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ASUS in the pink name of research with the new PINK Eee PC S101H

Sydney, Australia, February 25, 2009 – ASUS, pioneers of high fashion technology, today announced the launch of its new Pink Eee PC S101H. ASUS is partnering with the National Breast Cancer Foundation (NBCF) to support the Pink Ribbon cause by donating a portion of each Pink Eee PC S101H sold.

The next generation supermodel of netbooks just got sexier! The conspinkous Pink Eee PC S101H is svelte, stunning and strikes a pose in a chic combo of pink ice and Swarovski crystal-adorned hinges with a remarkably shockproof figure. With its ample 170GB hybrid storage, as well as an abundance of features and flair, the Pink Eee PC S101H is a stylish companion for the fabulous fashionista.

Sue Murray, CEO of the NBCF, encouraged the public to go pink with their next PC purchase. “We are thrilled that ASUS is continuing its support of the National Breast Cancer Foundation. Funds raised through sales of the Pink Eee PC S101H will go towards the prevention, detection and treatment of this disease, which currently claims the lives of more than 2,800 Australians each year.”

Ted Chen, Managing Director of ASUS Australia and New Zealand, said, “ASUS is happy to be supporting the NBCF and its commitment to finding a cure for breast cancer. We are proud to partner with the NBCF once again and have the utmost respect for the organisation – ASUS will do what it can to assist this worthy cause.”

Incorporating incredible portability with its featherlike weight and slim frame, the Pink Eee PC S101H is modelled on the glossy girly magazine. Equipped with features such as the ASUS exclusive Super Hybrid Engine (SHE), Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n and Bluetooth V2.0, plus Microsoft Windows XP Home including Windows Live™ Messenger and Windows Live Mail, the Pink Eee PC S101H also reflects green capabilities by consuming less energy, preserving battery life and allowing effortless connectivity for communication and computing.

Furthermore, an intuitive interface and fast boot up time means the Pink Eee PC S101H is easy to use, even for first time users – at the click of a button, access the internet and go browsing or buying! Building upon the ground-breaking form factor, ergonomics and features of its Eee PC predecessors, the Pink Eee PC S101H is a definitive digital accessory for those seeking stature. Turn heads and catch eyes parading in pink with the Pink Eee PC S101H.

The Pink Eee PC S101H from ASUS is available in Australia through selected Myer stores. RRP: AU$1,099 inc GST.

About ASUS
ASUS is a leading company in the new digital era. With a global staff of more than ten thousand and a world-class R&D design team, the company’s revenue for 2008 was 8.1 billion US dollars. ASUS ranks among the top 10 IT companies in BusinessWeek’s “InfoTech 100”, and has been on the listing for 11 consecutive years. ASUS was also selected by the Wall Street Journal Asia as No.1 in quality and service. For more information, visit www.asus.com.au.

About the National Breast Cancer Foundation
The NBCF is the only community-funded national organisation in Australia raising money for research into the prevention, detection and treatment of breast cancer. Since the NBCF was established in 1994, over $55 million has been awarded to Australian-based researchers across every state and territory, to improve the health and wellbeing of those affected by breast cancer.

 
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Beneath The Ashes Available Now On Xbox LIVE Marketplace® For 800 Microsoft Points®

Tomb Raider: Underworld™ – Beneath the Ashes is available to download exclusively on Xbox LIVE Marketplace® now! 

Beneath the Ashes is the first of two brand new downloadable levels in the continuing Tomb Raider™ adventures of Lara Croft™ and is priced at 800 Microsoft points®.

Offering a new adventure specifically designed to extend the Tomb Raider: Underworld™ experience, Tomb Raider: Underworld™ – Beneath the Ashes sends Lara back to the remains of Croft Manor where she uncovers a massive series of never-before-seen caverns and age old crypts used by her father to protect and hide a deadly source of power. In addition to an entirely new area to explore, the pack will also contain six new costumes and deliver an additional 125 achievement points.

The second pack, Lara’s Shadow will follow in March. Both packs will be available exclusively on Xbox LIVE® Marketplace for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft®.

