December 10, 2012

SecuraTrac a Finalist for Phonebooth.com SMB Innovator Award for 2012

Filed under: Awards, Online, Press Release, _FirstPhoneforKids RSS, _LifeTrac RSS, _SecuraChild RSS, _SecuraFone RSS, _SecuraPets RSS, _SecuraTrac RSS — admin @ 9:00 am

Award finalists move on to “People’s Choice” voting round Dec. 10-14, Grand Prize winner to be announced Monday, Dec. 17

RALEIGH, N.C.-(BUSINESS WIRE)-Cloud based business VoIP provider Phonebooth, a division of Bandwidth, announced today the Top 10 finalists selected for the 2012 SMB Innovator Awards. The finalists represent small and medium-sized businesses from industries such as food and beverage, technology, transportation, healthcare, manufacturing and nonprofit that showcase innovation as part of their core DNA.

All SMB Innovator Awards nominations received from Nov. 5-30, 2012 were reviewed according to specific award criteria by Phonebooth representatives and by an esteemed panel of judges representative of government, media and the SMB community. Nominees were asked to describe how innovation manifested itself in the products the company develops or sells, the tools they use to operate the business, the risks they have taken to grow the business, the way they treat their customers, how they manage staff and the ways they impact the community. Applications were assigned to the five-person panel that independently read and scored each submission, with independent reviewers’ scores averaged to determine nominees’ weighted outcome.

Phonebooth is proud to announce the following 2012 SMB Innovator Awards finalists:

  • Agee Race Timing, LLC
  • BRD Motorcycles
  • Community Technology Alliance
  • DaisyBill
  • Elance
  • Green Planet Catering
  • Humane Society of Williamson County
  • SecuraTrac
  • Simplicity Sofas
  • Sweeps

People’s Choice Award
From Monday, Dec. 10 to Friday, Dec. 14, voting will be open for the People’s Choice Award. This award will be given to one of the Top 10 SMB Innovators and will be determined entirely by the online voting process. The People’s Choice Award winner will receive a $2,500 cash prize in addition to the following items:

  • One Phonebooth User for a year plus one 3-line Yealink T-22 HD IP Phone
  • SMB Innovator badge to use on websites and in print materials
  • An engraved SMB Innovator 2012 award

Click here to vote.

Grand Prize
The Grand Prize winner of the SMB Innovator Awards will receive $20,000 to help fund its business, add resources or support any aspect of the company’s growth and development. The Grand Prize winner will not be announced until after the People’s Choice Award portion of the competition has ended. Both award winners, as well as the complete ranked list of the Top 10 SMB Innovators, will be announced on Monday, Dec. 17.

About Phonebooth
Phonebooth is a division of Bandwidth – a nationwide supplier of voice and data communications services to small and medium size businesses. Bandwidth is one of the largest and fastest growing telecommunications providers in the nation with over 13 years’ experience in the telecommunications industry. Phonebooth is a cloud based phone system that is perfect for small businesses, freelancers and independent professionals who need a professional, cost-effective and easy-to-use phone solution.

For more information, click here: www.phonebooth.com. To read the Phonebooth blog, click here: www.phonebooth.com/blog.

Contacts

PAN Communications
Matthew Briggs, 617-502-4357
[email protected]

December 10, 2011

SecuraPets Featured on K9 Corner

Filed under: Family, Online, Pet GPS Tracking, TV, _SecuraPets RSS, _SecuraTrac RSS — admin @ 9:00 am

Hosted by Christy Wilcox.

SecuraTrac’s new product line, SecuraPets, was featured on K9 Corner, a local television program focused on keeping pets safe and pet owners informed of new technologies.

View Video

December 1, 2011

Veterinary Practice News and the SecuraPAL (Pet Automated Locator)

Filed under: Online, Outdoors, Pet GPS Tracking, Print, Safety, Security, Wireless Communications, _SecuraPets RSS, _SecuraTrac RSS — admin @ 9:00 am

The December issue of this well-regarded monthly magazine and digital news source wrote about the latest in pet safety innovations. On page 32 of issue 12 of 2011 the source focused on SecuraPets and the use of SecuraFences to keep them safe and owners in the know when they should leave the yard unattended. Click below to read more.

