career."

"Select Merchant Services has been a valued partner for many years and we are very excited they have made a long term commitment to the future by extending this relationship for multiple years," commented Adam Coyle, President of NPC.  "We remain fully committed to providing the support and payment options to their valued customers in the SME market."  

About Select Merchant Services

Select Merchant Services, Inc. (SMS) was established in March 1994. What began as a small sales office with one employee and two sales representatives has evolved into a vibrant ISO with over 50 employees, 100 sales representatives, and 17,000 merchants. SMS has a 26-person call center that sets leads for outside representatives and will soon start a second call center to double the amount of leads that are distributed to the sales force. SMS has always focused on the small to medium sized merchant niche and has specialized in giving personal support to all of its representatives.

About National Processing Company

Based in Louisville, Kentucky, with additional facilities in Houston, Texas and Chicago, Illinois, National Processing Company (NPC) is one of the largest providers of payment processing services exclusively focused on the small-to-medium merchant processing market.   NPC provides a wide range of payment processing services, from point-of-sale credit card and debit card processing to integrated e-commerce solutions.  NPC is a subsidiary of Vantiv, LLC.  Learn more at www.npc.net.

About Vantiv

Vantiv, LLC is one of the largest providers of payment strategies and technology solutions for financial institutions and businesses worldwide. Formed in 1971 and most recently known as Fifth Third Processing Solutions, LLC, the Company builds strategic partnerships with its customers, helping them become more efficient, more secure and more successful.  Headquartered inCincinnati, Ohio, Vantiv, LLC is a joint venture between Advent International and Fifth Third Bank, a subsidiary of Fifth Third Bancorp (FITB).

Vantiv, LLC supports more than 400,000 merchant and financial institution locations and 12,000 ATMs in 46 states and 8 countries. The company processes more than 11.4 billion ATM and POS transactions and nearly $400 billion in debit and credit sales volume annually.  Its subsidiary, NPC, is the largest provider of payment processing services exclusively focused on the small-to-medium merchant processing market. According to the Nilson Report (March 2011), the Company is the largest PIN Debit U.S. acquirer and third largest U.S. merchant transaction acquirer ranked by general purpose transaction volume. For more information, visit www.vantiv.com.

Alternative Payments & Mobile Retail Services: Chicago September 13th & 14th

Growing debate in the alternative payments space has left retailers intrigued yet confused. Emerging from all of the deliberation is great opportunity in the form of cutting edge value-added services being incorporated into mobile devices. Couponing and loyalty programs are skyrocketing, accompanied by cutting edge mobile marketing and advertising platforms that offer retailers great opportunity to attract new customers, increase consumer spending, enhance brand loyalty, and achieve a better total view of their customers.

RAMP delivers the most innovative and diversified gathering of mobile commerce platforms in the market today. Leading retailers come together to discuss and debate actionable strategies for creating mobile roadmaps that streamline operational efficiency and boost profits.

“A perfect mix of BUYERS, SELLERS and TRUE EXPERTS... Join us at RAMP!”
Kolja Reiss, Managing Director, Mopay

Adding depth and value to the event’s attendees, RAMP brings together the full spectrum of industry innovators from payment processors and platform providers to network operators and handset manufacturers and all of the emerging value added services that stand to catapult retailers to new revenue levels. Retailers, restaurants and manufacturers debate the pros and cons of location based services, comparison shopping tools and reward programs with the most cutting edge providers of these innovative applications.

Guided by an Advisory Board of Industry Greats, and supported by hundreds of leading executives spanning the entire industry ecosystem, RAMP delivers unparalleled value.

“If you're going to go to ONE CONFERENCE this year, or spend your marketing dollars on ONE EVENT, make sure THE MORRISSEY GROUP is running it.”

Scott Dueweke, Senior Associate, Booz Allen Hamilton

Additional RAMP Partners

Isis Grows Into Serious NFC Payment Contender

Isis has signed up all four major credit card providers to challenge Google on NFC payment technology

Three of the largest wireless carriers in the United States have joined Google, PayPal and others at the table for mobile payments based on near field communications (NFC) wireless technology.  Isis, a joint venture comprised of AT&T and Verizon Wireless, scored a major coup by becoming the first mobile payment provider to ink all four major credit card providers Visa, MasterCard, Discover and American Express for support in the United States.  (read more)

Merchant Warehouse Expands Product Line With Encrypted Swiped, Keyed and All-in-One Payment Devices

