2nd October 2008 – SEGA® Europe Ltd. proudly announces that the website for Valkyria Chronicles™ is now live. A special gameplay trailer for the title will debut there today.

SEGA is also pleased to announce that a demo for Valkyria Chronicles, featuring 2 playable levels, will be live on PlayStation® Network from October 9th. Players will be able to experience for themselves a taste of the incredible CANVAS graphical engine and the exciting action strategy that Valkyria Chronicles offers before the game launches on the 14th of November.

Valkyria Chronicles is set in a fictitious continent reminiscent of 1930s Europe on the verge of a great war. The game follows Welkin, a heroic commander who leads his small platoon against a merciless invading army. As Welkin’s small country of Gallia is engulfed in battle, the emergence of the “Valkyria”, an ancient race with special powers thought to exist only in legends, turns the tide of the war. Faced with a new threat, Welkin and his troops gather their courage to fight for their freedom.

For more information on Valkyria Chronicles or other SEGA products, please visit http://www.sega.co.uk/valkyria/uk/index.html?t=EnglishUK

Your favourite pop sensation Hannah Montana is back in a brand new adventure! In Wish Gone Amiss Hannah teams up with mischievous twins Zack and Cody and the cheeky Cory Baxter for a mix-mash spectacular. Zack and Cody wreak more havoc in The Suite Life of Zack & Cody: Sweet Suite Victory (Volume 2) where they run riot at the Tipton hotel in three crazy episodes from season one.

All your favourite stars team up in Disney’s Wish Gone Amiss, coming to Disney DVD 22 October 2008, featuring an episode of The Suite Life of Zack & Cody along with Cory in the House and Hannah Montana. Zack and Cody (DYLAN AND COLE SPROUSE), Cory (KYLE MASSEY) and Hannah (MILEY CYRUS) all wish upon the same shooting star with hilarious consequences.

Teen music sensation JESSE MCCARTNEY, High School Musical’s ASHLEY TISDALE and The Game Plan’s adorable MADISON PETTIS also drop by for a visit in Wish Gone Amiss where they learn to always be careful what you wish for – you just may get it!

The entertaining Wish Gone Amiss also includes a backstage Disney special hosted by Hannah Montana’s JASON EARLS who provides tips on making wishes come true.

The twins cause even more mayhem in The Suite Life of Zack & Cody: Sweet Suite Victory (Volume 2) also out on Disney DVD 22 October 2008. Dragged into the twins’ world of mischief is Maddie (played by High School Musical’s ASHLEY TISDALE) and the hotel owner’s spoilt daughter London (BRENDA SONG).

High School Musical’s VANESSA HUDGENS and MONIQUE COLEMAN also come along for the ride as Zack and Cody enter a battle of the bands, run for the school election and help the girls turn sweet sixteen.

Brilliant bonus features on The Suite Life of Zack & Cody: Sweet Suite Victory (Volume 2) include side-splitting bloopers and outtakes as well as a trivia game hosted by BRENDA SONG.

Join Hannah Montana, Zack and Cody and Corey Baxter in Wish Gone Amiss on Disney DVD from 22 October and for a double-dose of Zack and Cody, check out The Suite Life of Zack & Cody: Sweet Suite Victory (Volume 2) also from 22 October 2008.

– 26th September 2008 – PC role-playing has never looked so good with the news that The Witcher: Enhanced Edition from Polish development studio CD Projekt RED is available now at retailers across Australia.  Widely hailed as the best PC RPG of 2007, The Witcher continues to win fans and critical acclaim for its unique blend of mature fantasy universe, tough decision making and intense tactical combat.  The Witcher: Enhanced Edition continues the original’s legacy of excellence with a host of improvements and new content making the experience even more unmissable than ever.

