BARCELONA, SPAIN--(Marketwire -02/26/12)- NVIDIA today announced that its NVIDIA® Tegra® 3 mobile processor, the world's only 4-PLUS-1™ quad-core processor, is powering the new HTC One™ X unveiled at Mobile World Congress. The smartphone represents the first collaboration between the two companies.

The NVIDIA Tegra 3 processor features a unique 4-PLUS-1 quad-core architecture that delivers outstanding performance and exceptional battery life. It does this by progressively powering on each of its four main CPU cores as they're needed for increasingly more demanding tasks, and relying on its fifth battery saver core for less demanding tasks and active standby mode. Tegra 3's 12-core GPU enables consumers to enjoy console-quality gaming, as well as 1080p HD video capabilities unlike anything seen before on a smartphone.

"The HTC One X with Tegra 3 provides an experience that consumers will absolutely love," said Kouji Kodera, Chief Product Officer at HTC. "We knew our next super phone had to be fantastic. That's why we chose to work with NVIDIA."

"HTC has quickly become one of the world's most innovative makers of mobile devices," said Michael Rayfield, General Manager of the Mobile business at NVIDIA. "The HTC One X exemplifies what we've come to expect from one of the world's top phone makers."

Useful Links:
http://www.nvidia.com/tegra
http://www.nvidia.com/object/tegra-superphones.html
http://tegradeveloper.nvidia.com/tegra/
http://www.htc.com

About NVIDIA
NVIDIA (NASDAQ: NVDA - News) awakened the world to computer graphics when it invented the GPU in 1999. Today, its processors power a broad range of products from smart phones to supercomputers. NVIDIA's mobile processors are used in cell phones, tablets and auto infotainment systems. PC gamers rely on GPUs to enjoy spectacularly immersive worlds. Professionals use them to create visual effects in movies and design everything from golf clubs to jumbo jets. And researchers utilize GPUs to advance the frontiers of science with high-performance computing. The company holds more than 2,300 patents worldwide, including ones covering ideas essential to modern computing. For more information, see http://www.nvidia.com.

About HTC
Founded in 1997, HTC Corp. (HTC) is the creator of many award-winning mobile devices and industry firsts. By putting people at the center of everything it does, HTC pushes the boundaries of design and technology to create innovative and personal experiences for consumers around the globe. HTC's portfolio includes smartphones and tablets powered by HTC Sense™, a multilayered graphical user interface that vastly improves user experience. HTC is listed on the Taiwan Stock Exchange (Taiwan: 2498.TW - News). For more information, please visit http://www.htc.com.

Certain statements in this press release including, but not limited to statements as to: the benefits and impact of the NVIDIA Tegra 3 mobile processor; and the effects of the company's patents on modern computing are forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause results to be materially different than expectations. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially include: global economic conditions; our reliance on third parties to manufacture, assemble, package and test our products; the impact of technological development and competition; development of new products and technologies or enhancements to our existing product and technologies; market acceptance of our products or our partners products; design, manufacturing or software defects; changes in consumer preferences or demands; changes in industry standards and interfaces; unexpected loss of performance of our products or technologies when integrated into systems; as well as other factors detailed from time to time in the reports NVIDIA files with the Securities and Exchange Commission, or SEC, including its Form 10-Q for the fiscal period ended November 22, 2011. Copies of reports filed with the SEC are posted on the company's website and are available from NVIDIA without charge. These forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and speak only as of the date hereof, and, except as required by law, NVIDIA disclaims any obligation to update these forward-looking statements to reflect future events or circumstances.

© 2012 NVIDIA Corporation. All rights reserved. NVIDIA, the NVIDIA logo and Tegra are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of NVIDIA Corporation in the U.S. and other countries. HTC, HTC One, and HTC Sense are trademarks of HTC Corporation. Other company and product names may be trademarks of the respective companies with which they are associated. Features, pricing, availability, and specifications are subject to change without notice.

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NVIDIA Delivers Quad-Core Performance in New HTC One X

Mike Segar / Reuters

Apple iPad tabelts and iPhones are displayed inside the newest Apple Store in New York City's Grand Central Station December 7, 2011.