Read More

October 28, 2011

Chicago Tribune - SecuraPets - Health and safety benefits for pets and their owners

Filed under: Family, Online, Outdoors, Pet GPS Tracking, Print, Safety, Security, Travel, Wireless Communications, _SecuraPets RSS, _SecuraTrac RSS — admin @ 9:00 am

By William Hageman, Tribune Newspapers

SecuraPAL

From SecuraTrac, it’s a GPS-based pet locator that sends you a text message or email if your pet escapes your yard. Your dog or cat wears a small, 21/2-ounce rechargeable GPS device on its collar; the pet owner can monitor his or her account and pet’s location from a smartphone or computer. SecuraPAL costs $197.78 and has a service fee of $6.99 per month. For more information visit securapets.com.

Whether you’re hiking with your dog, keeping track of a pet or trying to find a greener solution for your small mammal cage, there are some new products worth a look:

Hydropack I

Made by Singing Dog Designs (singingdogdesigns.com), this extremely lightweight pack lets your dog carry a couple of water bottles and other necessities when you’re on the trail. “There’s easy access to the water bottles,” says designer Andy Malkiel. “And I made it small because most people take their dogs out for only an hour, not overnight.” The Hydropack, which comes in four sizes, has a contoured chest harness that cups the dog’s rib cage so it stays in place. Nothing touches the dog except the foam, Malkiel pointed out, no buckles, no hardware. Other features: tapered pockets for easy access, a key fob, reflectors all around, a grab handle and a D-ring for Spanky’s leash. Available for about $99 at independent retailers.

Green Dreamzzz

American Pet Diner has turned trimmings from phone books into an alternative to wood chips for your small mammal’s cage. “Wood chips are hard on their feet, hard on their eyes,” says Lisa Marshall, president and CEO of American Pet Diner. “(With Green Dreamzzz) there’s no aroma, no oils. They love to take them in their mouths and take them all over the cage.” Green Dreamzzz sells for $6.99 for a 2-pound bag and can be found at americanpetdiner.com and at independent pet dealers.

Read More

Chicago Tribune - Health and safety benefits for pets and their owners

Filed under: Family, Online, Outdoors, Pet GPS Tracking, Print, Safety, Security, Wireless Communications, _SecuraPets RSS, _SecuraTrac RSS — admin @ 9:00 am

By William Hageman, Tribune Newspapers

Whether you’re hiking with your dog, keeping track of a pet or trying to find a greener solution for your small mammal cage, there are some new products worth a look:

SecuraPAL by SecuraPets.com

From SecuraTrac, it’s a GPS-based pet locator that sends you a text message or email if your pet escapes your yard. Your dog or cat wears a small, 21/2-ounce rechargeable GPS device on its collar; the pet owner can monitor his or her account and pet’s location from a smartphone or computer. SecuraPAL costs $197.78 and has a service fee of $6.99 per month. For more information visit securapets.com.

Hydropack I

Made by Singing Dog Designs (singingdogdesigns.com), this extremely lightweight pack lets your dog carry a couple of water bottles and other necessities when you’re on the trail. “There’s easy access to the water bottles,” says designer Andy Malkiel. “And I made it small because most people take their dogs out for only an hour, not overnight.” The Hydropack, which comes in four sizes, has a contoured chest harness that cups the dog’s rib cage so it stays in place. Nothing touches the dog except the foam, Malkiel pointed out, no buckles, no hardware. Other features: tapered pockets for easy access, a key fob, reflectors all around, a grab handle and a D-ring for Spanky’s leash. Available for about $99 at independent retailers.