 
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A world of entertainment in your hands: PSP™ (PlayStation®Portable) promises huge lineup for 2009 LittleBigPlanet™, MotorStorm®, and Buzz!™ all confirmed

SYDNEY, 25 February 2009 – Sony Computer Entertainment Australia (SCE Aust.)
today announced a huge and colourful year for its PSP™ (PlayStation®Portable)
handheld entertainment system with the arrival of some big-name titles in 2009 for
Australia. LittleBigPlanet™ and MotorStorm®, previously only available on
PLAYSTATION®3, will be coming to PSP this year, joining the ranks of popular
PlayStation® franchises such as the ever entertaining Buzz!™

Those who like to give their mind a workout and their creativity an outlet will find
themselves enchanted by the unique world of LittleBigPlanet which allows players to
create their own levels and share them with the community. Petrol-heads with a taste
for danger can experience the wild world of MotorStorm: Arctic Edge. The brutal offroad
racing game goes off-piste, with an Arctic adventure in its most extreme location
yet! And quiz maestro Buzz is back on PSP, searching for the smartest people in the
country, in Buzz! Brain of Oz. These are just the start of a stellar line-up of games
coming to PSP this year, positioning 2009 as the biggest year for PSP to date.

“There are a lot of big claims in the gaming industry but we’re confident when we say
that 2009 is going to be an exciting year for PSP,” said Raoul Bedford, Marketing
Director, SCE Aust. “Our fans have demanded big PSP titles and this year, we’re
going to deliver again and again. With Buzz! Brain of Oz and Resistance:
Retribution™, soon to be on their way to stores, PSP gamers can expect one big
franchise after another.”

PSP is a world of fun in your hands or pocket: the ultimate handheld companion for
anyone who loves entertainment on the go. It offers gaming, film, music, chat with
Skype, photography, downloadable games and content via PlayStation®Store, while
PSP-3000, which became available in 2008, features an enhanced screen and a
built-in microphone. This year, PSP will also become available in a range of new
colours. With all of this and more, you’re sure to want to pick up a PSP soon – that’s
if you haven’t already.

 
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Xbox paints the console red for the launch of Resident Evil 5

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA — February 25, 2009 – Microsoft today unveiled an Xbox 360® Resident Evil Limited Edition console bundle* to celebrate the landmark “Resident Evil” franchise coming to Xbox 360. Xbox 360 fans will be able to pick up the bundle, which features an exclusive red Xbox 360 on March 13.   

For the recommended retail price of $569**, fans can enjoy the same premium Xbox 360 Elite experience for an even greater value with a copy of “Resident Evil 5,” matching Limited Edition red Wireless Controller, Xbox 360 Headset, a 120 GB Hard Drive, exclusive premium “Resident Evil 5” theme (download via Xbox LIVE), and more.  Supplies are very limited, so “Resident Evil” fans will want to pre-order to avoid disappointment.  

The new two-player cooperative experience*** in “Resident Evil 5” is a perfect fit for Xbox LIVE.* With 17 million members and growing, Xbox LIVE connects “Resident Evil” fans and their new red Xbox 360 consoles to their friends on the couch or across the globe. To further provide a taste of the full entertainment experience available on Xbox LIVE, fans will also receive a bonus card to download the hit Xbox LIVE Arcade title from Capcom, “Super Street Fighter® ll Turbo HD Remix.” 

*Red Xbox console available exclusively to EB Games & can be pre-ordered from today. For more information on the offer visit www.ebgames.com.au       

** The price you pay will be determined by the retailer. While stocks last, limited time only.

***Xbox LIVE Gold Membership required

 
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Innovative Iomega Network Storage Appliances Now VMware Ready Certified;

New Cost-Saving Virtualisation Opportunities for Small Businesses

***

Certification of StorCenter ix2 and StorCenter Pro ix4-100 Provides New Class of Storage for Branch Offices, Small Businesses and R&D Deployments

To Utilise the VMware Platform

 

SYDNEY, Aust., February 25, 2009 – Iomega, an EMC company and a global leader in data protection, today announced that the Iomega® StorCenter™ ix2 and Iomega® StorCenter™ Pro ix4-100 desktop network attached storage (NAS) products have achieved VMware Ready® Certified status.  These easy-to-use, inexpensive NAS appliances represent a value standard for implementing virtualisation using VMware in small businesses, remote offices and similarly sized work groups.

 

Starting at under $600, small business customers and others can use Iomega NAS products with VMware to reduce costs and business risk.  For example, a small business running Microsoft Exchange on one server and Microsoft Dynamics GP ERP on another server can use VMware to run both those applications on a single server and an Iomega ix2 or ix4-100 NAS.  Reducing the number of servers reduces costs – server capital costs, server power consumption, and server management time.

