Levina blog

Capital Teas Opens in Georgetown Capitalizing on its Success Selling 120 Luxury Teas in Annapolis, Bethesda, and National Harbor

phone: 202-337-TEAS (8327).

Capital Teas offers customers the opportunity to see, smell, taste, and purchase from a selection of over 120 luxury teas from around the world.Its loose tea varietals include many Black, Green, White, and Oolong teas, both traditional and flavored, as well as a flavorful spectrum of South African Rooibos, Fruit, Nut, and Herbal Tisanes, and Yerba Mate.

Capital Teas’ fourth store is reminiscent of its original store in Annapolis, a charming and elegant traditional store in old London style, this one tucked into the upper slopes of Georgetown along Wisconsin Avenue (just above Q Street).

Customers of Capital Teas are educated on the types of tea, the best water temperatures for brewing, and the ideal time to steep loose tea for a rich flavor.The company itself is steeped in a rich family tradition in the tea trade that began in the 1890's.Store owner Manelle Martino’sgreat-great-grandfather, Francis Van Reyk, planted and oversaw one of the first tea estates to be planted on Ceylon (now Sri Lanka). Capital Teas carries tea from that very tea estate which they dub Great-Grandfather's Tea.

Peter Martino, CEO of Capital Teas, stated:"We maintain our century-plus family tradition of excellence in tea by carrying only the highest quality loose teas and infusions.To make brewing tea easy and fun for our patrons, we also offer a very large selection of both traditional and modern tea brewing accessories and complements.With these offerings and our well-trained staff of tea experts, our company has seen great acceptance by our patrons and continues to grow at a fast pace.In fact, this is the third new store that we have opened in the last nine months and we plan to continue to open additional retail stores every calendar quarter."

Capital Teas' Georgetown store complements the previous Capital Teas success stories in Annapolis, Bethesda, and at National Harbor, Maryland.Residents and visitors of Washington, D.C. are encouraged to “Stop and smell the teas” on Saturday, April 2nd, from 12:00 noon until 6:00 pm at Capital Teas Georgetown Grand Opening Party!Sip the teas, sample the honey, and indulge in tea-infused chocolate and French butter cookies.For more information, seeor .

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Peter MartinoCapital Teas, LLC410-263-4555Email Information

Aruba Rides Mobile's Rise To Q2 Beat

Aruba Networks (NMS:ARUN) late Thursday announced the surprise resignation of its CFO, but reported second-quarter results that beat analysts' views and maintained its triple-digit profit growth pace.

The maker of products that help workers link securely into computer networks with mobile devices also beat views with its Q3 outlook.

Aruba said per-share profit minus special items soared 133% to 14 cents from 6 cents a year ago. Sales for the quarter ended Jan. 31 jumped 50% to $93.9 million.

Analysts polled by Thomson Reuters had expected 13 cents on sales of $87.9 million.

For the current quarter, it sees EPS minus items of 14-15 cents on sales of $95 million-$98 million, where analysts were expecting 14 cents and $92.2 million.

It marked the sixth straight quarter the company recorded at least 100% year-over-year profit growth.

"The phenomenon we are seeing is BYOD, or bring your own device," Aruba CEO Dominic Orr said on a conference call with analysts. "Employees expect to use their smart phones securely and immediately."

But the company also said that, after six years at Aruba, CFO Steffan Tomlinson would leave for an unnamed venture capital post on March 31. Tomlinson will attend Aruba's financial analysts day March 16. The company is searching for a replacement.

Aruba's shares were up more than 7% after hours, after its report. The stock has jumped 167% since early May.

"We believe that the enterprise network is transitioning from a wired-centric to a mobility-centric architecture and the market is recognizing Aruba's unique ability to address the requirements of this new architecture," CEO Orr said in a statement.

Aruba specializes in enterprise wireless access gear that securely controls mobile data for companies and other enterprises. It calls the much larger, broader-based Cisco Systems (NMS:CSCO) its top rival. Aruba says its focus helps it compete in its niche.

Aruba's access controllers aim to securely manage wireless communications going in and out of local area networks.

Software systems in the data center filter the traffic to detect intrusions.

"As more mobile devices get used, they'll need to access the network locally," said UBS analyst Jack Monti. "Aruba plays an important role in filling that demand."

