MELBOURNE WINTER MASTERPIECES
A DAY IN POMPEII
Melbourne Museum 26 June – 25 October 2009

MELBOURNE Australia. – June 21, 2009 – The Hon. Lynne Kosky, Minister for Arts and the Melbourne Museum open the latest exhibition of the Melbourne Winter Masterpieces, A Day In Pompeii. The media and guests of the Museum were treated to a media preview of not only the artifacts of Pompeii itself but also the story of this doomed city.

The exhibition was officially opened by Brett Dunlop (Manager, Melbourne Museum, The Hon. Lynne Kosky and Dr. Patrick Greene (CEO, Museum Victoria) who gave the media a brief history of the significance and importance of this exhibition, historically and also to the city of Melbourne.

The Hon. Lynne Kosky mentioned Pliny the Younger in her speech, one of the witnesses of the eruption of Mount Vesuvius who wrote letters to historian Tacitus about this event. In relation to Melbourne, this will be the only city in Australia that will hold this exhibition and it will ultimately bring thousands of visitors, from Australia and aboard to the Melbourne Museum to witness this spectacular display.

With over 250 objects on display that include gold jewellery, gladiator armour and other archeological artifacts, the exhibition goes beyond just the artifacts by helping the visitor understand what life in Pompeii was like through interactive multimedia presentations and even a 3D movie showcasing the last days of Pompeii. The exhibition hall has even been designed to look like certain parts of Pompeii to truly immerse you into this ancient city.

The speakers also thanked Dr Antonio Varone, Soprintendenza Speciale per I Beni Archeologici di Napoli e Pompei who assisted the Melbourne Museum organise this epic exhibition. Three years in the making, this exhibition will take viewers on a journey back in time as they experience this remarkable culture that was in essence frozen in time.

The story of Pompeii began on the 24th of August 79 A.D., which would have this city forever captured in time. During the middle of this day, around 1pm to be precise, Mount Vesuvius began its deadly eruption and although many fled the city, thousands also lost their life when the deadly pumice and thick volcanic ash overwhelmed this city. 

In the letters of Gauis Plinius Caecilius Secundus, he wrote … a cloud of unusual size and appearance… being like an umbrella pine, for it rose to a great height on a sort of trunk and then split into branches … We also saw the sea sucked away… so that quantities of sea creatures were left stranded on dry land. This man would ultimately become the link from the ancient world to the modern through his eye witness account.

Interesting enough, Pompeii is probably the only archeological discovery that has a real emotional tie to the visitor due to the almost statue-like remains of the inhabitants. A handful of these body casts are on display which were made from the original “body” tombs of this human tragedy.

Those who stayed behind in Pompeii would have died a horrendous death as they inhaled the hot gas and ash. You can even see the suffering on their faces and their bodies. After the pumice and ash, the rain would have turned this ash into mud, hence creating human statues that are now on display at the Melbourne Museum. It’s almost as if Medusa herself looked at these people with her deadly serpents.

Victims clutched each other and shielded each other from the ash that rained from the heavens. It’s truly a moving experience seeing these body casts and a memory that will be with you forever. Even after thousands of years, the link between the visitor and those who perished are very strong.

The exhibition also shows a pig and a dog who would have died in excruciating circumstances from their body shapes. Ironically, after two years, the Romans could not find the city once it was buried and it was not until the 1700’s that it was discovered again.

The exhibition also explains to the visitor about volcanoes and interestingly enough, the volcano responsible for the destruction of Pompeii has not erupted since 1944. Highlights of the exhibition include Gladiator armour, gold jewellery, including a bracelet given to a slave girl from her master, a marble bust of an unknown woman, cast of a guard dog, still wearing his bronze collar, two young women clutched together and an amazing assortment of coins from this era.

Before this event, Pompeii was an affluent city which was the home to many wealthy families. Rome was a remarkable civilization which used toilets, had water systems, make-up for women, illegal gambling and a rigid government under the auspice of the “Gods”. It was the apex of civilization at this time.

Breathtaking and remarkable describes this exhibition perfectly

A Day in Pompeii is presented in association with the Soprintendenza Speciale per I Beni Archeologici di Napoli e Pompei (SANP) and costs $20 for adults, $14 for concession holders, $12 for children and $54 for a family.  

