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AVG Unveils 2013 Range of Consumer Online Security Products

SYDNEY and AMSTERDAM – 7 September, 2012 – AVG (AU/NZ) Pty Ltd, the Australian, New Zealand and South Pacific distributor of the AVG range of Internet and mobile security products, with 128 million active users worldwide, announces the release of AVG’s consumer 2013 range of offerings. These include new versions of AVG’s popular consumer products, such as AVG AntiVirus FREE, and a revamped interface for all products incorporating touch-compatible technology and intuitive navigation to complement the latest hardware and operating systems.

Key Features of AVG 2013 products at a glance:

A brand new user interface that provides easy access to the most regularly used settings. It is touch-friendly and easy to navigate to support the latest touch-screen devices.

A smoother install experience through a new Welcome screen.

Reduced boot time and minimised delays for an improved experience.

Smarter scanning for shorter scanning time with new AVG Turbo Scan.

Enhanced and simplified firewall making it easier for users to choose how they want to personalise their settings in order to protect their privacy and identity online.

In addition to AVG’s multi-layered protection technology, AVG Internet Security 2013 comes with an integrated security firewall, AVG LinkScanner, AVG Anti-Spam, Anti-Spyware and technology to protect against WiFi hacking.

Complementing the AVG 2013 Internet Security range, AVG PC TuneUp keeps PCs running smoothly and at peak performance by cleaning the hard drive, fixing issues, preserving battery life on laptops, and eliminating freezing and crashing.

JR Smith, CEO of AVG Technologies, said, “The rapid uptake of new technologies is making the connected online world a more complex place to navigate. Our customers want to focus on enjoying using the Internet with confidence and peace of mind that they are protected, so it’s our responsibility to make security products that are simple and straightforward to use. As a result, we’ve put simplicity, privacy, performance and our leading protection technology at the heart of AVG’s 2013 range of products, because we know those are the things our customers value the most in a security product.”

The improvements in the AVG 2013 products are in addition to new features introduced earlier this year, such as the active Do Not Track feature. AVG was the first antivirus company to offer an active Do Not Track feature within its free and paid range of products which gives users visibility and control over who can see their personal information and identity when they are online, and helping them to protect it.

AVG’s 2013 offerings also complement the recently launched AVG mobile security products to provide users with protection across smartphones as well as PCs. AVG detected over 370,000 threats specifically targeting sophisticated mobile devices between April and June 2012. AVG AntiVirus for Android™ is popular in the Android Market with over 250,000 users giving it a 4 or 5 star review on Google Play.

The increasingly ubiquitous nature of connected devices and new technologies means many people are looking for security products that will give them peace of mind that they are protected online.  Grace Duffy, the blogger behind Formerly Gracie and technology writer for various parenting and news sites, comments, “Parents are often surprised by how adept their children become at using connected devices, and so they need to be continually educated about the potential impact of online behaviour throughout their children’s lives. They need to help their children create a healthy foundation for their online activities with proper boundaries, education and guidance, as well as regular monitoring, so that personal information is protected and online behaviour is safe across all platforms from desktops to mobile devices.”

AVG 2013 product range and pricing

AVG AntiVirus FREE – great protection for surfing the web, emailing and social networking without costing a cent.

AVG AntiVirus – for that additional peace of mind, AVG AntiVirus offers advanced protection for surfing the web, social networking and downloading. From A$51.50 inc GST

AVG Internet Security – this is the ultimate package for online protection, securing activities such as shopping and banking. From A$69.99 inc GST

AVG PC TuneUp – works to speed up the PC by cleaning the hard drive, and eliminates freezing and crashing. From A$51.25 inc GST

AVG’s 2013 product range is supported by the company’s dedicated team of technical and client service experts operating from the company’s Melbourne office during business hours. Also included is access to all protection updates and software upgrades for the term of the licence.  All existing users of AVG consumer products will be automatically upgraded to the latest version of their product.

The AVG 2013 range is complemented by AVG’s mobile security offerings:

AVG AntiVirus FREE for Android™ – this is essential protection for mobile devices.

AVG AntiVirus Pro for Android™ – combats viruses and malware so users can make calls, receive SMS, download music, video and apps, and surf the web confidently, knowing they’re always kept safe.

For more information or to download the products, please visit www.avg.com.au.

Media resources, including logos, screen shots etc., are available online at: http://www.avg.com.au/media/

About AVG (AU/NZ) Pty Ltd — www.avg.com.au

Based in Melbourne, AVG (AU/NZ) Pty Ltd, an Avalanche Technology Group company, distributes AVG Technologies’ software, namely the AVG Internet Security and Mobile Security product range in Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific.

