Cricket Wireless now has unlimited calling and messaging to Mexico on all $50/$60 plans

Cricket Wireless has upgraded their no-annual contract wireless plans by adding unlimited calls and messages to Mexico on the new Cricket plans starting at $50 per month or $45 after a $5 auto pay credit with taxes and fees included. The existing customers on the $50 and $60 Smart, Pro, and Advanced plans do not have to do anything. More details below:

ATLANTA, Feb. 10, 2015 /PRNewswire/ — Cricket continues to upgrade no-annual contract wireless, adding unlimited calls and messages to Mexico* on the new Cricket plans starting at $50 a month or $45 after a $5 auto pay credit with taxes and fees included, All-In. Existing customers on $50 and $60 Smart, Pro and Advanced plans don’t have to do a thing.

Beginning February 11, for the first time ever, new and existing customers on Cricket’s $50 and $60 plans — all on a nationwide 4G LTE network can now make unlimited mobile-to-mobile and landline calls and send unlimited messages from the U.S. to friends and family in Mexico.  More value for the same low price.

“Cricket is on a mission to upgrade what customers can expect from no-annual contract wireless,” said Janna Ducich, marketing vice president and chief marketing officer for Cricket Wireless. “Whether it’s providing more 4G LTE coverage than T-Mobile, Metro-PCS, Sprint and Boost; increasing high speed data access on our plans at no extra cost; providing access to the world’s largest streaming music library with Deezer; and now bringing unlimited calling and messaging from the U.S. to Mexico, we are giving customers more value at low prices.”

Cricket’s Upgraded Plan International Features

Cricket Plans

International Offering

(Now available in Cricket Plans starting at $50)

Smart Plan

$50 or $45 (after $5 Auto Pay credit) with 5GB of high-speed data access**

NEW: Included Services to Mexico from the U.S.

·  Unlimited landline and mobile-to-mobile calling

·  Unlimited text, video and picture messaging

Pro Plan

$60 or $55 (after $5 Auto Pay credit) with 10GB of high-speed data access**

Advanced Plan (limited time only)***

$60 or $55 (after $5 Auto Pay credit) with 20GB of high-speed data access**

Unlimited International Texting

· Unlimited Texts to 35 countries

Cricket continues to run its promotional Advanced Plan offer for a limited time with unlimited talk, text and 20GB of high speed data access for $60/mo with taxes and fees included.  And customers with a new activation can also get a free 4G LTE smartphone, the Nokia Lumia 635, after $75 mail-in rebate Cricket Visa® Promotion Card.****

Customers interested in expanded international features can take advantage of Cricket International Extra for $15/mo to receive unlimited landline calling and messaging to 35 countries plus 1,000 mobile-to-mobile minutes to 29 countries. And with Cricket International Roaming Mexico, customers can make and receive calls and texts while traveling in Mexico for only $10/mo, taxes and fees included.

Customers switching from T-Mobile, Metro-PCS, Sprint and Boost are eligible for 1 free month of service on us after completing two months on the Smart, Pro or Advanced plan*****.  The time to switch to Cricket is now.  It’s #SimpleMath.

To check out the new Cricket or find a store near you, visit www.cricketwireless.com and connect with us on Facebook at facebook.com/cricketnation and Twitter at twitter.com/cricketnation. For news, information about events and other press materials about Cricket, visit the new Cricket Wireless Newsroom.

About the new Cricket Wireless

Cricket is bringing consumers more value with a simple, friendly, and reliable nationwide wireless experience with no annual contract. The power of Cricket is our nationwide 4G LTE network that covers more than 300 million people; easy and affordable unlimited plans that are all in with taxes and fees included – no surprises; and a great selection of phones customers love. Cricket, Something to Smile About. Cricket is a subsidiary of AT&T Inc. Coverage and services not available everywhere. © 2015 Cricket Wireless LLC. All rights reserved. Cricket and the Cricket logo are trademarks under license to Cricket Wireless LLC.

*Unlimited Calling to Mexico: Available with Smart, Pro and Advanced Plans. Not available on legacy Cricket CDMA plans. Includes long distance voice calls from the US to Mexico only. Calls to special and premium services may be blocked. Service cannot be resold or used for fraudulent purposes. Other restrictions apply.

**High-Speed Data Access: Cricket’s Basic, Smart, Pro and Advanced unlimited plans include 2.5GB, 5GB, 10GB and 20GB high-speed LTE data access allowances, respectively.  Data use exceeding these high-speed access allowances will result in data download speeds reduced to a maximum 128Kbps for the remainder of the monthly billing cycle.

