And you'll be able to download directly to the phone a whole universe of third-party programs, from productivity software to games.

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Apple programs bundled with OS X, such as Mail, Calendar, FaceTime and the App Store, use Notifications right now, but the feature -- like several other Mountain Lion additions -- will really come into its own as third-party programs start to support it.

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Finally, Microsoft will provide technical information to developers of third-party search programs to help them make their offerings run more smoothly.

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In other filed comments, the Spark Institute, which represents companies that service 62 million plan participants, warns that the department's questions are so far reaching that they could have a negative spillover effect on existing third-party advice programs.

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Ultimately if the handset proves popular, it says it hopes third-party developers will customise their programs for the innovation.

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The margins for pharmacy benefit managers, third-party administrators of prescription drug programs, have grown so high that they pose an attractive entry point for health care companies to go into the market.

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PBMs are third-party administrators of prescription drug programs.

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It became a juggernaut because it offered third-party developers more money, which in turn resulted in more programs, which in turn brought in more users.

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The fact is that even after multiple third-party data breaches, many brands have still not moved to take control of email programs by bringing them in-house.

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