AVG Technologies’ mission is to simplify, optimise and secure the Internet experience, providing peace of mind to a connected world. AVG’s powerful yet easy-to-use software and online services put users in control of their Internet experience. By choosing AVG’s software and services, users become part of a trusted global community that benefits from inherent network effects, mutual protection and support. AVG has grown its user base to 128 million active users as of June 30, 2012 and offers a product portfolio that targets the consumer and small business markets and includes Internet security, PC performance optimisation, online backup, mobile security and identity protection.

AVG (AU/NZ) Media Contacts:

Michael McKinnon          AVG (AU/NZ)         03 9581 0845                mmckinnon@avg.com.au

Shuna Boyd                      BoydPR                   02 9418 8100                      shuna@boydpr.com.au

AVG Technologies – Investor Relations

AnneMarie McCauley

AnneMarie.McCauley@avg.com

Join the AVG Technologies’ Community for information, video content and pictures: http://www.flickr.com/photos/officialavg/sets/

 
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EA’S THE SIMS 3 SUPERNATURAL LAUNCHES WORLDWIDE

Embrace the Supernatural and Live a Life of Magic, Mystery and Mischief

SYDNEY, Australia. – September 6, 2012 – Werewolves, vampires, witches, and fairies … oh my! The Maxis Label of Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: EA) today announced that The Sims™ 3 Supernatural Expansion Pack* is now available at retailers nationwide and for digital download on PC and Mac in Australia and September 7 2012 in New Zealand. In The Sims 3 Supernatural, players will experience the madness of the werewolves’ full moon, the menace of vampires, the magic of witches, and the mischief of fairies as they explore the new world of Moonlight Falls. Intoxicating magic and spellbinding surprises await players as they fully embody a supernatural life, playing as new types of Sims with mysterious powers and enchanting traits.

 
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EA SPORTS FIFA 13 SOUNDTRACK POWERED BY 50 INTERNATIONAL SUPERSTAR & BREAKTHROUGH ARTISTS

Unprecedented Gold & Platinum Roster Features deadmau5, Bloc Party,

Flo Rida with Lil’ Wayne, Matisyahu, Kasabian, and Top Indie Acts 

SYDNEY, Australia. – September 6, 2012 – Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: EA) today unveiled the complete music track listing for EA SPORTS™ FIFA 13, featuring a mix of genre-spanning music from 50 Gold/Platinum superstars and breakthrough artists representing 12 countries from around the globe. The soundtrack reflects the passion and intensity of FIFA gameplay while defining the sound of the upcoming season for football fans worldwide.

“Our FIFA soundtracks are yearly opportunities to showcase a global roster of breakthrough artists from multiple genres,” said Steve Schnur, Worldwide Executive of Music and Marketing at EA. “For FIFA 13, we wanted to take that excitement to the next level by adding major star power, top indie acts, and more songs than ever before.”

The FIFA 13 soundtrack delivers music from artists that include Flo Rida featuring Lil Wayne, Bloc Party, Kasabian, Two Door Cinema Club and Matisyahu, along with such internationally award-winning indie acts as Metric, Santigold, Passion Pit, The Chevin, Hadouken!, Wretch 32 and Band Of Horses. The soundtrack also features global breakthrough artists that include Brazil’s Zemaria; Youngblood Hawke, Imagine Dragons, Walk The Moon and Fitz & The Tantrums from the U.S.; Sweden’s Miike Snow and The Royal Concept, Britain’s Animal Kingdom, The Heavy and Bastille; Germany’s Kraftklub; UK/Spain’s Crystal Fighters; Canada’s Young Empires; Australia’s Atlas Genius and The Presets; France’s Madeon; New Zealand’s Kimbra; and Chile’s Astro.

“We’re thrilled for ‘Ghosts’ to be a part of the FIFA 13 soundtrack, and we look forward to playing the track live for FIFA fans somewhere soon,” said The Presets.

“FIFA is by far the most addictive game we play on the tour bus and when we’re at home,” said The Enemy. “It’s a great game to play with your mates and drive them crazy when you beat them, and it’s even better when your song comes on after the match.”

The FIFA 13 demo for the PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system, Xbox 360® videogame and entertainment system, and PC, will launch around the world beginning September 11.

