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COMCAST BRINGING HIGH SPEED INTERNET TO WAYZATA, MINNESOTA

Comcast Twin Cities

Comcast today announced it will be extending its smart, fast and reliable fiber-rich network to make its full suite of services available to more than 2,300 homes and businesses in the City of Wayzata, including residential broadband speeds faster than 1 gigabit per second (Gbps) and business speeds up to 100 Gbps. The $2.5 million project is on track to start connecting homes and businesses to high-speed Internet by late 2022, with completion of the network throughout Wayzata expected in 2023. The expansion of Comcast’s fiber-rich network to Wayzata, along with previously completed expansions in Rogers and Dayton, brings service to nearly 2,900 additional Twin Cities homes and businesses reached by Comcast since 2021. Over the past three years, Comcast has invested nearly $435 million in technology and infrastructure in Minnesota to enhance its network and product offerings to reach more residents and businesses in the surrounding area with gigabit-capable speeds. The Wayzata expansion brings the company’s statewide investment to more than $437 million. “Comcast’s expansion is welcome news for our residents and businesses in Wayzata,” said Johanna Mouton, Mayor of Wayzata. “As Mayor, I want to be able to offer more choices for our residents so that they can identify the services that work best for them and their needs. In addition, I know the services Comcast brings will be welcomed by our thriving service and retail business sectors.” “We have committed to investing in and expanding our network to ensure that more residents and businesses across our region have the important broadband connections they need for their educational, professional and personal lives,” said Kalyn Hove, regional senior vice president, Comcast. “We are proud to connect these communities with fast, secure and reliable internet service that is built to meet their needs today and into the future.” Residential customers in these areas will be able to take advantage of Xfinity’s full suite of internet products, including: Speeds faster than 1 Gbps and advanced WiFi technology from powerful gateways capable of delivering those speeds to support the ever-increasing number of connected devices in homes; Xfinity Mobile, built for the way consumers use mobile today, with the Internet at the core of the experience, the top ranked service in customer satisfaction can save customers up to $600 a year on their mobile bills; Flex, a free 4K platform for internet-only customers that seamlessly delivers streaming content; xFi, available in the Xfinity app, a digital dashboard to control home WiFi network that includes Advanced Security protecting every device on the network from malware and security threats. Residential customers will also be able to take advantage of the company’s Internet Essentials program that provides low-cost, high-speed broadband for income-constrained households. Since its inception in 2011, the program has connected more than 344,000 Minnesotans. Comcast also participates in the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), which provides qualifying households with a $30 monthly credit toward internet and mobile services. For local businesses, Comcast Business will offer a suite of connectivity, communications, networking, cybersecurity, wireless, and managed solutions to help organizations of different sizes prepare for what’s next. Powered by the nation’s largest Gig-speed broadband network, and backed by 24/7 customer support, Comcast Business is the nation’s largest cable provider to small and mid-size businesses and one of the leading service providers to the Enterprise market. Comcast Business has been consistently recognized by industry analysts and associations as a leader and innovator, and one of the fastest growing providers of Ethernet services. About Comcast Corporation Comcast Corporation (Nasdaq: CMCSA) is a global media and technology company that connects people to moments that matter. We are principally focused on broadband, aggregation, and streaming with 57 million customer relationships across the United States and Europe. We deliver broadband, wireless, and video through our Xfinity, Comcast Business, and Sky brands; create, distribute, and stream leading entertainment, sports, and news through Universal Filmed Entertainment Group, Universal Studio Group, Sky Studios, the NBC and Telemundo broadcast networks, multiple cable networks, Peacock, NBCUniversal News Group, NBC Sports, Sky News, and Sky Sports; and provide memorable experiences at Universal Parks and Resorts in the United States and Asia. Visit www.comcastcorporation.com for more information. Contact Details Comcast Jill Hornbacher +1 651-425-1695 Jill_Hornbacher@comcast.com Company Website https://twincities.comcast.com/wayzataexpansion/

December 08, 2022 07:00 AM Central Standard Time

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Announcing the 2022-2023 Class of AAJA-SF Bay Area’s Rising With the Tides Fellowship