In 1989, I wrote a piece in one of my internationally syndicated columns about a mobile computing concept that was very modular. Back then, portable computers were pretty bulky and heavy and having to lug them around the world with me was a pain. That led me to think about what future portable computing might look like, and I took a stab at this idea of a modular approach to personal computing.

In hindsight this was ridiculously wishful thinking on my part more than anything else since the technology at that time wasn’t even advanced enough to make the then-current portable computers smaller and lighter, let alone modular.

(MORE: Bring Your Own Device: How Consumer Products Are Impacting IT)

At the heart of this vision was the idea of having a lot of screens available in my work and home. I envisioned these screens as being displays that my modular computer would plug into wherever I was. The most far-out thing I wrote about was the idea of the back seat of every airplane having a screen and the bottom side of the tray would be a keyboard. In my model, there would be somewhere for my “modular brick” (as I called it) to connect to this screen and keyboard and instantly make them “my” computer.

The key to this idea was that the brick would have a processor, an operating system, my own customized user interface and all of my files and data. That meant that I would always have my own personal computer with me everywhere I went and I would just plug it into an available screen and keyboard. Of course, this also meant that a large infrastructure of screens, keyboards and standardized I/O ports would need to be available everywhere. In the end, this vision was absurd for its time, and even today would be hard to pull off.

Interestingly, however, we already have modular computing of sorts today. It comes in the form of our laptops, where we have our own operating system, customized interface and all of our personal files. When I get to my office, I connect my 13-inch MacBook Air to a 27-inch screen and use a wireless mouse and wireless keyboard. In this case, my MacBook Air is kind of a “brick” in that it just sits there providing the processing power, operating system, user interface and access to all my files.

But what if we could have that same kind of modular functionality in a “brick” that fits in your pocket? A very small device that houses a powerful processor, operating system, custom user interface and data files – a device that can be docked into a multitude of screens that are accessible around the office, school, home, shopping malls and other places.

As far out as this seems, I believe this is exactly the vision Apple has for the future of the iPhone.

If you’ve used an iPhone in an audio docking system you may have already thought of this idea. I was recently in a rented home in Hawaii where the entire home’s audio system was hooked up to an iPod dock. And if you’ve ever used Apple’s AirPlay, you kind of have a glimpse of how the iPhone and the iPad can use wireless technology to share images and video.

(MORE: The Great Tablet Debate: Fads or Here to Stay?)

One of the key technologies Apple has created that would help facilitate part of this is their 30-pin connector. While it has 30 pins, only about two thirds of them are actually used for synching, charging, and audio/video output. In essence, Apple has future-proofed this connector so it could be used for a lot of other functions in the future.

One interesting example of this would be for an iPhone or iPad to be able to someday drive very high-resolution video monitors. Today it can only power basic VGA monitors. I recently saw technology from Corning’s Fiber division that consists of a fiber cable that can be twisted, knotted, and even stepped on with no loss of high-speed transmission. And these cables can carry data at speeds well over 100 gigabits per second. If this can be commercialized with the proper I/O connection points in place, it would have major ramifications for computing at all levels. But it could really enable something like the iPhone to become a modular device driving full PC functionality via various docking systems tied to all kinds of available screens — even very high resolution ones. This, of course, is a futuristic view but the technology is there to make this happen in the very near future.

Another current roadblock to making this modular concept work today is the processor itself. Although we are making great strides in low voltage processors that still deliver great performance, we will need very high speed mobile processors with extended graphics functions to make this modular vision work. However, if you look at NVidia’s current Kal-El Tegra chip with it 4+1 multiprocessor core, you can see that they are actually heading in this direction. And Qualcomm’s quad-core Snapdragon chip could provide similar power to a smartphone for this purpose. And of course, we expect that Apple is working on their own mobile ARM chips that map this direction too. I suspect that within 2-3 years we will have mobile chips that could drive this modular approach forward.