***Advanced Plan: Limited time offer; subject to change. LTE-capable device and activation of Advanced plan required to get 20 GB of high-speed data access. Not eligible for Group Save discount. All Monthly Plans:  Monthly plan price includes taxes, applicable fees and unlimited domestic talk, text and data access. Monthly plan payments are not refundable or transferable, and other charges and fees may apply. In-store activation fee up to $25. Service and coverage not available everywhere. All plans and services are subject to Cricket’s Terms and Conditions of Service available at www.cricketwireless.com/support.

****Free 4G LTE Smartphone: Free phone offer ends 4/9/15.  While supplies last. New activation required. Lumia 635 is $74.99 before $75 mail in rebate. Sales tax not included. Card valid at US locations where Visa accepted for 150 days after Card issuance. 2nd month of service req’d. Restrictions & other charges apply. See store for details. 

***** Free Month of Service:  Limited time offer. Is only available at Cricket Wireless retail locations. Requires $50 or $60 rate plan. Not available to AT&T customer, or Cricket CDMA customers. Third month free applies to rate plan only and excludes features or other services. Qualifying customers will receive an account credit approximately five days prior to payment due date for the third month of service. One-time credit is applied on a per line basis. Customer remains obligated to pay for features and other services in the third month.

Valet network CurbStand acquires Curby

CurbStand, the company behind the first and largest valet parking network for consumers and operators that offers mobile payments and on-demand services, has announced that they have acquired Curby. Curby is a complete valet parking solution that offers valet operators with business tools, reporting and metrics. More details below:

LOS ANGELES, Feb. 10, 2015 /PRNewswire/ — CurbStand, the maker of the first and largest valet parking network for consumers and operators that offers interactivity, seamless mobile payments and on-demand services, today announced the acquisition of Curby, the complete valet parking solution that provides valet operators with advanced business tools, reporting and metrics previously unavailable. Financial terms of this transaction were not disclosed.

The acquisition bolsters CurbStand’s first-mover positioning in leading the valet parking industry with cutting-edge consumer and enterprise innovations. By integrating Curby’s technology platform and leadership talent, CurbStand will offer a complete suite of valet services and enable the Company to quickly expand to new customer categories, such as lodging chains, healthcare institutions and municipalities.

“Curby is the enterprise hardware and software platform leader for valet operators and by bringing this to CurbStand, we deliver an unmatched value proposition to both businesses and consumers,” said Serge Gojkovich, CEO of CurbStand. “This acquisition strengthens our back-end technology, so we can make CurbStand available at large-scale institutions like hotel chains and hospitals. It will also allow us to provide more on-demand services in the near future. At the same time, we’re helping valet businesses grow and differentiate themselves with cutting-edge tools and real-time intelligence.”

Specifically, the Curby platform enables valet operators to monitor vehicle and staff activity in real time at each parking location, monitor productivity and the performance of staff members, evaluate historical performance of each parking location, reduce customer damage claims and data mine valuable statistics such as customer demographics, In and Out times, staff star ratings, daily revenue and more.

Curby is led by seasoned technology executives, CEO Colby Goff and CTO and co-founder Niels Jonker, who both held leadership positions at Boingo Wireless and were part of the executive team that took the company public on the NASDAQ in 2011. Goff will serve as an advisor to the Board of Directors and Jonker will now serve on the CurbStand Board of Directors.

CurbStand is redefining valet parking, combining ‘mobile-first’ consumer and enterprise innovation, real-time communication of valet parking availability and cashless payment. CurbStand is investing significantly in its rapidly growing network. It has amassed a network of more than 400 stands, and continues to add 5-10 new locations each week. Currently available in Los Angeles, Miami, Ft. Lauderdale, Dallas, Austin, Boston and now Denver, the Company is expanding both its consumer and valet operator apps’ reach to other major U.S. cities. The apps are available in the iTunes store.

About CurbStand:Founded by Owen De Vries, Moncef Abbou and Nicole Duncan in October 2013, CurbStand is an investor-backed startup based in Los Angeles, California that is introducing a mobile payment and specialty services platform for the valet and parking industries. Leveraging cutting edge technologies, CurbStand is delivering a cashless, concierge-style valet experience for customers to find, pay and tip for parking and for businesses and their valet companies to better manage their parking. Restaurants and other businesses interested in offering the seamless CurbStand valet experience should email valet@curbstand.com. Visit www.CurbStand.com for more information. Follow CurbStand on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook, and download the iOS app for free via the iTunes store.