July 25, 2011 12:14 PM Eastern Daylight Time 

Integration With ID TECH Creates Another “Out-of-Scope” Secure Payment Solution

Latest release supports ID TECH’s secure line of encrypted card readers and will provide developers a streamlined process in bringing secure payment solutions to market

RSPA RetailNow Conference

BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Merchant Warehouse®, a premier provider of merchant accounts and credit card processing solutions, today announced the release of MerchantWARE ® 4.0, and the recently completed integration with ID TECH into the MerchantWARE ® suite of products. MerchantWARE 4.0 provides a streamlined integration process for point-of-sale (POS) developers and also includes complete support of ID TECH standard and enhanced versions of their SL Secure Line of products. MerchantWARE now supports ID TECH’s SecureKey™ M130 and SecureMag™ products, as well as Triple Data Encryption Standard (TDES) and Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) methods. MerchantWARE 4.0 and its integration with ID TECH will be demonstrated at Merchant Warehouse’s booth, No. 207, at the RSPA RetailNow Conference, July 24-27 in Orlando, Fla.

“Together we can deliver superior performance to our customers and bring another level of data security confidence to the market.”

With MerchantWARE 4.0, the new streamlined procedure means developers can find tailor-made integration processes with the click of a button. By further improving the already easy-to-use MerchantWARE integration process, developers can save time allowing them to bring secure payment solutions to market sooner.

ID TECH chose the MerchantWARE Payment Gateway as a preferred decryption service for its line of secure devices. The partnership allows merchants and POS developers to combine ID TECH’s encrypted card readers and keypads with MerchantWARE’s API to offer a robust end-to-end encryption solution. PA-DSS compliance is dramatically simplified for POS developers, often taking them “out-of-scope” for PA-DSS audits, and minimizes the complexity and costs of PCI compliance for merchants. By offering a payment solution where both swiped and keyed transactions are protected with end-to-end encryption, merchants can be assured that sensitive card data information is never “in the clear”.

“We are excited about our partnership with ID TECH, as it combines Merchant Warehouse’s secure payment solutions with ID TECH’s line of encrypted card readers,” said Henry Helgeson, co-CEO of Merchant Warehouse. “Together we can deliver superior performance to our customers and bring another level of data security confidence to the market.”

With the addition of the ID TECH line of devices, MerchantWARE has another “out-of-scope” payment solution for developers. This makes Merchant Warehouse one of the few payment solution providers that can offer more than one “out-of-scope” solution. MerchantWARE’s other “out-of-scope” solution is its Transport Platform™ which provides PA-DSS validated hosted payment solutions for all point-of-sale, ecommerce, shopping carts and SaaS environments.

“We are pleased and excited about this opportunity to partner with Merchant Warehouse. We believe MerchantWARE’s focus on bringing innovative and secure payment solutions to the market combined with ID TECH’s SL Secure Line products will provide merchants and developers everywhere with the best secure payment solutions possible,” said Yvonne Yong, product manager of ID TECH.

About Merchant Warehouse

Merchant Warehouse offers secure, award-winning payment processing solutions and merchant account services to merchants and partners nationwide. Since 1998, Merchant Warehouse has helped over 100,000 merchants securely process all forms of electronic payments. The company continues to lead the industry with groundbreaking technology initiatives: MerchantWARE^®; BINsmart™; and Transport Platform. Merchant Warehouse has been named the ETA 2009 ISO of the Year, Business Solutions’ Best Channel Vendorthree years in a row (2009-2011),the Best Channel Product for 2009 and 2011, is a four-time recipient of the Boston Business Journal Pacesetter Award and has been named to the Inc. 5,000 Fastest Growing Companies list the last four consecutive years and the Deloitte Fast 500 in 2010. Merchant Warehouse co-CEO, Henry Helgeson, was also named Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year 2009 for New England. The company is committed to community and charitable involvement and maintains an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau. For more information, please visit merchantwarehouse.com or follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/MWarehouse. Visit their blogs at http://blog.merchantwaresolutions.com/and http://blog.merchantwarehouse.com/.

About ID TECH

ID TECH is a global leader in the Auto ID industry with sales, manufacturing and R&D facilities around the world. The company has become a well-established payment solutions provider with extensive experience in data capturing and encryption products and services. Designing dependable, feature-rich products has made ID TECH a leading supplier of MagStripe readers/writers, mobile payment readers, smart card readers, barcode readers, POS keyboards, signature capture devices, PCI-compliant PIN pads, and other specialty products for OEMs, VARs, resellers, distributors, and key end users. ID TECH provides both standard and custom solutions to support customer requirements. For more information about ID TECH, please call 1-800-984-1010 or visit http://www.idtechproducts.com/.