– June 18, 2009 – The Australian Cricket team ducked bouncers and danced down the wicket as they took control of their own destiny against the English, whilst checking out Codemasters’ Ashes Cricket 2009 at the annual Players Camp in Coolum. This provided a solid training foundation for the team, before heading off for the real thing starting on July 8.

Competition got fierce as the Aussie team played multiplayer Test Match and One Day Internationals, to see who could topple the English. Mitchell Johnson, Australia’s young fierce opener, was steaming in with 140km/h plus deliveries aimed at Freddy Flintoff’s toes whilst Nathan Hauritz commented on the dry pitch, “The wicket’s a little dry today with not much movement about”, he said.

Ricky Ponting again took the crease again with a vengeance after some recent hands on at the Ashes Cricket 2009 press day, pulling numerous short deliveries to the fence. He was ecstatic to see such an advanced cricket title coming to consoles so far as to suggest, “Games like Ashes Cricket 2009 could certainly be used as a training tool for the squad in the future.”

All rounder James Hopes looked a little distracted from his duties at hand, keeping his eyes well and truly fixed to the advanced graphics. When he got some extended gameplay he said, “Let’s hope we have this game on the team bus while we are touring around England.”

Prepare to step up to the crease and help Australia retain the trophy in Ashes Cricket 2009, coming soon for Xbox 360, PLAYSTATION®3 and PC.

For more information on Atari’s entire product line up visit www.atari.com.au and log on to the Atari Trade Site for all box shots, demos, trailers and online screenshots.

Bowling makes its long-awaited debut on N-Gage as Vir2L Studios release AMF Bowling: Pinbusters!™ 

The ultimate pick-up-and-play bowling challenge, AMF Bowling: Pinbusters! features new and improved multi-click, single-finger game play that rewards skillful play while remaining accessible to novices and experts alike.  

Thanks to four addictive single-player modes and the choice of real-time network or hot seat multiplayer game play, bowlers will always find a worthy challenge for their pin skills, while the effect of every strike, spare and split can be viewed post-match in the N-Gage Arena rankings.

With the addition of a cast of zany characters – each with their own flair and signature moves – twelve quirky locations, lanes and balls, the party just keeps on rolling.  so grab a lane and prepare to be bowled over by AMF Bowling: Pinbusters! on N-Gage. 

AMF® Bowling: Pinbusters!™  is now available at www.n-gage.com.au

Sydney, Australia, June 19, 2009 – Global technology provider ViewSonic has appointed Dash PR to manage its public relations in Australia and New Zealand.

Recognised by the three Gouldian finches which represent excellence in quality and renowned for its innovative desktop displays, digital televisions and projectors, ViewSonic is at the forefront of the ‘visual revolution’ and worldwide leaders in visual display products.

Dash PR will work with ViewSonic to build up its promotional program in the region with its major role being to intensify awareness and invigorate the brand as it begins to increase its product lines. The campaign will focus on new releases, reviews and features, as well as presenting insightful, interactive and engaging events.

William Tse, Country Manager at ViewSonic Australia, said, “We were becoming conscious of the fact that ViewSonic was in need of PR support and were gradually getting around to it when Dash PR proactively approached the company. The timing couldn’t have been more perfect. Dash PR was professional, yet open and demonstrated great enthusiasm for ViewSonic – the glowing references didn’t hurt either. After subsequent meetings we were confident about Dash PR and welcome the organisation on board with ViewSonic.”

Dash PR recently celebrated its first year milestone and Director of Dash PR, Christine Kardashian is pleased with how the business has been steadily progressing. Particularly in the current economic climate where budgets have been significantly sliced, public relations is an essential and cost-effective tool to preserve presence in the market. And businesses that show initiative, value and reliability will weather the recession.

For an interview with Christine Kardashian, Director of Dash Public Relations or William Tse, Country Manager at ViewSonic Australia, please contact Christine on 02 8084 0705 or 0416 005 703, or via email at chris@dashpr.com.au.

About Dash Public Relations
Dash PR provides business to business and business to consumer consulting and public relations, media relations, investor and analyst relations, internal communications, issues management and crisis communications, as well as media training, event management, writing services and integrated PR and advertising campaign management. Dash PR is a member of the Registered Consultancies Group (RCG) of the Public Relations Institute of Australia. For more information, visit www.dashpr.com.au.