Comcast California

Comcast, NBC Bay Area and the San Francisco Bay Area Chapter of the Asian American Journalists Association (AAJA-SF Bay Area) are proud to announce the fellows and editorial coach who have been selected for the 2022-2023 Rising With the Tides ( RWTT ) program. This year’s program will fund stories by three talented young Bay Area journalists — Kate Selig, Kori Suzuki and Junyao Yang — who will share portraits of the region’s Asian American population and the issues that the community faces. Selig is a Stanford undergraduate student and the news editor of The Stanford Daily. Her RWTT -supported story will focus on the effort to preserve Cantonese language programs at higher education institutions in the Bay Area. Suzuki is an audio and visual journalist and a student at UC Berkeley’s Graduate School of Journalism. For RWTT, Suzuki will trace the history of Japanese American recreational basketball leagues in the Bay Area and will follow one East Bay program through its current season. Yang is also a student at UC Berkeley’s Graduate School of Journalism, and her RWTT -supported story examines the unique challenges faced by Chinese immigrant women who are victims of domestic violence. Selig, Suzuki and Yang will receive guidance during their reporting from this year’s RWTT editorial coach, Karishma Mehrotra. She is a Fulbright fellow and her work has appeared on Radiolab, The Wall Street Journal, CNN, The Indian Express, Scroll.in and Bloomberg Businessweek. Mehrotra has reported across beats, usually focused on forward-looking issues: technology, urbanization and climate. RWTT launched in 2020 as an effort with Comcast to support journalists who were facing career and financial insecurity during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic. Past RWTT grant recipients have had their stories published in the New York Times, San Francisco Chronicle, NBC Bay Area and Wired. They also participated in AAJA-SF Bay Area’s sold-out live storytelling fundraiser, Hella Asian, held at KQED’s headquarters. All fellows will participate in a story showcase at the project’s end in early spring 2023. The RWTT fellowship is a part of AAJA-SF Bay Area’s mission to support AAPI journalists and storytelling, diversity in newsrooms and to ensure fair and accurate coverage of communities of color. About Comcast Corporation Comcast Corporation (Nasdaq: CMCSA) is a global media and technology company that connects people to moments that matter. We are principally focused on connectivity, aggregation, and streaming with 57 million customer relationships across the United States and Europe. We deliver broadband, wireless, and video through our Xfinity, Comcast Business, and Sky brands; create, distribute, and stream leading entertainment, sports, and news through Universal Filmed Entertainment Group, Universal Studio Group, Sky Studios, the NBC and Telemundo broadcast networks, multiple cable networks, Peacock, NBCUniversal News Group, NBC Sports, Sky News, and Sky Sports; and provide memorable experiences at Universal Parks and Resorts in the United States and Asia. Visit www.comcastcorporation.com for more information. Contact Details Adriana Arvizo +1 925-200-1919 Adriana_Arvizo@comcast.com

December 07, 2022 12:07 PM Pacific Standard Time

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Minuteman Press Franchise in Bloomington, MN Celebrates 15 Years in Business