To listen to a selection of artists from the FIFA 13 soundtrack visit this link: http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151032429119288.458320.191027189287&type=3

The complete in-game soundtrack for FIFA 13 includes: 

Band Song
Animal Kingdom Get Away With It
Ashtar Command Mark IV feat. Joshua Radin
Astro Panda
Atlas Genius If So
Band Of Horses Feud
Bastille Weight Of Living, Part 2
Bloc Party We Are Not Good People
Cali Outta My Mind
Clement Marfo & The   Frontline Us Against The World
Crystal Fighters Follow
deadmau5 feat. Gerard Way Professional Griefers
Django Django Hail Bop
Duologue Get Out While You Can
Elliphant  TeKKno Scene feat. Adam Kanyama
Featurecast Got That Fire (Oh La Ha) (feat.   Pugs Atomz)
Fitz And The Tantrums Spark
Flo Rida feat. Lil Wayne Let It Roll, Part 2
Foreign Beggars & Bare   Noise See The Light
Hadouken! Bliss Out
Imagine Dragons On Top Of The World
Jagwar Ma What Love
Kasabian Club Foot
Jonathan Boulet You’re A Animal
Kimbra Come Into My head
Kitten G#
Kraftklub Eure Madchen
Ladyhawke Black White & Blue
Madeon Finale
Matisyahu Searchin
Metric Speed The Collapse
Miike Snow Paddling Out
Passion Pit I’ll Be Alright
Reptar Sweet Sipping Soda
Reverend And The Makers Shine The Light
Rock Mafia Fly Or Die
The Royal Concept Goldrushed
Royal Teeth Wild
Santigold Big Mouth
St. Lucia September
Stepdad Jungles
The Chevin Champion
The Enemy Saturday
The Heavy Don’t Say Nothing
The Presets Ghosts
Two Door Cinema Club Sleep Alone
Walk The Moon Quesadilla
Wretch 32 Blur
Youngblood Hawke We Come Running
Young Empires Rain Of Gold
Zemaria Past 2

FIFA 13 captures the unpredictability of real-world football, with no two matches ever the same. A new feature called EA SPORTS Football Club Match Day enables FIFA 13 and the football season to be completely connected for the world’s top leagues. EA SPORTS Football Club Match Day will drive real-world news ripped from the headlines around the world into FIFA 13. Real-world drama such as injuries, suspensions, team form, and media gossip will be reflected through in-game commentary and play out in-game. The game features breakthrough gameplay innovations such as FIFA 13 First Touch Control and the Player Impact Engine that create a true battle for possession across the entire pitch, and features like Complete Dribbling and Attacking Intelligence that deliver freedom and creativity in attack. FIFA 13 is Football’s Social Network, where fans connect, compete and share with millions of others around the world. A FIFA 13 trailer, screenshots and fact sheet are available at www.ea-anz-press.com   

FIFA 13 is a part of the EA SPORTS Season Ticket program. Available for $39.95 AUD / $47.50 NZD, EA SPORTS Season Ticket offers subscribers several benefits across Madden NFL, NHL®, FIFA Soccer®, Tiger Woods PGA TOUR®, and NCAA® Football.

EA SPORTS Season Ticket* benefits include:

  • Three days early access to all participating titles, including FIFA 13
  • Access to over $100 of paid downloadable content across the five participating franchises. FIFA 13 specific content is valued at over $30 and consists of 24 FIFA Ultimate Team Gold Premium packs —one per week for 24 consecutive weeks—to help build an ultimate team of soccer superstars
  • An additional 20% off any additional paid downloadable content purchased for participating titles, including FIFA 13*

EA SPORTS Season Ticket is available on Xbox 360® and PlayStation® 3 platforms. For more information, or to subscribe, please visit www.easports.com/seasonticket. 

FIFA 13 will be available for the PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system with PlayStation Move support, Xbox 360® videogame and entertainment system with Kinect™, PlayStation®Vita handheld entertainment system, Wii™, PC, PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system, Nintendo 3DS™, and PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) system and later this year on Nintendo WiiU™. The game will also be available on the App Store for iPhone, iPad, iPod touch. FIFA 13 is rated G.

Join almost 10 million fans in the EA SPORTS football community at http://www.facebook.com/easportsfifa or follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/easportsfifa.

