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VIDEO GAMES FUEL YOUNG ATHLETES: NIMBL SURVEY SHOWS PARENTS SPENDING OVER £500 ON GAMING GEAR

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LONDON, July 26, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — With Paris 2024 Olympics just one day away, video games are increasingly recognized for their role in nurturing young sporting talent. A new survey by nimbl, the leading pocket money card and app for 6 to 18-year-olds, highlights how video games are helping to shape children’s sports skills and enthusiasm for real-life sports.

 

 

Bridging the Gap Between Virtual and Physical Sports

Sports video games like FIFA, NBA 2K, and Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater are increasingly recognised for their educational value. Renowned sports professionals such as Jadon Sancho (Football), Ben Simmons (Basketball), and Erica Bougard (Athletics) play video games to study skills, game strategies, and fine-tune motor skills.

A nimbl survey of 410 parents across the UK found that sports video games have helped 41% of children understand sports rules and strategies, 37% have seen improvements in cognitive skills such as problem-solving and teamwork, and 42% in fine motor skills like reaction times, hand-eye coordination, and anticipation.

Sandy from Epsom, whose 12-year-old daughter Lilly plays football for her school and local clubs, said, “Gaming has given her a better understanding of the rules, strategy, and skills she can develop. It’s been great socially, as she can play with family and friends, learning about teamwork and cooperation.”

Inspiring Participation and Passion

Beyond entertainment and skill development, video games inspire curiosity and passion for sports in children. The immersive nature of the games allows them to explore new sports, discover new skills and take risks in a ‘safe space.’

The nimbl survey showed action and adventure as the most popular genre (35%), followed by sports (23%) and online platforms such as Roblox and Minecraft (11%).

Of those surveyed, 35% of children were inspired to try sports after playing video games, from football (27%), basketball (5%), and tennis (3%) to skateboarding (3%), gymnastics (3%), and motorsports (3%).

Jo from Watford said, “My son Issac (11) enjoys bowling and playing tennis online and offline. Gaming has inspired him to try new sports like golf. After playing a Nintendo golf game, he wanted to go to the driving range and loved it!”

Finding Balance and Getting Fit

The survey found that 69% of children game over 4 hours a week, with 28% playing over 10 hours a week. Finding the right balance is key.

While most parents feel there is no substitute for spending more time playing sports or getting exercise, 25% said motion-based video games have improved or maintained their child’s physical fitness, especially for those with disabilities, not participating in out-of-school activities, or during bad weather.

Summer Boredom Buster Promotion

The Met Office estimated up to 50 wet days this summer, nearly two days out of every three (TimeOut). To keep young minds active, nimbl has launched a Summer Boredom Buster promotion. From July to September, nimbl is giving away an Xbox Series S or a Nintendo Switch OLED Model in weekly and daily prize draws.

Alana Parsons, nimbl Chief Executive, explains, “Our survey found 42% of parents spent over £500 on gaming equipment, with 8% spending over £1000. With many families feeling the pinch and putting off holidays, our Summer Boredom Buster promotion aims to bring some fun on rainy days!

“Recognising the educational and inspirational value of video games, we can foster well-rounded athletes and inspire lifelong passion for sports.”

Notes to Editor 

Full release here.

About nimbl

nimbl is an award-winning pocket money card and app, designed with parents, carers, and young people in mind. https://www.nimbl.com/

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VITG Unveils Modern Managed Services and Managed Detection & Response as Part of a Broader AI and Cybersecurity Transformation across ANZ

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SYDNEY, Sept. 7, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — As organisations across Australia and New Zealand navigate the accelerating impact of artificial intelligence, increasingly sophisticated cyber threats, and growing governance requirements, Virtual IT Group   (VITG) has announced the launch of Modern Managed Services  (MMS)  and Managed Detection & Response  (MDR) , that are next-generation managed services and managed security offerings designed to help organisations remain secure, resilient and ready for what’s next.

Modern Managed Services delivers a Modern Defensible Architecture framework for managed IT operations, ensuring security controls, governance frameworks and operational best practices are embedded and continuously maintained. Complementing this, Managed Detection & Response provides organisations with 24×7 Security Operations Centre (SOC) capability, actively monitoring, investigating and responding to threats using advanced security analytics and response technologies.

Jeremy Nees , Chief Product Officer, VITG , said:

“Too often, organisations purchase managed services only to discover they do not have the standard level of security they need. As businesses adopt AI, the old-world IT solutions that Managed Service Providers (MSP) are selling are simply not going to cut it. We’ve baked common security requirements into the MMS service from day one, applying the key principles of Modern Defensible Architecture: Secure-by-Design, Defense in Depth, and Zero Trust.

MDR and ZDR   can be layered on top or are available independently if you have your own IT service or team. The push to adopt AI is leaving security gaps across the ANZ mid-market. Our goal is to provide customers with technology that is secure, resilient, and ready for what’s next.”

