Players Experience New Zones, Levels, Pets, Weapons, Items, Skills and Flight Mechanics as they Align Together to Launch a Massive Counter Assault Against the Invading Balaur in the Game’s FREE Expansion

Sydney, Australia – September 8, 2010 – Weeks away from the one-year anniversary of the Western release of Aion®, the entertainment phenomenon that has captured millions of players globally, NCsoft® today released Aion: Assault on Balaurea™, a free and feature-rich expansion in which players can enjoy new levels, pets, weapons, items and skills within engaging solo and multiplayer zones and instances. To celebrate Aion: Assault on Balaurea’s release, NCsoft is offering exclusive pets for a limited-time through select retailers.

Aion: Assault on Balaurea introduces the game’s passionate fans to the next exciting chapter of Aion in which characters align together to launch a massive counter assault against the invading Balaur in their homeland. Along with the ability to explore new and updated zones and instances, the expansion provides players with an increased level cap, new weapons, items and skills as well as enhanced flight mechanics. Because exploring is never fun alone, Aion introduces completely unique, functional pets equipped with in-game benefits to keep characters company along the way.

“Aion: Assault on Balaurea is more than a free expansion consisting of new and exciting game experiences for our players, but a sign of our commitment to providing players hours of fun and excitement they can’t experience anywhere else,” said Jaeho Lee, CEO NCsoft West. “With this expansion, we continue to make Aion a truly global franchise by offering customized features catering to Western audience gameplay styles, something we’ve been looking forward to bringing our players since launch.”

Consumer excitement for Aion has never been stronger as the free expansion provides Western players with an unmatched regionalized gameplay experience featuring several in-game functions that utilize the breathtaking graphics, innovative gameplay and engrossing story Aion is known for. With a massive global audience that has wowed millions of gamers in the East and West, Aion: Assault on Balaurea extends the experience with several key features, including:

· New Instances: Aion hosts eight new instances each filled with fantastic challenges and enticing rewards. These new instances experienced at both lower and higher levels offer a range of challenges for all varieties of players ranging from solo adventures to full-on Legion raids.

· Pets: Pets are no longer decorative. Aion redefines how MMORPGs approach pets, creating an entire new subsystem for players to explore as they acquire functional pets capable of storing goods, assisting with crafting or acting as guardians by alerting their masters to nearby enemies. Pets are acquired through in-game purchases, quest rewards, item drops, NCsoft Store, and special promotional events.

· New Zones: Players will explore the vast lands of Baluarea, the home of the Balaur, ruled by the Dragon Lord Tiamat. The Asmodians and Elyos have established fortresses in the two new zones: Gelkmaros and Ingisson, each area featuring completely new environments, powerful monsters and unique flight mechanics for players to enjoy.

· Increased Level Cap: Five additional levels can be achieved. With an increased level cap of 55, characters will discover new weapons, earn new items and learn new skills as they explore the dangerous lands of Baluarea.

· Enhanced Flight Mechanics: Brand new flight options in the form of Windstreams allow characters to traverse the vast new zones of Gelkmaros and Ingisson with increased speed and unlimited flight time. Windstreams have varying strengths and effects, adding a further layer of depth and strategy to Aion’s highly-acclaimed flight mechanics.

· Twitter Integration: Aion’s new Twitter feed functionality makes player bragging rights easy with its fluid integration into the game. Players can capture and Twitpic up to ten of their favorite screen shots using the updated in-game UI.

Aion: Assault on Balaurea retail version features the exclusive premium Speckled Ailu (Panda) Pack pet along with a limited-time retailer specific pet exclusive from NCsoft Store, Amazon, Best Buy/Best Buy Canada, GameStop, QVS (Australia/NZ), Steam and Wal-Mart. In addition to the exclusive pets, the retail version comes with the full game client, expansion content and 30 days of game time.