Minuteman Press International Inc

Bill and Karen Grewe have owned their Minuteman Press franchise in Bloomington, Minnesota since July of 2007. As they celebrate 15 years in business, Bill shares keys to success, lessons learned, high-demand products and services, and many more insights and reflections. Minuteman Press in Bloomington is located at 8742 Lyndale Avenue South, Bloomington, MN 55420. Congrats on 15 years in business! What does this milestone mean to you and what are 3 keys to your success and longevity? Bill Grewe: It means we’ve thrived over other competitors in the area, and we lasted longer than the average small business. Most recently, we survived the Covid-19 crisis, and we start to see a return to normalcy. Further, our retirement plans include continuing to work in our shop for the foreseeable future. We still enjoy it! Key 1: Our customer focus requires us to authorize staff to solve ‘the problem.’ We back the good faith decisions made in our absence. We prioritize discussions about how to solve issues when we are available. We emphasize that the customer is not always right, but we all make mistakes. Even so, there is no need to place blame. We look for win-win solutions. Key 2: Prioritize the quote. It is not the least expensive print company that gets the job; it is the most responsive. Sure, we accommodate ‘commodity-focused’ customers. We also price aggressively on three tiers: retail, print brokers, and non-profits. We also have two of our five employees, who generate estimates for us. Key 3: Value your team members. Our payroll is excessive, and that is intentional. We pay for talent, and that inspires loyalty. When Covid forced us to reduce hours and pay, our staff supported us. We share the successes and struggles, and we look for opportunities together. What are some of the key ways you’ve grown your business? Bill Grewe: One of the hardest lessons we learned was ‘cold calling.’ We waited too long to start following the advice received at training. (What can we say, introverts find it difficult.) A business coach encouraged us to experiment with a variety of ideas. So, we ventured outside the ‘comfort zone.’ As the business expanded, we found a salesman to perform this task for us. Early on, we remembered an important lesson from Minuteman Press International (MPI), “When someone asks you if you can ‘print this’, the answer is always ‘Yes.’” Since our small print shop simply did not have the resources to produce every job, we figured out how to find “central facilities” to fill the gaps. (Hint: We asked our MPI friends, searched the internet for trade only printers, and checked the vendor catalog.) Before FLEX offered a feature to request reviews, we employed a vendor to perform the service on our behalf. Now, we use functionality built in to automatically make this request when invoices are sent. The benefit of our finding this functionality early is that we are working to maintain a 5.0 rating, not trying to earn it. Our Google rating is one of the most often mentioned ways that new customers find us. What are the high-demand products and services that have really been helpful for your clients? Bill Grewe: EDDM offers one landscaping customer the opportunity to replace the 20% customer loss experienced year-over-year. On a routine basis several times each year, we use a central facility to produce 30,000 postcards. Our customer chooses the carrier routes they want to prospect. Then, we batch the postcards and deliver them to various post offices in the area. Wide format is a place where our central facility strategy permits us to offer signs for graduates. Our graphic designer offered to produce artwork for a school-themed graduation sign, and word quickly spread. Several other schools participated, and parents even paid in advance our third year providing this service to our community. One private school decided to pay for all the signs ahead of time and resell them. We print so many envelopes, regular and window. We moved our envelope printing off our digital toner machines onto an inkjet envelope printer, and we assigned the task to our graphic designer. This freed up our other machines for other work. We still have discriminating customers, who demand precise color. So, when our team cannot match color digitally, we work with an area pressman, who works out of his garage. How would you best describe your community? Bill Grewe: Bloomington is the 5th largest city in Minnesota with more jobs per capita than either Minneapolis or St. Paul, the two largest cities. Businesses range in size from the smallest to large, multi-national corporations. From a business perspective, the opportunities are abundant. Why do you think printing remains so vital to businesses today? Bill Grewe: Print provides tangible marketing messages that you can set aside for a convenient read. Where people skim their emails followed by the quick delete, they store and share meaningful documents. What was your background before franchising and why did you choose Minuteman Press? Bill Grewe: Neither of us comes from a print background. Karen worked in a day care center, then provided home day care. I worked for the revenue department for 20 years before looking for something new. An advertisement caught my attention, and the rest is history. What has the support from Minuteman Press International been like for you? Bill Grewe: After learning volumes of new information during training, I spent the first year figuring out what it all meant. Remember when I said we waited too long to start following all the advice we received from Minuteman Press International? I was so wrapped up in trying to understand it all, I missed the ‘do this’ advice that helped our business start growing. The FLEX software is a significant advancement over previous versions, which underscores Minuteman Press International’s commitment to improvement. Its integration with the website and increased functionality allows us to accept orders and payments online. Much of our business remains either an email or phone conversation, but the day is coming when current customers can reorder previously delivered projects with the click of a portal button. We should not miss an opportunity to thank the most important local support provided by Minuteman Press International, our field representative Kate. When Bill, our salesman, retired in July this year, Kate was on the job helping train Pete with updated advice from the franchisor, using FLEX, etc. What are the biggest personal and professional rewards of owning your business? Bill Grewe: For us, our franchise provides a sense of security. While there are income fluctuations, the business provides a steady income. Furthermore, it is part of our retirement plan. (We enjoy working with our staff.) What advice would you give to other business owners or people looking to own a business? Bill Grewe: For people looking to own a business, your first responsibility is to build your market share. Your employees depend on their paycheck. This means you must separate yourself from the day-to-day operations and focus on how to increase income. Our franchise focuses on building a relationship with customers. This starts with listening long enough to hear the vision, ask questions to clarify the intent, and suggest options that deliver the right product on schedule. It involves managing expectations and avoiding unrealistic promises. Sometimes the best thing to tell your customer is, ‘We simply cannot meet that deadline.’ Otherwise, you risk delivering a product that advertises failure. It’s better to overdeliver. For more information on Minuteman Press in Bloomington, MN, visit their website: https://minuteman.com/us/locations/mn/bloomington/ Learn more about #1 rated Minuteman Press franchise opportunities and see Minuteman Press franchise reviews at https://minutemanpressfranchise.com. Contact Details Minuteman Press International Chris Biscuiti +1 631-249-1370 cbiscuiti@mpihq.com Company Website https://minutemanpressfranchise.com

December 07, 2022 10:00 AM Eastern Standard Time

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'Tis the Season-ally Inspired Holiday Menus at Firebirds Wood Fired Grill