 
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EA SPORTS FIFA 13 SOUNDTRACK POWERED BY 50 INTERNATIONAL SUPERSTAR & BREAKTHROUGH ARTISTS

Unprecedented Gold & Platinum Roster Features deadmau5, Bloc Party,Flo Rida with Lil’ Wayne, Matisyahu, Kasabian, and Top Indie Acts

SYDNEY, Australia. – September 6, 2012 – Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: EA) today unveiled the complete music track listing for EA SPORTS™ FIFA 13, featuring a mix of genre-spanning music from 50 Gold/Platinum superstars and breakthrough artists representing 12 countries from around the globe. The soundtrack reflects the passion and intensity of FIFA gameplay while defining the sound of the upcoming season for football fans worldwide.

“Our FIFA soundtracks are yearly opportunities to showcase a global roster of breakthrough artists from multiple genres,” said Steve Schnur, Worldwide Executive of Music and Marketing at EA. “For FIFA 13, we wanted to take that excitement to the next level by adding major star power, top indie acts, and more songs than ever before.”

 
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MARVEL’S THE INCREDIBLE HULK SMASHES ONTO iOS AND ANDROID WITH LAUNCH OF ‘AVENGERS INITIATIVE’

Marvel’s first episodic series built exclusively for mobile devices will continue over time with free content and gameplay featuring more of the iconic Avengers

SYDNEY, Australia—September 6, 2012—Marvel today announced the launch of Avengers Initiative, the first episodic game featuring Marvel characters built exclusively for mobile devices. The first installment of Avengers Initiative centers on one of the most iconic and beloved characters in the Marvel Universe, the Incredible Hulk, with a story and gameplay that will continue over the coming months with free episodic content featuring more of everyone’s favorite Avengers. The game is available now on iOS for AUD$7.49, NZD$9.99 and is coming soon to Android.

Avengers Initiative represents Marvel’s biggest and most ambitious mobile gaming project to date,” said TQ Jefferson, Marvel’s Vice President of Game Production. “With this launch, Marvel brings console-quality graphics and gameplay to mobile gaming, along with an experience that will continue over time with the addition of new Avengers.”

Avengers Initiative, developed by Chicago-based Wideload Games, is a gesture-based action game which features stunning HD console-quality visuals and visceral combat designed for mobile devices that gives players blazingly responsive attack and combo controls at the swipe of a finger. The game is centered around a distinct fighting style where players can experience raw, super-powered combat, complete with legendary moves and huge hits.  Players can fully customize the Hulk, acquiring exclusive costumes, unlocking incredible super-powered abilities and upgrading the Hulk’s combat stats.  

In the first installment of Avengers Initiative, players assume the role of the Hulk in the wake of a mysterious event known as the Pulse, which has freed hordes of super-powered criminals and monsters from a top-secret S.H.I.E.L.D. holding facility.  Players must level up, gear up and smash some of the world’s most notorious villains, including Wendigo, Abomination and the Skrulls.  

The Pulse event was first featured in Marvel: Avengers Alliance on Facebook and continues in the storyline of Avengers Initiative.  Both games are interconnected, allowing players to gain points, unlock in-game items and level up via Marvel XP, a free live service that tracks progress, rewards achievements and lets gamers experience Marvel on a whole new level across multiple games.

Avengers Initiative is now available for AUD$7.49 and NZD$9.99 from the App Store on iPhone 4, iPhone 4S, iPad 2 and The New iPad, at: http://bit.ly/PS6UTO 

 
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Tron Legacy star Bruce Boxleitner returns to the grid at IMAX Melbourne Museum

To celebrate the IMAX re-release of Tron: Legacy 3D, IMAX Melbourne Museum and Armageddon Expo 2012 are proud to announce Tron star, Bruce Boxleitner will be appearing at a special event screening on Friday 12 October, 2012 at 6:30pm 

Sci-fi fans will get the opportunity to take part in an exclusive question and answer session with Boxleitner before re-living the stunning high-tech 3D blockbuster, Tron: Legacy on the world’s third biggest screen.

Boxleitner stared alongside Jeff Bridges in Tron and Tron: Legacy, playing Kevin Flynn’s (Bridges) friend and ENCOM employee, Alan Bradley and is also known for his role in Babylon 5.

In Tron: Legacy 3D, Sam Flynn the tech-savvy 27-year-old son of Kevin Flynn looks into his father’s disappearance and finds himself pulled into the digital world of Tron where his father has been living for 25 years. Along with Kevin’s loyal confidant Quorra, father and son embark on a life-and-death journey of escape across a visually-stunning cyber universe that has become far more advanced and exceedingly dangerous. 

Armageddon Expo 2012 returns to the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre on October 13 and 14 for two days of gaming, comics, collectibles, laser tag, wrestling and appearances by international celebrities from TRON, Supernatural, Stargate, Justice League and Leverage, just to name a few. 