Another interesting example of this modular screen connection would be in a car. All the car would have to have is a basic screen and, in Apple’s case, a dock with the 30-pin connector tied directly to it. That would mean that all you need to do is plug your iPhone into this car’s dock and the screen on the dash would become your full personal computer, with added functionality tied to things like hands-free navigation maps, traffic info and more. And you’d have access to all of your apps and files via this screen — useable while the car is parked, of course.

(MORE: Wireless Windfall)

Or perhaps you’d have a “dumb” screen in your refrigerator that would get all of its intelligence from the iPhone. Or maybe the work area on your desk at home would contain only a large screen and keyboard and you’d just dock your iPhone to have instant access to a full-fledged PC.

Of course, things like the iCloud will make it much easier to keep your personal user interface and data available across a lot of “smart” screens, but this modular approach could be interesting for consumers in that the iPhone could bridge the gap between local content and cloud-based content in a much more mobile fashion. And since your smartphone is always with you, you would have the equivalent of a full PC at your disposal all the time.

Could other smartphones become modular as well? Sure, and in some ways, the Asus Transformer Prime and the Motorola Atrix are a nod to this idea. But Apple has a jump on them with a future-proofed connector, and their competitors would need to settle on new high speed I/O ports and connectors to be adopted in all of their smartphones to make their own modular ecosystems work. Apple appears to have quite an edge on any competitors who would want to do something like this, given the fact that the 30-pin connector is now on all of their devices.

As far fetched as this might sound, the concept of a smartphone as a modular computer has a lot of legs. And I know of quite a few people in various industries who are thinking this concept out now. But I believe that Apple has had this idea in their sights for some time, thinking about how the iPhone could serve as the heart of a future modular computing model. And given what they have already done with the iPhone and iPad with their connector ecosystem, they could clearly be the first to flush it out and capitalize on this idea well before their competitors can.

(MORE: Two Minute Video: Motorola Atrix Smartphone-Powered Laptop)

Tim Bajarin is the president of Creative Strategies, Inc., a technology industry analysis and market intelligence firm in Silicon Valley.

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Why the iPhone Has a Head Start on the Future of Personal Computing

DEPUTY Prime Minister Wayne Swan says the public attacks by ministers on Kevin Rudd's record as prime minister are not personal but an attempt to set the record straight.

Mr Swan said that until now, the Australian public did not know the real reasons for the June 2010 coup that led to Julia Gillard ousting Mr Rudd as Prime Minister.

Since Mr Rudd announced his resignation as foreign minister last Wednesday, several ministers, including Mr Swan, have gone on the record about issues they had with Mr Rudd and his management style.

Mr Rudd, who will go up against Ms Gillard in a leadership ballot on Monday, says he accepts people had issues with his time as Prime Minister, but he has changed.

"Of course people have some legitimate criticisms of some aspects of my past performance and I accept responsibility for that," he told Nine Network.

"We all learn from past mistakes and I can improve."

He said the personal attacks from his former ministers were unprecedented and unwarranted.

"When you're in the midst of a campaign for the leadership of Parliamentary Labor party, people are going to say a whole lot of things out there in the heat of a campaign and I think there's a whole lot of things said about yours truly which perhaps should not have been said."

If he lost to Ms Gillard, he believed the anti-Rudd campaign would continue.

However, Mr Swan said he and his colleagues were not mounting a personal attack against Mr Rudd, but advising the public of why he had to go.

"It is very important that there is an accurate record here," Mr Swan told the Ten Network.

He was unrepentant about speaking out against Mr Rudd.

"I didn't take those statements lightly ... but the fact is there is just no easy way to say that Kevin Rudd found it very difficult - particularly through 2010 - to take the decisions that needed to be taken and found it very difficult to provide respectful leadership in the cabinet."

He said he had tried to communicate those concerns to Mr Rudd, although Mr Rudd said no one within cabinet warned him he was at risk of losing the party's confidence because he was running a paralysed and chaotic Government.

"I, along with a number of senior ministers, was constantly talking to Kevin Rudd about the inability to progress the business of Government particularly through 2010 and late 2009," Mr Swan said.