500NewsWire

Charlotte, NC ( 500NewsWire ) -- Firebirds Wood Fired Grill introduces new holiday lunch and dinner menus just in time to make any celebration a memorable one this holiday season. From hand-cut wood-fire grilled NY Strip, and certified Duroc pork chop with cognac cream sauce, to Bananas Foster Bread Pudding for dessert, Firebirds’ limited time scratch-made menus are available now through January 3. Firebirds Wood Fired Grill is known for its signature hand-cut steaks and fresh seafood hand-fileted in-house and seared over locally sourced hickory, oak, or pecan wood on Firebirds’ exposed wood-fired grill. Firebirds’ seasonal Lunch Menu includes suggested wine pairings, and features: NY Strip (10oz.) BLT butter / choice of side Suggested wine pairing: Decoy Cabernet Sauvignon Parmesan Crusted Mahi Coal-roasted tomato-basil sauce / “loaded “ember-grilled corn / fresh asparagus Suggested wine pairing: Decoy Chardonnay Lump Crab Cakes Bold remoulade / wonton slaw / seasoned steak fries Suggested wine pairing: Firebirds Private Label Chardonnay Guests can enhance their entrées by adding: Lump Crab Cake Lobster Mac & Cheese Dessert Bananas Foster Bread Pudding Vanilla bean ice cream / spiced pecans / crispy cinnamon-sugar tortilla Firebirds’ seasonal Dinner Menu includes suggested wine pairings, and features: NY Strip (14oz.) BLT butter / choice of side Suggested wine pairing: Decoy Cabernet Sauvignon Tomahawk Prime Pork Chop Wood-grilled, certified Duroc pork chop / cognac cream sauce / red wine-poached apples / green chile mac & cheese Suggested wine pairing: Acrobat Pinot Noir Parmesan Crusted Mahi Coal-roasted tomato-basil sauce / “loaded “ember-grilled corn / fresh asparagus Suggested wine pairing: Decoy Chardonnay Lump Crab Cakes Bold remoulade / wonton slaw / seasoned steak fries Suggested wine pairing: Firebirds Private Label Chardonnay Guests can enhance their entrees by adding: Lump Crab Cake Lobster Mac & Cheese Dessert Bananas Foster Bread Pudding Vanilla bean ice cream / spiced pecans / crispy cinnamon-sugar tortilla Many of the restaurant’s dishes are created using fresh seasonal ingredients. Gluten-sensitive menu items, such as Grilled Tenderloin Salad, Wood Grilled Salmon, and Parmesan Mashed Potatoes, are also available. Firebirds offers catering, online ordering for ToGo and delivery options. In addition, Firebirds is offering a holiday gift card promotion. For every $100 in gift cards purchased in-store or online, guests will receive $20 in “bonus cards.” This special offer is available now through December 31st and “bonus cards” are valid for redemption from January 1 through February 9, 2023. For more information visit firebirdsrestaurants.com/gift-cards/. Firebirds Wood Fired Grill’s FIREBAR® offers an impressive array of seasonal cocktails, craft beer, bourbon, after-dinner drinks, Firebirds’ private label wine, hand crafted mocktails and more. Popular specialties include Wine Down Mondays, and happy hour in the FIREBAR® and on the Patio every Monday through Friday from 4PM – 7PM. Happy Hour times vary. Visit FirebirdsRestaurants.com to make a reservation, order ToGo online, or register to become a member of Firebirds’ Inner Circle and be the first to hear about upcoming events, promotions, new menu items and exclusive offers. Members receive a gift for joining and a gift for their birthday. About Firebirds Wood Fired Grill Firebirds Wood Fired Grill, a polished casual American restaurant, is an energetic twist on the traditional grill featuring a boldly flavored menu in a stylish, fire-centric atmosphere. Signature menu items include hand-cut steaks and fresh seafood hand-fileted in-house and seared over locally sourced hickory, oak, or pecan wood on Firebirds’ exposed wood-fired grill. Complementing its inviting dining room, a patio with seasonal comforts and the award-winning FIREBAR® are additional gathering spaces inside the restaurant. Firebirds has been named one of ten ‘Breakout Brands’ by Nation’s Restaurant News, and the 2022 Diners’ Choice Winner awarded by OpenTable. Firebirds supports sustainability efforts and partners with Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation, having surpassed $3 million raised for childhood cancer research through the sale of fresh-squeezed lemonade. To become a member of Firebirds Inner Circle, order ToGo online or to make a reservation visit firebirdsrestaurants.com. Contact Details Firebirds Wood Fired Grill Lesley Gamwell +1 404-309-6915 lgamwell@rountreegroup.com Company Website https://firebirdsrestaurants.com/

December 07, 2022 08:59 AM Eastern Standard Time

Holiday Cheer gift ideas with Chassie Post

News Media Group, Inc.

Contact Details Karl Wayne +1 334-440-6397 karl@newsmg.com Company Website https://newsmg.com/

