Epson Acquires K-Sun Corp To Expand Presence In Industrial Solutions Market

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From art to the environment and everything in between, explore and see how Epson is not only about innovative technology.

Seiko Epson Corporation recently announced it had acquired Somerset, Wisconsin-based K-Sun Corporation, a supplier of award-winning portable and desktop electronic label printers. The acquisition of K-Sun, with its more than three decades of experience in the industrial identifications solutions market, will provide Epson with broader access to labeling customers and influencers as well as expand the company's presence in the industrial labeling market.

After supplying K-Sun with label printers on an OEM basis for two decades, Epson believes that acquiring its partner will enable it to better serve industrial customers with the ever expanding line of Epson label printing solutions - from the desktop to the industrial press.

Junichi Watanabe, director, and chief operating officer of Epson's Visual Products Operations Division, commented, "We are delighted to take our partnership with K-Sun to the next stage. The acquisition will not only give us access to K-Sun's expertise in industrial label printing, but will help boost the Epson brand and increase exposure of Epson's label printers in this important strategic market."

"K-Sun has enjoyed a strategic partnership with Epson since 1994. Now as a member of Epson's prestigious group of companies, we are very excited for our future and the new products and supplies that we can offer our customers and the expanded opportunities for our employees," Michael Kasun, founder and president of K-Sun, said.

Specializing in industrial and safety marking/ identification, pipe marking, and wire/ cable labeling, K-Sun will begin with selling the innovative Epson-branded lineup of LabelWorks label printers for industrial applications in North America from January 2015, while Epson America will continue its focus on promoting LabelWorks label printers to the consumer and office markets. Expansion of the product line offerings will follow.

“Epson’s inroads into the label printing segment show our commitment in enhancing our value proposition to our customers. Through this acquisition, we strengthen our goal of providing high precision, world-class products to Filipinos to help them grow the return of their investments,” enthused Christopher Sanchez, Epson Philippines Head of Sales Division.

For more information, visit: www.epson.com.ph/labelprinting

WD Demonstrates World’s Fastest 4 TB Hybrid Drive at Storage Visions 2015

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Prototype Drive Demo on commercially available motherboards show leading performance on both benchmark scores and gaming experience

WD, a Western Digital company and world leader in storage solutions, demonstrated the world’s fastest 4 TB hybrid drive at the SATA-IO booth (#205) at Storage Visions 2015 last January 4 and 5 in Las Vegas, NV. WD’s prototype drive utilized the SATA Express PCI-e interface, 4 TB 3.5-inch hybrid hard drive, and up to 128 GB solid state drive to deliver compelling performance and GB-per-dollar solutions for desktop and gaming applications. 

The two WD SATA Express interface demonstrations at Storage Visions 2015 included commercially available motherboards from WD partners ASRock and Gigabyte. These systems demonstrated cabled SATA Express PCI-e interconnect flexibility and configuration options for single-volume caching and RAID.

Heavy desktop usage scenarios will benefit from larger cache sizes (64 GB will be demonstrated) by enabling retention of key hot data across multiple applications, which improves overall performance. In WD’s labs, WD’s SATA Express 4 TB drive with 64 GB cache achieved a PCMark8 benchmark score of 4459, demonstrating near-SSD performance at an optimized GB-per-dollar value.

PCMark8 benchmark data collected on Asus Z97-A platform, core i5 3.4GHz, 16GB DRAM

GB/$ calculations based on Dec14 retail price sampling 

“WD is committed to working with the industry to push the boundaries of what you might expect from a traditional hard drive,” said Matt Rutledge, senior vice president, Storage Technology, WD. “By moving to PCI Express, the industry marries the world’s most popular storage bus with the world’s most popular computer bus. This union provides a solid growth path to innovate new capability, while preserving the ability to plug legacy SATA drives into new SATA Express based computers.”

“WD’s culture is one of strong collaboration with industry partners in a rapidly changing environment,” said Gary Meister, senior vice president of engineering, WD. “We see the industry moving toward simplification of the overall PC subsystem to a single storage bus based around the PCIe protocol. In this demo, we placed a hard drive, flash NAND and SATAe technology into one package, freeing up one slot in the system and simplifying how our customers could create and maintain such an advanced storage solution. When our customers ask us to move to the next storage bus, we will have done all the necessary work to be ready to support the move.”

