Category Archives: Content Management

Content Management, Enterprise content management, Microsoft SharePoint, SharePoint, Video

RAMP Announces MediaCloud Video Content Platform for SharePoint

RAMP announced today at the SharePoint Conference 2012 in Las Vegas the launch of MediaCloud™ for Microsoft® SharePoint®. RAMP’s MediaCloud for SharePoint combines RAMP’s award-winning solution for ingesting, indexing and publishing audio and video content with the largest enterprise content management platform in the world. Enterprise customers are now able to leverage SharePoint’s powerful collaboration and content management capabilities to publish, manage, and search audio and video content. Specific features of MediaCloud for SharePoint include:

  • Secure, cloud-based storage, transcoding, tagging, and streaming of
    video content to minimize IT complexity and cost.
  • Tight integration of video with SharePoint’s collaboration, content,
    search, and social features to increase the exposure and value of
    video across these core capabilities.
  • Comprehensive SharePoint web parts for integrated video search and
    video player for easy deployment and publishing of video content
    experiences.
  • Unique, patented technology to automate transcription and metadata
    generation on video content.
  • Deep in-video search and interactive video playback, enhancing
    discovery and engagement of video.

“Gartner has seen an explosion of interest from enterprises seeking to publish and manage video content as video becomes a ubiquitous form of communication,” according to Whit Andrews, Vice President at Garter Research. “The ability to leverage existing investments in collaboration and content management platforms such as Microsoft SharePoint is a critical factor in the ability to manage video at scale and cost effectively.”

“We are excited to build on our experience and success in managing large scale video requirements in the media industry to solve similar kinds of problems and opportunities now facing large enterprises,” said Tom Wilde, CEO RAMP. “Video is a complex and powerful medium, and our unique capabilities, combined with SharePoint’s expansive customer base give us a huge advantage in delivering value to a new set of customers.”


Content Management, Intellectual Property, Patent, Site Management

RAMP Gets Patent on Automated Content Tagging

RAMP announced today that it has been issued its 19th patent as part of its ongoing development of intellectual property. USPN 8,280,719 covers RAMP’s unique ability to automatically tag large catalogs of audio, video, text, and image content using natural language processing combined with human guidance to create self-learning algorithms.

This technology enables RAMP to build highly scalable and cost-effective solutions for automatic content tagging – one of the most difficult and important challenges facing content producers across media and enterprise. Inadequate or incomplete tagging of content negatively impacts the performance of content management systems, adservers, and recommendation engines, and results in content that fails to generate its maximum value. USPN 8,280,719 nicely complements RAMP’s unique, patented ability to generate automated transcripts on audio and video content delivering a complete metadata solution for publishers of all content types.

“This recent patent issuance is a real testament to the deep talent and skill of the RAMP team,” said Tom Wilde, RAMP CEO. “We work hard to develop innovative ways for content producers to maximize the value of their content, and this patent is another great example of RAMP’s capabilities.”


Business Processes, Content Management, Customer Relationship Management, GlobalSCAPE, Mobile device, Salesforce, salesforce.com

TappIn Pro Edition Includes Salesforce.com Integration

TappIn, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of GlobalSCAPE, Inc. announced today the launch of the new TappIn Professional Edition. TappIn’s Professional Edition offers 10 GB of secure transactional cloud storage, enhanced secure mobile access features, integration with Salesforce, and group management capabilities designed for professional users, businesses, and an increasingly mobile workforce, by creating a go-to service for remote access to all content regardless of where it resides.

“The increasingly mobile nature of today’s workforce, coupled with the rapid diversification of content sources and storage repositories, has forced a re-envisioning of how IT manages the access device landscape,” said Maureen Fleming, analyst with IDC. “Content is no longer stored on just a computer or server, it’s stored across collaboration platforms like Salesforce and Microsoft Exchange, on NAS drives, and in cloud repositories—public, private, and personal. As mobile devices put our lives at our fingertips, businesses and their employees will look for solutions that also streamline access to these content sources, increasing efficiency and eliminating the need for redundant copies and storage.”