About ViewSonic
ViewSonic® Corporation is a leading global provider of visual display products. ViewSonic develops, markets and supports a broad range of innovative products, including LCD monitors, LCD TVs, projectors, digital photo frames and digital signage displays including LCD monitors, LCD TVs, projectors, digital signage displays, digital photo frames and other display solutions. For more information, visit www.viewsonic.com.au.

Talanoa: Stories of the Fiji community
The name Fiji evokes a tropical paradise in the minds of many Australians, but this island nation has a troubled history. Talanoa (a Fijian word for ’story-telling’) explores how and why Fiji-born people came to Victoria, and what values, beliefs and practices they have brought with them. The diverse and growing Fiji community presents a thought-provoking account of the relationships that sustain their connection with Fiji and have shaped their settlement in a new land.
Dates: Until 16 August 2009

Cultural Diversity Quest Awards Exhibition
The Quest Awards encourage Victorian students to celebrate their State’s cultural diversity through creative expression. Announced during Cultural Diversity Week, the winning entries will be shown at the Immigration Museum in an exhibition opening for Refugee Week. Students’ works reflect their investigation of cultural diversity within their school and community, and encompass a wide range of materials, techniques and ideas.
Dates: From 20 June 2009

Winter School Holidays Program: Around the World to India
Celebrate the mystique and wonder of India during these holidays at the Immigration Museum. Be captivated by amazing stories of journeys to Australia, with an Immigration Adventures booklet. Immerse yourself in the special exhibition, Ancient Hampi: The Hindu Kingdom Brought to Life, which will transport you to India through breathtaking 3D images. Dress up as a Hampi local or a visiting archaeologist. (And parents: don’t forget to bring your camera!) Construct and decorate a shadow puppet depicting the Hindu gods, Hanuman (Monkey God) and Ganesh (Elephant god).
Dates: 27 June to 12 July 2009

Ancient Hampi: The Hindu Kingdom Brought to Life
This international exhibition offers visitors the opportunity to immerse themselves in the stunning World Heritage site of Hampi in southern India. Using state of the art digital technologies, this new experience presents stereographic panoramas of an extraordinary site, with all its mythological, archaeological, artistic and historic significance. Ancient Hampi includes animations of Hindu myths and stories, aerial and projected photography, an immersive digital interactive space showing 360-degree panoramic images of the site and is landscape, as well as stunning night photographs of the temples taken by John Gollings.
Dates: Until 26 January 2010

Immigration Museum, 400 Flinders Street, Melbourne.  Open daily 10.00am to 5.00pm.
Admission: Adult $8, child/concession FREE. More info 13 11 02 or museumvictoria.com.au/immigration museum

CTO: Newly Named Intel Labs will Focus on Impacting Company Growth Vectors

RESEARCH@INTEL DAY, Mountain View, Calif., June 19, 2009 – A sneak peek of tomorrow was provided by Intel Corporation today at the company’s annual Research@Intel Day. Nearly 40 futuristic projects and concepts were showcased in such areas as eco-technology, 3-D Internet, enterprise IT and wireless mobility. Intel also has made public a beta website where users can play “point, counterpoint” by submitting a statement found online and learning whether he or she has been duped.

Two researchers on hand included Ajay Bhatt, the co-inventor of USB, the standard to connect devices to computers and Joshua Smith, a pioneer in wireless power and robotics. Both are currently featured in a new commercial called “Rock Star,” which is part of the company’s current Sponsors of Tomorrow marketing campaign.

“I hope attendees get a chance to speak with and meet our very own rock stars from Intel Labs today,” said Justin Rattner, Intel’s chief technology officer. “What the researchers are developing today in the labs will ultimately make future computing and communications faster, easier and more energy efficient, and have a significant impact on people’s work and home life in the coming years.” 

Rattner, also an Intel Senior Fellow and vice president and director of Intel Labs, discussed recent changes to Intel’s research agendas and priorities. The goal is to improve the likelihood of impact and tightly align with the company’s overall growth vectors such as mobility, visual computing and system-on-chip design, where many more computing and communications functions are placed on a single piece of silicon. The new organisation, called Intel Labs, will identify game-changing opportunities for tech innovation and deliver breakthrough discoveries in those areas.

Several of these research innovations were on display at the event. Demonstrations covered power efficiency for mobile devices, immersive connected experiences, mobility and enterprise IT. 

