By Lori HawkinsCodero Hosting ? a fast-growing Kansas-based data center operator ? is accelerating its expansion in Austin.The move comes nine months after Codero hired Austin technology veteran Emil Sayegh as its CEO.Sayegh, who is based in Austin, opened an office in the Westlake Hills area to handle product development, marketing, customer support and sales.The office now has 15 employees and will more than double its workforce over the next year, Sayegh said. The company is hiring in engineering, customer support, marketing and sales.Founded in 2009, Lenexa, Kan.-based Codero provides cloud hosting services to several thousand companies worldwide, ranging from small businesses to large financial services firms. Its customers include Expedia, Delta Airlines and the United Way.“Austin is becoming a little mecca for cloud and hosting services, and we’re here because there is a great pool of talent,” Sayegh said. “It’s also easy to get people to move to Austin, and we have recruited a number of people into town. Our head of sales moved here from Denver, and our head of network engineering came here from San Antonio.”The company, which has 60 employees nationwide, has offices in Lenexa and Phoenix and operates data centers in Chicago, Phoenix and Ashburn, Va. It is backed by New York private equity firm Catalyst Partners.Codero doesn’t disclose financial information, but Sayegh said revenue grew 20 percent this year over the previous year and the company is profitable.Sayegh, who joined Codero in February, was previously the Austin-based vice president of cloud services for Hewlett-Packard and grew the company’s Austin-based cloud division to 100 people.Before that, he was vice president and general manager at San Antonio-based Rackspace’s cloud computing division. He helped open the company’s Austin office, which now employs more than 400 people.Codero this week announced it has hired cloud computing veteran Chandler Vaughn to serve as senior vice president of product development.Vaughn, who will be based in Austin, was most recently vice president of cloud product development at SunGard, a global software and services company based in Wayne, Pa.Before joining SunGard in 2010, Vaughn held product management positions at Rackspace, where he launched both the company’s cloud servers and cloud files product lines.Vaughn will be responsible for building out development, product management and strategic partnerships for the company.Vaughn said, “Austin’s vibrant technology community and reputation for being a hub of innovation will benefit Codero significantly, helping us to continue our expansion and enabling us to better serve our global base of customers.”
Data center operator Codero Hosting opens Austin office
By Christopher Calnan
Data center operator Codero Hosting is expanding with an Austin office, nine months after enlisting a local tech executive as its CEO.President and CEO Emil Sayegh is based in the Austin office, at 101 Westlake Drive, which includes product development, marketing, customer support and sales workers, company officials said.Lenexa, Kansas-based Codero, which was founded in 2009, is operated by APH Inc. It employs 50 workers. The company operates data centers in Chicago, Virginia and Phoenix.In February, Codero enlisted Sayegh — who was previously the Austin-based vice president of cloud services for California-based Hewlett-Packard Co. (NYSE: HPQ) — to grow Codero’s Austin office to 12 employees.Before HP, he was vice president and general manager of San Antonio-basedRackspace Hosting Inc.’s (NYSE: RAX) cloud computing division.
Codero Delivers Hybrid Cloud to New Customers
By John Casaretto
Out of the ways to adopt cloud computing, stories about the success of hybrid cloud solutions are among the most compelling as they meet the requirements of real-world business environments. Codero Hosting has announced a set of customer wins that tell that exact hybrid cloud narrative well. The customers come from a variety of sectors, including IT, ecommerce, and healthcare – each with specific needs that were best met by high performance hybrid cloud computing. They include diabetes advocate Chiron Data Systems, top online radio station HD Radio Network, premier eCommerce retailer Buxnie.com, and SaaS provider FormLogix.Codero CEO Emil Sayegh adds:
“These winning customer examples illustrate why hybrid is such an enabler for the cloud.”
