Thursday 26 July 2012

Hollywood Nights Mark Wright and Hollywood Actor Tamer Hassan To Raise Money with Celebrity Charity Soccer

Hollywood Nights Mark Wright and Hollywood Actor Tamer Hassan Join Forces To Raise Money with Celebrity Charity Soccer.

Hollywood actor and cult British favourite of films like The Football Factory and The Business, Tamer Hassan and Hollywood Nights Actor Mark Wright have joined forces to organise a celebrity charity soccer event.

Hassan, will lead his team The Farnborough Celebrity XI against Mark Wright’s ‘Essex FC’’ to raise money for the children’s ward at Frimley Park Hospital.

The event will honour ex Wimbledon player, Kevin Cooper’s family friend Irene Grinham, who is fighting the dreaded liver disease, she has months left to live.

The match will take place on Sunday, 5th August 2012; kick off at 1 O’clock at Farnborough FC, followed by a gala dinner and celebrity auction led by Tamer Hassan, donations Joe Calzaghe, Luis Suarez, Lionel Messi, Darren Campbell, Frank Lampard, STEPS memorabilia and so much more.

Money raised by the event will go towards Frimley Park Hospital children's unit who offer a wide range of facilities to care for children of different age groups including a dedicated teenage unit, funds will provide a once in a life time special opportunity to enable Irene Grinham to enjoy the remaining months of her life with her family.

Tamer is not taking this game lightly, using his competitive spirit to select only the fittest celebs with the skills to take on ‘Essex FC’ legends.

Actor, Hassan said: “I’m carefully choosing only the fittest celebs; each and every one of them has been put through their paces to make sure they are fit to wear the shirt. We promise to bring an entertaining game on the day.”

The Hollywood actor’s team includes sporting celebrities Lucien Laviscount, Taser Hassan (Actor and Model), Kevin Cooper (Ex Wimbledon player) TOWIE’s Mario Falcone, Tom Kilby, The Dream Idols, Eastenders actors Thomas Law, Sam Attwater, Jamie Borthwick and more will demonstrate their competitive spirit as they step on Farnborough FC ground next weekend.

Hassan said: “Irene’s story really touched my heart; I will always do what I can for charitable causes, I’ll be bringing my team of celebrities together to enjoy football. We are going to do our very best to raise money for Frimley Park Hospital and the beautiful Irene Grinham”

Wright said: “Looking forward to the game The Farnborough Celebrity XI better be ready for us. It’s for good cause, so I’m happy to bring my Essex FC to the game”

Tickets are £8 for adults, £5 for children and seniors. Gala Dinner and celebrity auction tickets are £30. Limited tickets are available http://www.farnboroughfc.co.uk or at the gate. Fans can purchase tickets online for lower prices and to avoid disappointment. On the day tickets will be £10 for all.

Europcar searches Southern England for the latest karaoke singing sensation

Europcar, the leader in car hire services in Europe for leisure and business users, has launched a competition to find the best in-car karaoke singer in the UK. And shoppers visiting Bluewater on the 28th July 2012 will have a chance to record their entry at a special Europcar roadshow.

The car is the stage in the latest cutting-edge and engaging social media campaign from Europcar, which plays on the karaoke culture and builds on the huge popularity of talent shows. With so many singers and wannabe performers entering talent shows but failing to hit the big time, Europcar's Caraoke Competition provides a great opportunity for the more eclectic singers and entertainers to prove their worth and drive away in a cool Fiat 500.

The idea is to get people recording their favourite song from a list of 10 classics, including the hit by Europe, 'The Final Countdown' and 'Dancing in the Moonlight' by Toploader and then uploading their videos to Facebook. Then consumers will be encouraged to vote for their favourite videos and share them on Facebook using the YouTube API feed. The performance with the most votes will win the grand prize of a Fiat 500.

Whilst motorists can film their own videos in their own time, Europcar is making it even easier for Kent residents to join in the fun and show off their talents by hosting a special live roadshow at the Bluewater shopping centre on 28th July on the Ground Floor, outside Marks & Spencer, from 10:30 - 18:00. Budding karaoke performers will be able to record their own videos for immediate uploading to Facebook.

In addition to the grand prize, a series of weekly prizes will be given out until August 22nd including Amazon e-vouchers, Eastern Airways flights, an overnight stay plus dinner and breakfast at the exclusive Hand Picked Hotel, Garmin Sat Nav systems, Samsung Galaxy Tablets, Driving Experience packages and Spa Days at the luxurious 5 Star hotel resort Stoke Park. Weekly prize winners will be selected via a prize draw giving entrants more chances to win prizes.