Would You Like to Make a Call? Consumers Say, No Thanks

CloudTalk Survey Finds Smart Phone Users Prefer Asynchronous Communication

SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Would you believe making calls is not the first or even second thing consumers choose to do when using their mobile devices? How about that it ranks near the bottom of the top five smart phone uses? Believe it or not, that’s exactly the case. In an informal survey conducted by social communications platform, CloudTalk, the company found that the top five activities Americans engage in most on their smart phones include:

“Will live conversations via cell phone become extinct? Perhaps, but some other way to communicate with our voice will need to take its place. It is after all the most natural way we express ourselves.”

1. Texting / messaging – more than seven in 10

2. Emailing – nearly six in 10

3. Social networking – nearly 50%

4. Talking on the phone – 43%

5. Surfing the Web – about four in 10

For those talking less on their smart phones because they find phone calls to be too time-consuming or intrusive, how are they expressing themselves using these devices? Consumers who participated in the survey said they prefer texting or messaging (nearly nine in 10) over talking on the phone and dealing with voicemail. In fact, about half of the respondents had negative feelings toward both of these activities from finding calls to be too intrusive and just plain disliking live phone conversations to outright hatred toward voicemail.

“The results clearly indicate smart phones are primarily used as a communication device, but what’s really interesting is that it appears the intrusiveness of phone calls has forced talking to take a back seat to more convenient modes of communication, such as text messaging,” said David Hayden, chairman and CEO of CloudTalk. “What we’re seeing at CloudTalk is that people love to talk, as long as, (like text messaging), it doesn’t require our immediate attention, we can respond on our own time and see the entire conversation thread at a glance – it’s just more convenient.”

We also asked survey participants what the ultimate super communications app would look like if they could create it themselves. The following are the top five most desired features:

1. Texting or messaging – nearly nine in 10

2. Multimedia content sharing – about 70%

3. Maps and directions – nearly seven in 10

4. VOIP – More than half

5. Private group chat – nearly 50%

“With the quick deployment of new applications and mobile technology and the constant evolution of consumer behavior, it will be interesting to poll consumers again in a few months time to see how the results differ,” continued Hayden. “Will live conversations via cell phone become extinct? Perhaps, but some other way to communicate with our voice will need to take its place. It is after all the most natural way we express ourselves.”

About CloudTalk

CloudTalk is the only social platform to integrate asynchronous voice as well as text, photo and video sharing all in one message for a more interactive experience that is similar to the way we communicate in real life. The CloudTalk platform enables companies to automatically integrate voice, text and multimedia sharing capabilities into their Web or mobile communications offerings, providing both monetary and time-to-market advantages. The CloudTalk app is free and delivers a rich communication experience enabling both public and private interactions with your social circle wherever you are and is available for iOS, (iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch) and Android OS. The company is based in San Francisco, Calif. and was founded in April 2009. For more information, visit www.cloudtalk.com and follow the company on Twitter at @CloudTalking or join the community conversation at @CloudTalkMe.

About the Survey

This survey was conducted informally by CloudTalk via social media channels, such as Facebook, Twitter and CloudTalk’s own community on the CloudTalk app. The more than 100 survey participants were entered into a drawing for a chance to win a CloudTalk t-shirt and $50 iTunes gift card. The winners were announced via social media and notified via email the week of July 11.

Photos/Multimedia Gallery Available: http://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/mmg.cgi?eid=6802870&lang=en

ParTech and VeriFone Simplify the Path to PCI Compliance for Hospitality Companies

Image via CrunchBase

July 25, 2011 07:30 AM Eastern Daylight Time 

ParTech Offers VeriFone VeriShield Total Protect for its EverServ QSR POS Software

NEW HARTFORD, N.Y.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--ParTech, Inc. (PAR) and VeriFone Systems, Inc. (NYSE: PAY), today announced that PAR is one of the first enterprise POS software providers in the hospitality industry to offer an integrated end-to-end encryption for enterprise point-of-sale (POS) software. PAR has integrated VeriFone’s VeriShield® Total Protect, Secured by RSA, solution into its PAR EverServ® Software to help make payment card transactions safer for restaurant customers while simplifying and reducing the cost of Payment Card Industry (PCI) compliance for restaurant operators. ParTech, Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of PAR Technology Corporation (NYSE: PAR).