What:                  Tron: Legacy 3D special event IMAX screening with guest star Bruce Boxleitner.

Presented by IMAX Melbourne Museum and Armageddon Expo 2012

When:                 Friday 12 October, 2012, 6.30pm

Where:                IMAX Melbourne Museum, Carlton Gardens

Discounted undercover parking available, $15 before 5pm, $5 after 5pm

Tickets:              $75 VIP admission – Meet and greet from 6pm with drink on arrival, signed Tron: Legacy poster, Q&A session followed by Tron: Legacy 3D film screening. Tickets go on sale Monday 10 September at 12pm.

$35 general admission – 6.30pm Q&A followed by Tron: Legacy 3D film screening. Tickets go on sale Tuesday 11 September at 12pm.

Enquires:                       03 9663 5454

Bookings:                      www.imaxmelbourne.com.au or at the box office 

For regular updates follow IMAX Melbourne Museum on Facebook | Twitter | Youtube | Google+

 
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PlayStation Plus update – 25% discount

September is a bumper month for PlayStation Plus subscribers and we are pleased to confirm that Rockstar’s epic open world Western adventure Red Dead Redemption has been added to the Instant Game Collection. Rightly hailed as one of the finest games of this console generation, it’s an absolutely unmissable experience and is available now.

If you’re not yet a PlayStation Plus subscriber, now’s the time to jump onboard with the service. From today, until 19th September 2012, you can grab a colossal 25% discount when you sign up for a year’s subscription, meaning you can enjoy all the perks of being on the inside track of PlayStation for only AUD$52.45.

Not only will big titles such as Red Dead Redemption be yours for no extra cost, you can also take advantage of Cloud Storage (soon to see an upgrade to 1GB), automatic updates and a range of other extras PS Plus subscribers frequently enjoy on their PS3!  Last month, it was also revealed that PS Plus will soon be available via PlayStation Vita.

In case you’ve missed it, the PlayStation Plus trailer gives a great overview of the service:   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hsA_6mahcW8&list=UUr4zkTHpUgKULrC1bvVQgbg&index=0&feature=plcp

 
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Acronis Brings Fast, Flexible and Efficient Disaster Recovery and Data Protection for Diverse Environments in New Release of Advanced Unified Platform

Latest Release of Acronis Backup & Recovery® Eases Cloud Backup Adoption, Increases Enterprise Application Support and Reduces TCO and Management Burden  

Sydney, September 6, 2012 Acronis, a leading provider of disaster recovery and data protection solutions for physical, virtual and cloud environments, today announced an advanced, flexible unified platform for data protection and disaster recovery with its latest release of Acronis Backup & Recovery®. Acronis’ innovative unified platform can grow and develop with the dynamic needs of enterprise networks, while reducing total cost of ownership (TCO) and delivering a faster, more efficient and comprehensive data protection strategy.

The advanced unified platform of Acronis Backup & Recovery® enables customers to purchase licenses for only the agents and application support they need today, with the ability to access more functionality ‘on demand’ as their environment changes. This can dramatically reduce the management burden of procuring, learning and integrating additional products as networks evolve, thereby reducing time and cost with one solution that can be managed across physical, virtual and cloud environments.

“The fast pace of change within a corporate environment is introducing new challenges for disaster recovery,” said Dave Russell, research vice president, Gartner. “Big Data, storage virtualization, cloud-based backup and a continued reliance on tape and disk means that IT organizations need to respond quickly to user demands for system and data availability. Moving systems and data securely between multiple platforms without extended disruption to employee productivity is a mandatory requirement today.”

Acronis is also addressing the increased adoption of cloud infrastructure for storage optimization by introducing disk-to-disk-to-cloud staging into its unified backup and recovery platform. Automated disk-to-disk to-cloud backup shortens the backup window for live physical and virtual machines and simplifies management of both destinations. With Acronis Backup & Recovery, IT administrators can now get the benefits of both local and cloud backup in a comprehensive, unified experience.

“We launched Acronis Backup & Recovery in June 2011 as a single solution for hybrid enterprise environments,” commented Dmitri Joukovski, vice president of product management for Acronis. “Today, the volume and velocity of corporate content creation and mobile computing adoption are introducing new data challenges for IT organizations, and, as a result, uncomplicated and flexible solutions for data protection and storage optimization across multiple environments are in demand. The integrated, yet modular approach of Acronis can give IT organizations the confidence that whatever network development they may face tomorrow, easy access and availability of their protected data, no matter where it resides, can be achieved.”