"Our job, as market leader is to set the standard across the board," said Ken McCall, Managing Director, Europcar UK Group. "From car hire to social media strategies and campaigns our objective is to keep Europcar at the forefront of the marketplace by implementing innovative techniques that drive the business forward and change consumer expectations of car hire.

"Caraoke is a light-hearted campaign and we want Kent shoppers and motorists to get into the groove with us and have some fun. With talent shows becoming increasingly popular, Europcar is urging shoppers to come down to Bluewater and show-off their singing voices. A new car could be theirs, and it might be the big break they’ve been looking for."

Monday 23 July 2012

Zone model fronts reality travel show selling world-wide

Stephen Friedman
There's an exciting reality travel show called The Blueprint, hosted by the gorgeous model Stephen Friedman. It is a young, funky, fast paced travel show, which documents Stephen’s journey through the continents, starting with Africa. The show tracks Stephen, a celeb name in South Africa, as he takes the viewers on an adventure that focuses on finding the essence within a country, and visits the unknown hotspots where the locals hang out.

To get the real backpacker experience Stephen and the crew travel by public transport, keeping a video diary the whole way. Stephen is an accomplished surfer who has participated in the world tour, with one of his biggest achievements being the winner of the O’Neill Surf Rumble in Europe. He is also an international model with Zone in the UK, and was featured as one of Cosmo’s Hottest men alive, as well as Cleo magazine’s 2nd most eligible bachelor in South Africa. He has modelled for GQ, Nivea and FHM among other massive names.

This exciting new show has received interest from Fox in South Africa, and the producers are currently in talks with every major channel in the UK, including BBC, ITV and Channel 4. Produced by New Vision Pictures (http://www.nv.co.za/), reality show experts who have produced the hotly anticipated Mandela Granddaughters Documentary, it is set to be a worldwide hit, spanning 6 series and propelling Stephen into stardom!

Sunday 22 July 2012

Dejero selects Stream Communications for live Olympic broadcasts

• Stream SIM cards used for live broadcasts from London 2012
• CTV and News Limited using 3G to broadcast live from Olympics
• News crews can set up and be reporting within seconds from anywhere

Stream Communications, the machine-to-machine mobile network specialist, has been chosen by Dejero to enable live broadcasts by media outlets over the mobile phone networks during the London 2012 Olympics.

Combining Stream Communications’ enterprise quality 3G connectivity with Dejero’s LIVE+ Platform of cellular transmission products enables broadcasters to send live HD and SD video with high quality and short latency to television or the web during the Olympics. The system will be used by News Limited, CTV, and other groups to transmit live video from London to anywhere in the world.

Dejero’s LIVE+ Platform enables a small broadcast team or even a single reporter to arrive at a live event and be broadcasting within seconds, without the cost or complexity of satellite and microwave trucks. Dejero uses the mobile phone networks to facilitate live broadcasts and video transfer from wherever a reporter or cameraman is.

Non-UK broadcasters covering London 2012 will be using Stream SIM cards to transit video from across London, capturing the excitement of the event. Because Stream’s network is dedicated for machine-to-machine communications, Dejero’s broadcast clients will benefit from the most reliable and effective mobile connections over which to broadcast video.

Nigel Chadwick, founding Director of Stream Communications said: “Dejero is changing broadcasting forever. In the past, media outlets needed Outside Broadcast crews with expensive satellite links to beam live video back to the station. Dejero’s LIVE+ Platform means a reporter and cameraman can arrive at a news event and be broadcasting within seconds, without the need for trucks, transmission technicians, or dedicated towers.”

“Because our network is designed to be used for incredibly reliable machine-to-machine communications, Dejero and its customers can be certain that the Stream connection will be the best possible option for camera crews across London.”

“Our involvement in the 2010 Vancouver Olympics taught us to expect highly congested cellular networks from the hundreds of thousands of mobile phones in use around the Olympic venues,” said Todd Schneider, COO at Dejero. “After extensive laboratory testing, we chose Stream Communications as the best-of-breed network service provider for our LIVE+ Platform of cellular transmission products within the UK. Stream’s M2M SIMs will be used by Dejero customers around the world that are travelling to London to cover the Olympic Games.”

International Gaming Awards announce 2013 Judging panel

The prestigious 6th International Gaming Awards (IGA) www.gaming-awards.com have announced the Judging panel comprising of 26 industry experts - leading industry professionals, specialised journalists, analysts and consultants. The IGA ceremonies international credentials are underlined still further by a fascinating line-up of judges from USA, Canada, Europe, Asia and Australia.