December 07, 2022 06:00 AM Eastern Standard Time

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CleverTap Unveils RenderMax

CleverTap

CleverTap, the World's #1 Retention Cloud today unveiled RenderMax – a proprietary technology that can increase mobile push notification render rates up to 90% on low-end Android devices. Push notifications have the power to increase customer retention rates anywhere from 3 - 10 times. Most marketers just focus on their push notification delivery rates, but a “delivered" notification that doesn't render on the user’s device is a wasted effort. For those who equate delivery and rendering as equal, render rate is the percentage of the number of push notifications the end user received (and were rendered) on the user’s device compared to the total number of push notifications that were sent. All Chinese OEM devices use a custom variant of the stock Android OS. To optimize battery consumption, these OS variants are configured to bypass the Google/Firebase push delivery service, resulting in low delivery rates and even lower render rates. RenderMax gives CleverTap customers a significant competitive advantage as they can now engage users they could not before and elevate the ROI from their push campaigns. This is especially true for devices that are in battery saver mode or cannot be reached due to inactivity. “RenderMax is a testament to our continued commitment towards product development and innovation. Low render rates stifle the true potential of mobile push notifications. We are confident that with RenderMax, brands will be able to harness the full power of push notifications. What’s interesting is that we are offering RenderMax to all customers at no additional cost to any brand that wants to try it out.” said Anand Jain, Co-Founder & Chief Product Officer, CleverTap. Betterhalf, India's first and only marriage super app was provided an early access to RenderMax and their push notification render rates more than doubled! Shankar Krishnamurthy, Group Product Manager, Betterhalf said, “At Betterhalf, mobile push notifications are critical for our business. With CleverTap’s innovative RenderMax solution our push notification render rates have skyrocketed to 85%.” RenderMax powers up the render rates of customers’ push notifications, amplifies the push notification reach, and maximizes user engagement. Enhancing the reach of push notifications can help CleverTap customers lower costs, increase engagement and conversion rates, and reduce churn. “The CleverTap platform has a great breadth of capabilities, and this innovative mobile push solution will certainly help them stay much ahead of the competition,” Shankar added. CleverTap RenderMax works with Android OEMs such as Oppo, Xiaomi, Vivo, One Plus, POCO, Realme, and Samsung. About CleverTap CleverTap is the World's #1 Retention Cloud that helps app-first brands personalize and optimize all consumer touch points to improve user engagement, retention, and lifetime value. It's the only solution built to address the needs of retention and growth teams, with audience analytics, deep-segmentation, multi-channel engagement, product recommendations, and automation in one unified product. The platform is powered by TesseractDB™ - the world’s first purpose-built database for customer engagement, offering both speed and economies of scale. CleverTap is trusted by 1500 customers, including Gojek, ShopX, Electronic Arts, TED, English Premier League, TD Bank, Carousell, AirAsia, Papa John’s, and Tesco. Backed by leading investors such as Sequoia India, Tiger Global, Accel, and CDPQ the company is headquartered in Mountain View, California, with presence in San Francisco, New York, São Paulo, Bogota, London, Amsterdam, Sofia, Dubai, Mumbai, Singapore, and Jakarta. For more information, visit clevertap.com or follow on LinkedIn and Twitter. Forward-Looking Statements Some of the statements in this press release may represent CleverTap's belief in connection with future events and may be forward-looking statements, or statements of future expectations based on currently available information. CleverTap cautions that such statements are naturally subject to risks and uncertainties that could result in the actual outcome being absolutely different from the results anticipated by the statements mentioned in the press release. Factors such as the development of general economic conditions affecting our business, future market conditions, our ability to maintain cost advantages, uncertainty with respect to earnings, corporate actions, client concentration, reduced demand, liability or damages in our service contracts, unusual catastrophic loss events, war, political instability, changes in government policies or laws, legal restrictions impacting our business, impact of pandemic, epidemic, any natural calamity and other factors that are naturally beyond our control, changes in the capital markets and other circumstances may cause the actual events or results to be materially different, from those anticipated by such statements. CleverTap does not make any representation or warranty, express or implied, as to the accuracy, completeness or updated or revised status of such statements. Therefore, in no case whatsoever will CleverTap and its affiliate companies be liable to anyone for any decision made or action taken in conjunction with the information and/or statements in this press release or any related damages. Contact Details Sony Shetty sony@clevertap.com Company Website https://clevertap.com/

December 07, 2022 05:07 AM Eastern Standard Time

News Release

THE PR NET ANNOUNCES THE LAUNCH OF NEXT GEN AWARDS

The PR Net

The PR Net is pleased to announce the ‘ The PR Net Next Gen Awards ’, a new annual international awards program that celebrates agency excellence, championing the new thinkers, innovators, and groundbreakers across the field of PR, who are shaping the bright future of the communications industry. ‘ The PR Net Next Gen Awards ’ sets forth to recognize the next generation of global PR agencies that foster a culture of inclusivity, innovation, and creativity through sharp and impactful communications campaigns, innovative client portfolios, and new methodologies of business management. The awards will celebrate these agencies’ achievements, compiling a definitive list of younger agencies changing the game. The PR Net founder Lisa Smith explains the creation of these new awards: “From running ‘The PR Net 100’, the awards celebrating the leading 100 PR agencies across sectors, it became clear that a broad pool of exceptional younger talent has emerged. This group presents fresh thinking and is responsible for ushering in new ways of working and operating, and with a talent pool so varied and vast, we’re excited to present a stand-alone platform to have their success accoladed”. Submissions open on December 6th, 2022, and eligible agencies will have been in business for up to 8 years, as the program’s aim is to highlight newer companies in the industry. Entries will be assessed by a committee of highly esteemed industry leaders who will review entries against the criteria of innovation, creative thinking, business acumen, and growth. Up for grabs will be ‘Next Gen Agency of the Year’ and other category and campaign awards. The 2023 Next Gen Awards Judging Committee is comprised of: James LaForce, CEO, LaForce Steph Lund, CEO, North America, M&C Saatchi Sport & Entertainment Celia Jones, Global Director of Marketing Communications, FINN Partners Michele Thomas, Co-Founder and President, Azione PR Candace (Candy) Peterson, Global Managing Director Brand Marketing, SVP, FleishmanHillard Janna Pea, Executive Vice President, BerlinRosen Nicole Schoenberg, Senior Vice President, Communications, Saks Fifth Avenue Further judges are to be announced soon. ‘The PR Next Net Gen’ honorees will be revealed in March 2023 and celebrated at a gala event held in New York City. For submissions, queries, questions, or help, please reach out to nextgen@theprnet.com. ABOUT THE PR NET: The PR Net is the premier global network for marketing and communications professionals. It is a modern take on the classic networking club and an "industry insider favorite” for executives looking for a central platform for industry intelligence and connections. Founded by industry veteran Lisa Smith in 2015, The PR Net consists of online content that reads like a magazine, member-only services, and highly sought-after digital and in-person member events. www.theprnet.com Contact Details The PR Net Sara Sturges ssturges@theprnet.com Company Website https://theprnet.com/