Press reviews of The Witcher: Enhanced Edition already published include:

“The best just got better. Own it. 10/10”

– PC Powerplay, Australia

“The Enhanced Edition confirms the unquestionable value of this title. 9/10”

– Giochi per il Mio Computer, Italy

“Like Atari says: The best reaches perfection. 8.5/10”

– Select Magazine, Germany

“Who ever doesn’t buy The Witcher now should think about mental treatment! 87%”

– PC Games, Germany

“The fan community is very important to us, and it makes us especially proud to be able to bring their feedback and comments to life in The Witcher: Enhanced Edition alongside the new adventures we’ve created,” said Adam Kicinski, CEO of CD Projekt RED.  “We think it’s a great package and we hope that everyone who has not yet tried The Witcher will now take the time to check out what we believe is a great experience for any fan of PC role-playing games.”

The Witcher: Enhanced Edition is presented in a luxury embossed box set featuring a wealth of extra content including additional adventures, music from and inspired by the game, re-mastered making of feature, a short story by the creator of The Witcher Andrzej Sapkowski and much more.  Amongst the numerous technical changes are faster loading times, improved combat responsiveness and precision, re-worked English script and re-recorded English and German voices.  The enhancements are available as a free download to existing game owners via the game’s official website at www.thewitcher.com.

The Witcher: Enhanced Edition is available in a content-packed box set, which includes the following:

·        Multilanguage The Witcher: Enhanced Edition, a reworking of the best PC RPG game of 2007;

·        DVD bonus disc including the D’jinni Adventure Editor and two brand new adventures created by CD Projekt RED:

–        the D’jinni Adventure Editor: allows players to create or modify their own adventures in the world of The Witcher;

–        “The Price of Neutrality”: the adventure tells the story of Geralt coming back to Kaer Morhen and finding a mysterious camp near the stronghold (featuring 3 new quests);

–        “Side Effects”: the first ever release of this new adventure which focuses on Geralt’s close friend, Dandelion, and his troubles in Vizima City (featuring 5 new quests);

·        Remastered “Making Of” DVD with never-before-seen bonus material;

·        Soundtrack CD of original music written specifically for The Witcher;

·        CD of original music inspired by The Witcher;

·        Instruction manual and game guide;

·        Short story by Andrzej Sapkowski featuring new monster artwork;

·        A map for exploration throughout The Witcher ’s world.

Based on the universe created by best-selling Polish author Andrzej Sapkowski, The Witcher puts players in the role of Geralt, a professional monster slayer who exists on the fringes of a complex society in a fantasy universe.  Taken as a child, mutated, and trained in the arcane ways of the witchers, Geralt is a reluctant hero, who nonetheless finds himself all too frequently in the heat of battles that are not his own.  In this world there is no right or wrong, only decisions and consequences.  The Witcher has already garnered worldwide success, having sold over 800,000 copies, and has received more than 90 awards and distinctions, including the prestigious “Best PC RPG of 2007” from IGN.com, Gamespy.com, PC Gamer and more (for the full list of awards, please visit http://www.thewitcher.com/community/pl/awards/).

The Witcher: Enhanced Edition is available now at retailers across Australia.  For more information about The Witcher visit www.thewitcher.com  

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

SYDNEY 29 SEPTEMBER 2008 – Xbox Australia and Universal Music Australia today announced an exclusive live event with The Pussycat Dolls on the northern broadwalk of the Sydney Opera House. The event is the first in a series entitled Xbox Sounds, which will see music artists performing throughout the summer at iconic Australian locations exclusively for Xbox.

Xbox Sounds will take place between October 2008 and April 2009 and is set to energise Australian music fans this summer. Tickets to each event will be free, offered through competitions and promotions in the lead-up to each performance.

In front of the global landmark and one of the busiest performing arts centres in the world, the Sydney Opera House, The Pussycat Dolls will perform tracks off their new album Doll Domination (out now), including the Platinum hit single “When I Grow Up”.

“The Xbox Sounds series is going to be huge”, said David McLean, Regional Director, Entertainment Devices Division. “We’ve lined up some brilliant artists to perform at the events. With the worlds of music and gaming becoming increasingly connected, Xbox is in an ideal position to work in partnership with Universal Music and Tourism Australia to secure some of our country’s most amazing landmarks as unforgettable backdrops for these events.” 