Making the move into hybrid cloud infrastructure is a critical business decision. The hybrid proposition poses benefits that are difficult to ignore, yet many organizations have a number of challenges that require satisfaction. With IT requirements such as security, regulations, performance needs and compatibility with existing IT infrastructure, the hybrid solution is a perfect answer to those needs. From capital expenditure savings, increased scalability, redundancy and backup – the list goes on to say the least, the added benefits are many. The question does remain however on how to select a provider. Certainly, value is one element that is consistently evaluated and it encompasses a number of business benefits and the road to get to a hybrid cloud is constantly analyzed in a benefit/risk/investment matrix. Organizations have to have assurances that go beyond and look at such things as performance, support and reliability. The goal is to get to where the best goals of the organization are met with a solid solution and that’s where Codero has stepped up to the plate, delivering on all those key values. Experienced in working with clients in these business environments, Codero proved to come out ahead for these clients.
Today, Chiron Data Systems has a number of Codero dedicated servers and cloud servers as part of their overall hybrid hosting solution. Their production environment runs on Codero dedicated servers, while their testing environment simultaneously runs on Codero cloud servers.
Each of the newly announced clients presents their own unique requirements. Take healthcare, where there is a great deal of personal health information that is tightly controlled by systems and regulations designed to protect this data. PCI compliance is another challenge, encompassing strict controls and rules around credit card transactions and the systems they run on. For ecommerce, financial transactions are part of the picture, but there are also needs with high transactional web interface that require a high-performance database back-end. For this scenario, a hybrid solution delivers a scalable front-end architecture, custom structured to suit their needs, while still able to keep their high-end performance database systems in-house. Security is something that is always present, including integration, monitoring and deployment with existing environments. These stories and more go on behind the scenes all conducted flawlessly by an organization that has the experience to collaboratively deliver the solutions with their customers, while delivering the utmost value across the spectrum. Review after review, time and time again, the most critical aspect to Codero’s success is its outstanding customer service.
Popular online retailer Buxnie.com carries more than 230,000 products and 2000-plus brands through its powerful eCommerce engine hosted by Codero. The company selected Codero because of the company’s ability to deliver complex hybrid hosting services with straight-forward packages and competitive pricing.
Codero is built around delivering a great technical service and great customer support. They leverage automation and leading-edge functionality to ensure the integrity of their services at all levels. Codero is stepping up to real-world hybrid cloud clients with the philosophy that far too often, cloud service providers let clients be on their own at the goal of delivering a fantastic price, or they may offer great service, but limited in technology capabilities. Sayegh adds:
“Our company takes the statement that we “do it all” to heart, customers don’t have to pick and choose”
Codero takes an all-above-the-line approach meaning the best in features, the best in service, all at great price, the value is pretty obvious. With continued hybrid cloud customer wins the company is positioned for great things.
Ever Wanted To Be Someone Else On Twitter? Try ShadowMe
By Lauren Dugan
We’ve all felt a twinge of of Twitter envy from time to time. This account breaks news faster than us, that account has more followers… well, if you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em!There’s a brand new app that lets come as close as possible to actually becoming someone else on Twitter, shadowing their timeline to see exactly what they see when they log in.ShadowMe is an app that enables anyone to look over the shoulder of any other account. It is currently available for iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad running iOS 6.Once installed, you can use ShadowMe to view the timeline and all of the tweets of anyone’s account, from your boss to your best friend to your favorite celebrity.The company is touting their app as the best second-screen experience for TV and live event tweeting, too. If you’re watching, say, live coverage of the 2012 Election, you can shadow a political pundit or commentator to see what they’re seeing on Twitter. Or, you can use the app to shadow a celebrity or TV host during a special airing.They’re also trying to attract those Twitter users who have signed up, but who haven’t cultivated their own follow list yet. These folks – typically observers who have yet to dive in and send a tweet – can see who others are following and develop their own list.Keith Savitz, co-founder of ShadowMe’s parent company Tendy Apps, has this to say about the app:
“On Twitter, there are a certain number of dedicated users who put in the time and effort to find interesting people to follow but as Twitter continues to grow, there are more quiet users than ever. While ShadowMe is especially useful for people who need an introduction or education on Twitter, the app also enhances the Twitter experience for even the most active users by enabling them to shadow avid Twitter users, depending on interests or events. Twitter newbies get quality content, not overwhelming quantity and all users get the engaging, informative, entertaining social TV/second screen experience.”