Mr Swan also said he did not believe Mr Rudd had learnt from his mistakes.

Attorney-General Nicola Roxon, who criticised the way Mr Rudd handled health policy while she was minister, had some words of praise for Mr Rudd, saying his passion, vision and drive contributed to the implementation of major reforms in her previous portfolio.

But she said there had been no process to address differences of opinion on policy issues under Mr Rudd, in stark contrast to the way Ms Gillard operates.

Ms Roxon, Tony Burke and Peter Garrett are on the record saying they won't work in a Rudd ministry again.
 

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Dear Kev, nothing personal, love Swanny

The Fit Potato, offering fitness and running coach services throughout the Dublin and Danville areas, features personal training and fitness bootcamps for men.

Dublin, CA (PRWEB) February 27, 2012

Dublin and Danville personal trainer specialists, The Fit Potato, the outstanding provider of fitness training in the Dublin, Pleasanton, Danville, San Ramon and Blackhawk areas, now conducts personal training and fitness bootcamp for men every Sunday starting at 8 a.m. The Fit Potato used to specialize in women’s fitness bootcamp but has now expanded to include male clients.

“We are now offering Dublin personal training and the Dublin Bootcamp for men because we have been getting a lot of interest about a men’s bootcamp and our personal training offered to men,” personal trainer and running coach Francisco Gomez of The Fit Potato said. “We have also noticed that there has been an increase in men wanting to work out in order to complete a marathon, a half marathon, a 10 km, a 5 km, and other such events like the Tough Mudder and the Muddy Buddy.”

The Fit Potato’s Dublin and Danville bootcamp for men is tough but satisfying. It features a variety of interactive and thrilling exercise routines to maximize strength and power in the trainees. During the bootcamp, trainees will be made to do hill repeats with a number of exercises that will improve agility, power, reaction, stamina and speed.

The Fit Potato provides one-on-one and team sessions for both men and women, and teaches trainees not only to conquer physical difficulties but also to prevail over mental obstructions. The Fit Potato helps trainees achieve their goals—from regular weight loss to sports performance training.

For more information about The Fit Potato’s services for men and women, call 925-241-5235 or view the Fit Potato on the web at http://www.thefitpotato.com.

About The Fit Potato

Established in 2001, The Fit Potato Fitness Training, serving Dublin and Danville, is owned by Francisco Gomez, a certified personal trainer. The Fit Potato offers services like private one-on-one personal training, women's and men’s fitness bootcamps, weight-loss programs, running coaches, sports performance training coaches and nutrition consultants.

###

Francisco Gomez
The Fit Potato
(925) 241-5235
Email Information

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Dublin and Danville Personal Trainer Specialists, The Fit Potato, Now Offer Training and Bootcamp for Men

LEUVEN, BELGIUM--(Marketwire -02/27/12)-

XYFI brings easy and instant 3G WiFi connectivity to everyone

Option (EURONEXT: OPTI; OTC: OPNVY), a global leader in wireless connectivity, security and experience, today launches XYFI - the world's smallest hotspot with integrated 3G, WiFi and hotspot connectivity.

Option's XYFI, the world's smallest 3G WiFi hotspot, enables up to eight simultaneous connections, so users can connect their WiFi devices and invite others to share their broadband connection easily and securely. In addition to connecting to cellular networks to share WiFi, XYFI also connects to WiFi presenting the user as a hub to connectivity and providing carriers with significant WiFi offload benefits.

XYFI is powered via USB connection, meaning users can take advantage of a wide variety of USB-enabled power sources; in fact the XYFI will offer a set of elegant power accessories, including a wall and car plug, and a unique extended battery pack for the longest autonomy of any battery-powered personal hotspot router.

Jerome Nadel, Chief Experience Officer at Option, commented: "XYFI's easy ' out-of-box' set-up brings instant connectivity to everyone, without the need to install any software or drivers. It can be powered in many different ways, making it ideal for use on the move anywhere that a user has 3G or WiFi coverage, a USB slot and power. The intuitive web pages are optimized for use on mobile devices and guarantee users the best possible connectivity experience."