“PAR EverServ software customers now have the assurance of full, end-to-end encryption for all payment-card transaction data with our de facto industry standard for card data encryption. This will enable them to significantly reduce the scope of PCI compliance and its associated costs.”

“ParTech is committed to helping our customers achieve the highest levels of payment card security and simplify the process to meet PCI compliance requirements,” said Scott Langdoc, Chief Technology Officer, ParTech, Inc. “The inclusion of VeriShield Total Protect’s end-to-end encryption with our software is a great method for our customers to simplify and enhance their payment card security. VeriShield Total Protect provides operators peace of mind by dramatically reducing their payment card security risks and easing the process of meeting PCI requirements – today and in the future.”

As a key element of our overall payment card security strategy, PAR has created a fully integrated and easily supported solution that combines VeriShield Total Protect end-to-end encryption with PAR EverServ QSR 1.4 or later software using PAR’s proprietary electronic payment interface (EPI). PAR’s unique EPI gives operators the flexibility to implement their choice of industry-standard PCI security solutions today and adapt their POS system to support new security capabilities as PCI standards evolve. The EPI simplifies the integration of security solutions and helps operators quickly achieve PCI compliance. In addition to traditional POS environments, VeriShield Total Protect will be available on mobile payment devices.

“VeriFone has been working with PAR for many years to integrate our payment systems with PAR POS software, and these solutions are used by many of the world’s leading restaurant brands,” said Jennifer Miles, VeriFone senior vice president – Retail, Global Security and Vertical Solutions. “PAR EverServ software customers now have the assurance of full, end-to-end encryption for all payment-card transaction data with our de facto industry standard for card data encryption. This will enable them to significantly reduce the scope of PCI compliance and its associated costs.”

About VeriFone Systems, Inc. (www.verifone.com)

VeriFone Systems, Inc. (“VeriFone”) (NYSE: PAY) is the global leader in secure electronic payment solutions. VeriFone provides expertise, solutions and services that add value to the point of sale with merchant-operated, consumer-facing and self-service payment systems for the financial, retail, hospitality, petroleum, government and healthcare vertical markets. VeriFone solutions are designed to meet the needs of merchants, processors and acquirers in developed and emerging economies worldwide.

About ParTech, Inc.

ParTech, Inc. (PAR), a wholly owned subsidiary of PAR Technology Corporation, has built its more than three decades of success around delivering advanced point-of-sale and enterprise back-office solutions for restaurant and retail operators worldwide. PAR provides hardware, software and services to the world's largest restaurant chains and their franchisees. The Company's extensive offerings are backed by PAR’s global service network and its Boundless Hospitality™ vision for enhancing restaurant operations in a new era of dining out. The Boundless Hospitality vision drives the development of game-changing solutions, and is supported by a partner ecosystem that accelerates innovation more quickly than possible for any single company working independently. The Company has more than 50,000 installations in 110 countries worldwide. In addition to solutions for the restaurant industry, PAR products are improving the customer experience in retail, including the cruise, hotel, casino and entertainment industries. PAR Technology Corporation's stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol PAR. For more information visit the Company’s Web site at www.partech.com.

Citi Simplifies Credit with a Single APR and No Late Fees or Penalty Rate

July 25, 2011 11:49 AM Eastern Daylight Time 

New Citi Simplicity^® Card Designed for Consumers’ Desire for Transparency, Flexibility and Control

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--More than half of consumers have paid a bill late in their lifetime, according to the Citi Simplicity Survey. Forgetting a due date was the top cause of delay, and late fees were the primary concern stated by survey respondents who have paid a bill late. Responding to consumers’ desire for a simplified credit experience, Citi Cards is introducing the Citi Simplicity Card to U.S. consumers. The Citi Simplicity Card uniquely offers the combination of: a single rate across all purchases, balance transfers and cash advances, no late fees and no penalty rate.

“Every busy life needs a little simplicity – for the person paying household bills, managing multiple schedules and demands, we’re giving peace of mind through a simple and straightforward card that has a single rate and removes the stress of late fees and a penalty rate.”