The IGA Judging panel will judge entries in 20 categories, the winners will be announced on the night of the ceremony, which will take place on 4 February 2013 in London.

The 2013 Judging panel Chaired by Mr Andrew Love, Executive Chairman of the Ritz Club Casino and recipient of the IGA Outstanding Contribution Award. The IGA Outstanding Contribution Award through the years was presented to Dr Stanley Ho, Mr Bertill Knutsson, Mr Michael Boettcher and Mr I. Partouche.
More information about the Award on http://www.gaming-awards.com/Outstanding.htm

2013 IGA Judging panel newcomers include Manfred Bodner founder of bwin brand and Non Executive Director bwin.party, well know industry executive Mr Ed Andrewes, Lois A. Rice, CAE, Executive Director for the Colorado Gaming Association, Paul Armitage executive of the largest UK casino group- Rank, Richard Noble Chief Operating Officer of the Aspers Group, Ross Ferrar - CEO Gaming Technologies Association and Kimberly Arnold Chief Operating Office of The Innovation Group. The 2013 IGA presenting very strong Social Responsibility panel which includes Liz Karter- famous Psychotherapist, her book will be published this year, Stella Dalton from industry recognised organisation GamCare and Eric Bouhanna CEO & Founder of ADICTEL.

To view full list IGA Judges please visit: http://www.gaming-awards.com/judges.htm

The International Gaming Awards supported by most successful and innovative companies in the industry who bring outstanding entertainment experience to your customers. Our Sponsors- Playtech, Cammegh, BetSoft and Bally Technologies. More about our Sponsors http://gaming-awards.com/sponsors.htm

The judges will consider all the nominations and then draw up a shortlist for each award. When considering each nomination, the judges will take into account provided by nominee’s evidence. Nominees should, therefore, provide information, which they believe, makes their product or service truly outstanding.
IGA 2013 categories will be announced on 26 July 2012.

The aim of the International Gaming Awards ceremony is to support charity and to publicly recognize achievements of some of the people and companies over the year.
The IGA supports Care International and CHILDREN with Cancer charity.
There is no fee to take part; all we ask is that your entry be accompanied by a donation to our chosen charities.
Please donate generously. http://www.gaming-awards.com/Our_Charities.htm

Saturday 21 July 2012

KIng of Bollywood visits Chak 89


Shahrukh Khan with guests at Chak 89
Chak 89, London’s award winning Indian restaurant had several visits by its favourite star and friend Shahrukh Khan. The king of Bollywood has been in the UK for the past 3 months for the shooting of Yash Raj’s new film, in which he stars alongside Anuksha Sharma and Katrina Kaif. While on set he visited Chak 89 on several occasions to have his dosage of traditional home cooked food.

Shahrukh is the brand ambassador of Chak 89 and who is also their most regular Bollywood client. Chak 89 was inundated with bookings as the word got out that Shahrukh was in town.

Shahrukh, with a few of his guests sat down at his regular table, which he has dedicated to himself every time he now visits Chak 89; even so much that he has signed the table with the words “my favourite table.” Looking in the mood to have a good time, he ordered his favourite Chicken Tikka for starters and the Chak Chicken Special as part of his main, while his guests tucked into an array of delicious traditional dishes from the menu.
Asked by one of the other Chak 89 diners, what was his favourite dish at Chak 89? He answered “I like all the chicken dishes here, they are all good, but my favourite is the Chicken Tikka and Chak Chicken Special, they are brilliant”

After his meal Shahrukh was good enough to do a meet and greet with other Chak 89 diners and staff, making it everyone’s special day. One diner was so excited he asked Shahrukh what he liked about Chak 89; Shahrukh replied, “I love the food at Chak 89 it reminds me of food back home and the service and staff are fantastic.”

After posing for photographs with diners, one of Chak 89’s waiters asked if he could send a message to Chak 89 owner and founder Frank Khalid, Shahrukh replied, “I always try to visit Chak 89 whenever I am in London and would love Chak 89 to open a branch in Mumbai or Delhi.” Now that is saying something! To actually have the king of Bollywood telling Frank Khalid that he would love see a branch of Chak 89 in Mumbai, wow!!!

Chak 89 is based in Surrey, London; it is known for its clientele of famous people, from the western and eastern world which makes Chak 89 a perfect place for spotting stars, together with its traditional Indian cuisine, elegant decor, service and ambience, it makes Chak 89 the ultimate dining experience which gives it a well-deserved and well earned “A Spice above the Rest” phrase.