XYFI comes with smart interfaces. It can be easily managed from an intuitive web-based GUI and dedicated mobile pages. In addition to secure, seamless connectivity, XYFI's integrated microSD memory card slot and streaming capabilities allow users to share media and files.

XYFI delivers easy and secure wireless information sharing anywhere, anytime. Option will be announcing leading customers in the coming weeks.

About Option

Option is a global leader in wireless connectivity, security and experience. Option enhances the performance, functionality and usability of wireless communications through a portfolio of 3G, 4G HSPA/LTE and WLAN connectivity solutions. The company works with mobile operators, OEMs, retailers and enterprise customers to create compelling products that enable new connected and secure services. Option is headquartered in Belgium, with further R&D facilities in Germany and an ISO 9001 production engineering and logistics facility in Ireland. Option maintains offices in Europe, the US, Greater China, Japan and Australia. More at http://www.option.com

Copyright ©2012 OPTION. All rights reserved. All product and company names herein may be (registered) trademarks or trade names.

Option introduces XYFI, the world?s smallest 3G & WIFI...: http://hugin.info/133962/R/1589077/498902.pdf

Option introduceert XYFI, ?s werelds kleinste 3G- & WIFI...: http://hugin.info/133962/R/1589077/498905.pdf

This announcement is distributed by Thomson Reuters on behalf of Thomson Reuters clients. The owner of this announcement warrants that: (i) the releases contained herein are protected by copyright and other applicable laws; and (ii) they are solely responsible for the content, accuracy and originality of the information contained therein.

Source: Option via Thomson Reuters ONE

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Option introduces XYFI, the world's smallest 3G & WIFI personal hotspot

Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oW1StJFm7kU

20-01-2012 18:46 Alex Gordon's off-season workout routine with Barnone Training (2011). Alex Gordon, Kansas City Royals, Alex Gordon workout. http://www.barnonetraining.com

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Personal Training Alex Gordon (BarNone Training) - Video

JENNY KEOWN

Glen Cornelius is on a mission: to change people's perception of engineers as a sandal and sock-wearing crowd to people who are up to the play with modern business philosophies and what businesses want.

The 38-year-old is up against it in some ways. He's managing director of an engineering consultancy that – among many things – builds sewerage networks.

However, that's not stopping him, and he's got a few things in his favour.

His company, Harrison Grierson, might be an expert on how to transport muck, but it is also an established engineering consultancy which has expanded successfully into Australia.

Cornelius, who has been in the MD seat since January, has a strong vision for the company and is aiming for mid-tier projects over $100m. To do it, the company will invest in people, and become very client-focused.

He concedes talent is hard to find, but the company's hook: "We are not a large company. We're New Zealand-owned, and there is room for growth and progression."

Why did you become an entrepreneur?

I can't be described as your classic entrepreneur. Since January I'm the new managing director of Harrison Grierson after being with the company for 16 years. Harrison Grierson recently celebrated its 127th anniversary. What I bring to the role is a new leadership style, management and team-building ability. I consider the company itself to be quite entrepreneurial and innovative. The fact that we have offices in Brisbane and Townsville and have just been awarded the design contract for the $30m sewerage treatment plant upgrade for Mt Isa hopefully demonstrates that we are.

What have been the biggest obstacles in running your company?

The biggest obstacle for us and business generally is the global economic situation which is compounded by problems in the eurozone. In New Zealand, the limited availability of funds and the lack of business confidence is keeping the market flat and causing uncertainty. Another big obstacle for Harrison Grierson is in the ongoing war for talent. We struggle to find and place highly skilled engineers with the right attitude into our business.

Name one thing you've learnt from while in business and from whom.

I attended a Harvard University "Leading Professional Services Firms" course last year. What they taught me is the importance of having a clear vision for the company, which is backed by a strategic plan. Since my appointment as the managing director I have made sure we develop a clear vision for the future and follow through with strong communication of this to our team.

What are your business and personal goals?

My key goal at both a business and personal level is ensuring I deliver on the five-year strategic plan for Harrison Grierson.