The new Citi Simplicity Card is part of Citi’s commitment to delivering modern solutions – from high-tech branches, mobile banking applications, and a single point of contact for mortgage needs, to a credit card that recognizes managing your household finances can – and should be – simpler and easier. Designed based on direct feedback from clients on what they want and need in a credit card, the Citi Simplicity Card includes the following benefits:

• A Single Rate for All Borrowing and Spending. The Citi Simplicity Card offers a single rate for all purchases, cash advances and balance transfers.
• No Late Fees.
• No Penalty Rate.
• No Waiting for Live Help. With the Citi Simplicity Card, clients can quickly and easily reach a customer service professional right away.
• Flexibility and Control. Clients can customize their payment due date and set e-mail and text payment notification alerts based on their preferences and needs.
• No Annual Fee.

“Consumers’ desire for solutions that simplify is clear – and the Citi Simplicity Card is designed to make it easier for clients who are short on time, yet focused on responsible financial management,” said Jud Linville, CEO of Citi Cards. “Every busy life needs a little simplicity – for the person paying household bills, managing multiple schedules and demands, we’re giving peace of mind through a simple and straightforward card that has a single rate and removes the stress of late fees and a penalty rate.”

The Citi Simplicity Survey revealed that the most complex aspects of life for today’s busy consumers are: taking time for oneself (31 percent), managing finances (25 percent) and managing the household (21 percent). According to the survey, in the past year, 41 percent have paid a bill late, and one in five paid a credit card bill late. The majority of survey respondents (61 percent) who have ever paid a bill late said it was due to forgetting the payment due date. These time-pressed consumers also cited being too busy (17 percent) and on vacation (16 percent) as reasons for late payment.

To support clients in managing their credit cards responsibly, Citi Cards offers the flexibility to adjust the payment due date to better suit their needs as well as the option to enroll in Citi’s alerting services. These alerts send a reminder of upcoming payment due dates via email or a message to their mobile phone, so clients are well positioned to make payments on time.

With the Citi Simplicity Card, clients can rest assured they have a single rate for everything from purchases and balance transfers to cash advances, and they won’t have the complexity of late fees or a penalty rate. For more information regarding the Citi Simplicity Card, including benefits, terms and how to apply for the card, visit www.citisimplicity.com.To view a video of the Citi Simplicity Card, visit http://citi.us/ooIPUi.

Citi Simplicity Survey Methodology

The Citi Simplicity Survey was conducted from June 23 – 30, 2011 via telephone interviews among a nationally representative sample of 1,000 U.S. adults who have a major credit card. Results of the survey have a margin of error due to sampling of no more than plus-or-minus three percentage points at the 95 percent confidence level.

About Citi

Citi, the leading global financial services company, has approximately 200 million customer accounts and does business in more than 160 countries and jurisdictions. Citi provides consumers, corporations, governments and institutions with a broad range of financial products and services, including consumer banking and credit, corporate and investment banking, securities brokerage, transaction services, and wealth management. Additional information may be found at www.citigroup.com.

appMobi’s cloudKey Revolutionizes E-Commerce Security by Eliminating Credit Card Databases

Image via CrunchBase

July 25, 2011 09:47 AM Eastern Daylight Time 

Patent-pending "Distributed Key" technology stores personal information locally, locked with secure keys delivered from the cloud

LANCASTER, Pa.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--appMobi (www.appmobi.com) today unveiled its secure cloudKey™ authentication technology, and announced cloudKey’s immediate integration into appMobi’s 1Touch “single touch” payment system. 1Touch with cloudKey is ready for use by Web and mobile app developers who seek to offer their users a highly secure and streamlined e-commerce experience. A 1Touch demonstration is available at http://www.appmobi.com/1Touch.

“The real breakthrough of cloudKey is the “distributed key”

The cloudKey technology takes a fresh approach to secure online commerce in which the user’s credit card information is stored only on the user’s device, never in an online database. The private data are stored using 256 bit Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) – the same encryption level approved by the NSA, widely regarded as “unbreakable.” Using a “distributed key” topology, cloudKey stores in the cloud only the decryption keys – information that is valueless without the user’s device and password.

“appMobi’s engineers have long recognized that securing a centralized database is basically impossible – if it’s online, it’s vulnerable to break-in ... there’s no way around it,” said Sam Abadir, appMobi’s CTO. “The real breakthrough of cloudKey is the “distributed key” data model - we don’t store anything of value in a centralized database, so there is nothing of value online for thieves to steal. With this advance, cloudKey has eliminated all the tempting targets for the bad guys; even if they could steal appMobi’s entire crypto key database and a user’s device, they’d then have to guess the user’s password, and at most they could get only 1 credit card number. It would be a huge expenditure of effort for very little gain. By keeping private data local on the device, cloudKey makes massive security losses like the recent 77 million account Sony PlayStation network breach impossible.”