 

“Iomega is proud to have our NAS products be among the first storage products of this class to be VMware Ready Certified to enable small business entities and other work groups to enjoy the efficiencies of a VMware platform,” said Jonathan Huberman, President of Iomega and the Consumer and Small Business Products Division of EMC.  “The StorCenter ix2 and ix4 can now be the low cost platforms for VMware environments at businesses that might never have been able to take advantage of virtualisation to save money and increase computing efficiencies.  Now small businesses, remote offices and other work groups can unleash the power of virtualisation to fuel the success of their businesses.”

 

“Now that the Iomega StorCenter ix2 and ix4 are VMware Ready® Certified, a new set of customers can take advantage of the simplicity, manageability and reliability that VMware Infrastructure delivers,” said Parag Patel, vice president, alliances, VMware.  “There are many businesses worldwide with fewer than 100 employees who want the full range of operational benefits and cost savings that the VMware platform offers, including the use of shared storage.  Iomega’s solutions put shared storage within reach of these businesses.”

 

 

Typical Use Cases

VMware Ready Certified Iomega StorCenter network storage is ideal for users who are considering virtualisation for the first time and require shared storage to take full advantage of the power of the VMware platform.  Typically, small businesses and other similarly sized work groups within larger organisations require cost-effective equipment for test and development, proofs of concept, and low risk initial deployments.  These smaller user groups must adhere to the same regulatory and legal requirements as large enterprises – often without the same financial resources to invest in their data management solutions.  The StorCenter ix2 and StorCenter Pro ix4-100 deliver dependable shared storage at prices that enable new users to get started with VMware virtualisation.

 

Additionally, the Iomega and VMware infrastructure combination delivers value to larger organisations looking to deploy virtualisation in branch office environments.  The ease of use and low-cost of Iomega storage unlocks the power of VMware virtualisation for businesses such as retail outlets with modest IT needs and no IT staff.

 

 

For detailed information on the StorCenter ix2 and the StorCenter Pro ix4-100, please go to www.iomega.com.au

 

About EMC

EMC Corporation is the world’s leading developer and provider of information infrastructure technology and solutions that enable organisations of all sizes to transform the way they compete and create value from their information. Information about EMC’s products and services can be found at www.EMC.com.au 

 

About Iomega
Iomega Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of EMC Corporation headquartered in San Diego, is a worldwide leader in innovative storage and network security solutions for small businesses, home offices, consumers and others. The Company has sold more than 400 million digital storage drives and disks since its inception in 1980. Today, Iomega’s product portfolio includes industry leading network attached storage products, external hard drives, multimedia drives, and our award-winning removable storage technology, the REV® Backup Drive. To learn about all of Iomega’s digital storage products and managed services solutions, please go to the Web at www.iomega.com.au  Resellers can visit Iomega at http://www.ioclub.net/

 

NOTE: This release contains “forward-looking statements” as defined under the Federal Securities Laws.  Actual results could differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements as a result of certain risk factors, including but not limited to: (i) adverse changes in general economic or market conditions; (ii) delays or reductions in information technology spending; (iii) our ability to protect our proprietary technology; (iv) risks associated with managing the growth of our business, including risks associated with acquisitions and investments and the challenges and costs of integration, restructuring and achieving anticipated synergies; (v) fluctuations in VMware, Inc.’s operating results and risks associated with trading of VMware stock; (vi) competitive factors, including but not limited to pricing pressures and new product introductions; (vii) the relative and varying rates of product price and component cost declines and the volume and mixture of product and services revenues; (viii) component and product quality and availability; (ix) the transition to new products, the uncertainty of customer acceptance of new product offerings and rapid technological and market change; (x) insufficient, excess or obsolete inventory; (xi) war or acts of terrorism; (xii) the ability to attract and retain highly qualified employees; (xiii) fluctuating currency exchange rates; and (xiv) other one-time events and other important factors disclosed previously and from time to time in EMC’s filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.  EMC disclaims any obligation to update any such forward-looking statements after the date of this release.

 

 

# # #

 

 

 

Copyright© 2009 Iomega Corporation. All rights reserved. Iomega, REV, and StorCenter are trademarks or registered trademarks of Iomega Corporation in the United States and/or other countries.  EMC, LifeLine, Mozy, RSA and Retrospect are trademarks or registered trademarks of EMC Corporation or its subsidiaries.  VMware is a registered trademark of VMware, Inc.  All other trademarks are the property of their respective holders.