Future Atom-based MIDs and Smartphones to Implement New Technique from Labs
Platform power management (PPM), a research effort first discussed in this same forum last year, is one of the innovative power management technologies behind “Moorestown,” the codename of a future member of the Atom family that targets mobile Internet devices (MIDs). Rattner was joined onstage by Ticky Thakkar, Intel Fellow and director of platform architecture for the Ultra Mobile Group, to disclose that this research has helped enable up to a 50x reduction in platform idle power over today’s Atom-based platform, which translates to much longer battery life. 

The power reduction technique is a fundamentally new approach that introduces changes to silicon for enabling hardware to play a major role in reducing power consumption. In this new approach, hardware implements power policies set by the operating system to manage power in much less time and at much finer granularity. The computer will be able to quickly, aggressively and intelligently reduce power or even power down portions of the system not in use – as with wireless radios or I/O subsystems — and immediately power back on when needed with zero impact to the user experience. Platform power management could someday benefit the full range of Intel products, from MIDs to high-performance servers.

Dispute Finder: Are You Being Duped?
“The Web” is nearly synonymous with “information.” While much of this information is useful, a significant amount could be characterised as false, misleading or biased. Dispute finder is an early research effort from Intel Labs that enables Internet surfers to navigate through a minefield of contradicting information much easier.

While a user is reading an online news article, blog or web site, text snippets are automatically highlighted if information found elsewhere contradicts a given claim made. Clicking on the highlighted snippet, like “a glass of wine a day is good for you,” reveals an argument graph showing sources on either side of the issue. Every single claim and evidence has been user generated, similar to how Wikipedia works and are maintained in a central venue online where anyone can contribute.

Future of the Internet: Much Less Text
As future Intel chips scale from a few cores to many, researchers at Intel Labs believe the transition to mainstream parallel computing will lead to a future Internet that is rich in 3-D graphics and relies a lot less on text, making possible a more immersive Internet experience with ultra-realistic 3-D visualisations and natural human-computer interfaces. Picture a travel web site that allows you to check out your vacation destination, like New York City, before you actually get there. So in addition to a virtual walk around the hotel room, users could also check out Times Square, restaurants, nearby theaters and even walk the route to estimate how far they are from the hotel.

Intel has begun prototyping the 3-D Internet in the scientific world first, using a tool called ScienceSim. This is a common place on the net where scientists can create visual simulations online and collaborate more effectively using these capabilities. The idea is to advance research through visualisation, like a model of coastal margins and tides in order to study the impacts of human activity.

Creating a More Flexible Internet, Running on a General Purpose Computer
The Internet’s original designers never anticipated its astounding growth and success. Consequently, the Internet relies on highly specialised network equipment often with hard coded support for a pre-defined set of packet routing capabilities. This presents challenges given the rapidly evolving demands of new applications. Intel researchers propose Router Bricks as a simple, but radical solution, allowing networks to be built from general-purpose computers rather than specialised equipment. The prototype demonstrated builds a high-speed router from clusters of Intel® XeonTM -based servers running open-source software. Rather than wait years for specialised routing hardware to evolve, network programmers in the future could cheaply and rapidly program new router functions using the familiar general purpose computer as their platform.

About Intel
Intel (NASDAQ: INTC), the world leader in silicon innovation, develops technologies, products and initiatives to continually advance how people work and live. Additional information about Intel is available at www.intel.com/pressroom and http://blogs.intel.com.

Have you checked out all the exciting new user-created levels that are available for download in the Create Mode area of EA’s BOOM BLOX Bash Party game?

To date, more than 3,000 user-created BOOM BLOX Bash Party levels are available for download. EA is thrilled with the creativity the BOOM BLOX Bash Party community members have put into creating new levels and wants to share some of its favourites.

Click http://info.ea.com/product.asp?s=2510 to download screenshots of user-created levels being showcased by EA.

Logitech Vid Software Designed Exclusively for Video Calls, Sets Up With Webcam Installation 

SYDNEY, Australia. — June 18th 2009 — Video calls have always offered the promise of strengthening the connection between you and your distant friends and family. But for many, getting the software and hardware to work has been a challenge. If you’ve been waiting for a simpler way to make a video call, Logitech® Vid™ is the answer – the free, fast and easy way to make true-to-life video calls with your Logitech webcam on a PC or Mac® computer.

A pioneer in the development of webcams and video calling, Logitech dramatically simplifies video calling with Vid by offering a streamlined setup and a simple, intuitive interface dedicated to video calling. In fact, you can set up Vid in fewer than half the steps required by the major instant-messaging programs. Vid is available for download at www.logitech.com/Vid.