“If we have learned anything from the BYOD revolution, it’s that people are looking for the simplest way to manage and access everything they need via a mobile device,” said Chris Hopen, President of TappIn, Inc. “TappIn Professional Edition is the next evolution of our approach to access and management, allowing users to go to a single place on their mobile device and securely access or share all of their important content—whether it resides on a home computer, business server, or SaaS application such as Salesforce. TappIn is the one place they can go for access to all of their content without having to move it all to one place.”

 

 


Content Management, Small business

Marketecture Business Center 3.0 Offers Integrated Online SMB Platform

Marketecture today announced the full platform launch of the Marketecture Business Center 3.0, its turnkey website solution for micro and small businesses, which allows small business owners to establish and grow their business online without having to build their own software or become Internet experts.

Marketecture Business Center 3.0 provides a suite of integrated online business management and marketing tools. The new platform leverages proprietary, scalable software and includes the following features:

  • Custom Website Design – Build a website in minutes using
    Marketecture’s intuitive drag-and-drop functionality
  • Content Management – Upload as many images, video, music and data
    files as desired with Marketecture’s unlimited storage and hosting
    space
  • Social Marketing Management – Monitor and manage the social
    environment surrounding a small business with deep social media
    integration for Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Google+, LinkedIn and
    foursquare
  • Online Marketing Management – Work alongside Marketecture’s experts to
    deploy a variety of online business strategies, including SEO, PPC,
    viral, content and local marketing
  • Customer Relationship Manager – Track visitor analytics from one
    simple interface
  • Communications Manager – Unlimited email accounts, webmail access,
    newsletter and drip campaigns
  • E-Commerce – Set up a merchant account to collect money directly from
    the SMB’s website and use Facebook integration to enable customers to
    reserve services, purchase products and fill out forms and signups
    directly from the business’ Facebook page
  • Business Tools – Blogs, secure document editing and sharing,
    scheduling and reservations
  • Custom Logo Design – Use easy software tools to build great logos, or
    work side-by-side with Marketecture’s designers to create a logo to
    establish a brand

“After honing our platform for the past two years, we are thrilled to offer the full integration of the Marketecture Business Center,” said Oliver Bigler, chairman and CEO of Marketecture. “For years, thousands of micro and small businesses have benefited from aspects of our online platform and we pride ourselves in now being able to provide all the essential components needed to thrive on the web. For too long, small business owners have been unfairly offered select solutions by Internet software solution companies marketing their individual app. Marketecture’s all-in-one website solution and business system helps small business owners across the country build, market and grow their online business and adapt to an increasingly Internet-based economy.”

According to a 2011 report by research firm Borrell & Associates, most small and medium business (SMB) owners do not have the time or the expertise necessary to successfully conduct business online; in fact, 46 percent of SMBs in the U.S. have no online presence. Of the SMBs with an online presence, 80 percent are a simple “business card” site without embedded revenue generation. Marketecture addresses both deficiencies in its easy-to-use, all-in-one system, which helps clients build and maintain their website, find and retain customers and generate revenue.


Content Management, Font, Graphics, International Typeface Corporation, OpenType

Cloud-Based Font Solution Lets You Rent Your Typefaces

Monotype, a provider of typefaces, technology and expertise for creative applications and consumer devices, has introduced in beta its SkyFonts™ service, a revolutionary solution that expands creative freedom through cloud-based, rental access to fully functional fonts. Users are able to try thousands of fonts for free within any desktop application and rent selected fonts for as long as they’re needed.

“We believe customers will find SkyFonts to be very flexible, fluid and economical, with the ability to try fonts within actual jobs and then rent them for however long is necessary,” said Chris Roberts, vice president and general manager of Monotype’s e-commerce group. “Instead of the traditional approach of buying a perpetual license for a font that might be used only once for a single project, users now have the freedom to use any font for as long as they determine. SkyFonts has the potential to completely change the way people buy and use fonts.”

A video introduction of the SkyFonts service is available at www.skyfonts.com.