December 06, 2022 10:00 AM Eastern Standard Time

Turn family moments into cherished memories

YourUpdateTV

This holiday season, whether you’re looking for gifts for your children, grandkids, friends or yourself, Nintendo Switch has gifts for all ages — and incredible games and experiences the entire family can enjoy. With Nintendo’s vast library of games, there is a game for everyone on the Nintendo Switch system. This includes fun multiplayer titles that the whole family can play together, in addition to incredible games and experiences you can only find on Nintendo Switch. A video accompanying this announcement is available at: https://youtu.be/wWekFk-Mcik With the Nintendo Switch family of systems, everyone has the choice of a system that best fits their needs and play styles. The Nintendo Switch system can be played on the TV, in Tabletop mode or taken on the go for portable play. The Nintendo Switch Lite system is a dedicated handheld gaming system great for those who love playing in handheld mode. The Nintendo Switch – OLED Model system is similar in overall size to the Nintendo Switch system, but features a larger, vibrant 7-inch OLED screen with vivid colors and crisp contrast. Here are some of the Nintendo Switch games people are talking about this year: The Splatoon 3 game is the newest addition to the Splatoon series, where players splash vivid ink everywhere using colorful, over-the-top weapons. The battlegrounds include new and returning stages for heated multiplayer Turf War* battles, where two teams attempt to cover the most ground with their ink color in three-minutes. Players can also pick a side and battle it out in three-team Splatfests**, compete for rankings in thrilling Anarchy Battles or swim solo in the new single-player Story Mode, “Return of the Mammalians.” Gameplay is fun for both parents and kids, who can play together across multiple Nintendo Switch systems or online including co-op modes like Salmon Run*. Families can get moving together with the Nintendo Switch Sports game, as they team up to play Soccer, Volleyball, Bowling, Tennis, Badminton, and Chambara (swordplay) using Joy-Con controllers. Plus, in late November, Nintendo released a new update that adds Golf to the lineup. Controls are intuitive, so it’s easy to jump in and get started. With controlled motions you can curve your bowling ball, add spin to a tennis shot or even use a Joy-Con with the included Leg Strap accessory to kick the ball in Soccer. Family and friends can join in on the fun on the same system (additional accessories may be required; sold separately) or online**. In Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet embark on a new, open-world Pokémon adventure through the rich and expansive Paldea region. Weave freely through three grand stories: Take on Gyms in Victory Road, battle Titan Pokémon in Path of Legends and challenge Team Star in Starfall Street. Ride a form-changing Legendary Pokémon to traverse the land, seas and skies of the Paldea Region. Parents that grew up with the original Pokémon games can now experience the game in a whole new way with the little trainers in their family. Plus, several Nintendo Switch games and DLC*** are sure to bring family fun this holiday, including Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe – Booster Course Pass DLC, Kirby and the Forgotten Land, Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope, Just Dance 2023 Edition, Sonic Frontiers in addition to a library of classic Nintendo 64 titles available for Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack members. For more information, visit https://www.nintendo.com/store/holiday-gifts/. *Additional games, systems and/or Nintendo Switch Online membership required for multiplayer mode. Nintendo Switch Online membership and Nintendo Account required for online features. Membership auto-renews after initial term at the then-current price unless canceled. Not available in all countries. Internet access required for online features. Terms apply. nintendo.com/switch-online. Games, systems and Nintendo Switch Online memberships sold separately. **Any Nintendo Switch Online membership (sold separately) and Nintendo Account required for online features. Membership auto-renews after initial term at the then-current price unless canceled. Not available in all countries. Internet access required for online features. Terms apply. nintendo.com/switch-online ***Full version of game required to use DLC for that game. Sold separately. About Lilliana Vasquez: Emmy-winning host and TV personality Lilliana Vazquez is a trailblazing interviewer, style expert, and producer. With roles in front of and behind the camera, she's built an inspiring career watched by millions across numerous platforms. At barely five feet tall, Vazquez brings a larger than life presence to everything she does - her upbeat personality and approachable style combined with her natural ability to connect with audiences have made her a household name. Most recently, Vazquez was the host of E! Entertainment's daily morning shows E! News and Pop of the Morning, the first and only Latina to hold the role in the show's 30 year history. Previously, Vazquez was a contributor on TODAY where she shared her experiences and expertise covering the latest in technology, business, travel, entertainment, and lifestyle. She currently contributes to select programs like CBS Mornings and Amazon Live, while focusing on her newest role as a founding partner at Curated Productions. For more exclusive content and access to Lilliana's world, be sure to check out The LV Guide. About Nintendo: Nintendo Co., Ltd., headquartered in Kyoto, Japan, has created franchises that have become household names worldwide, including Mario ™, Donkey Kong ™, The Legend of Zelda ™, Metroid ™, Pokémon ™, Animal Crossing ™, Pikmin ™ and Splatoon ™, through its integrated hardware and software products. Nintendo aims to deliver unique, intuitive entertainment experiences for everyone, manufacturing and marketing video game devices such as the Nintendo Switch ™ family of systems, developing and operating applications for smart devices, and collaborating with partners on a range of other entertainment initiatives like visual content and theme parks. Nintendo has sold more than 5.4 billion video games and over 800 million hardware units globally. From the launch of the Nintendo Entertainment System ™ more than 30 years ago, through today and into the future, Nintendo’s continuing mission is to create unique entertainment that puts smiles on the faces of people all over the world. A wholly owned subsidiary, Nintendo of America Inc., based in Redmond, Wash., serves as headquarters for Nintendo’s operations in the Americas. For more information about Nintendo, please visit the company’s website at https://www.nintendo.com/. Contact Details YourUpdateTV +1 212-736-2727 yourupdatetv@gmail.com