Vid can also make it easy to see your loved ones in lifelike colours. From the sparkle in your daughter’s engagement ring to the smile on your grandson’s face, Vid optimises the speed and resolution of your video call, so you’re always getting the best-possible frame rate and resolution for your webcam.

“Video calling has been around for more than a decade, but Vid truly has the potential to make video calling one of the primary ways that people stay in touch with their loved ones,” said Gina Clark, general manager and vice president of Logitech’s Internet Communications business unit. “Vid gives you the best of both worlds – eliminating the biggest obstacles to making video calls, while still providing the exceptional-quality audio and video that you expect from Logitech.  Above all, you don’t need to be tech-savvy to use Vid.”

Logitech research revealed that the overwhelming reason why many people do not make video calls is that they are frustrated by complex software. Unlike video calling through IM or VoIP programs, Vid was designed exclusively for video calling. Powered by the Logitech® SightSpeed® Network, Vid is a reliable source for high-quality video calling.

Simple, Intuitive Interface

Unlike other free software that offers video calling as another hard-to-find feature in a long list of features, Vid presents a simple, intuitive interface in which every element is designed to help you make a video call. You can make a call in just a few simple steps. Each one of your contacts is represented by a thumbnail picture. You simply click the picture of the person you want to contact, and Vid starts your video call.

Vid is free with your Logitech webcam – and for anyone you’re calling. There are no added charges. If you don’t have a Logitech webcam, you can still use Vid if a friend or family member invites you. (If you’re invited by a friend or family member that has installed Vid, but doesn’t have a Logitech webcam, you’ll get Vid free for 30 days. At the end of the 30-day period, you can use Vid with the purchase of a Logitech webcam.)

Vid is compatible with PC and Mac® computers, as well as stand-alone and embedded webcams.

Pricing and Availability

Logitech Vid is available for download at www.logitech.com/Vid and is free for anyone with a Logitech webcam or anyone who is invited by a Logitech webcam owner.

About Logitech

Logitech is a world leader in personal peripherals, driving innovation in PC navigation, Internet communications, digital music, home-entertainment control, gaming and wireless devices. Founded in 1981, Logitech International is a Swiss public company listed on the SWX Swiss Exchange (LOGN) and on the Nasdaq Global Select Market (LOGI).

AVG Internet Security Network Edition Obtains VB100 Certification 

Melbourne, 18 June 2009 – AVG (AU/NZ), the Australian, New Zealand and South Pacific distributor of the award-winning AVG Anti-Virus and Internet Security products, announced today that AVG Internet Security Network Edition has received VB100 certification from UK-based Virus Bulletin.  

AVG Internet Security Network Edition (version 8.5) was tested. “AVG proved very stable and reliable, and achieved excellent detection rates across the board. A superb performance which comfortably earned a VB100 award,” stated Virus Bulletin Test Team Director John Hawes.  

Certification testing for products running on the 64-bit version of Windows Server 2003 took place during April and May. AVG Internet Security was one of only four products to achieve a Retroactive Protection percentage exceeding 80%.

VB100 Test Procedures

The VB100 (virus) award is granted to any product that passes the test criteria under test conditions in the VB lab as part of the formal VB comparative review process.

Basic requirements are that the product delivers in its default settings:

100% detection of malware listed as ‘In the Wild’ by the WildList Organization at the time of the review

No false positives when scanning Virus Bulletin’s collection of known-clean files

“We are pleased to receive the latest VB100 certification from Virus Bulletin,” stated Karel Obluk, Chief Technology Officer for AVG Technologies. “Valid testing and certification by qualified organisations benefits both vendors and customers. It holds us to a higher performance standard in developing solutions. It gives customers knowledgeable 3rd party validation of the products they are evaluating for use on specific platforms.”

Other recent comparative tests in the last year where AVG Technologies obtained VB100 certification were for Windows Server 2008, Windows Vista x64, and Windows XP Professional platforms. AVG has received VB100 certifications in every test it has entered over the past year.

AVG Anti-Virus Network Edition provides anti-virus, anti-spyware, and anti-rootkit protection for workstations and file servers. The combination of LinkScanner®, its real-time scanner, comprehensive web shield, and high-speed automatic updates ensures that customers are protected around the clock. Centralised installation and configuration delivers easy implementation.