FACTFILE:
Chak89 are not only the best Indian restaurant in London, but are also perfect for all types of wedding celebrations and a great Indian wedding venue, they can accommodate and cater for up to 650 guests in two adjoining banquet halls. They are also perfect for business conferences, or can bring the CHAK89 experience to you by allowing their Indian catering to stage your special day at any venue of your choice.

Tuesday 3 July 2012

Rook & Raven gallery proudly presents 'Interface' | 5th July - 3rd August

Nick Gentry
Nick Gentry's 'Profile Number 6'
Rook & Raven Gallery proudly present ‘Interface’, a showing of five leading young artists working with alternative media and unequivocal style, bringing portraiture – the classical measure of art – into the ‘now’ with signature verve.

Nick Gentry has built an enormous following since his first exhibition with the early incarnation of Rook & Raven, back in 2010. His portraits on floppy disk and obsolete media encapsulate the flux and fickle nature of modern society and technology. Nick’s work is highly sought-after, with a constant of impressive auction results, worldwide exhibitions and media coverage; his artwork brings new meaning to the term ‘up-cycling’.

Cain Caser’s chaotic, mixed-media assemblages reflect flirtations with graffiti and rave culture in his younger years, as his bold, idiosyncratic palette suggests. Cain’s hyper-bold abstracts are conceived as portraits first off, yet occupy the gap between figuration and abstraction, exploiting the viewer’s tendency to see faces where none exist.

James Dawe is an artist and commercial illustrator from East London, working predominantly in mixed media collage and digital manipulation to create eclectic, neo-portraiture and digital assemblages. Having successfully managed the crossover from design into fine art, James’ impressive and ever-growing portfolio combines ad and media campaigns for the likes of Nike, GQ, Coke and Sky Sports.

Pam Glew has likewise become synonymous with her alternative portraits and flag paintings. Using unique dye and painting methods – often bleaching portraits into the fabric, instead of applying paint in the classical sense – Pam deconstructs and distresses vintage materials to create work that is truly original in style and execution, with frequent reference to the ‘golden age’ of cinema and celebrity. Her work has been showcased in Europe, USA, Asia and Australia, in over 80 group exhibitions and 5 solo shows, and is keenly collected worldwide. Her work ‘Rococo’ recently raised $20,000 at auction for MTV’s Staying Alive Foundation.

Finally, they introduce Guim Tió, an artist from Barcelona working in mixed media, who we welcome to the UK for the first time. Guim has received a cult following for his reworked portraits and makes up a compelling lineup of artists all working in modern portraiture.

Interface opens to the public on the 6th July 2012, with a Private View and drinks reception on Thursday the 5th July - 6.30 until 9.30pm

W: http://www.rookandraven.co.uk/exhibitions/interface/
E: joseph@canoeinc.com

The buzz around the Golden Bee

Indoor bar at the Golden BeeOld Street, London has welcomed new rooftop bar Golden Bee. Set above the Shoreditch skyline, Golden Bee is a stunning new place where you can enjoy a refreshing cocktail and a fantastic atmosphere. Situated right in the heart of East London, the stylish terrace offers a space to escape the rat race and enjoy the panoramic views of Shoreditch. And with music flowing from the speakers, embrace Golden Bee as your muse for your summer adventures.
With comfy chairs, sofas and two 60-inch screens ideal for watching the Olympics, Golden Bee is the perfect venue to drink and dance and forget the hustle and bustle of the world below.

With the summer months ongoing, and the sun beginning to make an appearance, the roof terrace is already proving extremely popular. However, with an undercover bar downstairs, Golden Bee is suitable for all weather conditions meaning that you can relax with a cocktail away from the rain and cold in a hive fit for a queen bee complete with shot glass ceiling lights.

Golden Bee brings an exciting and refined experience to Shoreditch. Set against a backdrop of East London, artistic features and modern décor, Golden Bee displays a sophisticated sense of style and flaunts individually along with its unique venue. A cut above the rest (literally), Golden Bee brings to you the heart of The City.

And what’s more. Golden Bee has collaborated with Sav Remzi, founder of Nuphonic Records and Love Box Festival and together they have developed a creative music program, which will play the latest house music every weekend.

London has been waiting for more rooftop bars after the success of Boundary Rooftop bar and the SkyLounge and we are sure Golden Bee will be a great success.

Stream Communications helps audiences follow Olympic flame

• Mobile network used to deliver live video from Olympic Torch Relay
• Coverage from more than 1,000 cities, towns and villages in the UK
• Stream Communications’ bonded 3G reduces need for expensive satellite equipment

From the moment the London 2012 Olympic flame arrived in the UK the BBC has provided coverage of the passage of the Olympic Torch as relays of 8,000 Torchbearers carry the symbol of peace, unity and friendship throughout the country.