Also, most of Aruba's clients run on the older 11g Wi-Fi wireless standard. Many are now converting to a faster 11n standard. This upgrade cycle should create "a multiyear tail wind for Aruba," said Gleacher & Co. analyst Stephen Patel.

"Customers continue to say their Wi-Fi networks are very loaded with traffic and there's heavy usage," Patel said. He rates the stock a buy.

Lately, Aruba's gross profit margins had been above its average 67%-70%, says Blaine Carroll of Hudson Securities, but the Q2 margin was 67.6%.

ATP AnnouncesExtended-Lifespan Industrial Grade CompactFlash Card with S.M.A.R.T. Tool Technology

S.M.A.R.T Tool Technology Helps Predict Storage Failure for the Industrial Grade CompactFlash Card

Santa Clara, CA (PRWEB) February 17, 2011

ATP®, a leading flash memory manufacturer known for its high quality, durable flash and DRAM memory modules, announced its new Industrial Grade CompactFlash Card. By utilizing pre-screened SLC NAND flash memory and advanced Global Wear Leveling technology, the ATP Industrial Grade CF card enhances endurance levels and increases the product lifespan.

The ATP Industrial Grade CF card implements the StaticDataRefresh technology which monitors the error bit levels during each read operation to ensure data integrity, and the EarlyRetirement technology which prevents data loss from weak blocks. The ATP Industrial Grade CF card includes additional features such as a built-in 2.6V voltage detector for power failure detection, and a power saving mode (automatic sleep and wake-up mechanism). The available densities range from 512MB to 4GB with a high performance rate of up to 52.91MB per second (Dual Channel).

The ATP Industrial Grade CF card has incorporated the S.M.A.R.T. (Self-Monitoring, Analysis, and Reporting Technology) function which monitors various parameters of endurance and reliability, indicating activity that is out of the normal range. This information helps predict storage failure for preventative action. The ATP Industrial Grade CF card series is specifically designed for the industrial market, where mission-critical data requires the highest level of reliability, durability, and data integrity.

“ATP Electronics is committed to providing the highest quality products for the demanding industrial grade market. The ATP Industrial Grade CompactFlash Card embodies that commitment with enhanced features such as the S.M.A.R.T. tool, which effectively monitors the life span of the card and allows the user to maximize both efficiency and reliability of the memory,” said Michael Plaksin, ATP Vice President of Sales and Marketing.

ATP also supports in-house testing (endurance, signal integrity and protocol compatibility) and custom firmware tuning or firmware setting adjustment. To ensure extended reliability, the ATP Industrial Grade CF cards have been tested in extreme conditions for demanding industrial grade applications.

About ATPFounded in 1991, ATP is a leading manufacturer of high performance and durable flash memory solutions as well as DRAM memory module products. With strictly regulated ISO 9001 certified facilities and advanced technologies in memory packaging, testing and qualification, ATP offers a broad range of the highest quality DRAM memory products for mission critical applications such as server blade, workstation, network communication, and embedded systems. ATP flash media products offer protection from water/moisture, dust, static discharge, and extreme temperatures. For more information on ATP memory products, please visitor email sales(at)atpinc(dot)com.

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Samina Subedar408 732 5876Email Information

N.Korean defects to South amid Kim Jong-il festivities

SEOUL (Reuters) – A North Korean has walked across the heavily mined border into South Korea, but few of his fellow citizens will hear of the rare defection amid choreographed celebrations for "Dear Leader" Kim Jong-il's birthday.

Military and spy agency officials could not explain how the man managed to walk across the 4-km (2.5-mile) wide minefield and past North Korean guards.

He was being interrogated by authorities after being picked up by South Korean guards late on Tuesday, an official said.

The Demilitarized Zone border that has divided the Korean peninsula since the end of the 1950-53 conflict has been rarely traveled, except through two corridors cleared for passage by officials and civilians after ties warmed beginning in 2000.

Hundreds of North Koreans flee the impoverished country each year across its northern border with China and most make their way to the South, with more than 20,000 having found refuge in the wealthy capitalist neighbor.

Most cite economic hardship and political persecution as the main reasons for leaving home.

While defections are cause for deep embarrassment for the North Korean authorities, the country's masses do not hear or read about such acts as the media is state controlled and used exclusively for propaganda.