For players looking to quickly increase their pet companions beyond in-game purchases, quest rewards and item drops, the NCsoft Store will feature an additional seven pets starting tomorrow. The pets available for purchase will include a collection of pets ranging in price from $US7.99 to $US14.99.

For more information about Aion and Aion: Assault on Balaurea, go to http://www.aiononline.com or http://press.ncsoft.com/ for art and video assets.

About Aion:

Unlike any MMO before it, Aion is a uniquely crafted online gaming experience where flight offers much more than just a way to gracefully explore the landscape – it is a strategic and integral part of combat, quests, and exploration. Players will use flight to dive into battle and plunge through thousands of unique, story-driven quests, all while trying to save and control a world literally shattered in half from centuries of brutal conflict.

In Aion: Assault on Balaurea, the next exciting chapter within Aion, characters have the ability to align together to launch massive counter assaults against the invading Balaur on their homeland while experiencing new and updated instances and zones, an increased level cap, new weapons and items, new skills and added flight mechanics.

About NCsoft

NCsoft, headquartered in Seoul, Korea, is the world’s premier publisher and developer of massively multiplayer online games, including the critically acclaimed Aion®, Lineage®, Guild Wars and City of Heroes® franchises. NCsoft West is a division of NCsoft that holds operating responsibilities for North America, Europe, South America, and Australia/New Zealand. More information can be found at http://us.ncsoft.com.

NCsoft, the interlocking NC logo, PlayNC, Lineage, Guild Wars, City of Heroes, Aion, and all associated logos and designs are trademarks or registered trademarks of NCsoft Corporation. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

About QVS

Australia leading Interactive Entertainment Specialist, QVS is a privately owned independent software and accessories distributor that has operated in Australia for over ten years providing quality, innovative interactive software titles and accessories. The company’s main objective is to provide its clients and customers with software products and accessories that deliver a highly satisfying entertainment experience. QVS distributes products from a wide range of publishers for a variety of demographics including lifestyle, office, productivity, education and games. from the following well-known brands: Avanquest, Focus Home Interactive, Focus Multimedia , Foreign Media, Fun Box, Focus Multimedia, Koch Media, NCsoft, Nero, Nordcurrent, PDP, Purple Hills plus many more. www.qvsoftware.com.au

Oscar® winner Russell Crowe reunites with Gladiator director Ridley Scott to reveal the untold story of a common
archer’s rise to become a hero in Robin Hood, the $309 million worldwide blockbuster coming to Blu-ray and DVD
from September 22. All versions will feature the theatrical film, as well as a 16mins extended, never-before-seen
director’s cut of the movie.

Sweeping pageantry and heart-pumping action transports viewers to the meticulously recreated medieval battlefields
and byways of 13TH century England for the inspiring story of a legendary hero.

Robin Hood’s cast includes Academy Award® winners Cate Blanchett (The Aviator, Elizabeth: the Golden Age) and
William Hurt (The Incredible Hulk, Kiss of the Spider Woman), as well as Mark Strong (Sherlock Holmes), Mark Addy
(The Full Monty), Oscar Isaac (Body of Lies), Danny Huston (The Aviator), Kevin Durand (Legion), Scott Grimes
(“Band of Brothers”), Matthew Macfadyen (Frost/Nixon), Eileen Atkins (Last Chance Harvey), Simon McBurney (Body
of Lies) and Oscar® nominee Max von Sydow (Shutter Island).