The new functionality upgrade also includes granular recovery for Microsoft® Exchange  and the option to buy support for Microsoft® Exchange Server, in addition to the support for Active Directory®, SQL Server® and SharePoint® applications relied on by enterprises worldwide, that are already included within the Acronis Backup & Recovery® unified platform.

Acronis Backup & Recovery is a unified platform from which an organization can centrally manage data protection and disaster recovery tasks for physical, virtual and cloud environments from a single management console, and move data between environments quickly and easily. This can offer a dramatic reduction in management overhead and TCO, as the platform can manage Windows® and Linux, and all major hypervisors including Red Hat® Enterprise Virtualization, VMware® vSphere™, Windows® Hyper-V™, Citrix® and Parallels®, and integrates with Acronis Cloud storage in one installation. By using same technology in all environments, Acronis is one of the few vendors who enable the recovery of machines to dissimilar hardware, and between physical and virtual environments.

More details on Acronis Backup & Recovery 11.5 are available from to following link:

About Acronis

Acronis is a leading provider of next generation data protection and disaster recovery solutions for physical, virtual and cloud environments. With Acronis’ backup, disaster recovery, deployment and migration software, users can better protect and maintain availability of critical servers and data to achieve recovery point (RPO) and recovery time objectives (RTO) while reducing total cost of ownership. With over a decade of investment in research and development, Acronis software is sold in more than 90 countries and available in up to 14 languages. For additional information, please visit www.acronis.com.au Follow Acronis on Twitter: https://twitter.com/AndyAcronis

Acronis® and Acronis Backup & Recovery® are registered trademarks of Acronis International GmbH in the United States and/or other countries.

 
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2012 Global State of Mobile Etiquette and Digital Sharing: Intel Survey

Sept. 6, 2012 — A recent Intel multi-country study on the state of mobile etiquette and digital sharing found that the majority of adults and teens around the world are sharing online and feel better connected to family and friends. However, an overwhelming majority of adults and teens think others divulge too much information about themselves online, and at least 86 per cent of survey respondents report that they wish people thought more about how others will perceive them when sharing information online.

The survey, conducted by Ipsos Observer and commissioned by Intel Corporation, examined the current state of mobile etiquette and evaluated how adults and teens in eight countries share and consume information online and how digital sharing impacts culture and relationships. The study was conducted in the United States in March and a follow-up study was conducted from June to August in Australia, Brazil, China (adults only), France, India, Indonesia and Japan.

As an innovator behind the technology powering mobile Internet-enabled devices (smartphones, tablets, laptops and Ultrabook™ systems) and mobile lifestyles, Intel is on a continued quest to understand how consumers are using their mobile devices, how they create, share and consume information online and how it impacts their lives and personal relationships. These insights help drive Intel innovation and development of new technologies that aim to enhance the overall mobile experience.

The latest edition of Intel’s annual “Mobile Etiquette” survey uncovered interesting findings on the different ways we use our mobile technology to create, share and consume content online and how those behaviours impact relationships and culture overall.

Survey highlights by country include:

Australia

  • Ninety-two per cent of adults and 84 per cent of teens      in Australia believe that people divulge too much information about      themselves online. This is the highest across surveyed countries.
  • Over half of adults in Australia (56 per cent) report      that one of their top online sharing pet peeves is people who post about      every detail of their life.
  • Eighty-five per cent of teens in Australia who share      recognise the lasting impact of sharing personal information online.
  • Over a quarter of teens in Australia (26 per cent)      report they have kept up with the lives of ex-girlfriends or ex-boyfriends      with information they find online.

Brazil

  • One-fifth of teens in Brazil (22 per cent) report that      they share online constantly throughout the day.
  • Four out of 10 adults in Brazil (43 per cent) share      sports-related information online via their mobile Internet-enabled      devices.
  • Sixty-five per cent of adults in Brazil said one of the      top reasons they share information online is to express opinions or make      statements, and over half (54 per cent) share information online to make      new friends.
  • The vast majority of adults, especially those in Brazil      (86 per cent), believe that people exhibit poor online sharing manners.
  • Adults in Brazil are more likely than others surveyed      around the world to consume music online via their mobile Internet-enabled      devices (70 per cent).
  • Eighty per cent of teens in Brazil constantly check to      see what their friends are sharing online.

