ng Connect Expands to More Than 125 Members, Showcases 10 New Collaborating Members at CES

Innovative Program Joins Forces With Alcatel-Lucent's First Technology Start-up Accelerator, the Gravity Center, to Offer Enhanced, Broader Innovation Opportunities


LAS VEGAS, NV--(Marketwire - Jan 10, 2012) - CES 2012 Booth #31412 -- The ng Connect Program, founded by Alcatel-Lucent (EURONEXT PARIS: ALU) (NYSE: ALU), today announced ten new Collaborating Members who are coming together to develop the next generation connected experience with the creation of innovative new service concepts. Ten service concepts will be on display at the International Consumer Electronics Show (CES), January 10-13, 2012, Las Vegas, NV, Alcatel-Lucent Booth #31412, South Upper Hall.

The ng Connect Program also recently expanded to include the Gravity Center with locations already open in Plano, TX and Villarceaux, France. The Gravity Center is Alcatel-Lucent's first technology company accelerator. Focused on helping up-and-coming tech entrepreneurs and university students establish businesses, the Gravity Center provides residents with business infrastructure, educational and mentoring support. For a current list of residents in the Dallas facility, please visit: http://gravitycentredallas.com/about/startup-residents/. ng Connect also now includes Alcatel-Lucent's customer innovation efforts, allowing customers the opportunity to collaborate and offer input on ng Connect service concepts from development to commercialization.

"Alcatel-Lucent is focused on moving at the speed of ideas. ng Connect is the innovation brand developing new business models through the creation of service concepts, working with the next generation of innovators and the CEOs of tomorrow at the Gravity Center, as well as with our customers to deliver a new user experience," said Jason Collins, Head of ng Connect and Vice President of Emerging Technology and Innovation at Alcatel-Lucent. "Collaboration is the key to realizing exciting new ideas, and we look forward to the next chapter of ng Connect as we extend and enrich the innovation capabilities of ng Connect and all the companies involved."

The new ng Connect Program members include:

  • Framework Interactive Technologies (F.I.T.™) - a software development group specializing in serious gamification content via console IPTV. BodyRebuilt® (BRB™) is the in-home EduTrainment, smart exercise, ortho sports medicine and PT/rehab program by Dr. Nick DiNubile that integrates musculoskeletal tracking, TeleHealth and wellness services for digital boomers and consumers.
  • Fitting Reality - aims at bringing innovation to the retail experience on a global scale. Utilizes a rich experience in augmented reality and other emerging technologies to deliver an advanced retail solution that will make shopping much easier for consumers and more rewarding for retailers.
  • MetaWatch - a spin-off of Fossil Inc.'s connected watch business, focused on reinventing the watch as a glanceable display for mobile devices and web services. MetaWatch products are wireless watches that connect to smart phones making it easy for users to sift through the clutter of alerts, notifications, messages, and reminders.
  • NeuAer - extends traditional Location Based Services (LBS) to include proximity, enabling app developers or network operators to automate actions based upon devices discovered via smartphones running the company's API. Power hungry GPS is substituted for low-energy in-room radios like Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, along with Near Field Communication (NFC) on supported devices.
  • Proxomo - radically decreases development time for web and mobile applications by providing an integrated collection of back-end services into a single RESTful (JSON, XML) API which has been recognized by Gartner as a pioneer in the space. Proxomo provides user authentication, user management, event management, application data, geo location, auto scaling, social network integration, app specific friend networks, notifications (email, SMS, MMS) and much more.
  • Shanghai OnStar - the leading provider of in-vehicle safety, security and communication services for Shanghai GM models manufactured and sold in China. Through state-of-the-art information integration technologies, OnStar provides Chinese consumers with 6 major categories in-vehicle services, including Automatic Crash Response, Emergency Services, Security Services, Vehicle Diagnostics, Turn-by-Turn Navigation and Hands-Free Calling.
  • Stupeflix - a powerful video creation web service. The Stupeflix API creates high quality videos on-demand, at consumer scale, using any media or data source as input. Stupeflix will work with ng Connect members to build innovative and personalized experiences mixing consumer data with automated video.
  • Swirl - an integrated marketing agency that offers a full blend of services including advertising development and production, strategy development, media development and measurement and analytics. Clients include Microsoft Stores, eBay, Cost Plus World Market, Travora Media, Delta Dental, California Table Grape Commission, Lennar Homes and Lexar.
  • Tombolo Interactive - a fully independent gaming studio specializing in 3D environments, interactive entertainment and advergaming (video games used for product advertising). The company's skilled team of artists, programmers, and designers have created award winning games.
  • Zephyr Technology - a global leader in real-time physiological and biomechanical monitoring or "Physiological Status Monitoring" (PSM) solutions for Connected Health, Fitness and the Academic Research markets. Zephyr Technology has been a pioneer in the use of PSM in training and high stress operational environments collaborating with fire departments, multiple US Special Forces and more.

About The ng Connect Program
The ng Connect Program is dedicated to the creation of the new generation connected user experience. With its dynamic multi-industry membership, and in cooperation with Alcatel-Lucent's Gravity Center and Global Customer Innovation Program, the organization drives relevance and new business models through orchestrated innovation. Founded by Alcatel-Lucent, ng Connect is comprised of more than 125 Collaborating and Associate member companies including leading network, consumer electronics, application and content providers. For a full list of members please visit: http://www.ngconnect.org/members/index.htm and for more information on the ng Connect Program, visit: www.ngconnect.org. Follow us on Twitter at: http://twitter.com/ngConnect.

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