In addition to eliminating online database security risks, the 1Touch payment system also offers users a streamlined way to transact mobile and online purchases with a single touch. As Amazon has proven with its 1Click patent, eliminating credit card re-entry is the best way to increase online sales conversions. With the rise of mobile shopping, ease and simplicity are even more important because credit card entry is much more tedious on a mobile device. appMobi’s 1Touch payment system leverages the cloudKey authentication system to provide a more secure, non-infringing alternative to the Amazon 1Click patent.

Abadir continued, “The Web has been at a severe disadvantage in comparison to native apps when it comes to consumers purchasing and making in-app payments – the buying experience on iPhones is so frictionless that consumers are spending like never before. 1Touch was designed to put the Web, whether mobile or desktop, on a level playing field with Apple’s in-app purchasing system when it comes to e-commerce. With all the talk of whether HTML5 provides developers the ability to create apps as good as native ones – it seems the world forgot that it doesn’t matter how good the app is when developers aren’t making money because consumers can’t spend it easily. 1Touch can be used for transactions involving digital or real goods and services, on any Web browser, and the transactions flow through the same shopping carts and payment gateways that are in daily use on millions of Web sites. With 1Touch, the days of the Web being a second-class e-commerce option are over.”

The 1Touch technology offers simple integration with any payment gateway such as PayPal, Authorize.net, and even direct carrier billing. 1Touch has been tested extensively and is compatible with all popular browsers, including Google Chrome, Firefox, Opera, Microsoft Internet Explorer versions 6.0 and later, and Safari. Like most cloud services, 1Touch is billed at a nominal fee per transaction, rather than a percentage of the transaction amount. Developers who wish to try the 1Touch system can visit the company’s website for full documentation, sample code, sample apps and instructional videos (http://www.appmobi.com/1Touch).

About appMobi

appMobi® provides highly integrated cloud-based tools and services for supporting large-scale developer communities and creating and operating complete mobile application ecosystems. By leveraging commonly used Web programming languages HTML5, CSS and JavaScript, and the open Web, appMobi’s development tools allow app developers to “write once” and publish anywhere, either in native app stores or via the Web. appMobi’s turnkey, white label platform-as-a-service offering enables carriers, device manufacturers and brands to create mobile app ecosystems under their own brand. For more information, visit http://www.appmobi.com.

appMobi, 1Touch and cloudKey are trademarks of appMobi Inc. iOS, Safari and related marks, images and symbols are the exclusive properties and trademarks of Apple Computer Corp. All other trademarks and trade names are the property of their respective owners including: Amazon, Google, Microsoft, Opera, Firefox, PayPal and Authorize.net.

MediSwipe Inc. Announces Five Additional Merchant Services Agreements for Wellness Centers, Medical Dispensaries and Internet Businesses

Source: MediSwipe Inc.

New Jersey Agent Office for Company Pushes MediSwipe to Over $1,000,000 for Record Month in New Business in Gross Monthly Processing Volume

LOS ANGELES, July 25, 2011 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- MediSwipe Inc. (http://www.MediSwipe.com) (OTCBB:MWIP), a leading company specializing in merchant payment solutions and financial products for the medical health care industries and mobile payment industry, today announced that the company has signed five (5) new merchant services agreements with wellness centers, medical dispensaries and Internet businesses not related to the medical sector, allowing the Company to have a record month in new business, signing over $1,000,000 in new business in gross monthly processing volume or $12,000,000 annually for the month of July. Under the newly signed agreements, MediSwipe will provide merchant services, cash advance, debit and loyalty cards and personal digitized healthcare records to wellness centers and medical dispensaries located in Colorado and California, as well as provide merchant services to ecommerce and additional high risk merchants. The Company has also expanded merchant agreements this month to the 800 Commerce division covering non-medical related merchant agreements including ecommerce sites, penny auction sites, credit repair and vitamin sales. "Although merchant processing represents only a small amount of revenue to our company, roughly 1% to 1.5% monthly of gross volume, the most important factor is that MediSwipe Inc. has proven itself to be the most reliable Company within the payment services arena within this sector, and now that our network of dispensaries, pharmacies, wellness centers and like businesses is growing at a steady pace, our patient base has also expanded dramatically. This now affords us the opportunity to fully launch our MediSwipe Patient Cards with digital personal health records, as well as provide mobile payment services to a patient and client database exceeding 50,000 patients, and receive monthly fees to realize meaningful revenue and real shareholder value over the near term," stated B. Michael Friedman, CEO of MediSwipe Inc. About MediSwipe Inc. MediSwipe Inc. (www.MediSwipe.com) offers a full spectrum of secure and reliable transaction processing and security solutions for the medical and healthcare industries, using traditional, Internet Point-of-Sale (POS), ecommerce and mobile (wireless) payment solutions. The Company now also offers digitized personal health records in conjunction with Industry Alliance Partners. MediSwipe offers reliable merchant payment solutions and closed loop pre-paid stored value and loyalty cards as a unique cash alternative to these regulated and ecommerce businesses specializing within the healthcare sector.