China

  • Seventy-seven per cent of adults in China report to      being an “open book,” saying there is very little they would not      share online.
  • Half of adults in China (51 per cent) admit that at      times they find themselves sharing too much personal information online.
  • Eight out of 10 adults in China (82 per cent) share or      post online once a week or more, with nearly one-third (31 per cent)      reporting they share throughout the day.
  • Sixty-five per cent of adults in China report being      more comfortable sharing information online than in person, and 62 per      cent of adults in China report the top reason they share information      online is to express opinions or make statements.
  • Sixty per cent of adults in China feel like they are      missing out when they are not able to share or consume information online.
  • Adults in China (68 per cent) are more likely than      others surveyed around the world to believe mobile manners have truly      improved compared to a year ago.

France

  • Eight out of 10 teens in France share online at least      once a week, while only 47 per cent of adults in France report that they      share as frequently.
  • Four out of 10 teens in France (41 per cent) are more      comfortable sharing online than in public settings.
  • Seventy-two per cent of adults in France say they      typically choose not to associate with people whose opinions they disagree      with online.
  • Eight out of 10 adults in France believe that when it      comes to sharing online, people exhibit poor sharing manners.
  • Consistent with the other countries surveyed, 95 per      cent of adults in France wish people practiced better mobile etiquette      when using their mobile devices in public.

India

  • Eight out of 10 adults in India (81 per cent) share      information online once a week or more, with nearly half (48 per cent)      reporting that they share once a day or more.
  • Sixty-four per cent of adults in India report being      more comfortable sharing information online than in person.
  • More than 4 out of 10 adults in India (44 per cent)      have been embarrassed by or regretted something they have shared online.
  • Nearly 7 out of 10 teens in India (69 per cent) feel      like they are missing out if they are not able to share or consume      information online.
  • Four out of 10 teens in India (43 per cent) try to make      sure every moment of their life is captured online (even the ordinary      moments).
  • Over half of teens in India who share report      communicating with their family (56 per cent) and friends (67 per cent)      more online than in person.


Indonesia

  • Nine out of 10 adults (91 per cent) and nearly 8 out of      10 teens (79 per cent) in Indonesia report they always feel connected with      their family and friends because they share online.
  • Nearly half of adults in Indonesia (46 per cent) report      that they share online to say what they cannot share openly in other      settings (e.g. at work, with friends, etc.).
  • More than any other country surveyed, nearly 9 out of      10 of adults in Indonesia (87 per cent) report one of their top online      sharing pet peeves is people who use profanity.
  • Fifty-two per cent of adults in Indonesia feel like      they are missing out if they are not able to share or consume information      online.
  • Sixty-eight per cent of adults in Indonesia share      information online about an event in the moment while they are still there.
  • Almost half of teens in Indonesia (49 per cent) admit      that at times they share too much personal information online.

Japan

  • Over one-third of adults in Japan (37 per cent) report      that they always feel connected to family and friends regardless of where      they are because they are able to connect online.
  • Nearly one-third of adults in Japan (29 per cent)      report that they have shared false information online.
  • Over half of adults in Japan who share (55 per cent)      report they have a different personality online than in person.
  • Nearly four out of 10 adults in Japan share product and      service reviews (38 per cent) or recommendations (39 per cent) online via      mobile Internet-enabled devices.

United States

  • Nine out of 10 U.S. adults report that they believe      people are sharing too much information about themselves online.
  • An overwhelming majority of U.S. adults (85 per cent)      share information online, with one-quarter sharing once or more a day (26      per cent).
  • The top online sharing pet peeve for nearly six out of      10 U.S. adults (59 per cent) is people who constantly complain.
  • One out of five U.S. adults (19 per cent) admits to      sharing false information online.
  • Forty-two per cent of U.S. teens feel like they are      missing out if they are not able to share or consume information online.
  • Four out of 10 U.S. teens (42 per cent) are more      comfortable sharing information online than in public settings.

Survey Methodology
The Mobile Etiquette and Digital Sharing survey was conducted online in the United States by Ipsos Observer, on behalf of Intel, from March 1-16. Respondents were a nationally representative sample of U.S. adults ages 18 and older (n=2,008), with a margin of error of plus or minus 2.2 percentage points, and U.S. teens ages 13 to 17. A follow-up online study was conducted from June to August among a nationally representative sample of adults and teens ages 13 to 17 in seven additional countries: Australia, Brazil, China (adults only), France, India, Indonesia and Japan. The sample populations in Brazil, India, Indonesia and Japan are based on the online populations.

For additional information on Intel’s “Mobile Etiquette” survey, visit www.intel.com/newsroom/mobileetiquette.