“The Pussycat Dolls are the biggest girl band in the world right now and to have them in Australia and performing at the Sydney Opera House is sensational. I couldn’t imagine a better way for everyone in Australia to celebrate the launch of the Dolls fantastic new album Doll Domination, in conjunction with the launch of Xbox Sounds from our friends at Microsoft”, says George Ash, Managing Director of Universal Music Australia.

The Pussycat Dolls, Nicole, Ashley, Jessica, Melody and Kimberly, are Grammy-nominated pop superstars who exploded on the music scene in the summer of 2005 with their worldwide #1 hit “Don’t Cha.”  Their debut album, PCD, has sold over 7 million copies worldwide on the strength of hit singles like “Buttons,” “Stickwitu” and “Beep” and is certified 3 X Platinum in Australia. On Doll Domination The Pussycat Dolls collaborated with the hottest producers in music including Timbaland, Cee-Lo and Sean Garrett. The album’s first single, “When I Grow Up” has already reached Platinum sales in Australia and hit #2 on the Motorola ARIA Singles Chart. “I Hate This Part”, their new single, debuted at #1 most added at Australian radio.  There are also rumours of an imminent tour announce for 2009.

The Pussycat Dolls will also take time to experience the new Xbox 360 title Lips, a brand new singing title launching on the console in December. An Xbox 360 exclusive singing game, it measures both your performance and vocal ability, with wireless motion-sensitive microphones so you can jump around the room as you belt out your favourite songs.

With Lips, you have the ability to sing an unlimited amount of songs. Featuring an extensive collection of hits available on the game disc, the interactive game can be complimented with favourites from your own collection of songs. Simply connect your music player to your Xbox 360 and sing your heart out in ‘Freestyle’ mode.

More information on the Xbox Sounds events will be made available in the coming months as new and exciting acts are announced and the truly amazing Australian locations are revealed.

For more details on how to win tickets to the event please go to www.xbox.com.au.

Sydney, Australia – 10 September 2008 — Mindscape, Australia’s leading software distributor and Roxio®, a
division of Sonic Solutions®, the leader in digital media software, is pleased to announce the launch of Roxio Creator™ 2009, the latest version of the company’s market-leading suite of photo, video, and music authoring, burning, and online sharing applications.

Creator 2009 introduces a range of pioneering audio features, integration of family-friendly online services,
and advanced support for High Definition (HD) video. Creator 2009 also offers a streamlined workflow that
enables consumers to complete a broad range of media editing, creation, sharing, and management projects
more efficiently. Taking the guesswork out of evolving technologies and complicated formats and enabling
users to take full advantage of all of Creator’s capabilities, Creator 2009 offers direct links to informative
tutorials and how-to articles that provide guidance and inspiration.

“Whether it’s the desire to edit hours of footage from a special family event, create a personalised photo
slideshow of exotic travels or compose a perfect music playlist, consumers just want a straightforward solution that enables them to quickly and effortlessly create, preserve and enjoy their personal media content,” said Vito Salvaggio, vice president of consumer products, Roxio division of Sonic Solutions. “We listened to our customers and with Creator 2009 delivered a suite that is not only powerful, but also easy enough for family members of all skill levels to achieve great results.”

Roxio Creator 2009 introduces a variety of new features and enhancements to help both families and digital
multimedia enthusiasts organise their digital world and express themselves through engaging movies,
powerful multimedia stories and creative projects.

Roxio Creator 2009 Highlights:

Online and Mobile Sharing
Users will appreciate the direct access to Roxio Online, a new digital storytelling platform that enables families to turn their photos and videos into engaging slideshows that can be shared and enjoyed on PCs, DVDs, TVs, a range of handheld devices, and popular social networking sites. For added convenience, Roxio Online can be accessed from within Creator 2009’s product launcher and is available from within applications such as VideoWave®, CineMagic® or Media Manager. The Roxio Online service is available through a free subscription. Consumers can unlock additional creation and sharing capabilities by upgrading to Roxio Online’s premium service.