Green Dreamzzz

American Pet Diner has turned trimmings from phone books into an alternative to wood chips for your small mammal’s cage. “Wood chips are hard on their feet, hard on their eyes,” says Lisa Marshall, president and CEO of American Pet Diner. “(With Green Dreamzzz) there’s no aroma, no oils. They love to take them in their mouths and take them all over the cage.” Green Dreamzzz sells for $6.99 for a 2-pound bag and can be found at americanpetdiner.com and at independent pet dealers.

Read More

October 15, 2011

Celebrity Parents Magazine and SecuraPets

Filed under: Family, Online, Outdoors, Pet GPS Tracking, Safety, Security, Wireless Communications, _SecuraPets RSS, _SecuraTrac RSS — admin @ 9:00 am

You love your dog. No, wait, that’s an understatement. You think your dog is smarter than most humans, kinder and gentler than the Pope and you even cook his steak tartare just the way he likes it. But are you doing everything you can to prevent him from getting lost? SecuraPAL is the latest in pet locating technology. Consisting of a small, lightweight GPS device, SecuraPAL attaches to your pet’s collar and can send you a text message and email you if Edgar the puggle escapes from the front yard. It even has an interactive web platform that allows you to monitor your account and pet’s location from your smartphone or computer. Now that’s puppy love (www.securapets.com).

Read More

September 22, 2011

New GPS Locator Emails or Texts You if Pet Gets Out

Filed under: Family, Online, Pet GPS Tracking, Print, _SecuraPets RSS, _SecuraTrac RSS — admin @ 9:00 am

I get lots of press releases for pet products, almost all of which I don’t post because they’re products that I wouldn’t use or are silly. But I got one for something called SecuraPAL — with the PAL standing for Pet Automated Locator — that I could see being helpful, especially you have an escape artist. It could potentially pay for itself in animal control impound fees. There’s a video at bottom and here’s the press release from SecuraTrac (by the way, the company has also got a tracker for humans, such as older adults who might wander off).

SecuraTrac is introducing a new pet locating technology called SecuraPAL (Pet Automated Locator) that can send you a text message and email if your pet escapes your yard. The SecuraPets solution consists of a small, lightweight GPS device that attaches to your pet’s collar and an interactive web platform that allows you to monitor your account and pet’s location from your smartphone or computer.
A key feature of SecuraPAL is its ability to report when it leaves boundaries you set called SecuraFences. If your cat or dog leaves your yard, the dog park, a boarding facility or any other location that you designate with a SecuraFence, you receive a location alert with the pet’s current location every 30 seconds.

“The Pet Automated Locator gives pet owners the peace of mind that they can always know where their furry family members are,” said SecuraTrac CEO Chris Holbert. “With the SecuraPets solution you don’t have to worry about correcting address information or your phone number on a tattoo or microchip, health concerns from the chip or that it could take days or weeks to find your pet at a shelter.”

SecuraPAL can be purchased for $197.78 and has a service fee of $6.99 per month that includes 750 location requests. Additional requests are three cents per location request. For more information visit www.SecuraPets.com.

See Pet Video

Read More

July 18, 2011

Fido, Your Bone and Room Are Ready: Traveling With Pets

Filed under: Family, Online, Outdoors, Pet GPS Tracking, Travel, Wireless Communications, _SecuraPets RSS, _SecuraTrac RSS — admin @ 9:00 am

On Tripatini

By Kaleel Sakakeeny

A huge 14 percent of Americans travel with their pets, that’s 36 million households, so hotels and inns are creating pet-friendly rooms or floors to make traveling with Fido or Muffy easier, and safer.

Some Westins, a brand of Starwood, make it clear they want your pet to feel as welcomed as you are.

They offer pet toys, treats and even a turn-down treat on the pet’s bed.

Some Four Seasons hotels have been known to have a “Bring Fido” program, which includes offerring such culinary specialties as Rin Tare Tare for hungry dogs, and a salmon specialty for cats.

Obviously there’s more to welcoming Fido and his furry cousins than a love of pets.