 
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2012 Norton Study: Consumer Cybercrime Costs Australia $1.65billion

Cost per Victim Goes Down; Social and Mobile Incidents on the Rise 

Sydney, Australia – Sept. 6, 2012: Norton by Symantec (Nasdaq: SYMC) today released the findings of its annual Norton Cybercrime Report, one of the world’s largest consumer cybercrime studies. The study is aimed at understanding how cybercrime affects consumers, and how the adoption and evolution of new technologies impacts people’s security. With findings based on self-reported experiences of more than 13,000 adults across 24 countries, the 2012 edition of the Norton Cybercrime Report calculates the direct costs1 associated with global consumer cybercrime at US $110bn2 over the past twelve months. In Australia, it is estimated that more than 5.4 million people fell victim to cybercrime in the past twelve months, suffering AUD1.65bn in direct financial losses.

Every second, 18 adults become a victim of cybercrime3, resulting in more than one-and-a-half million cybercrime victims each day on a global level – with losses totaling an average of US $197 per victim across the world in direct financial costs4. In the past twelve months, an estimated 556 million5 adults across the world experienced cybercrime, more than the entire population of the European Union6. This figure represents 46% (43% in Australia) of online adults who have been victims of cybercrime in the past twelve months, on par with the findings from 2011 (45%).

Changing Face of Cybercrime

This year’s survey shows an increase in “new” forms of cybercrime compared to last year, such as those found on social networks or mobile devices7 – a sign that cybercriminals are starting to focus their efforts on these increasingly popular platforms. Globally, one in five online adults (21%) has been a victim of either social or mobile cybercrime, and 37% of Australian social network users have been victims of cybercrime, specifically:

  • 12% of Australian social network users reported someone had hacked into their profile and pretended to be them.
  • 1 in 10 Australian social network users said they’d fallen victim to a scam or fake link on social network platforms.
  • While 80% believe that cybercriminals are setting their sights on social networks, less than half (49%) actually use a security solution which protects them from social network threats and only 55% use the privacy settings to control what information they share, and with whom.
  • More than 1 in 5 (22%) Australian mobile users received a text message from someone they didn’t know requesting that they click on an embedded link or dial an unknown number to retrieve a “voicemail”.

“Cybercriminals are changing their tactics to target fast growing mobile platforms and social networks where consumers are less aware of security risks,” says Marian Merritt, Norton Internet Safety Advocate. “This mirrors what we saw in this year’s Symantec Internet Security Threat Report8 which reported nearly twice the mobile vulnerabilities in 2011from the year before.”

The 2012 Norton Cybercrime Report also reveals that globally, most Internet users take the basic steps to protect themselves and their personal information – such as deleting suspicious emails and being careful with their personal details online. However, other core precautions are being ignored: 40% don’t use complex passwords or change their passwords frequently and more than a third do not check for the padlock symbol in the browser before entering sensitive personal information, such as banking details, online.

In addition, this year’s report also indicates that globally, many online adults are unaware as to how some of the most common forms of cybercrime have evolved over the years and thus have a difficult time recognising how malware, such as viruses, act on their computer. In fact, 40% of adults do not know that malware can operate in a discreet fashion, making it hard to know if a computer has been compromised, and more than half (55%) are not certain that their computer is currently clean and free of viruses.

“Malware and viruses used to wreak obvious havoc on your computer,” Merritt continues. “You’d get a blue screen, or your computer would crash, alerting you to an infection. But cybercriminals’ methods have evolved; they want to avoid detection as long as possible. This year’s results show that nearly half of Internet users believe that unless their computer crashes or malfunctions, they’re not 100% sure they’ve fallen victim to such an attack.” 

Strong Email Passwords Still Key

More than a quarter (27%) of online adults report having been notified to change their password for a compromised email account. With people sending, receiving, and storing everything from personal photos (50%) to work-related correspondence and documents (42%) to bank statements (22%) and passwords for other online accounts (17%), those email accounts can be a potential gateway for criminals looking for personal and corporate information. 

“Personal email accounts often contain the keys to your online kingdom. Not only can criminals gain access to everything in your inbox, they can also reset your passwords for any other online site you may use by clicking the ‘forgot your password’ link, intercepting those emails and effectively locking you out of your own accounts,” says Adam Palmer, Norton Lead Cybersecurity Advisor.  “Protect your email accordingly by using complex passwords and changing them regularly.” 

For more findings from the Norton Cybercrime Report globally and by country, please visit: http://www.norton.com/2012cybercrimereport