Ease-of-Use
The redesigned Creator 2009 product launcher provides quick access to all the tasks and creation tools
available within Creator. Whether it’s editing video, creating a photo slideshow or burning an audio CD,
Creator’s friendly and interactive design makes it easy to quickly accomplish a given task. Also easily
accessible are a variety of helpful how-to articles and video-tutorials designed to guide consumers through the creative process.

Beyond the dozens of new workflow enhancements that make projects easier to complete, Creator 2009 also features SyncIt!™, a new desktop applet that automatically converts digital files to preferred formats for vwing on mobile devices, smart encoding technology for the quick authoring of HD video, and enhanced
multi-core processor support for the latest CPUs.

Life in High Definition
Families and others can now create stunning HD projects using footage from AVCHD camcorders and burn it in HD, using DVD burners, onto standard DVDs for playback on a Playstation® 3 and other Blu-ray Disc
players.

This technology provides consumers with an affordable alternative to enjoy up to 60 minutes of video in HD. For even more impressive results, consumers may choose from a variety of new high definition menu themes and easily add them to their final productions. Enabled by a High-Def/Blu-ray Disc Plug-in, consumers can burn HD video to Blu-ray Disc, and enjoy more than three hours of HD movies on their HDTV using any Bluray Disc set-top player.

Superior Audio and Music
Headlining the new audio capabilities of Roxio Creator 2009 is Audiobook Creator™, an innovative technology that converts an entire audiobook into a single file with preserved chapter markers, making it easy for on-thego readers to enjoy their favourite book on iPod®, iPhone® or other portable players like the Creative Zen®. Until now, users were only able to convert audiobook CDs into dozens of individual chapter files, making it difficult and often frustrating to manage on a portable device. Creator’s already impressive audio capabilities are enhanced by the new Beatmatching™ feature which enables users to create music compilations of perfectly synchronised cross fades for great sounding party mixes that are ideal for special occasions and gatherings.

In support of the launch of Creator 2009, Roxio is extending MyMoments™, its educational portal that offers consumers a wealth of digital media resources including how-to videos, informative tutorials and blogs.

Pricing and Availability

Roxio Creator 2009 will be available in retail stores from late September 2008 retailing for SRP of $159.95 inc GST. Please visit www.mindscape.com.au for further information.

In a timely coincidence, surrounding the DVD release of SBS’s Great Australian Albums Series 2, the Daily Telegraph recently published a list of the 50 most influential Australian albums of all time, as voted by a panel assembled by GQ magazine.

Topping the list is AC/DC’s landmark ‘Back In Black’. Also included in the top 50 are GAA subjects The Saints’ ‘I’m Stranded’ at no. 3, Crowded House’s ‘Crowded House’ at no. 9, Silverchair’s ‘Young Modern’ at no. 10, Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds’ ‘The Good Son’ at no. 11, The Go-Betweens’ ‘Liberty Bell…’ at no. 19, Triffids’ ‘Calenture’ at no. 26 and finally, Hunters & Collectors’ ‘Human Frailty’ at number 38.

Following on from the hugely popular ’07 series, Great Australian Albums is back and taking you behind the scenes in the creation of four masterpiece albums and the personal struggles of the artists involved. 

POWDERFINGER: ODYSSEY #5 (OCT 22)

Powderfinger’s Odyssey #5 resulted in the Brisbane band becoming one of the most popular acts in Australia. Telling stories of a personal and political nature, in a uniquely laid-back Australian manner, Odyssey went 7-times platinum, won 6 ARIAS, and is the only album to ever have two songs reach #1 in Triple J’s Hottest 100 poll.
Arguably one of Australia’s most popular and successful groups, this edition of Great Australian Albums is definitely not one to be missed.