Based on patent-pending technology, SkyFonts consists of a system extension, which runs in the background of Macintosh® or Windows® machines to activate and deactivate OpenType® fonts downloaded from the SkyFonts portal. Users are able to see and select from thousands of Monotype® typefaces listed on the portal. More than 1,500 fonts from the company’s Monotype, Linotype®, ITC® and Bitstream® libraries are available during beta, with more fonts to be added over time. Rented fonts can sync automatically to up to five machines registered to a single SkyFonts account.

The SkyFonts service operates on a credit-based system, whereby credits are used to rent fonts on a daily or monthly basis. Users can also try fonts for free for five minutes. When the trial or rental period expires or if the fonts are not renewed, they’re removed automatically from the user’s system. Beta participants will receive credits free of charge that will expire at the conclusion of the beta, at which point SkyFonts credits will be available for purchase. Pricing information will be released in the coming months.


Content Management, Education, Electronic commerce, Hosting, Internet marketing, Panopta, Torbit, Web Design and Development, Web Performance Optimization

Speed Awareness Month Highlights Why Split Seconds Count on the Web

A consortium of web-performance industry companies today launched SpeedAwareness Month, a web-based educational program designed to help site owners learn about the importance of improving their website download speeds.

Speed Awareness month will run through the month of August 2012.

Research shows that many consumers will abandon a site if it takes longer than two seconds to load.  Similarly, slow website speeds can impact search engine rankings, can increase pay-per-click advertising costs, reduce sales conversions and, in the end, decrease revenues.

Maximizing the performance of a website is as essential to site operators as having the right content and marketing program. On the Speed Awareness Month website, site owners can find regular blog posts, best practice recommendations, tutorials and free or trial services and tools they can use to boost website speed.

Speed Awareness Month is a collaborative effort organized by the following industry leading firms: Dyn Inc., MaxCDN,Panopta, Torbit, UberTags, StackExchange.com catchpoint.com and lognormal.com. More companies are expected to join the effort through the month.

Best practice and thought leadership content will come from the sponsors and more than 20 other industry thought leaders.

“I am very excited to see how many companies and experts are participating in Speed Awareness Month. We hope to reach as many website owners as possible and make them aware of the importance of website performance for their business,” said David Henzel, Speed Awareness Month organizer and vice president of marketing for NetDNA/MaxCDN. “The tips and free tools offered during this month will be a huge help for web masters to find out where the bottlenecks of their sites are and how to remove them.”

Speed Awareness Month is designed for all developers, system administrators, eCommerce shop owners and everyone that has a passion for website development and improvement.

The event is open to content from any experts who want to participate and have a passion or spread knowledge about web performance optimization.  To contribute, contact David Henzel at dhenzel@netdna.com.


Arts and Entertainment, Content Management, Free, Media Production, Scenios, Television, Video

Scenios Launches Free Version of Cloud Platform for Film, Video Production

Scenios LogoScenios now offers a free version of its secure, cloud-based platform for film and television production.  The free version allows film, TV and commercial producers to manage every aspect of their production, including 5 GB of cloud storage and an unlimited number of users.

Studios, networks and production companies can use Scenios as a comprehensive “virtual production office” to manage all aspects of their productions, and to collaborate more effectively online with their teams. Scenios provides a set of online, real-time collaboration tools that significantly streamline the production process, and that help reduce costs for many people working in the industry.  Key features of the Scenios platform include the ability to:

  • Write the script in your web browser, and collaborate on it in real time.
  • Create your budget in Scenios, and restrict who sees it by setting access permissions.
  • Distribute call sheets and other documents instantly.  Send them to individuals, departments, or to the entire production team.
  • Share professional HD video files, and do reviews and approvals in your web browser.
  • Set up video conferences in Scenios for up to 10 people, for things like virtual production meetings and virtual table reads.
  • Customize Scenios to match your workflow, by creating and organizing your own production-related apps.

The free Scenios plan also allows users to connect to one other production that they aren’t managing.

“Many aspects of the production process now require complete flexibility, and our secure, cloud-based platform helps productions operate more efficiently in a real-time, location-based environment,” said CEO Mark Davis. “This new free option will provide the TV and film industry with an innovative, time and cost saving way to manage a production.”