ROBIN HOOD STANDARD DVD SPECIAL FEATURES
• Deleted Scenes
ROBIN HOOD BONUS DVD SPECIAL FEATURES
• Deleted Scenes
• Rise and Rise Again: Making Ridley Scott’s Robin Hood
• Marketing Archive
ROBIN HOOD BLU-RAY SPECIAL FEATURS
• BD-Live Features
• APPs: (supported on 2.0 players with WiFi): iPhone APP, pocket BLU (Remote control; Keyboard; Mobile To Go)

ROBIN HOOD:
Director: Ridley Scott (Gladiator, American Gangster,, Black Hawk Down)
Cast: Russell Crowe (Gladiator, State of Play)
Cate Blanchett (Elizabeth, Elizabeth: The Golden Age)
William Hurt (The Incredible Hulk, Damages)
Mark Strong (Sherlock Holmes)
Price: Single disc DVD – SRP $39.95
2-disc DVD – SRP $44.95
Blu-ray – SRP $44.95
2-disc Blu-ray – SRP $49.95
Duration: 156 minutes
Genre: Action/Adventure

SYDNEY ¡V September 8, 2010 ¡V Animania, Australia¡¦s biggest and original Japanese pop culture festival is back for its signature weekend event. See us at the Australian Technology Park on September 11-12 for all the fun.   

This year Animania welcomes Ms Rika Matsumoto, Japanese voice actress of Ash Ketchum from the much loved Pokemon series. There¡¦s everything and more at the Animania Festival Weekend:

CAFE LUCIOLE

Treat yourself to a little luxury at the Animania and visit Cafe Luciole, Animania’s first Maid Cafe. Maid-style cafes or cosplay restaurants are increasingly popular in Japan. These unique cafes feature costumed waitstaff, often as maids or butlers, who provide homely service and attention for the customer. We invite you to be our very special guests at Cafe Luciole and enjoy a break in your busy day with a cup of tea or some delicious cake (make sure to try to Cafe Luciole special!).

ART SPACE

Make a wish and help Animania fold a thousand cranes for the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum in Japan. In the Living Art Space, discover traditional Japanese music, dress up as a geisha, or see the dolls that have taken the world by storm in the Asian Ball Jointed Dolls Showcase. Also, don¡¦t miss out on our new maid cafe, and experience urban Tokyo in the heart of Sydney!

MAIN STAGE & CHIBI STAGE

On the main stage, Animania will announce the winners of the World Cosplay Summit (WCS). Held annually in Japan, the competition showcases the best in Cosplay talent from around the world. Animania will also host a number of fun competitions, such as Dual Artist, where amateur artists will unfold live artwork onstage. On the mini ¡¥Chibi¡¦ stage, catch the highly anticipated screening of the World Cosplay Summit straight from Japan. Our guest of honour, Rika Matsumoto, will make a guest appearance on Sunday.

COSPLAY HQ

At Cosplay HQ you¡¦ll find Australia¡¦s best Cosplay competitions, the Cosplay Expo and Cosplay Photo shoot!  Come and see the WCS Final to find out who will represent Australia in the international Cosplay competition next year in Japan. Special guests include Katherine Lee, a previous WCS contender and ¡¥Hexlord,¡¦ a renowned Cosplay photographer from Singapore.

PANEL ROOM

Industry professionals, artists, academics and community group representatives will lead a range of discussions. Find your feet in the vast sea of anime and manga, its surrounding culture and genres, and pick up some valuable techniques in drawing, Cosplay, and photography

Other attractions:

• Food Fair ¡V A taste sensation of international flavours such as Takoyaki (fried octopus balls) and more 
• Games zone ¡V Challenge your neighbours in Street Fighter 4, Mario Kart and Wii 
• Karaoke ¡V Experience this popular pastime with the latest anime songs 
• Mini Dance & Games ¡V Everything from hip-hop and giant twister to the wacky Cosplay chess

EVENT SUMMARY

WHEN: Saturday and Sunday, September 11-12, 2010

WHERE: The Australian Technology Park, Eveleigh (within walking distance of Redfern Station)

TIME: 10am ¡V 6pm

ADVANCE SALES TICKETS (by Sept 8): Adult $37 / *Child $27

DOOR SALES (Cash only): Adult $35 / *Child $25 

*Children (5-12 years) must be accompanied by an adult; children under 5 free.