“ASRock is delighted to show speeds of almost 10 Gbit-per-second when RAID striped off of two WD prototype drives,” said James Lee, vice president of ASRock sales and marketing of ASRock. “ASRock is on the forefront of creating new systems and architectures that break through classical bottlenecks.”

“Gigabyte demonstration will show how a WD prototype SATAe drive enables world class gaming experience,” said Jackson Hsu, product planning division manager of Gigabyte. “Included in our demonstration is work we have done with WD to make the combination of a hard disk drive and a flash subsystem look like a single volume to the end user. This allows the power of having separate devices in a system along with the convenience of having only a single drive to manage.”

Better healthcare means investing in high-quality tech

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B. Braun says future-proof medical technology is key in improving healthcare in hospitals

For hospitals and clinics, raising the quality of service is always a top priority. But with constrained finances, the challenge for these facilities is finding the right investments, in terms of medical equipment.

Typical infusion pumps, for instance, are used to deliver fluids (including nutrients and medications) into a patient’s body. However, these medical devices are limited in terms of the variety of fluids it can carry.

“Outdated medical equipment can pose challenges to delivering quality healthcare,” said Julian Nair, Country Manager of B. Braun Medical Supplies in the Philippines. “This makes finding technologies that offer flexibility at decreased operational cost all the more important.”

According to the International Trade Administration, there is an existing depreciation in Philippine medical equipment, as some hospitals have no option but to prolong their use. 

Nair pointed out, “Investing in future-proof medial solutions is the key in taking healthcare to the next level. It is really a matter of finding the right equipment to invest in.”

In line with this, B. Braun—the world’s leading provider of healthcare solutions—has developed Space Pumps, a modular system that configures the complex process of infusion pumps. Nair described it as “One Infusion System for all Therapies.”

Next generation technology

“Space Pumps are the smallest and lightest hospital infusion pumps in the world—this allows for easy transport. More importantly, Space Pumps usher a new generation of infusion technology,” said Nair. 

With this device, a single pump can be used for the entire clinical pathway for all hospital applications. Nair also noted that it “only needs a single power cord to run all the pumps, and there is only one data protocol to complete the fluid management required.”

Other benefits include: 16-hour operation time when off the line, easy integration in mobile intensive care vehicles, simple patient transfer with handy pumps, and minimum space requirement.

Unified standards

B. Braun’s ‘one system for greater diversity’ pump is universally implementable for hospital-wide standardization and simplification. Other pumps, Nair pointed out, may not be used for other therapeutic functions that create bottlenecks in availability.

“Single-type pumps are expensive as it can only be used for a single function,” Nair said. “However, using a pump that can be universally used for different drugs is more cost-effective.“ 

He concludes, “Because we believe that optimum patient care is not dependent on very costly medical equipment, all our devices are tailor-made based on unified standards. We have to avoid complications to meet excellent outcomes—both for our patients and the medical institutions as well.”

About B. Braun Medical Supplies, Inc.

25 years of Sharing Expertise in the Philippines

B. Braun Medical Supplies, Inc. is one of the country’s top healthcare companies. Although established in the Philippines only in 1985, B. Braun’s experience in the healthcare industry is backed by 175 years of continuous pioneering and innovative breakthroughs developed and implemented by its mother company B. Braun Melsungen AG, along with subsidiaries in over 60 countries.

B. Braun started in the Philippines with just one operating division, retailing sutures and disposables. On its 28th year in the country, with a strong and driven sales force and service team, it is almost a one-stop healthcare company offering quality and cutting-edge health care products such as infusion solutions and devices, IV cannula, sutures, surgical instruments, value added drugs, regional anesthesia and clinical nutrition.

B. Braun draws its innovative strength from the guiding principle “Sharing Expertise” which cultivates the exchange of information and experience both within the company and more importantly, with practitioners in the hospitals. “Sharing Expertise” is the promise that holds true for B. Braun employees and their customers.

Michael Bublé To Take Manila On A Pre-Valentine’s Date

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There is no doubt that critically-acclaimed singer-songwriter Michael Bublé always gives his audience a night they will never forget. With his unsurpassed charm, splendid stage presence, and enchanting vocals, he transforms his concert into a date with his fans. During his full house show in Value City Arena in Ohio, Bublé mentioned that he didn’t want it to be treated like an ordinary concert. He added, “It’s more like a first date. I start nice and slow, because I know some of you haven’t seen me before.”