In the spirit of the relay - to bring the excitement of the Games to everyone – the torch’s journey is being made available to all via a video stream and daily highlights on the London 2012 website and coverage on BBC news . To meet this unique news gathering challenge the broadcaster has opted to use 3G mobile networks to provide a feed from the Torch Relay for editing and broadcast.

For a 3G data connection to be viable for outside broadcast it must meet specialist requirements for high capacity, security and reliability. The broadcaster is deploying mobile SIM cards from all five 3G network including Stream Communications, a Machine to Machine (M2M) focused mobile operator. Stream’s contribution to the bandwidth is provided by a pair of Stream SIM cards.

The two Stream SIM cards, each with a 25GB limit, are bonded along with SIMs from other mobile operators and are optimised for maximum video quality. The accessible bandwidth could be as high as 30Mbps delivering broadcast quality images. The broadcaster is using the Stream SIMs, located in the specially modified camera vehicle, along with the four other network specific SIMs. Stream Communications has been able to provide high data limits without having to swap out lots of different SIMs in order to stay within agreed bundle sizes.

Nigel Chadwick, Founding Director of Stream Communications, said: “Standard 3G solutions have their limitations, especially when near large crowds with mobile phones, such as those lining the route of the Torch Relay this summer. The ability to bond 3G for greater bandwidth, together with our own enhanced network provision, supplies a flexible transport network for digital content from this historic event.”

The two bonded Stream SIMs provide broadcast quality video feeds from within an hour of 95% of people in the UK, Guernsey and Jersey. To achieve higher quality video simply requires the bonding of additional SIM cards. Stream Communications estimates just six bonded Stream SIM cards are more than capable of supporting a live 1080HD video stream delivering a satellite-equivalent broadcast experience.

“Outside broadcast depends on the resilience and quality of connection back to the studio. Streams’ enhanced 3G network and fair, cost effective tariffs offers a true alternative to satellite. Stream’s 3G network is proven to be secure, stable and reliable and perfectly suited to the challenges of outside broadcast. The Olympic Torch Relay reflects the start of a new and exciting era in outside broadcast opportunities,” said Chadwick.

Watch the Olympic Torch Relay live here until 27th July.

Greek families gain new entertainment channels on FreeviewHD

• HellenicTV from Vision TV Network available on Freeview Channel 110
• Drama, news, documentaries, sport, music and cinema broadcast live from Greece

Greek speaking residents in the UK can now watch twelve new television channels in the comfort of the living room by accessing the Vision TV Network. The HellenicTV package of 13 channels accessible through Freeview channel 110 delivers a full range of Greek entertainment, drama, news, documentaries, sport, music and cinema, originating from London, Greece and Cyprus.

To access these new channels, viewers require either the latest FreeviewHD enabled television set or a set top box which supports Vision247’s online video platform. Connecting the box or television to the internet through a broadband router or home hub device enables Vision TV Network to stream the television channels to your TV set, bringing the experience of watching Greek television to any UK household.

Once connected, Greek speaking viewers clicking to Vision247’s own channel, Vision TV Network, can view HTV WNN, RIKSat and ERT WORLD free of charge. Or they can subscribe to the full HellenicTV package of premium channels which can be easily navigated with the remote control. Subscription to HellenicTV gains viewers access to: news, Greek/Cypriot films, and TV series on THΛEAΣTY, HellenicTV 1 and 2; comedies, dramas, news, and entertainment on RIK Sat & Mega; SIGMA for children’s shows, sports, news and movies; 24/7 music videos on NRG music, HTV music and MAD; plus live proceedings of the Greek parliament on BOYΛH; and news, documentary and religious programming in 4e.

Select a channel to watch live, or catch up on previous programmes on demand. Digital interactivity also means that future channels and services can support live voting, viewer comments and purchases, all with a few clicks of the remote.

John Mills, CEO of Vision247, said: “For the first time we can provide live broadcast over the internet and onto FreeviewHD televisions for the Greek community in the UK. Bringing original broadcasting from Greece into the home is a great way to bring families together and maintain their cultural ties, no matter where they now live.”

Find HellenicTV on the Vision TV Network on the FreeviewHD EPG (electronic programme guide) Channel 110. Older devices, non-compliant or FreeviewHD devices not connected to the internet will receive on screen tips advising viewers on what to do in order to view the new internet delivered channels.

Details of the content of each channel can be found on the Hellenic TV site in English or in Greek.

Visit Vision TV Network for more information on subscriptions and how to get connected.

Like them on http://www.facebook.com/visiontvnetwork or follow them on Twitter @HELLENICTV