What do you think of ShadowMe? Will you try it? Let us know in the comments below.(Businessman taking off mask image via Shutterstock)
What Lady Gaga is seeing on Twitter, right now
By Daniel TerdimanA new iOS app called ShadowMe allows anyone to peek into the Twitter feeds of any other user. Is it an invasion of privacy?
It's always been easy on Twitter to see someone else's @-replies, simply by doing a search for say, "@LadyGaga."But what if you wanted to see more than that? What if you wanted to pretend you were the global pop superstar and fashion icon and peek into her Twitter feed to see what all the people she follows were saying?Until now, there's been no easy way to do that directly through any of Twitter's official apps -- although it's a simple thing to do in a client like TweetDeck. But with the release of ShadowMe, a new app for iOS 6, anyone can peer at any time directly into that small slice of the world that is another person's Twitter feed.Is it an invasion of privacy? Maybe, from a moral point of view. But not really, because there's never been any restriction on seeing who someone else follows, and then going and seeing what those people were tweeting. But like so many such views into other people's lives, that's a slow, cumbersome workaround, and not something that most people are likely to spend much time doing.With ShadowMe, however, you don't have to do the heavy lifting. The app does it for you. Simply type in the Twitter account you want to shadow, and the app is designed to give let you see that person's feed. What a great way to see what your boss is really interested in. Or who someone you want to date likes to follow. Or, yes, what floats Lady Gaga's boat.The app also lets you search for general categories of people, like, say, quarterbacks. So you don't even have to know going in who you want to shadow -- it'll help you figure that out.Will people really want to use this app? It seems easy to imagine a number of people trying it out as a novelty, but then getting bored with it. Then again, maybe people will find this a good way to stay apprised of potential employers' interests, or that of business prospects, or even just a way to get a little extra entertainment when their own feeds are boring them to death.
ShadowMe App Lets You Pretend to Be Someone Else on Twitter
By 
Ever wonder how your friends keep posted on the coolest viral videos and articles? Ever wonder how your favorite reporters and pundits stay in the know?Well, now — as the saying goes — there’s an app for just that.It’s called ShadowMe [App Store link], and is now available for iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad users, but only if you’ve already upgraded to iOS 6.And what does ShadowMe do, you ask? Essentially, it lets you lurk Twitter as if you’re someone else. You’re able to see exactly what another user sees in his or her Twitter feed, receiving updates and news from all their favorite follows. It works equally well for a big-name celebrity — pro athletes who seem to only follow teammates and scantily clad women, for example — or simply a close friend.“While ShadowMe is especially useful for people who need an introduction or education on Twitter, the app also enhances the Twitter experience for even the most active users by enabling them to shadow avid Twitter users, depending on interests or events,” Keith Savitz, co-founder of the app’s parent company, Tendy Apps, said in a press release. “Twitter newbies get quality content, not overwhelming quantity, and all users get the engaging, informative, entertaining social TV/second screen experience.”While we haven’t yet gotten a chance to test out ShadowMe and can’t vouch for its functionality or ease of use, the idea does strike us as a very, very cool. It has the potential to be a powerful tool for content discovery, as well as insight into how your favorite follows use Twitter.Is ShadowMe cool or creepy? Let us know what you think in the comments.
ShadowMe Lets You View Anyone’s Twitter Feed From Your iPhone
By Adrian Covert
Stop pretending like you’re not a social media stalker. That person you have a crush on. That head honcho you interviewed with. That celebrity you’re utterly obsessed with. Thanks to ShadowMe, you can now use your iPhone to see what they see on Twitter. It’s similar to what Tweetdeck already does, but, you know, shrunken down. We’ll be adding this one to our arsenal. [iTunes via Cnet]
Online marketplace firm Merchantry hires a Barnes & Noble executive
Rick Watson also worked for e-commerce services provider ChannelAdvisor.By Thad RueterE-commerce software provider Merchantry has hired the former manager of the online marketplace operated by Barnes & Noble Inc., No. 32 in the Internet Retailer Top 500 Guide.Rick Watson becomes Merchantry’s vice president of operations. The company hosts software that enables companies to build online marketplaces.