The launch marks VITG’s second major solution release of the year, following the introduction of its Zero Trust Consulting Practice  and Zero Trust Detection & Response  (ZDR)  offering earlier in 2026. It is also the Group’s first launch since acquiring cybersecurity outfit Security Centric , building on the addition of Auckland based The Instillery  in 2025 and further strengthening VITG’s capabilities across managed services, cloud, cybersecurity, data and AI. VITG is also advancing a dedicated Data & AI Practice and Momentum, a continuous improvement framework currently being piloted with customers ahead of a market launch later this year.

Since joining VITG  at the start of the year, Maurice McCarthy , Chief Executive Officer , is committed to moving at pace to meet the demand that has been created off the back of the market’s rapid adoption of AI.   

McCarthy said, “The traditional managed services model was built for a different era. Today’s organisations need partners that can help them unlock the value of data and AI while strengthening cybersecurity, managing risk, and continuously evolving their technology environment.

Through the acquisition of Security Centric and The Instillery we have brought together market-leading expertise across managed services, data and AI, and cybersecurity. This launch is the first of several innovations we will introduce as we help organisations accelerate transformation and realise greater value from AI.”

Sash Vasilevski , Chief Security Officer, VITG , said:

“The technology businesses are using to unlock the value of AI, integrate systems, and build strong data foundations, is rapidly introducing new risks and attack surfaces.

As business leaders accelerate their adoption of AI, the gap between the threats they face and the security capabilities they have in place is growing faster than many businesses realise.”

Modern Managed Services and Managed Detection & Response are available immediately.

For more information, visit:

Modern Managed Services (MMS)

Managed Detection & Response (MDR)

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SOURCE Virtual IT Group

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DUVA Introduces DUVA ONE at IFA 2026: Personalized Sleep Earbuds That Respond in Real Time

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The Sleep System That Understands You Best.

BERLIN, Sept. 6, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — DUVA, created by Fitnexa, is introducing DUVA ONE at IFA Berlin 2026. This intelligent in-ear sleep system is designed to sense changes in the user and the bedroom, then personalize audio, noise control, and device behavior throughout the night.

Most sleep wearables explain what happened after users wake up. DUVA ONE is designed to help while the night is still happening. Its low-profile earbuds, environment-sensing charging case, and app work together to determine when and how to respond.

A user might start the night with a podcast over Bluetooth. After they fall asleep, DUVA ONE can introduce locally stored sleep audio and optimize power use. If a partner begins snoring or traffic grows louder, it can adjust ANC or add sound masking. In the morning, a private offline alarm wakes only the wearer, without requiring an active phone connection.

In-ear PPG and motion sensors estimate sleep stages and track heart rate, HRV, sleep position, and movement, while the case monitors noise, light, temperature, and humidity. The AI Agent interprets these signals alongside playback status and personal preferences to select an appropriate response. Users control sleep audio, playback duration, ANC strategy, and nighttime interventions in the DUVA App.

“Sleep does not happen in a static environment, so sleep technology should not remain static either,” said Diego, Founder of Fitnexa. “DUVA ONE is designed to respond while sleep is still happening.”

Key Highlights

Layered noise relief: Passive isolation, Hybrid ANC, and sleep audio provide noise reduction of up to 42 dB, with Transparency Mode and adaptive ANC calibration.Personalized AI sleep guidance: The AI analyzes the user’s real-time sleep state and generates personalized audio guidance to help them gradually fall asleep.Side-sleeping comfort: Each fitted earbud weighs approximately 3.3 grams and has an approximately 9.9 mm low-profile design. Two ear-tip shapes and multiple tip and stabilizing-wing sizes provide more than 40 fit configurations.All-night battery: Up to 16 hours in the most power-efficient configuration, including 13 hours of local audio with ANC off and 9.5 hours with ANC on. The USB-C and wireless charging case provides up to five additional recharges.Private offline alarm: Alarms gradually increase in volume and offer 5, 10, or 15-minute snooze options through the earbud controls.Privacy-first sensing: DUVA ONE does not record conversations, store ambient audio, or upload raw environmental audio. Users can disable individual sensors and delete historical data.

DUVA ONE is planned for release in October 2026 at a target retail price of US$349.99, with target markets including the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, the European Union, and Australia.

Media Contact: essie@duva.com
Learn more: duva.com

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SOURCE DUVA

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China Xplained | The China Squeeze, or the China Opportunity?

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GUANGZHOU, China, Sept. 6, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — This is a news report from South: 

Is China’s manufacturing rise squeezing out or creating opportunities for other economies?

Ahead of the 2026 APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting in China this November, journalists and experts from around the world gathered in Guangdong for the Asia-Pacific Media Forum (APMF) 2026.

The forum opened in Shenzhen on September 5, bringing together more than 400 representatives from across the Asia-Pacific region, as well as from international organizations.

Before the opening of the forum, participants travelled across Guangdong to see China’s industries and development first-hand.

In this episode of China Xplained, we look at the numbers, supply chains, investment and voices from across the developing world—to ask a bigger question: Is China squeezing out room for other economies?

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/china-xplained–the-china-squeeze-or-the-china-opportunity-302870814.html

SOURCE South

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