HUNTERS & COLLECTORS: HUMAN FRAILTY (OCT 22)

For Hunters & Collectors, Human Frailty was their breakout album. An album which featured memorable songs like ‘Throw Your Arms Around Me’ and ‘Say Goodbye’. Human Frailty documents, in the most candid terms, the doomed love affair lead singer Mark Seymour was involved in, adjusting to a life on the road and discovering what it meant to Australian in the 1980s.
Single ‘Throw Your Arms Around Me’ was voted number 2, 2 and 4 on the Triple Hottest 100 in 1989, 1990 and 1991 respectively, and Human Frailty cemented Hunters & Collectors as Australian greats.

NICK CAVE & THE BAD SEEDS: MURDER BALLADS (OUT NOW)

Recorded in 1995 Murder Ballads was created as Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds were reaching the cusp of stardom. The album also marked a significant turning point in Cave’s development as artist. Drawing on ancient songs, which Cave has dramatically reinterpreted, the album represents the apotheosis of Cave’s “narrative” style and is a harbinger to the more intimate and confessional albums, which have followed.

THE GO-BETWEENS: 16 LOVERS LANE (OUT NOW)

The album 16 Lovers Lane encapsulates all those qualities that made the Go-Betweens great: love, adventure, courage, idiosyncrasy, honesty.
The chemistry of The Go-Betweens was an integral part of the success of the group. This documentary explores, in-depth, the relationships that enabled this chemistry to thrive and also explores the classic songs like “Streets of Your Town” which have become National treasures.

Also available – Great Australian Albums Series 1 – Including Crowded House, Silverchair, The Saints and The Triffids

For more info on the Great Australian Albums series on DVD – visit www.madman.com.au/sbs

Sydney, Australia, October 1 2008 – ASUS, manufacturer of top quality graphic solutions, has released the new EAH4670 and EN9400GT Series graphics cards with the latest ATI Radeon™ HD 4670 and NVIDIA GeForce™ 9400GT GPUs (respectively).

Catering to astute users looking to enhance the home theatre experience, the EAH4670/DI/1G and EN9400GT/HTP/1G are equipped with a mammoth-sized 1GB of onboard memory designed for feature-rich DirectX 10 gaming and the best multimedia playback at ultra-high resolutions. Furthermore, the EN9400GT D3/HTP/512M comes with improved 1ns memory modules offering 21% improvement in gaming and multimedia performance, while the ASUS EAH4670 Series utilises a specially designed fansink with highly-effective heat dissipation to lower GPU temperatures by 15ºC.

Memory size is vital when it comes to graphical performance, as even a powerful GPU can suffer from bottlenecks due to slow and insufficient video memory. With more memory installed on a graphics card, more data can be stored – providing faster graphical performance. Most current and upcoming games require increasingly high video memory requirements. The ASUS EAH4670/DI/1G and EN9400GT/HTP/1G are each equipped with an enormous 1GB built-in memory, delivering greatly enhanced visual performances and allowing users to fully enjoy games or movies without lag or stuttering – even at very high resolutions and maximum quality settings.

The ASUS EN9400GT D3/HTP/512M with cutting-edge 1ns memory modules delivers memory clock performance boosts from 800MHz(DDR2) up to an incredible 1.8GHz(DDR3). Such unprecedented performance boosts help raise the EN9400GT’s 3DMark06 score from 3227 to 3890 – an astonishing 21% faster in comparison to generic graphics cards*.

The ASUS EAH4670 Series with a specially designed fansink effectively dissipating heat away from the graphics card, quickly transfers heat away from the GPU to lower temperatures by a whopping 15ºC in comparison to reference design boards**. Besides this extraordinary cooling capacity, the fansink operates 16dB quieter than generic designed fansinks – catering to users who require maximum cooling without excessive fan rotation noise***.

The HDMI format is defined, specified and governed by HDMI Licensing, LLC in the USA. “HDMI Certified” products meet strict criteria as set out by HDMI Licensing. Utilising any HDMI product that is not approved may result in poor performance, and can even void the warranty on other HDMI enabled hardware.