Do you have any tips for budding entrepreneurs?

There are huge opportunities in Australia arising from the resources sector boom. However, like anywhere, it takes time to develop relationships and to earn respect and trust. If you're good enough and provide the innovation, it will happen.

- © Fairfax NZ News

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Clear vision, strategies key elements for success

TRONDHEIM, Norway & BARCELONA, Spain--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

FXI Technologies™, innovator of the world’s first any screen computer, and Polkast, a personal cloud service that securely connects a user’s computers and mobile devices directly, today announced a technology partnership that will allow people to access all their personal content from any device on any screen.

“Cotton Candy has extended your favorite OS to any screen. Polkast allows all your content to go anywhere with you,” said Borgar Ljosland, founder and CEO of FXI. “The marriage of the two technologies truly re-defines the meaning of seamless mobility.”

This week at the Mobile World Congress, Polkast and FXI jointly demonstrated the product’s ability to pick and choose photos, videos and other content remotely from a multitude of remote devices on an HDTV using Cotton Candy as the connected computing platform and a smartphone as the input device. For instance, when visiting family and friends, consumers can plug the USB-stick sized Cotton Candy into their TV and instantly access their complete suite of cloud and hardware devices, easily sharing their complete library of music, photos and videos.

“Get whatever content you want, wherever there is a screen,” said Hong Bui, CEO and founder of Polkast. “FXI and Polkast will together make the computing experience truly personal, portable and accessible. The holy grail of mobility.”

Demonstrated first in November 2011, Cotton Candy is a complete computer platform that will allow users a single, secure point of access to all personal cloud services and apps through their favorite operating system, while delivering a consistent experience on any screen through its USB and HDMI connections. The device can serve as a portable, secure thin client on PCs, Macs and notebooks as well as a set top box, gaming system, cloud computer and more.

Polkast provides users with the easiest, most cost effective solution for digital content access and management across a spectrum of mobile, computing and storage devices. Because it uses the network and storage a consumer already owns (the personal cloud), there is no need to sync and access content from a single cloud source.

Cotton Candy development units are available now for pre-order at http://www.cstick.com. Further details about the technology partnership and consumer availability will be released later this year.

About Polkast

Based in Capo Beach, California, Polkast is a privately-held software company founded in 2010 that has since gained traction with some of the world’s leading device manufacturers. Polkast software lets you seamlessly connect the dots in your digital life, quickly, securely and without limits. For more information about Polkast, please visit http://www.polkast.com.

About Cotton Candy

Cotton Candy is the world’s only any screen computer equipped with an ARM® Cortex™-A9 (1GHz) CPU from Samsung, an ARM Mali™-400 MP (Quad-core, 1.2GHz) GPU, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, HDMI output and the Android operating system. It decodes MPEG-4, H.264 and other video formats and display HD graphics on any HDMI equipped screen. Content can be controlled via smartphones, keyboards, mice and other USB peripherals.

About FXI

FXI Technologies (www.fxitech.com) is a Norway-based hardware and software startup dedicated to making the world of digital screens smart and personal.

FXI Technologies and Cotton Candy are trademarks or registered trademarks of FXI Technologies. All other trademarks or trade names are the property of their respective owners.

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FXI and Polkast™ to Bring Content from Any Device to Any Screen

The National Exercise & Sports Trainers Association (NESTA) expanded its training options to include more local personal training sessions. The personal training workshops are offered by Training Made Fun.

Rancho Santa Margarita, CA (PRWEB) February 27, 2012

Already recognized for its global online personal training programs and certification, the National Exercise & Sports Trainers Association (NESTA) recently expanded its local, in-personal training sessions from coast to coast. As a supplement to its online programs, the personal training workshops, provided by Training Made Fun, are now available in Arizona, California, Florida, Hawaii, Kansas, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Utah and Washington.

The two-day [personal training workshops offer the NESTA Personal Fitness Training certification, which is accredited by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA) and is valid for four years, unlike most two-year certifications. Continuing education credits are also awarded for current personal trainers looking to expand their knowledge base.

