Thursday, May 31, 2007

Microsoft Unveils New Surface Computer

Microsoft Corp. has taken the wraps off 'Surface,' a coffee-table shaped computer that responds to touch and to special bar codes attached to everyday objects.

The machines, which Microsoft planned to debut Wednesday at a technology conference in Carlsbad, Calif., are set to arrive in November in T-Mobile USA stores and properties owned by Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide Inc. and Harrah's Entertainment Inc.

Surface is essentially a Windows Vista PC tucked inside a shiny black table base, topped with a 30-inch touchscreen in a clear acrylic frame. Five cameras that can sense nearby objects are mounted beneath the screen. Users can interact with the machine by touching or dragging their fingertips and objects such as paintbrushes across the screen, or by setting real-world items tagged with special bar-code labels on top of it.

Unlike most touchscreens, Surface can respond to more than one touch at a time. During a demonstration with a reporter last week, Mark Bolger, the Surface Computing group's marketing director, 'dipped' his finger in an on-screen paint palette, then dragged it across the screen to draw a smiley face. Then he used all 10 fingers at once to give the face a full head of hair.

With a price tag between $5,000 and $10,000 per unit, Microsoft isn't immediately aiming for the finger painting set. (The company said it expects prices to drop enough to make consumer versions feasible in three to five years.)

Some of the first Surface models are planned to help customers pick out new cell phones at T-Mobile stores. When customers plop a phone down on the screen, Surface will read its bar code and display information about the handset. Customers can also select calling plans and ringtones by dragging icons toward the phone.

Guests sitting in some Starwood Hotel lobbies will be able to cluster around the Surface to play music, then buy songs using a credit card or rewards card tagged with a bar code. In some hotel restaurants, customers will be able to order food and drinks, then split the bill by setting down a card or a room key and dragging their menu items 'onto' the card.

At Harrah's locations, visitors will be able to learn about nearby Harrah's venues on an interactive map, then book show tickets or make dinner reservations.

Microsoft is working on a limited number of programs to ship with Surface, including one for sharing digital photographs.

Bolger placed a card with a bar code onto Surface's surface; digital photographs appeared to spill out of the card into piles on the screen. Several people gathered around the table pulled photos across the screen using their fingertips, rotated them in circles and even dragged out the corners to enlarge the images _ behavior made possible by the advanced graphics support deep inside Windows Vista.

'It's not a touch screen, it's a grab screen,' Bolger said.

Historically, Microsoft has focused on creating new software, giving computer programmers tools to build applications on its platforms, and left hardware manufacturing to others. (Some recent exceptions include the Xbox 360 and the Zune music player, made by the same Microsoft division that developed Surface.)

For now, Microsoft is making the Surface hardware itself, and has only given six outside software development firms the tools they need to make Surface applications.

Matt Rosoff, an analyst at the independent research group Directions on Microsoft, said in an interview that keeping the technology's inner workings under wraps will limit what early customers _ the businesses Microsoft is targeting first with the machine _ will be able to do with it.

But overall, analysts who cover the PC industry were wowed by Surface.

Surface is 'important for Microsoft as a promising new business, as well as demonstrating very concretely to the market that Microsoft still knows how to innovate, and innovate in a big way,' said Michael Gartenberg, an analyst at Jupiter Research.

Carlson increases stake in Rezidor

Carlson Hotels Worldwide said on Friday it will increase its stake in the Rezidor Hotel Group.

Carlson Hotels, which is owned by Minnetonka-based Carlson Cos. Inc., currently owns 35 percent of the Brussels-based Rezidor.


It will acquire an additional 10.1 million Rezidor shares from SAS Group of Stockholm. The acquisition of the additional shares brings Carlson's ownership of Rezidor to 41.7 percent. SAS won't have any shares in Rezidor after the deal.

Carlson paid $8.43 apiece for the shares, which values the total deal at about $85.2 million.

Rezidor operates 227 hotel properties in 47 countries, largely in Europe, the Middle East and Africa; another 70 properties are under development.

Jay Witzel, CEO of Carlson Hotels Worldwide, said that SAS was looking to unload its remaining Rezidor shares, creating a "unique opportunity" for Carlson.

"The business performance of Rezidor has been very good, making this a sound investment," he said .

Carlson Hotels Worldwide includes five hotel brands, totaling 953 locations in 73 countries.