Keeping in line with ASUS’ Rock Solid promise for quality, the EAH4670 and EN9400GT Series both come with several solutions to deliver top quality graphic performances. The LF PAK MOS guarantees more efficient power with less heat generation, while Japan-made solid capacitors lower power loss for more stable operations – even over long-term usage. Additionally, the EAH4670 Series comes with EMI shielding to reduce 66% EMI interference – producing more stable signals, while DIP Spring Chokes lower temperatures by 5~10°C in comparison to traditional Toroidal Coil Chokes.

Overall, the EAH4670 and EN9400GT Series graphics cards are certified, trusted graphic solution products that offer users extreme graphical performances, delivering stunning visuals for a superior multimedia experience.

Note:
*Performance Configuration
PCI-Express 16X:
MB: MaximusExtreme Rev:2.00   BIOS:0802
CPU: Intel Core™2 Extreme 3.00GHz (QX9650)
Memory: 2048MB (DDR3 APACER 1333 1024M*2)
HDD: WD SATAII 300 1600AAJS
DVD-ROM: LG DVD-GSA-H55N
Overclocking capabilities may vary when using different cards

**Testing Platform
CPU: P4 3.0G
M/B: P5B Deluxe
RAM: 1.0G
O.S.: Windows XP
Test Program: 3D Mark ’03 (repeat GT4/Mother Nature)

***The ASUS specially designed fansink has an operating level of 29dB at full speeds; while reference design boards have 45dB under the same circumstances

Specifications

Get ready to smoke your opponents on Xbox with the new fiery red Wireless Controller with added ‘go-faster’ black strip. This hot little number will be winging its ways into stores just in time for the Australian sizzling summer.

Experience wireless gaming from up to 10 metres and enjoy uninterrupted play with the included Play & Charge cable and red rechargeable battery, which provides up to 25 hours of play on a single charge.

Additionally, when the battery runs low, you’re given ample warning so you can connect the included Play & Charge cable for continuous play.

Another great thing about the red controller is that you can pick it up on November 7th – Gears of War 2 Day. What better way to control your lancer in game than with this scorching controller!

The Xbox 360 Limited Edition Red Wireless Controller and Play & Charge Kit with red rechargeable battery now come together in a never before available color and is priced at $99.95 (RRP). This product is the newest addition to Microsoft’s line of Xbox Authentic Products and further reinforces Microsoft’s commitment to enhancing the way people experience games and entertainment.

Images of the new, Xbox 360 Red Wireless Controller, can be found here: https://www.microsoftprosource.com/product.asp?id=165765&region=19&tab=2844&displaymode=0

To access assets and artwork on ProSource, please first make sure you have a Windows Live ID (if not, you can sign up for one here). Once you have your Live ID, direct your browser to ProSource, sign in and follow the simple steps to create your personal profile within the system.

Sydney 1 October 2008 – Music intelligence agency, Thought By Them, a division of Sound Alliance, and Virgin Mobile today confirmed an extension of their existing partnership to include the development of music strategy, music-based creative and activation.

Thought By Them will work with regular collaborators Droga5 on the development of Virgin Mobile Australia’s music strategy and ensure existing music credentials are fully integrated into the company’s business objectives.

The alliance will amplify the plans for existing music assets such as V Festival and Garage2V, and provide strategic planning on music-related activities complementary to the Virgin Mobile brand.

Dave Cain, Music Manager at Virgin Mobile Australia outlined the background behind the appointment. “From a strategic perspective we really needed someone with hard core music creds in order to capitalise on the music heritage associated with the Virgin brand and identify the ways that music can become a fundamental part of the brands appeal to target customers.”

“The Sound Alliance has been key media partner for Virgin Mobile over several years. The addition of their specialist agency Thought By Them bringing specific skills in the development of exclusive music experiences for our customers, is a very exciting prospect” he said.

Commenting on the high profile win, Thought by Them’s Creative Director, Stig Richards said, “Virgin Mobile is the perfect brand to be in the music space. It’s not often you come across a brand that has as much music credibility as Virgin Mobile and we are very excited to be working with them to amplify their brand through appropriate activities with music, at events, online and through phones themselves”.