In addition to the free service, additional account options include:

  • SCENIOS PLUS: allows users to manage 2 productions, to connect to 2 other productions, and to get 100 GB of cloud storage ($19 per month)
  • SCENIOS PRO: allows users to manage an unlimited number of productions, to connect to an unlimited number of productions, and to get unlimited cloud storage ($49 per month)
  • SCENIOS ENTERPRISE: provides 10 Pro seats, plus the Enterprise Control Dashboard, and unlimited cloud storage for $299/month. Add more Pro seats for $39/month each.

For more information go to http://www.scenios.com


Business Processes, Content Management, ECM, Enterprise content management, Guest Post, IT Management, Legal, Workflow

Benefits of Cloud Based ECM Systems

Guest Post by Steve Williams

Smart businesses everywhere have begun to take advantage of Enterprise Content Management (ECM). This system helps companies organize, store and retrieve eDocuments. Encompassing a variety of different programs, ECM helps businesses to organize their work flow and be prepared in case of any future litigation. Moving the ECM to the cloud presents even greater benefits.

Benefits of the Cloud

  • Security. Prevent the loss of critical data with regular backups of infrastructure hardware and more.
  • Cost. A cloud solution costs a fraction of an on-premise ECM solution. The pay-as-you go nature of cloud services also make it scalable to your needs.
  • Reliability. Cloud solutions can offer high uptime and keep planned downtimes at a minimum Access. Access all your content remotely through any device (mobile, desktop etc.)

Top 3 Benefits of ECM:

1. Improve Organization

Without an ECM system, employees may find it difficult to access records held by coworkers or find older documents. With an ECM system, the business can reduce its volume of content up to 50%. In the event of litigation, having fewer documents to search through and a more organized system helps employees and lawyers to prepare. The ECM system manages all of the data throughout its lifecycle and keeps it in one central place.

The Advantages:

  • One central location to retrieve all content.
  • Ensures compliance with new standards and policies.

For larger companies, having a central location means lawyers do not have to rush around various locations and can easily carry out the discovery process. To facilitate the legal team’s work, employees should be trained on policies regarding the various regulatory requirements or the company’s internal policies.

Prior to having an ECM system, a company would have to go through files by hand to check and see if workers were complying with the regulations. In the case of a hospital, new policies may get missed by workers. A proper ECM system could alleviate the problem by electronically tracking which employees signed new policy forms and ensure that everyone at the company is on the same page. Numerous state and federal regulations exist—each business must ensure that their employees are complying completely. Without an ECM system to track employee training and policy updates, employers are left without the safeguard they need to make sure that everyone is kept up-to-date on new regulations.

2. Prepare for Litigation

No business plans on having court battles, but in the event that it happens, being prepared early on makes litigation easier. Various regulations like Sarbanes-Oxley require that eDocuments be kept for a certain length of time. The ECM can be set to automatically put documents on hold and store them for a defined period of time. This aspect protects the documents from being deleted on purpose or by accident.

Instead of hiring out help, companies can handle litigation internally and reduce their overall cost. The system seamlessly integrates real-time updates and records prior versions of the file. Although no one intends to have a court case, preparing in advance saves the company valuable time and money.

3. Save Money

Having double copies of a file makes it more difficult for employees to access, change and use data. An ECM system works to prevent this by organizing the volumes of information in one location and with an easily searchable system. A user merely has to type in a keyword in the search box to have their file and related documents popup. Instead of having to search through documents by hand or go to different networks to find data, users have one location that they can access. Overall, this saves the company time and money spent on wages.

The Bottom Line:

Creating an ECM will require some initial spending, but overall the company will see immense savings on labor and IT infrastructure costs by moving to the cloud. If any litigation takes place, the company will save even more money on lawyers’ fees and throughout the discovery process. By being able to easily access old files, the company is protected from any allegations that they violated regulations. This protects them legally and financially.

This system also gets employees out of low-value tasks and into a role that makes the company more money. No more faxing over documents or hand-picking through old files. With a cloud-based ECM system, the program is intended to do all the work so the company does not have to hire an employee to do it.

Across the board, having a cloud-based ECM saves the company money and makes doing business more efficient. It improves the company’s ability to manage information and comply with federal regulations.