December 01, 2022 01:10 PM Eastern Standard Time

Video

News Release

15 Best Secret Santa Apps: Gift Exchange Generator Tools For Memorable Christmas

Halvorson Media Group

Choosing The Best Secret Santa Organizer For A Truly Special Christmas Looking for ways to breathe life into the Christmas gift exchange? Try setting up the good old Secret Santa game. Whether you will be exchanging presents with your colleagues or in a close family circle, this lovely ritual will help to ensure everyone feels valued and included. And with our selection of the 15 best Secret Santa generator services, you can find a tool that will help to get things organized. So pick an app of your liking, invite your friends, and get prepared for a truly memorable Christmas! To save you time and effort, we have carefully scanned dozens of gift exchange generator services and apps available in the market today. Here are our top 3 recommendations. Our #1 recommendation is My Santa, a versatile Secret Santa app that has all the features necessary to organize an outstanding Christmas event. What Is Secret Santa and Why Do You Need An App for It? [ How To Do A Secret Santa ] Secret Santa is a simple and enjoyable game that allows saving some money and ensures each person in a group gets the present. So, here is how it works: A group of colleagues, roommates, friends, relatives, or whoever else, agrees to participate in the game. They write their names on a piece of paper and put them into a container. Each person draws a name from the container to find out who they shall prepare a gift for. The participants can set the basic rules such as the date, by which the presents must be ready, and the budget. They might provide wishlists or even agree upon a particular gift type such as digital only, gifts with meaning, or charitable donations. The game begins and everyone tries to find the best possible gift for the assigned person. By the due date, each participant must receive their secret present. Set Up Your Perfect Secret Santa Event with My Santa Sounds pretty straightforward, doesn’t it? But what if the participants want to play remotely? Or what if you need to send a digital present such as a subscription but do not know the email of the assigned person? A Secret Santa organizer service takes care of minor issues like this and ensures they do not spoil the whole fun. These services allow you to invite participants through social media, create a Secret Santa list with emails and phone numbers, add wishlists, and much more. Simply put, Secret Santa name randomizer services — at least, those from our top 15 selection — let you enjoy the best part of the gift exchange ritual without being distracted by organizational matters. 5 Features of the Best Online Secret Santa Generator But how, you may wonder, do we know the services on our list are the top ones? Well, here are the four criteria we have kept in mind while compiling this selection. Maybe, they’ll come in handy when you are choosing your best Secret Santa app. Price Setting up a gift exchange game is, among all else, about saving some money so the best Secret Santa generator should be free. Or, it might have paid plans but, in that case, it must have a free one, too. And the latter should offer a decent feature set so that you only pay if you want some exclusive pro perks. Feature set The best gift exchange generator is the one that helps you get things organized. With this in mind, we expect it to have a basic set of options such as setting up the due date and the budget as well as some advanced features such as wishlists and personalized gift recommendations. Access My Santa’s Free Advanced Features To Plan An Idea Event Interface What’s the use of advanced app features if you don’t understand how they work? The best Secret Santa app should, thus, have a simple user-friendly interface that feels intuitive and will appeal to different age groups. Visual design Christmas is probably the loveliest holiday in the year with a whole host of heart-warming symbols. In addition to being functional, the best online Secret Santa generator must have an eye-pleasing visual design for you to feel the magic vibe of Christmas time. 8 Awesome Secret Santa Organizer Services Worth Trying #1 My Santa — Best Secret Santa gift exchange generator overall💖 When it comes to functionality, My Santa is the absolute leader on our list. Besides the standard due date, budget, and name drawing, it has a whole set of advanced features including three modes of gift exchange: in-person, virtual, or mixed; real-time reports to track the progress of each present exchange; wishlists, where you upload links to particular items; personalized gift recommendations for each participant and hints where these gifts can be bought. The best part of it is that it only takes you a few seconds to set up an account and start the game. And if your group is 10 people or fewer, you can enjoy the service for free. For bigger companies, the price will vary between $9-$19, which is not expensive either. Add to this a charming winter-themed interface, user-friendly design, and prompt customer service, and you get a perfect organizer tool to make your Christmas unforgettable. Find Out More About My Santa’s Plans And Pro Features We especially love two currencies (euro and dollars) for budget settings; an opportunity to manage several games at a time; participants can be invited via Whatsapp and Facebook; secret chats to exchange messages; progress reports to keep an eye on how it is going; playful design and intuitive interface. We wish they made the service totally free; added the feature to prevent certain pairings. #2 Elfster — Best feature set for a free Secret Santa organizer ✨ Another great Secret Santa gift exchange generator on our list, Elfster is a beautifully designed platform that offers all features necessary for a successful gift exchange game. In addition to classic options such as spending limit, due date, and wishlists, Elfster allows setting up