Wandera raises $15 million

Wandera is a secure mobile gateway company that has raised $15 million in funding. Wandera is a leader in mobile data security and optimization. This round of funding was led by 83North with participation from existing investor Bessemer Venture Partners. More details below:

SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 10, 2015 /PRNewswire/ — Secure Mobile Gateway pioneer Wandera, today announced $15 million in additional funding to consolidate its position as the global leader in mobile data security and optimization. This latest funding was led by 83North, with participation from existing investor Bessemer Venture Partners. This brings Wandera’s total funding to $23 million.

Leading global organizations, including three of the Big Four accountancy firms, rely on Wandera’s Secure Mobile Gateway to secure their mobile devices from cyber criminals. They also benefit from Wandera’s mobile data optimization and real-time intelligence, which provides granular control and visibility over their data usage and generates immediate ROI.

As a recent example, the security team at Wandera discovered a serious security hole in the popular NFL Mobile app just days before this year’s Big Game between the New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks. The vulnerability was leaving highly valuable personal information exposed to man-in-the-middle hacker attacks.

“Following the recent Sony Pictures and celebrity iOS hacks, companies are demanding the next generation of mobile security. We have reached a tipping point where businesses must tackle mobile data security threats head-on or face serious repercussions,” said Roy Tuvey, President of Wandera. “We’re thrilled to add 83North as an investor and this capital will help us grow and scale at a time when mobile attacks are growing exponentially across all smart devices.”

The Wandera cloud processes more than 350 million content requests daily for customers with users in 60 countries. Wandera’s partner ecosystem includes AT&T, BT and Samsung as well as integrations with MobileIron, AirWatch and Citrix.

“Wandera’s proactive security and optimization service powered by its unique cloud gateway architecture goes beyond traditional solutions and gives enterprises the confidence to employ mobility as a key productivity tool,” said Erez Ofer of 83North, who will join the Board. “We’re pleased to facilitate Wandera’s aggressive expansion plans across Europe and particularly in North America where they are already securing mobile devices for some of the world’s largest companies and partnering with global telecom carriers and MDM players.”

Wandera is the second successful global security venture from brothers Eldar and Roy Tuvey. They previously founded cloud-based web security market leader ScanSafe, which scaled rapidly to thousands of enterprise customers before being acquired by networking leader Cisco in 2010.

NodeSource raises $3 million in funding

NodeSource is an enterprise-focused software company that has raised $3 million in seed funding. Investors in this round include Crosslink Capital and Resolute Ventures.  Crosslink Capital general partner Eric Chin will be joining the board of directors at NodeSource. More details below:

PRESS RELEASE

NEW YORK, NY–(Marketwired – Feb 9, 2015) – NodeSource, an enterprise-focused software company created to build a robust product ecosystem around Node.js, announces today $3M in first round seed funding from Crosslink Capital and Resolute Ventures. This funding exemplifies the pent-up demand for Node.js solutions as enterprises abandon their monolithic applications in favor of modern, scalable service oriented architectures.

NodeSource’s portfolio of clients includes Uber, PayPal, Fitbit, and Netflix. The company delivers powerful Node.js tooling to enterprise customers. The company will use funding to continue expansion with the release of upcoming products and partnerships with Fortune 500 companies. Early on, NodeSource recognized the massive opportunity for Node.js to transform IT organizations worldwide. With current funding, a new generation of products from NodeSource will roll out to better build, monitor, tune, and deploy Node.js applications effectively.

“It is rare to see a small company make such an impact on critical enterprise functions, and when I met Joe I knew the NodeSource team had an important advantage,” said Eric Chin, General Partner at Crosslink Capital. “In terms of knowledge transfer, NodeSource has the magic to keep Node.js pure and reliable, while future-proofing it for new architectural approaches.”

In conjunction with the funding Eric Chin will join NodeSource on the Board of Directors. Eric leads Crosslink Capital’s Seed program and is Co-Founder of Alpha Club, a networking group that brings together over 600 Founders and CEOs. Eric brings more than 20 years of Internet, software, and cloud infrastructure experience to NodeSource.

“Monolithic applications, mainly written in Java, are killing development cycles, stifling innovation and keeping Java-heavy IT organizations many steps behind their competitors, especially those who have embraced a microservices architecture,” explains NodeSource Co-Founder & CEO, Joe McCann. “Some of the world’s most innovative enterprise clients have purchased access to our best practices and software tools to securely and reliably integrate Node.js into their organizations. Our purpose for them and the market is to make sure they get the agility and efficiency from Node with the confidence of a mature development and deployment environment.”