 
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Manaccom staff awarded after another successful year

Australia’s favourite software publishing company, Manaccom Pty Ltd, celebrated its 2008 achievements in style by hosting a gala awards dinner at the prestigious Brisbane Club in honour of staff, acknowledging their pivotal role in the company’s growing success.
Manaccom Pty Ltd’s CEO, Ian Mackay presented the awards and congratulated the Manaccom team, saying they had built upon their earlier hard work to help the company continue to register record sales and profits.

 

“From humble beginnings over 20 years ago, Brisbane-based Manaccom has gone from strength to strength, but none of this success would have been possible without the unwavering efforts of our 50 dedicated staff, including a national sales team,” Mr Mackay said.

 

Mr Mackay said the Gala Awards dinner provides the company with an important opportunity to recognise the ongoing contribution made by staff.

 

“Our success largely depends on the efforts of our employees, and by holding a special event such as the Awards Dinner, it allows us to publicly acknowledge outstanding staff achievements, as well as thank our channel partners and sponsors for their support during the year,” Mr Mackay said.

 

“Our people at Manaccom are our greatest asset – their hard work and professionalism is second to none, and they give us the competitive edge to succeed in the long-term future”.

 

Awards for 2008

 

Manaccom Awards

Team of the Year 2008: Logistics team

People’s Choice Award 2008: Lauren Duff-Richardson (Head-Office Sales)

Sales Achiever Award 2008: Troy Thomas (Sales Representative NSW South)

Special Recognition Award 2008: David Limmage (IT Support)

Special Recognition Award 2008: Laura Faulkner (Head-Office Sales)

Foghorn Award 2008: Sammi Wu (Accounts Assistant)

Rookie of the Year 2008: Nigel Heap (Web Developer – Sellerbyte)

 
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Jason Byrne: The Byrne Identity

‘Awesome, amazing, brilliant, hilarious and the outright king of live comedy’ – The Times
One of the most exciting Irish comedy performers, Jason Byrne releases his brand new
DVD The Byrne Identity on March 4th. Recorded at Dublin’s Vicar Street Theatre, the DVD
features Jason’s recent sell out Edinburgh Festival show plus new DVD footage.

Jason’s inspired, original brand of high-energy lunacy ensures that there is no other
comedian presently like him. The Byrne Identity sees Jason at his finest, with his fast,
freewheeling style, fused with an array of offbeat props, making The Byrne Identity a
helter-skelter show not to be missed.

This year Jason became the top selling comic ever in the history of the Edinburgh Fringe
Festival. His sell out shows have attracted Best Headliner Chortle Award in 2007, a
nomination for 1998 Perrier Newcomer Award, and then a much revered Perrier Award
Nomination for his outstanding 2001 show. He was also winner for the 2004 Forth One
Fringe Award and continues to play to packed houses through Ireland & the UK.
Catch Jason live in April at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival.

Visit
www.comedyfestival.com.au for details.

 
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NAMCO ANNOUNCES ‘DEAD TO RIGHTS®: RETRIBUTION’

– Gritty Crime-Action Series is Reinvented on Xbox 360® and PLAYSTATION®3 with New Combat System that Seamlessly Blends Shooting and Hand-to-Hand Brawling –

– 25 February 2009 –  NAMCO today announced the forthcoming launch of Dead to Rights® : Retribution, a ground-up reinvention of the multi-million unit selling crime action series for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system, developed by Volatile Games. Thrusting players into a mature neo-noir crime drama as a vice-cop Jack Slate and his canine companion Shadow, the game introduces new gameplay elements that unify the third person shooting and brawling genres for a brutal and relentless new action-driven experience. 

Returning to Grant City, a boom town gone bust that is falling to the worst excesses of crime, greed and corruption, Dead to Rights: Retribution follows vice-cop Jack Slate as he fights to expose shadowy figures that will stop at nothing to exert their deadly influence over the crumbling metropolis. Dead to Rights: Retribution will form an original story portraying key events that shape and define Jack Slate’s character including how he and Shadow first come together as partners against those who would bring the once great city to its knees.

Introducing an innovative new hybrid combat system, Dead to Rights: Retribution puts the full combat potential of a highly trained, highly agitated law-enforcement officer into players’ hands. Use your sidearm to pick off enemies from a distance, take cover and blind-fire with the game’s new ranged combat mechanics, or push the issue by taking human shields, stealing weapons with special disarm moves or dishing out Jack’s own brutal brand of justice with deadly takedown moves. Jack is equally lethal in close-quarters combat, offering players branching melee combos, counterattacks and disarms as they take the fight to the criminal element of Grant City. Jack will encounter a variety of ruthless gangs in the filthy slums and menacing alleys of Grant City, each with their own unique abilities and fighting style that will test his resolve to crush their murderous stranglehold.

