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Weekly News Digest

January 7, 2013 — In addition to this week's NewsBreaks article and the monthly NewsLink Spotlight, Information Today, Inc. (ITI) offers Weekly News Digests that feature recent product news and company announcements. Watch for additional coverage to appear in the next print issue of Information Today. CLICK HERE to view more Weekly News Digest items.

Reed Tech and PatentCore Launch Reed Tech Patent Advisor

The listing of Patent Advisor services currently includes the following:

• Patent Advisor Open Search Service: This simple to use online search system provides instant access to comprehensive and dynamically updated performance data for every U.S. patent examiner and art unit. Reported performance attributes include, for example, data related to RCE turnaround time, allowance rates, and appeal process outcomes.
• Patent Advisor Report Service: This online service enables a user to select any patent application and quickly obtain a corresponding printable PDF application report that includes commentary and useful statistics that reveal what is “normal” for the examiner and the art unit assigned to the selected application.
• Patent Advisor Corporate Dashboard Service: Corporations now have easy online access to comprehensive and dynamically updated analysis of how different law firms, lawyers, examiners, and art units have managed the assets in their own product portfolio or in one of their competitors.
• Patent Advisor Law Firm Dashboard Service: IP attorneys and their organizations can access this online service to quickly and easily compare their clients’ patent application statuses to a broad universe of metrics specific to the associated examiners and art units processing the applications. This information is useful for improving efficiency, for supporting marketing efforts, and for managing client expectations.

Source: Reed Technology and Information Services, Inc.

Gale Adds National Geographic: People, Animals, and the World to NGVL

National Geographic: People, Animals, and the World includes a variety of content such as full-text books on travel, science & technology, history, the environment and animals; videos covering such topics as the Islamic world, alternative energy and even the lifestyle of beluga whales; more than 650 maps; 600 downloadable National Geographic images; and the National Geographic Traveler magazine from 2010–present. Coupled with Gale’s state-of-the-art research platform, the resource enables students and researchers to experience and discover content in totally new ways.

The National Geographic Magazine Archives and National Geographic: People, Animals, and the World are all cross searchable, allowing for seamless research access for subscribing institutions. Additional NGVL products will be available in early spring 2013.

Source: Gale, part of Cengage Learning

The 451 Group Acquires Yankee Group

Founded in 1970 by Howard Anderson, Yankee Group emerged as the first independent information technology market research and advisory firm focused on the communications industry. Throughout its history, Yankee Group maintained and extended its reputation for independent thought leadership in emerging IT and communications technologies, business models and user trends.

Since 2010, Yankee Group has been led by CEO Terry Waters. Post-acquisition, Waters will continue as CEO of Yankee Group, reporting directly to The 451 Group’s chairman and CEO, Martin V. McCarthy, who will also serve as Yankee Group chairman. 

In October 2012, Yankee Group launched its new Mobile Advisory and Planning Services (MAPS) product family. MAPS is a research and advisory offering that combines the company’s leading market research with exclusive daily insights and weekly thematic perspectives on the hot issues driving the mobile ecosystem. This new delivery platform provides a tablet- and desktop-based rich research user experience. 

Post-acquisition, Yankee Group will operate as an independent division of The 451 Group. As such, Yankee Group will join the other divisions of The 451 Group—451 Research and Uptime Institute—to provide thought leadership, advisory, data and certification services on the evolution of Digital Infrastructure.

Source: The 451 Group

Baker & Taylor and SirsiDynix Announce eResource Central Integration

eResource Central simplifies the discovery and delivery of econtent to users; however, wherever or whenever they need it. eResource Central will be available to 100% of both SirsiDynix Symphony and Horizon ILS customers via the BLUE Cloud clients that include the SirsiDynix Enterprise and Portfolio discovery solutions, as well as through SirsiDynix Social Library on Facebook and the BookMyne mobile app.

eResource Central aims to bridge the gap between content providers and users, enabling libraries to manage and deliver eresources seamlessly and cost-effectively, while also handling traditional collections with proven solutions used by more than 3,600 libraries worldwide.

Building on the existing Project Gutenberg and Open Library ebook collections already integrated and available through eResource Central, this new partnership enables libraries to integrate their Baker & Taylor Axis 360 content into eResource Central and create an even richer user experience.

Axis 360 is Baker & Taylor’s digital media circulation and management platform. It is a fully accessible platform, which now has nearly 300,000 electronic titles available for library circulation. With Axis 360, library patrons can use multifunction phones, tablets, and e-reader devices to find, check out, and read digital titles. Patrons can use whatever ebook format works best for them—EPUB, PDF formats, or Blio, the fully accessible, free e-reader app that is available on Apple iOS, Android, and Windows devices.

Source: SirsiDynix 

Blekko Launches izik, a New Tablet Search App

The goal with izik was to move the task-oriented search product we all use on our computers (aka 10 blue links) and turn it into a more fun, tablet-appropriate product. That means it has an image-rich layout with an appearance and experience very different than what we’re used to seeing on a laptop.

With izik, your query becomes the starting point to exploring the web. Every query surfaces its own unique set of categories that you can explore. These categories are what allow you to type less but get more. Many folks find typing on tablets cumbersome. izik is designed to get you the results you’re looking for in as few “keystrokes” as possible. izik uses its categories to provide context to your topic (did you mean buffalo the animal or buffalo the city?) as well as surface fun and interesting topics to assist in your exploration.

Here are the key tablet gesture features you can check out once you’ve entered a topic:

1. Swipe horizontally to view more results within one of the thousands of izik categories
2. Swipe vertically on the page to find more categories related to your topic
3. Expand any result to see more without leaving the page
4. Swipe through expanded results and images
5. Quick answer boxes that help you find what you need right away
6. Pinch to share on Facebook and Twitter

Source: Blekko

IAC Acquires Online Tutoring Service, Tutor.com

“We are on a mission to help every student take control of their own learning and achieve their academic and professional goals,” said George Cigale, founder and CEO of Tutor.com, “and becoming an IAC company will help us reach that goal faster.” Cigale will remain CEO and continue to run the business from Tutor.com’s offices in New York City.

IAC is a leading media and internet company comprising more than 150 brands and products, including Match.com, Ask.com, CollegeHumor, and CityGrid Media. Focused in the areas of Search, Match, Local, and Media, IAC’s family of websites is one of the largest in the world, with nearly 1 billion monthly visits across more than 30 countries. 

Source: IAC