“To complement your online training or to take your personal training career to the next level, these live, local workshops can help you with everything from exercise progression to developing a successful personal training business,” said John Spencer Ellis, founder of NESTA and John Spencer Ellis Enterprises, a leading national fitness and personal development solutions company. “We are pleased to expand options for high-caliber, in-person training to so many new states and locations and look forward to working with even more outstanding personal fitness trainers this year.”

The personal training program includes education on anatomy, exercise physiology, kinesiology, biomechanics, program design, hands-on instruction, progressing and regressing exercises, and more. The cost ranges from $389 to $409, with discount rates available for club chains and through referrals; the price includes an exam study guide, workbook, the workshop and the NESTA Personal Fitness Trainer Certification Exam. Payment plans for the workshops are also available.

Workshop provider Training Made Fun is a sports and fitness training company that focuses on the education and professional development of personal trainers, instructors and coaches.

About NESTA

Since 1992, the National Exercise & Sports Trainers Association (NESTA) has been a leader in innovative solutions for fitness, nutrition and wellness professionals, as well as club owners. Founded by John Spencer Ellis, NESTA now has more than 55,000 members in 55 countries, and it is one of the largest fitness associations in the world, as well as the fastest growing association of its kind in the United States. For more information on NESTA or the personal training workshops, please visit http://www.nestacertified.com/live-workshops/.

###

John Spencer Ellis
NESTA/SI/JSE
949 589 9166
Email Information

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NESTA Offers More Local Fitness Workshops for Personal Fitness Trainers in 2012

Awhile ago, I got rid of all my cassette tapes, with the exception of all the mixed tapes that I've amassed since 1991. My best friend in college was the QUEEN of delaying schoolwork by making up crafts. She showed me not only how to make colorful stickers out of packing tape, magic markers, and binder paper, but she also introduced the beauty of the mixed tape. Soon, I was making "To Study" tapes -- tapes that would apparently help me study. Sometimes I made tapes just for Wednesdays, or to mark the end of the semester. Then I realized the special power that mixed tapes had when given to someone else. That's when mixed tapes really took hold in my life.

Nearly every boyfriend I had since 1991 got a mixed tape, as did a number of long distance friends. My parents even suffered a few. (My mom once asked me what I was trying to tell her by putting Prince's "Little Red Corvette" on her birthday tape of 1992). The making of a tape had a specific system: 22-24 songs fit on a 90 minute tape (depending on the song length); I had to start both sides with a ROCKER, that acted as a call to arms, then the tape would end on a sort of quiet, thoughtful note. They were like letters that I wanted to fill the recipients with. I tried to woo boys I liked with tapes. I tried to keep my friends near. In a way, I captured my own life with these collections.

To look at them now they do feel like their own diary. The ones I made for myself chronicle the arc of my musical taste and thus the arc of my personal development. The earlier ones are filled with a mishamash of what was popular at the time, and music I collected from the hallways of 1990′s dorm life -- Indigo Girls, The Sundays, Paul Simon, etc. I look in disbelief and see a MARIAH CAREY song listed (for PETE's SAKE!), followed by a Lenny Kravitz song on a tape. Who was that girl who listened to that tape? Then I see how everything changed when I learned to play guitar and wanted to be a Riot Grrrrl -- then it was girl rock all the time, baby: Patti Smith, PJ Harvey, Liz Phair, Hole, and on and on.

It seems appropriate that one of the last mixed tapes I made was for my husband. This was when we were "just friends," but I seriously had it BAD for him. We had already had the do-you-like-me? talk, but it wasn't going to happen. He was moving to New York in a week and that would be that. I was heartbroken and happy at the same time -- the perfect mood for making a mixed tape. So I spent TWO DAYS on his tape, culling and rethinking and wondering what this song would tell him and what this song would do for him. The tape was an old letter I was writing to him. It said, Take me with you. There must have been something in that tape, because, as it happens, he did.

 

Follow Summer Pierre on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/summerpierre

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Summer Pierre: My Life In Mixed Tapes