Brendan Eich, inventor of the JavaScript programming language and Advisor to NodeSource, adds, “JavaScript is no longer limited to just websites. It is now running on the server thanks to the massive adoption of Node.js. NodeSource, with their tools and expertise, is well-positioned to bring Node.js and server side JavaScript to the Enterprise.”

About NodeSource:

NodeSource is a technology company dedicated to delivering enterprise-grade software products in support of a sustainable ecosystem for the open source Node project. We aim to drive and expand the Node.js Ecosystem by providing best of breed solutions that specifically target the needs of the enterprise. Clients include PayPal, Intuit, Uber, Netflix, FitBit and other progressive Node adopters who are leading the charge in microservices via server-side JavaScript instead of just maintaining legacy monolithic applications like Java. NodeSource is venture backed by Crosslink Capital (Eric Chin) and Resolute.vc (Raanan Bar-Cohen and Michael Hirshland). For more information visit www.nodesource.com and follow @nodesource.

SendGrid launches app for iPhone and iPad

E-mail delivery platform SendGrid has announced that it has released an app for the iPhone and iPad. The apps enable SendGrid customers to view their metrics while on the go. Customers can access e-mail performance statistics and activity logs. More details below:

SendGrid Releases App for iPhone and iPad

BOULDER, Colo., Feb. 9, 2015 /PRNewswire/ — SendGrid, the leading email delivery platform for email that matters, today announced that it has launched the SendGrid app for iPhone and iPad, offering customers the convenience of added visibility and access to their SendGrid metrics.

The SendGrid app for iPhone and iPad allows SendGrid customers to stay connected to their SendGrid account while on-the-go. With the SendGrid app, customers can interact with the most critical features of their account in real-time. From their mobile device, customers can access email performance statistics, email activity logs, and report information including blocks, SPAM, unsubscribes and bounces. The app also allows SendGrid users to manage suppression lists and navigate to the sub-user level in-app to further troubleshoot across their accounts.

“The opportunity for customer engagement is no longer confined to a specific platform or device, and the launch of our app enables our community to have valuable insight into their customer engagement programs,” said Sameer Dholakia, CEO of SendGrid.  “We’re excited to deliver an app that allows our customers the immediate access to mission-critical account statistics and functionality. The visibility and flexibility provided by the SendGrid app enables businesses to make better business decisions with real-time data and analytics.”

For application developers and marketers concerned about the detailed performance of their email delivery, SendGrid’s mobile app enables users to view and search real-time delivery metrics (clicks, opens, bounces, etc.), manage unsubscribe/suppression lists, search and troubleshoot by email address, drill down to view sub-user accounts, export .csv files, share reports via email and enable multi-user credentials for secure sign-in.

The SendGrid app for iPhone and iPad, is now available in the App Store. A SendGrid account is required. Sign up on the website or by contacting the team at 888-985-7363.

About SendGrid

SendGrid is the leading email delivery platform for email that matters. SendGrid’s proven, cloud-based email platform successfully delivers over 15B customer engagement emails each month for Internet and mobile-based customers like Pinterest, Airbnb, Pandora, Hubspot, Spotify, Uber, Linkedin and FourSquare as well as more traditional enterprises like Walmart, Intuit and Costco.  For more information, visit www.sendgrid.com.

ZeroHour Innovations raises $250,000 on Kickstarter

ZeroHour Innovations has raised $250,000 on Kickstarter for its ZeroHour Relic XR Tactical Compact Flashlight + Battery Backup. Over 1,400 backers will receive a Relic XR — which is a highly adaptable carry flashlight that can charge smartphones, cameras, and USB devices. More details below:

HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif., Feb. 9, 2015 /PRNewswire/ — ZeroHour Innovations has concluded its latest Kickstarter campaign with over $250,000 in pledges for ZeroHour Relic XR, the newest product in its line of tactical portable charger flashlights. Over 1,400 backers will be rewarded a Relic XR, a highly adaptable, everyday carry flashlight that can also charge smartphones, cameras, and other USB devices.

“We are incredibly amazed and humbled by the support of everyone who helped us raise 1000% of our Kickstarter goal,” said Aaron Son, co-founder of ZeroHour Innovations. “ZeroHour continues to gain momentum as our users around the world spread the word about our revolutionary combination of light and power.”