On Wednesday, North Koreans celebrated the country's biggest holiday to mark the 69th birthday of Kim Jong-il, the isolated state's reclusive and ailing leader who is trying to smooth the path for a third generation of family rule.

Kim's youngest son Jong-un, in his late 20s, has been identified to succeed him, and was last year appointed to senior military and political posts, along with Kim's sister and husband, who are widely seen as key caretakers for the hand-over.

Jong-un has been named vice chairman of the powerful National Defense Commission, which his father heads as state leader, South Korea's Chosun Ilbo daily quoted a source who is familiar with the North as saying. South Korean officials could not confirm it.

The move could give the junior Kim additional credentials to take over power in a society that values seniority and official titles but analysts say no public post carries as much weight as being the current leader's son and hand-picked successor.

Kim Jong-il is believed to have suffered a stroke in 2008 and was away from public view for months. He was frail and gaunt when he reappeared months later, although last year he twice traveled to China and visited dozens of factories and military sites at home.

The North has becoming increasingly hosti to its southern neighbor over the past two years, and has conducted nuclear and missile tests, staged military attacks and revealed advances in its nuclear programme.

Analysts say Kim Jong-il uses these acts to boost his own, well as his son's image as iron rulers.

BIRTHDAY FESTIVITIES

Staged festivities are scheduled throughout the week, including exhibitions of Kimjongilia, a hybrid flower named after the leader, as well as ice-skating, acrobatics and musical shows.

The capital's streets were festooned with lanterns, state news agency KCNA reported.

"The venues of the events are pervaded with deep trust in Kim Jong-il who has led the Korean revolution only to victory, true to the will of President Kim Il-sung," KCNA reported, referring to his father and the state's founder.

In the South, politicians released balloons with anti-Pyongyang messages across the border, while in the capital, Seoul, protesters burned posters of Kim Jong-il and his son.

Meanwhile, Kim's second son and the older brother of the heir apparent was seen at a concert by British guitarist Eric Clapton in Singapore and may also have been shopping for gifts for his father, South Korean media said.

Jong-chul was an early favorite to succeed his father but has since lost out to his younger sibling.

(Editing by Jeremy Laurence and Miral Fahmy)

Rumor: Sony Planning 'S1' PlayStation Gaming Tablet

Take Android, Honeycomb, a 9.4-inch slate, and Sony's PlayStation brand, and what do you get? Why a Playstation Certified gaming tablet, what else!

Imagine: Android 3.0 ("Honeycomb") on a 9.4-inch tablet with a 1280 by 800 pixel display, anprocessor, front and rear cameras, USB and infrared ports (plus the ability to drive Bravia TVs), a sprinkling of buttons (volume, on/off), tie-ins with its , preloaded Sony PS One games, a Bravia Media Remote, a price tag of $600, and a (possible) ship date of September 2011.

Think on-demand music and movies via Qriocity plus games courtesy Sony's PlayStation Suite, a device-agnostic software framework announced last month alongside , codename NGP (Next Generation Portable). And all of that, courtesy cumulative efforts by Sony's VAIO (the reported lead), Sony Reader, PlayStation, and Sony Ericsson product groups.

for the scoop (if their Sony sources aren't fibbing--hey, ). Of course everyone was speculating about PlayStation-certified tablets as soon as , but this would be the first evidence of a quantifiable device, and one Engadget intimates has been in the offing for awhile now.

The mock up above is Engadget's, designed to capture what they're calling a "wrap" design intended to make you feel like you're toting around a magazine or book with a sheaf of pages folded back. I know, the "bulge" or "fold" looks pretty weird, but Engadget claims it's supposed to shift the center of gravity, making the tablet easier to hold one-handed. It kind of reminds me of the very first VAIO ultraportables, which something like a decade ago were only slightly thicker than Apple's Macbook Air, save for their edgewise cylindrical, detachable (and incredibly VAIO-purple) batteries.

If this thing makes it out of alpha, or beta (or wherever) it'll be fascinating to see, especially if Sony positions the thing head-to-head with Apple's iPad. All that's missing? A PSPgo-style gamepad.

Who knows, maybe Sony's got that angle (somehow) covered, too.

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