Bublé’s electrifying performance is complemented by his natural ability to please the crowd. The Telegraph writes, “On [Bublé’s] first concert of a 10-night run at London's 02 Arena, part of the Canadian singer’s 2013 To Be Loved worldwide tour, he high-fived male fans, blew kisses to adoring women and stood atop a 20-foot structure while blasting out jazzy takes on the old standards.” The Canadian crooner, donning a full tuxedo and shiny shoes, had sold out the O2 Arena on those 10 nights. He was backed by a full orchestral band which he grandiosely introduced as their information such as their respective hometowns, colleges, and draft dates were flashed on screen. He rendered the crowd astonished with his versions of classics, but it was his chart-topping hits “Hold On” and “Haven’t Met You Yet” that got the crowd on their feet.

The multi-Grammy Award winner connects exceptionally well with his audience through his effortless humor, hip dance moves, and strikingly infectious charisma. This global entertainer performed in 18 sold out shows in UK, 31 in Europe, 12 in Canada, and plenty sold out shows in the US, Mexico, Australia, and New Zealand for his To Be Loved Tour.

On January 31, Michael Bublé will sweep Manila off its feet. Catch the Canadian crooner at the Mall of Asia Arena, 8 PM, as Wilbros Live in cooperation with Dainty Group and FOX International Channels presents Michael Bublé LIVE in Manila. 

Tickets available at SM Tickets via smtickets.com or call 470-2222. Special thanks to Warner Music Philippines, ABS CBN, MYX, RX 93.1, Play FM 99.5, Natural 97.9, 103.5 KLite, Mellow 94.7, The Philippine Star, Business World, Business Mirror, HDI Admix Inc, Philstar.com, PEP.PH and Inquirer.net.

DepEd issues guidelines on respecting indigenous peoples culture

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As a result of consultations with various Indigenous Peoples (IP) communities, educators, and civil society support groups nationwide, the Department of Education (DepEd) has released an order promulgating "Guidelines on the Conduct of Activities and Use of Materials Involving Aspects of Indigenous Peoples Culture.”

Signed by Education Secretary Br. Armin Luistro FSC at the National Indigenous Peoples Education (IPEd) Gathering, the guidelines seek to provide guidance on the ethical assessment of the conduct of learning activities and related engagements of schools, DepEd offices, and other education initiatives that involve various aspects of indigenous peoples culture (e.g., ‘cultural’ presentations, performances, festivals, use of artifacts and indigenous clothing).

Education Secretary Br. Armin Luistro welcomes indigenous peoples community leaders at the signing of DepEd Order 51, s. 2014, "Guidelines on the Conduct of Activities and Use of Materials Involving Aspects of Indigenous Peoples Culture.”

Luistro expressed his gratitude to the IP leaders who continue to engage with DepEd in pursuing IPEd. “Ang lahat po ng mga kwento, mga awitin, at mga ritwal na inyong ipinapadala sa amin ngayon ay isang pagbabalik-tanaw sa kung sino ang Pilipino. Maraming salamat sa mga panahon na pinagtibay ninyo ang inyong mga paniniwala at hindi ninyo pinagpalit ang tunay na diwang Pilipino.”

The signing event was preceded by a consultation with IP community representatives and support groups, who welcomed the order and were instrumental in crafting the guidelines. Luistro emphasized the importance of cultural exchange in the constant effort to better understand and value indigenous culture in education.

He said, “Kami po sa Kagawaran ng Edukasyon ay patuloy na pinag-aaralan ang mga katutubo nating kaalaman. Kami po ay mga guro pero alam ko po na sa larangan ng katutubong kultura ay marami pang dapat malaman. Hindi po kami mga eksperto sa mga bahaging ito. Kaya hinihiling namin sa umagang ito na huwag po ninyo ipagkait sa amin ang mga katutubong kaalaman, bagkus, patunayan po ninyo na kayo ang tunay na nangangatawan sa pinapahalagahan ng ating mga katutubong komunidad.”

“Sa atin pong paghahanap ng ating katutubong diwa bilang mga Pilipino, makikita po siguro natin ito sa iba't ibang mga katutubong kaalaman, mga katutubong awitin, kwento, ritwal, at iba't ibang mga pinapahalagahan na ngayo'y nasa inyong mga komunidad,” Luistro said.

Apart from issuing the said guidelines, the DepEd had also begun recognizing private educational institutions serving IP learners in an effort to promote the right of IP communities to cultural integrity and due recognition of "katutubong kaalaman" in the education system.