Macromedia Breeze Expands Its Global Reach; New Localized Languages and Worldwide Hosting Facilities Make Breeze Globally Accessible

"Corporate buyers are focusing on global web conferencing solutions that are flexible and user-focused to support critical interactions between colleagues, partners, and customers," said Robert Mahowald, research manager, IDC. "The newest web conferencing products provide close links to other productivity applications, allowing users to launch, conduct, and re-use conferencing sessions without the help of an administrator."

Siemens Medical Solutions, a group of Siemens AG with headquarters in Erlangen, Germany and in Pennsylvania, is one of the world's largest suppliers to the healthcare industry. The company is known for bringing together innovative medical technologies, healthcare information systems, management consulting, and support services to help customers achieve tangible, sustainable, clinical, and financial outcomes. The Siemens Medical Solutions, Computed Tomography division, headquartered in Forchheim, Germany, uses Breeze to reduce expensive in-person meetings between employees in Germany and the Joint Venture SSME that produces and develops computer tomography equipment in Shanghai, China.

"The investment in Breeze and all associated investments were very easy to scope. In addition to the software license and server, only web cams and microphones are required for the individual workstations," says Bjarne Erik Roscher, Division Information Officer (DIO), Siemens Medical Solutions, CTI. "Breeze saves us money for in-person training, reduces problem resolution times between the teams, and has made us more efficient working together."

Cable & Wireless is one of the world's leading international communications companies providing voice, data and IP services to business and residential customers in more than 80 countries around the globe. The company uses Breeze as part of its multilingual learning infrastructure across the UK, Europe, and the United States. After only developing four courses, Cable & Wireless repaid its initial investment in Breeze. The company estimates that Breeze saves them anywhere from six weeks to four months in bringing a course online.

"Breeze provides a valuable addition to complement our e-learning solutions," said William Ward, e-learning manager, Cable & Wireless. "It enables the speedy, cost-effective development of basic e-learning, and its successful integration with the learning management system further leverages the investment in both technologies. The multi-lingual support in Breeze will make the solution even more useful to our global employees."

The Ecole des Mines de Douai (EMD) is one of seven schools that develop common actions such as pedagogic methods and exchanges (students and teachers), international actions, training (Master of Science), and strategic guidelines.

"The goal of the NTE cell at Ecole des Mines de Douai is to increase awareness, train and support the teachers in the field of educational new technologies," said Mathieu Vermeulen, ingenieur pedagogue multimedia, Ecole des Mines de Douai. "With this in mind, we chose to deploy Breeze on our servers. Choosing Breeze was done according to three main criteria: the portability of the content on every type of browser, the ease of use for the teachers, and especially the integration of Flash animation, video, multiple-choice questionnaires and audio comments within the presentations. The server aspect of the software, which helps us avoid the installation of large components on the authoring computers, was also a decisive factor."

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