Deadly on their own, Jack and Shadow are even more formidable as they team up to defeat the threats they will uncover.  Players will take full control of not only Jack, but also Shadow at various points in the game to stalk enemies or reach areas of the environment that are not accessible by one or the other. Shadow’s heightened senses make him skilled in detecting new threats or flushing out enemies from cover so that Jack can easily dispense with them.

Developed by Volatile Games, Dead to Rights: Retribution will launch for Xbox 360 and PLAYSTATION 3 in 2009. For more information, please visit www.namcobandaigames.com or www.deadtorights.com.

 
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‘Ready 2 Rumble: Revolution’ BOXERS get READY to WEIGH IN

 – Meet the Hilarious Parodied Personalities from ‘Ready 2 Rumble: Revolution’ at the Official Website – 

Atari comes out swinging with the launch of the official website for Ready 2 Rumble: Revolution at www.ready2rumblerevolution.com. Visitors to the site will be introduced to the larger-than-life personalities from the game through videos featuring voiceover by Alan Ford, the British actor who portrayed the tough-talking ‘Brick Top’ in the acclaimed 2000 movie Snatch.  In the Ready 2 Rumble: Revolution videos, Ford brings his inimitable cockney delivery to bear as hard-talking boxing promoter Diamond Jim who really takes the gloves off when introducing the likes of Mosh Deck’em and old friend Fight Clubber.  

Ready 2 Rumble: Revolution features a roster of 18 wildly caricatured cartoony would-be boxers from the worlds of sports, music and movies.  The introductory videos narrated by Alan Ford give a lively blow by blow account of the fighting histories and gruelling training regimes of these super-sized egos. 

Ready 2 Rumble: Revolution is scheduled for European release exclusively for Wii on 17 March 2009.  For more information on Ready 2 Rumble Revolution, visit www.ready2rumblerevolution.com

 
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BLIZZCON® 2009 ANNOUNCED

Blizzard Entertainment® gaming celebration to return to Anaheim Convention Center on

August 21-22

IRVINE, Calif. — February 17, 2009 — Blizzard Entertainment, Inc. today announced plans for its fourth BlizzCon® gaming convention, to be held at the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, California on Friday, August 21 and Saturday, August 22. BlizzCon is a celebration of the global player communities surrounding Blizzard Entertainment®’s Warcraft®, StarCraft®, and Diablo® universes. In response to the festival’s increasing popularity, this year’s event has been expanded from three convention halls to four.

“We’ve been amazed by the incredible response to each of our previous BlizzCon events,” said Mike Morhaime, CEO and cofounder of Blizzard Entertainment. “We’re pleased to be bringing the convention back to Anaheim this year, and we look forward to this new opportunity to meet Blizzard gamers from around the world.”

BlizzCon will offer a wide variety of activities throughout the two-day event. In addition to serving as a gathering place for Blizzard Entertainment gaming communities, attendees will be able to enjoy:

Hands-on play time with upcoming Blizzard Entertainment games
Discussion panels with Blizzard Entertainment developers
Competitive and casual tournaments for players to showcase their talents
Community contests with great prizes
Commemorative merchandise based on Blizzard Entertainment’s game universes
A silent auction
More exciting activities and attractions to be announced
 
Further details, including ticket availability and pricing, will be announced on the official BlizzCon website, www.blizzcon.com, as the event draws closer.

To keep pace with the continued growth of World of Warcraft as well as development on other Blizzard Entertainment games, the company is currently hiring for numerous open positions. More information on available career opportunities can be found at www.blizzard.com/jobs.

About Blizzard Entertainment, Inc.

Best known for blockbuster hits including World of Warcraft® and the Warcraft®, StarCraft®, and Diablo® series, Blizzard Entertainment, Inc. (www.blizzard.com), a division of Activision Blizzard (NASDAQ: ATVI), is a premier developer and publisher of entertainment software renowned for creating some of the industry’s most critically acclaimed games. Blizzard Entertainment’s track record includes eleven #1-selling games and multiple Game of the Year awards. The company’s online-gaming service, Battle.net®, is one of the largest in the world, with millions of active users.