Market studies have consistently shown that guests who come with their pets, and whose pets are welcomed by the hotel, become repeat customers.

Obviously, pet owners see their pets as part of the family, and are fiercely loyal to the property and the brand that welcomes them.

But traveling with your pet requires definite canine or feline etiquette.

www.bringyourpet.com provides information on 2000 or so pet-friendly accommodations nationally, but also stresses these tips and behavior codes for Fido and Muffy:

• Never show up unannounced with a pet without checking the pet policies where you’ll be staying
• Leaving a pet alone in a room is never a good idea, and usually not allowed by management. If absolutely necessary, be sure to keep them crated since maids will likely service the room
• Leave the television or radio on to keep the pet company
• Consider feeding a pet in the bathroom and avoid carpets , minimizing messes
• Travel with two gallons of extra drinking water from home. If the pet is especially sensitive, use distilled water.
• For cats, experts advise a full litter pan with extra litter, liners, and newspaper to place underneath for cats
• Old towels, carpet cleaner, disinfectant spray, and trash bags are important for accidents
• And carry a flashlight for those nighttime walks

Pet Finder Tip

According to the ASPCA, about 5 to 7 million animals enter shelters every year. But, the National Council on Pet Population Study and Policy reports, that fewer than 2 percent of cats and only 15 to 20 percent of dogs are returned to their owners. Most of these pets were found with tags, a tattoo or microchips.

Enter a newer pet-locating technology called SecuraPAL® (Pet Automated Locator) that sends a text message and email if a pet escapes its yard or home.

The device is a small, lightweight GPS locator that attaches to the pet’s collar, and comes with an interactive web platform that allows monitoring the pet’s location from a smartphone or computer.

Read More

April 18, 2011

SecuraPets Introduces a Safer, Easier Way to Find Lost Pets

Filed under: Family, Outdoors, Press Release, Print, Safety, _SecuraPets RSS, _SecuraTrac RSS — admin @ 9:00 am

New A-GPS locator attaches to collar sending text and email alerts if a pet leaves home

According to the ASPCA, about 5 to 7 million companion animals enter shelters every year. But, the National Council on Pet Population Study and Policy states that less than 2 percent of cats and only 15 to 20 percent of dogs are returned to their owners. The majority of these pets were found with tags, a tattoo or microchip, but these technologies are outdated and not always effective in helping you prevent the loss of your pet.

SecuraTrac is introducing a new pet locating technology called SecuraPAL (Pet Automated Locator) that can send you a text message and email if your pet escapes your yard. The SecuraPets solution consists of a small, lightweight GPS device that attaches to your pet’s collar and an interactive web platform that allows you to monitor your account and pet’s location from your smartphone or computer.

A key feature of SecuraPAL is its ability to report when it leaves boundaries you set called SecuraFences. If your cat or dog leaves your yard, the dog park, a boarding facility or any other location that you designate with a SecuraFence, you receive a location alert with the pet’s current location every 30 seconds.

“The Pet Automated Locator gives pet owners the peace of mind that they can always know where their furry family members are,” said SecuraTrac CEO Chris Holbert. “With the SecuraPets solution you don’t have to worry about correcting address information or your phone number on a tattoo or microchip, health concerns from the chip or that it could take days or weeks to find your pet at a shelter.”

SecuraPAL can be purchased for $157.78 and has a service fee of $6.99 per month that includes 50 location requests. Additional requests are three cents per location request. For more information visit www.SecuraPets.com.

About SecuraTrac
SecuraTrac, LLC focuses on improving the lives of families through the use of a small, light- weight GPS device and a state-of-the-art, easy-to-use website. SecuraTrac’s SecuraPAL Guardian solution for children is the recipient of The National Parenting Center Seal of Approval and their LifeTrac MobileProtector solution for seniors is currently nominated for Frost & Sullivan’s Best Practices Awards for Excellence in Mobile & Wireless Communication Technology. The company is headquartered in Hermosa Beach, CA.