Thursday, May 24, 2007

The Helmsley Park Lane

Location. Soaring 46 stories over Central Park, the Helmsley Park Lane Hotel lends sweeping views of the New York's skyline. Visitors enjoy proximity to Fifth Avenue shopping, Carnegie Hall and the Time Warner Center, Madison Avenue, all within three blocks. Rockefeller Center, the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the illustrious Times Square are less than two miles from the hotel. La Guardia Airport is just 10 miles from the Helmsley Park Lane Hotel.

Hotel Features. With a classic ambience and New World comfort, the Helmsley's décor reflects grand European style, from the stately ballroom to the intimate lobby. The hotel lobby comprises one city block along Central Park South Street. An on-site 24-hour fitness center with cardiovascular machines and weights allows guests to keep exercise regimens. Business solutions include a 24-hour business center, secretarial services, mobile- phone rental and Internet access for a surcharge. On- site, Room with a View, serves modern continental cuisine, and features high-ceilings and views of Central Park. Harry's Bar offers cocktails in a relaxed nightclub atmosphere. The hotel also offers concierge service.

Guestrooms. All accommodations offer picture windows overlooking the city or park and are dressed in floral fabrics and feature accented walls. Bathrooms include marble counters, bathrobes, scales and telephones. Guestrooms are equipped with 30- inch flat screen televisions, high-speed Internet access, daily newspaper delivery and compact refrigerators.

Expert Tip. The hotel's front desk provides maps of Central Park, where children can enjoy a small zoo and playground.
Renovation Notice:
This hotel is currently renovating two of its elevators until early fall 2006 (completion dates subject to change). During this time, four elevators remain available for use.

Property Amenities
  • Currency Exchange
  • Lounge
  • Wake Up Service
  • Pets Allowed - Dogs under 10lbs
  • Rollaway Bed - $35.00 Daily
  • Cribs - Complimentary
  • Business Center - Limited Hours
  • Children Stay Free - 10 Years and Under
  • Wheelchair Accessible
  • Restaurant(s)
  • Housekeeping - Daily
  • Banquet Facilities
  • Fitness Equipment - 24 Hours
  • Safe-Deposit Box - At front desk
  • Bar/Lounge
  • Parking (valet) - $42.50 Daily
  • Security guard - 24 Hours
  • Meeting room (small groups) - 200 People
  • Gift shop or newsstand
  • Elevator/lift
  • Event catering
  • Internet public area - high-speed
  • Dry cleaning service
  • Audiovisual equipment
  • Concierge desk - Limited hours

Property Information
Check In Time - 3 p.m. Check Out Time - 12 p.m. Credit card required - Upon Check-in Hotel Built - 1971 Last Renovated - 2002 Minimum check-in age - 18 Photo identification required - Upon Check-in Porter/bellhop 24-hour front desk


Area Activities
Central Park - across the street
Fifth Avenue shopping - 2 blocks
Columbus Circle/Time Warner Center - 2.5 blocks
Madison Avenue shopping - 3 blocks
Carnegie Hall - 3 blocks
Museum of Modern Art - 7 blocks
Rockefeller Center - 8 blocks
Lincoln Center - 8 blocks
Times Square - 1.0 mile
Metropolitan Museum of Art - 1.5 miles
Empire State Building - 2.0 miles
American Museum of Natural History - 2.0 miles
United Nations - 2.0 miles

Driving Directions
LaGuardia Airport (LGA):
Approximate driving time to The Helmsley Park Lane
is 35 minutes and distance is 10 miles.

From LaGuardia Airport:
Take Grand Central Pkwy. west to I-278 (Brooklyn-Queens Expressway) west.
Exit to SR 25A and bear right onto Queens Plaza North.
Take the Queensboro Bridge and exit onto Second Avenue.
Head south, then turn right onto East 57th Street.
Turn right again onto Sixth Avenue.
Proceed one block north and turn right onto West 58th Street.
The hotel's motor entrance is halfway down the block on the left.

Sahid International Hotel Management & Consultant Corporation

Indonesia's tourism sector is believed to become the future nation's largest non-oil & gas earner. Sahid International Hotel Management & Consultant Corporation ( PT SIHM&C ) is already playing a leadership role in this sector by providing comforts and conveniences of home to millions of guests visiting its hotels located in major business districts as well as in popular holiday resorts. In fact, Sahid Hotels have grown to become the nation's largest independent Hotel Chain. Currently Sahid Hotels comprise of 20 hotels and an executive apartment , with 4.512 rooms across the country, providing superior facilities and amenities, along with a level of gracious service.