draw restrictions and the exchange type (by mail or at a party). Besides the great functionality, the platform is perfect for drawing inspiration. Elfster’s shop has all sorts of lovely gifts which you can buy as a present or add directly to your wishlist. Overall, Elfster offers the best feature set you can get from a Secret Santa gift exchange generator for free today. Best suited for those who seek maximum functionality free of charge #3 Pikkado — Best old-school Secret Santa name randomizer 🎉 Pikkado is a unique Secret Santa list generator that brings together fairly good functionality and a very simple, somewhat old-fashioned design. Thus, its group creation form looks like one of those you could see at the onset of the Internet era. In the meantime, when setting up an event, you, all of a sudden, discover the service has all the necessary features in place. It allows you to determine the budget, specify the due date, and set up all sorts of draw restrictions. In addition, Pikkado enables you to set up and manage several events at a time and write anonymous emails to participants. The latter is especially helpful if you need to find out important details about a person without disclosing yourself. All in all, it is a good free service that will appeal to people of different ages with its smart and simple design. Best suited for families and mixed-age groups #4 SecretSanta.com — Best variety of gift exchange games Powered by Elfster, the service provides all features and functions you might expect from the best Secret Santa generator: prevent same pairings, set pairing exclusion rules, assign several recipients to each participant, and much more. All features are free and easy to use. What makes the platform stand out from other Secret Santa apps on our list is that it offers different gift exchange formats. Besides the classic Kris Kringle game, you may likewise enjoy Yankee Swap and White Elephant. This should appeal to those who are not new to the gift exchange ritual and would love to add more fun and novelty to it. There is also a great blog with Christmas history, facts, and inspirational ideas. Best suited for those who want to recharge the classic gift exchange game #5 Sneaky Santa — Best source of inspiration and cool gift ideas Another beautifully-designed platform on our list, Sneaky Santa is the best gift exchange generator for those who seek good functionality coupled with inspirational ideas and recommendations. Adding wishlists, contacting one another via a chat, drawing names, and preventing certain pairings — all this and a lot more is available for free here. Whereas great functionality is what every best Secret Santa app on our list features, there is something that makes Sneaky Santa stand out. Thus, we particularly adore this site for its heart-warming blog with cool gift ideas such as 10 Gift Ideas for Homeowners or Gifts Under $25 For A Virtual Office Christmas Party. They are even present on Zazzle with cute Christmas souvenirs such as mugs and cards. Best suited for those who seek inspiration and great gift ideas #6 Secret Santa Organizer — Best for a simple design & lovely interface We choose this organizer because it has a good design, plenty of features, and is simply lovely. There is some unique charm about this platform that will make you choose it again and again. Setting up an event here is super simple and free. All you need to do is to fill in a simple form with the date, location, budget, participants, and their emails. You can also add a personal message to greet the participants. With all its simplicity, the organizer has as many as 12 interface languages available. It also has some advanced features such as excluding certain combinations, unlimited amount of participants allowed, and the opportunity to reuse your wishlist for new events. The service is, thus, a perfect fit for anyone who wants it simple, effective, and, meanwhile, atmospheric. Best suited for those who want a mixture of simplicity and effectiveness #7 Giftster — Best for shopping your family’s and friends’ wishlists This Secret Santa list organizer is, first and foremost, about ensuring your presents are meaningful and wanted rather than organizing the gift exchange as such. The service is primarily focused on the wishlist feature. Once you’ve started a group and added at least one participant there, you can start shopping for the person’s wishlist. Gifster will show you which items have been already bought so that there is no risk two people will buy the same present. The service is, thus, an ideal solution for those who want guarantees their presents will be appreciated. The interface is cute and the overall design is simple and intuitive. And because there are no due dates or budget limits, Gifster is a great way to make the process of shopping for gifts more enjoyable and stress-free. Best suited for choosing meaningful and wanted presents #8 My Wishlist — Best for cool wishlists for all occasions As the name implies, the service specializes in generating and sharing wishlists. You can add items from any webshop, create a wishlist for any occasion, and reserve items on your friend’s Secret Santa list, to ensure there will be no double gifts in your company. You can also use the platform as a simple Secret Santa name generator without email. You won’t find any advanced event setting features here but you can still use it to draw names and manage exclusions. The platform is very simple to use and free of charge. Best suited for sharing all sorts of wishlists More Downloadable Secret Santa Apps That Might Be of Help For those looking for downloadable Secret Santa apps that allow you to manage the gift exchange on the go, we have compiled a selection of seven great Secret Santa organizer tools. Check the table below to find your best Secret Santa generator! Contact Details Edward +1 929-491-3157 edward@halvorsonmediagroup.com Company Website https://halvorsonmediagroup.com/

December 01, 2022 12:47 PM Eastern Standard Time