Sudeep Gohil, Droga5 Planning Director and Partner adds: “Our collaboration with Thought By Them is a demonstration of why Droga5 is in business: collaborating with great partners and producing great work, beyond advertising, to create fresh conversations for our clients.”

Sydney, Australia, October 1, 2008 – ASUS, manufacturer and pioneer of world-leading netbooks, has received acclaim from history-making Australian explorers Chris Bray and Clark Carter.

After spending 70 days alone on Victoria Island in the Canadian Arctic, the world’s ninth largest island, Chris Bray and Clark Carter achieved a most extraordinary feat to become the first ever to walk across this remarkable island. Each hauling 250kg of gear and supplies behind them, including the Eee PC 900s provided by ASUS which weighed less than one percent of their total load, Chris and Clark have made the epic journey crossing the island at its widest point from east to west.

Chris and Clark’s expedition was a huge success, but it was not without its setbacks. Just days into their journey, the wheel covers of their PACs started to split and tear and the men became concerned their trip would be over before it had even started. In contrast, electronic equipment (which may be perceived as more delicate than the sturdy PACs the men hauled) endured the trip with ease. In particular, the Eee PCs proved their durability and withstood the harsh conditions – freezing temperatures of up to minus 15 degrees, plus the rough and tumble of expedition life.

“Of all the equipment we brought with us on this expedition, it was our ASUS Eee PCs that blew me away the most, in terms of just how well suited they were to our needs and their impressive ability to survive the rigours of harsh expedition life. We’d be in the tent at night, wiping condensation off the screen with our sleeve, rubbing the touch-pad mouse clean from all the mud and chocolate and other grime, shaking the keyboard free of bits of tundra and other rubbish, and accidently bumping, dropping or leaning on them…and they never even flinched! Both Eee PCs soldiered on like true heroes right to the end,” said Chris.

Chris and Clark used their Eee PC 900s for vital communications during the trip with the help of solar batteries and an iridium satellite phone. The men were able to keep in contact with the ‘outside’ world via email, as well as publishing updates to their website, downloading photos from various cameras with the built-in SD memory card reader, even culling, editing and cropping images to upload. Chris and Clark also used their Eee PCs to create mini to-do lists and make modifications to their website structure and ftp new html code directly from the Arctic. Most importantly the Eee PCs were an essential part of the trek for mapping out the best routes using Google Earth’s satellite imagery.

“We used the Eee PC to look at Google Earth images and suss out a possible route for the next day by analysing what terrain was lying ahead of us. That actually proved to be the best way to decide where to go the next day as the topographic maps we brought with us did not show what type of terrain we were dealing with and didn’t show hills all that great. I would definitely say that the Eee PCs made our life a LOT easier out there,” said Clark.

The duo are in the process of writing a book and producing a documentary on their Victoria Island trip, before soon heading off on their next expeditions in 2009. Chris will be teaming up with another Australian adventurer Don McIntyre for an epic open boat voyage in the Pacific and Clark will be teaming up with his housemate Ryan Storey to compete in the toughest rowing race in the world – the ‘Woodvale Challenge Indian Ocean Rowing Race 2009’.

About ASUS
ASUS is a leading company in the new digital era. With a global staff of more than 8,000 and a world-class R&D design team, the company’s turnover for 2007 was 6.9 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 in Taiwan. For more information, visit www.asus.com.au.

About Chris Bray and Clark Carter
Chris Bray and Clark Carter are Australian explorers. The duo are no strangers to adventure: Chris was the Australian Geographic Young Adventurer of the year in 2004 for a lengthy untracked Tasmanian hike and together they have sailed across the infamous Southern Ocean from Tasmania to Southern Chile in 2007. Clark has done some mountaineering in New Zealand and Chris grew up sailing around the world for five years with his family. Chris is a keen photographer, recently finishing his degree in Electrical Engineering with first class honours and Clark is in the midst of studying Film and Media at university while also getting involved in filming and editing his own documentaries.