The Board of Directors of PT SIHM&C is led by Dra. Yanti Sukamdani Hardjoprakoso, a Cornell University graduate, as the President & CEO, flanked by among others Peter J. Soehardjo, MBA as the Vice President & Deputy CEO : he is a veteran of the hotel industry and the first Indonesian national to be General Manager of famous International Hotel Chain, Carla Parengkuan as Director of sales & Marketing. Each member of the Board of Directors brings a professional resume, rich with success in their respected fields. All are committed to building the strength of the hotel industry, at the same time ensuring long-term benefits to hotel developers and hotel owners allied with Sahid Hotels.
Sahid Hotels management team offers the expertise gained over decades of successful involvement in the hotel industry to other developer or owners of three to five star hotels.
PT SIHM&C is available to run hotels on the basis of Operating & Management Agreement (OMA), Technical Assistance (TA), Joint Ventures (JV) or a Franchicing Agreement (FA) only.
It also provides focused human resource development programmes for employees at the property itself.

A client's property reservation system can be linked with the Sahid Hotels Central Reservations System and the Corporate Marketing Office in Jakarta. It can also facilitate the entrance into international marketing and reservations system. Advertising & promotional campaign and Cross selling program in each region is also facilitated through Sahid Hotel's System of outbound sales executives.
After years of success in hotel construction and management, Sahid Hotels possesses considerable expertise in matters of purchasing and procurement. Through our consultations on these critical matters, developers and owners of both new and existing properties can realize substancial savings, in cost and in time.

Sahid Hotels with its solid foundation intends to move further beyond the national borders into the international sphere, with an initial focus on the Middle East and South East regions.

Sunday, May 13, 2007

THE BRITANNIA INTERNATIONAL HOTEL - LONDON

Marsh Wall, London E14 9SJ
Reservations : 0845 838 1010
Fax : 0845 838 6202
Email : res712@britanniahotels.com
Click here for the hotel's Special Offers and Late Deals Click here to book this hotel online now or to check prices and dates available
Image GalleryVirtual Tour
Click here to check prices, availability and to BOOK online

Refurbishment Update

The International is situated on the water's edge next to Canary Wharf, London Docklands internationally famous office development, and home of many multi-national companies. A modern yet traditional hotel with every up to date facility, it is only minutes walk from South Quay on the Docklands Light Railway and Canary Wharf on the Jubilee Line. London City Airport, Excel Exhibition Centre, The O2 Dome, Greenwich and the West End of London are all within easy reach. The Hotel is outside the congestion chraging zone.

Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharoahs exhibition at the O2 Dome is only one stop on the Jubilee line.

The hotel has 442 well-appointed air-conditioned rooms with double rooms as standard, the majority of which host zip and link beds. Room on the upper floors offer spectacular views of the Thames and the London skyline. If you wish to book a higher grade room a variety of luxury penthouse suites are available, some with balconies.

Executive Package

Available Monday to Thursday, for £20 per person, why not upgrade to our Executive package, and receive these fabulous luxury benefits, as part of your stay.

  • Private check-in in the Executive Lounge between 4:45pm to 7:30pm in the Cromptons Restaurant and Bar
  • Room Upgrade (subject to availability)
  • Complimentary drinks, canapés and a hot buffet selection served between 5pm to 7pm served in Cromptons
  • Complimentary coffee, tea and pastries served in Crompton’s throughout the day
  • Free access to Wireless LAN Internet – Please see the Duty Manager for a WLAN access card if this feature is not already set up in your Laptop
  • English breakfast is served in Crompton’s Restaurant from 7am to 9:30am
  • Express checkout

High-Speed Wireless Internet Access

Catering for technology-dependent travellers and corporate meeting planners, The International Hotel offers high-speed wireless LAN access in the conference, bar and reception areas, as well as the 7th to 12th floor bedrooms with plans to extend coverage throughout the hotel.

The WLAN offers users the opportunity to turn on their laptops and connect to the Internet at 40 times traditional modem speed without having to plug in any cables or dial up via a modem.

Book EXTRAS online and SAVE £s

Book these EXTRAS whilst making your online booking here and save £s....

  • Breakfast £13.50, £10.50 when pre-booked
  • Carvery Dinner £15.50, £13.50 when pre-booked
  • Champagne £19.50
  • Fruit Basket £7.50

Steam Boat

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