Pledges will cover ZeroHour’s initial manufacturing costs, with rewards to begin shipping in May 2015. Relic XR is now available to pre-order for $145 from www.zerohourxd.com.

ZeroHour will next make its national television debut on Science Channel’s “All-American Makers,” premiering February 11th at 10pm ET/PT.  Founders Amy Truong and Aaron Son will have the opportunity to pitch ZeroHour to a panel of experts, who then put the product through a series of rigorous tests to find out if it lives up to its claim.

About ZeroHour Relic XR

ZeroHour Relic XR is a compact, USB rechargeable flashlight featuring a 1,000 lumen LED, 3400mAh portable charger, and IPX8 waterproof protection. Combining fully adjustable illumination with multiple battery configurations, Relic XR is also bike and weapon mountable. Relic XR includes removable stainless steel bezels, a variable brightness selector ring, 2.1amp USB output port, micro-USB charging port, 3400mAh lithium-ion battery, anti-roll clip, and soft carrying case. Other models and options are available.

About ZeroHour Innovations

Headquartered in Huntington Beach, Calif., ZeroHour Innovations was founded in early 2013 to revolutionize the tactical battery backup flashlight. Its dedicated team of designers creates the highest quality products with modern technology to power users through any situation. With a built-in USB battery backup, ZeroHour flashlights provide more than just light in an emergency. ZeroHour Innovations targets the needs of the outdoor, consumer electronics and public safety markets. For more information, visit www.zerohourxd.com or follow ZeroHour on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Aysling and Juggernaut announce merger

Ann Arbor, Michigan based companies Aysling and Juggernaut LLC have announced a merger effective immediately. Aysling — which is celebrating its 10th anniversary — is branching out beyond selling and managing Adobe and WoodWing digital publishing software solutions. Aysling will own and manage the customer relationship management software that Juggernaut builds. More details below:

ANN ARBOR, Mich., Feb. 9, 2015 /PRNewswire/ — Aysling, in conjunction with Juggernaut LLC, is pleased to announce a merger between the two Ann Arbor technology companies, effective immediately.

On the cusp of its 10th anniversary, Aysling is branching out beyond selling and managing Adobe and WoodWing digital publishing software solutions and digital media production services and into a partnership with Juggernaut where Aysling will own, manage, and sell the Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software that Juggernaut develops.

“This is Aysling’s first opportunity to own a product and we couldn’t be more enthusiastic. We’ve worked closely with the folks at Juggernaut for years and the merger is a perfect syncing of the two companies,” said Patrick Becker, president and CEO of Aysling. “Aysling’s expertise in project management and sales is a great complement to Juggernaut’s development expertise, and vice versa.”

Commercialized in 2013, Juggernaut develops two products: MagHub, a full-service magazine publishing tool with robust CRM capabilities, and Juggernaut CRM, a CRM tool built for small to medium businesses of all types. Juggernaut CRM is a brand new product and is being released to the market today at www.jcrm.com. Both products are in the cloud and sold on a subscription basis. Juggernaut’s publishing clients include Cities West Publishing, MetroParent Magazine, i5, Moffly Media, Werner, and more.

“As we introduce Juggernaut CRM to the marketplace, the merger with Aysling is perfect timing,” said Rudy Pataro, president of Juggernaut. “Both the MagHub and Juggernaut CRM products will benefit from added sales support and potential cross-sell opportunities to Aysling’s customer base. We’re proud of the work we’ve done on Juggernaut CRM and are excited to have Aysling’s support going forward.”

About Aysling

Aysling is a provider of marketing software solutions and digital media production services for publishers, retailers, corporations and agencies around the world. A WoodWing Platinum Authorized Solution partner and the top reseller of Adobe DPS in 2014, Aysling delivers a multi-channel distribution system for exceptional content creation and delivery to print, Web, iPad, tablets, and mobile markets. The company was founded in 2005 and is proud to have worked with brands like Amway, Angie’s List, Forbes, Hearst, Meredith, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Time, The United Nations and many others. Visit us at www.aysling.com or on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

About Juggernaut

Juggernaut is the developer of two Customer Relationship Management (CRM) products, MagHub and Juggernaut CRM. MagHub is a comprehensive publishing solution that allows magazine publishers to run their day-to-day operations from a single tool. Juggernaut CRM is a robust sales contact management tool that helps small to medium-sized businesses manage sales and generate more revenue. Both products are in the cloud and sold on a subscription basis. For more information, visit us at www.maghub.com and www.jcrm.com.