Authentication ICs Will Be Revenue Champions in Anti-Counterfeiting, Brand Protection and Authentication Markets, Says ABI Research

July 21, 2011 10:02 AM Eastern Daylight Time 

LONDON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--IC-based security chips, while amounting to just over 5% of all anti-counterfeiting, brand protection and authentication solutions shipped between 2010 and 2016, will contribute more than 32% of all revenues for the segment, according to latest ABI Research forecasts. Authentication ICs will account for the bulk of that revenue, and will show startling growth rates in a market expected to be worth $6 billion in 2016.

“As a new market it is relatively open”

Demand for anti-counterfeiting, brand protection and authentication (ACBP) is growing rapidly, driven by the threats from increasingly sophisticated counterfeiting techniques. Multiple solutions are usually required to achieve adequate levels of security.

A relatively new class of products, authentication ICs overlap with the secure memory ICs already found in some anti-counterfeiting and authentication applications. The difference, says group director John Devlin, is one of capabilities, flexibility and features. “Typically, authentication ICs are mounted on a printed circuit board. They have no contactless capability as yet, but that is in development. The likely inclusion of contactless will add to this market’s growth potential, since it will allow authentication ICs to be used in more (non-electronic) applications and products, and in form factors such as tags and stickers.”

Authentication ICs are manufactured by some well-known chip-makers including NXP, STMicroelectronics, Infineon, Inside Secure, Maxim, and Renesas. However, they don’t have the market sown up: “As a new market it is relatively open,” Devlin notes. “These vendors have an edge due to experience and proven products in smart card applications, but there are still opportunities for other companies from more traditional ACBP and document security backgrounds, or elsewhere from other chip and semiconductor backgrounds. RFID is one area from which companies might look to move in this direction.”

ABI Research’s new “Anti-counterfeiting, Brand Protection and Authentication” study (http://www.abiresearch.com/research/1005642) breaks down the market for each of the key vertical groups with solution attach rates and revenues forecast for each sector. Review of the developing ecosystem, brand owners’ decision making, and best practices to enter and serve this fast growing market are also included.

It is part of the firm’s Smart Cards and Embedded Security Research Service (http://www.abiresearch.com/products/service/Smart_Cards_and_Embedded_Security) which also includes other Research Reports, Market Data, ABI Insights, an ABI Vendor Matrix, and analyst inquiry support.

ABI Research provides in-depth analysis and quantitative forecasting of trends in global connectivity and other emerging technologies. From offices in North America, Europe and Asia, ABI Research’s worldwide team of experts advises thousands of decision makers through 40+ research and advisory services. Est. 1990. For more information visitwww.abiresearch.com, or call +1.516.624.2500.

Contacts

ABI Research
Christine Gallen, +44-203-326-0142
pr@abiresearch.com

GSMA Names Barcelona the First Mobile World Capital

Barcelona Edges Competition to be Named Mobile World Capital for 2012-2018

LONDON, July 22, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- After an 18-month search, the GSMA today announced that Barcelona has been selected as the Mobile World Capital from 2012 to 2018.  As the Mobile World Capital, Barcelona will be the home of the mobile industry's must-attend event, the GSMA Mobile World Congress, and will also develop a range of other programmes and activities that will span the entire year and will benefit not only the citizens of Barcelona, Catalonia and Spain, but also the worldwide mobile industry.