Between February 2011 and August 2012, Watson was general manager, marketplace, for Barnes & Noble. He’s also worked as an e-commerce consultant and held several positions, including director of engineering, at ChannelAdvisor Inc., which helps retailers sell on such online marketplaces as Amazon and eBay“Rick is a strong addition to Merchantry and makes this team one of the most experienced in the area of online marketplaces,” says Tommaso Trionfi, CEO of Merchantry. “He has seen the e-commerce industry from all sides and is uniquely qualified to help us lead the evolution of our industry. As more organizations turn to us to help them build online marketplaces, I will rely heavily on Rick to lead the operational aspects of our business.”
Aphex Xciter Makes Your iPhone’s Music and Spoken-Word Content Sound Better
By Adam Dachis
iOS: Aphex Xciter is just like your iPhone's standard music app, but it processes the signal to add clarity and richness to your music (and other audio content).The app just makes most of your music sound better, especially when it comes to songs with a lot going on. I tested the app on various types of music, and I found it dramatically improved anything with a high amount of complexity. With simple songs, on the other hand, it didn't make much of a difference. Basically, it'll work better on an orchestral piece than a piano solo. Either way, it makes your music sound better.The downside is that it won't play copy-protected tracks, but for the most part that shouldn't be an issue as there isn't much copy-protected music anymore. Also, although you can get a free trial, it only lets you listen for a short time per day. If you want to use the app for an unlimited amount of time, you have to pay $3. This may be a bit much for people who are satisfied with the quality of their music as-is. That said, you can give it a try for free and see what you think. Even if you do want the paid version, download the free one first. At the moment, for whatever reason, the upgrades are cheaper as in-app purchases.
Aphex Xciter (Free Trial, $3 for Unlimited Play, $5 for Pro) | iTunes App Store
Ad Network CPX Makes Its Mobile Move
By Steve Smith
CPX Interactive has formally launched its new division and network devoted to mobile properties. Dubbed “Moversa,” the network is already pushing out 300 million to 400 million impressions a day, according to CPX CEO Mike Seiman. He tells Mobile Marketing Daily that the mobile spinoff evolved naturally from the rising mobile traffic the company was already seeing to its publishers’ sites.When they started several months ago, virtually all of the ads were being served on sites that had not yet been optimized for mobile. “When we started the idea we took all of those 100 million impressions a day and started going after mobile-optimized inventory and quadrupled it. Now 70% is mobile-optimized Web and applications,” Seiman says.The network is serving over 75 clients, and more than half are from the pool of existing CPX customers. But about 40% of the new sign-ups are new and are coming specifically to Moversa. About 65% of the inventory is coming from existing CPX publishing partners, with 35% from newly acquired sources. The mobile piece already represents 5% of CPX business, the company says.The company is selling campaigns to clients both across desktop, tablet and smartphone platforms and specifically to devices. While traditional cookie-based targeting is not available on most of the devices, Seiman says the company is getting considerable granularity out of existing data. “What we are finding interesting is that we do a lot of IP targeting on display. In looking at IP and being able to use geotargeting, you can get awareness of what that user is like.”Like the Web display business, Seiman finds that mobile advertising started with their lead-generation business but migrated to more agency buys and brand campaigns. “We have a specific strength in lead-gen, but well over 40% of inventory is from brands and agencies,” he says. On the mobile side the shift has been similar but much faster. “We started with lead-gen and in three months we see 25% to 30% agency and brand dollars. That growth is faster than what happened on the Web.”Many traditional Web display players are looking to extend their reach and customer base onto mobile platforms as users themselves migrate to devices. But some endemic mobile ad networks argue that mobile requires special skills and technology. Seimen disagrees, of course. “In my opinion this is a natural extension of what display is on the desktop.”Mobile is another screen, he argues --but he acknowledges the argument against traditional ad networks extending themselves to mobile is common. “I believe that part of it is our fault for not jumping into mobile as quickly. We allowed time to create this distance and for them to say we don’t understand it.”