"We are thrilled to announce that Barcelona will be the Mobile World Capital for the next seven years," said John Hoffman, CEO, GSMA Ltd.  "All of the cities who competed for this title presented extremely innovative and compelling bids, but in the end, Barcelona truly demonstrated that it deserves the title of the Mobile World Capital, with its combination of outstanding exhibition and conference facilities, its transportation and hospitality infrastructure, its commitment to expanding the reach of mobility throughout Barcelona, Catalonia and Spain, and the strong support of the public and private sectors. This is an exciting time for Barcelona and for the mobile industry as a whole."  

"Becoming the Mobile World Capital was a strategic bid for Barcelona, and consolidates our leadership as a benchmark city for new technologies," said Xavier Trias, Mayor of Barcelona. "This will give a significant boost to the image of our city brand associated with a sector, that of mobile communications, which will experience strong growth in the next few years. Barcelona is reaping the rewards of the serious, professional work of different institutions with the involvement of many of the city's companies and entities. Now, Barcelona will be the center of a new model of international event linked to economic growth, industrial development and the creation of new jobs vital to the future of our economy."

Bringing the Mobile World Capital Vision to Life

The cornerstone of the Mobile World Capital is the Mobile World Congress, a four-day event which in 2011 attracted more than 60,000 attendees from 200 countries, including 3,000 CEOs, government delegations from 131 countries and more than 2,900 media representatives.  Starting in 2013, the Mobile World Congress will be held at the cutting-edge venue Fira de Barcelona Gran Via.  The dates for the 2013 Mobile World Congress are 25-28 February 2013.

Beyond the Mobile World Congress, the Mobile World Capital also features two additional elements: the Mobile World Centre and the Mobile World Festival. The Mobile World Centre will comprise permanent and temporary exhibitions which meld culture and technological innovation, facilities for the development and incubation of mobile solutions, and retail and hospitality venues. The Mobile World Festival, which is targeted to the general public, will incorporate a range of activities including sporting events, music and art festivals, film awards, applications and technology fairs and more.  

According to estimates from the Barcelona Candidacy, the Mobile World Capital would bring, in the first year alone, more than 300 million euro, along with thousands of part-time jobs. As some of the initiatives have a mid-term reach and will grow steadily during their implementation, the economic impact is expected to increase progressively and, based on Barcelona's assessments, could reach 3.5 billion euro over the seven years of the Mobile World Capital.

"I would like commend and thank all of the finalist cities – Barcelona, Milan, Munich and Paris – for their excellent proposals and the huge amount of energy and creativity that was put into them," concluded Hoffman.  "We look forward to working in partnership with the Spanish Ministry of Industry, Tourism and Commerce, the Government of Catalonia, the City of Barcelona, Fira de Barcelona and the Barcelona Tourism Bureau in bringing the vision of the Mobile World Capital to life."

The selection of the Mobile World Capital was based on many criteria and took into consideration all aspects of what a city can offer. The GSMA undertook a thorough and complex evaluation process, starting with 30 cities, narrowing it down to six cities, reducing it to a short list of four finalists, and then finally, selecting Barcelona as the Mobile World Capital.

Mobile World Capital Press Conference

The GSMA and Barcelona will hold a joint press conference at 11:30 am CET on Wednesday 27th July at the Fira de Barcelona Montjuic.  

Speakers will include:
John Hoffman, CEO of GSMA Ltd.
Artur Mas, President of Catalonia
Xavier Trias, Mayor of Barcelona
Juan Junquera, Secretary of State for ICT, Spain
Josep Lluis Bonet, President of the Fira de Barcelona
Joan Gaspart, President of the Barcelona Tourism Bureau

During the press conference, the executives will elaborate on the shared vision of Mobile World Capital – Barcelona and provide greater detail on the programmes and activities that Barcelona will be undertaking in the Mobile World Capital.  Media wishing to attend and to get further details should RSVP at press@gsm.org.

For more information on the Mobile World Capital, please visit www.mobileworldcapital.com.

About the GSMA

The GSMA represents the interests of mobile operators worldwide. Spanning 219 countries, the GSMA unites nearly 800 of the world's mobile operators, as well as more than 200 companies in the broader mobile ecosystem, including handset makers, software companies, equipment providers, Internet companies, and media and entertainment organisations. The GSMA also produces industry-leading events such as the Mobile World Congress and Mobile Asia Congress.  

For more information, please visit Mobile World Live, the online portal for the mobile communications industry, atwww.mobileworldlive.com or the GSMA corporate website at http://www.gsmworld.com.

SOURCE GSMA