**Discounts apply for two-day weekend passes.

For more information, tickets, and a full list of activities, competitions and vendors, visit animania.net.au

 ABOUT ANIMANIA:

Animania Festival is Australia¡¦s largest anime and manga event, attracting thousands of fans locally, from interstate and overseas. Animania was the first animation festival to be held in NSW, with its inaugural event in 2002 attracting over 500 people. Today, it is a celebration of all aspects of Japanese pop culture and cultural diversity.

BLUE OCEAN ACCESSORIES TO LAUNCH OFFICIAL DOCTOR WHO Wii AND DS PERIPHERALS IN TIME FOR CHRISTMAS

Sydney, 7th September 2010: Blue Ocean Accessories today confirm that they are collaborating with BBC Worldwide to produce a range of branded video game accessories for the Nintendo DS and Wii based on the hit TV franchise Doctor Who.

Blue Ocean is the accessories division of Koch Media Ltd which is distributing the Doctor Who video games. The firm will debut six Doctor Who accessory packs featuring official artwork of Matt Smith as the Doctor and Karen Gillan as Amy Pond. Fans of the franchise will be delighted to hear that they will also be creating sonic screwdriver stylus controllers inspired by the show. A further three accessory packs will be produced as retail exclusives.

Commenting ahead of the launch of the innovative new products, Ben Jones, New Media Manager at Blue Ocean Accessories says, “We’re excited to be partnering with the BBC Worldwide on what we believe will be a great seller this Christmas and an excellent addition to our portfolio of licensed video game accessories. We are confident that these products will appeal to both casual gamers and the huge fan base of loyal Doctor Who followers.”

This official range of accessories will be distributed in Australia/NZ by QVS as they are Koch Media’s exclusive distribution partner for the region.

Belkin Launches Cases for the new iPod Touch 

• Variety of Belkin cases include stylish, functional designs to keep you always connected by providing easy access to your new iPod
• Cases cater to the different ways you carry your device

Sydney, AUSTRALIA – 7 September 2010 – Belkin today launched a range of stylish cases for the new iPod touch, designed for easier accessibility and usability for the active iPod owner.

Belkin has tailored its new range of cases for those consumers who are always on the go, leading a dynamic and mobile lifestyle.

“We realise that people carry their iPod in many different ways. The iPod is a product which is carried everywhere, and therefore needs to be protected from being dropped while still being able to be accessed quickly and easily. Belkin has designed the new iPod Touch cases to compliment the consumers lifestyle without hindering its functionality,” said Denis Valente, Senior Manager – Marketing, Belkin ANZ.

Belkin has identified five main ways people carry their iPod; whether it be in their pocket, in their hand, in a bag, on themselves, or while being active.

For those carrying their iPod in their pocket, Belkin’s slim cases are easy to grip, slide in and out of a pocket smoothly and provide impact protection from everyday drops. For people who keep their iPod in their hand at all times to text, game or check their email, Belkin’s line of cases are comfortable to hold, shock-absorbing and easy to grip. Belkin also have cases that make it easy to find your iPod within a travel bag or purse while protecting it against constant contact with other items.

Belkin also offers a range of armbands and clip-on cases for those active owners who like to wear their iPod when working out, or just like to keep it close by for intermittent and easy access

AVAILABILITY

• Cases in select styles will be available starting September 2010 in Australia and New Zealand.
• Other styles will continuously be made available for purchase throughout 2010. 

www.belkin.com/au

Leading Consumer Software Security Company, AVG (AU/NZ) Pty Ltd, says stop and check before you click through and pay.

Melbourne, 7 September 2010 – In the latest scam from global cyber criminals, home and small business Internet users are having their computers attacked and infected via targeted attacks. It starts when they receive unsolicited phone calls or emails offering technical assistance. This degree of sophistication is taking the threat to your computer security, as well as personal and financial information, to a new level.

In reports from across Australia, these social engineering or ‘trust’ scams are taking two different approaches.

Scammers contact their victims by phone (typically in the early evening), convincing them of real or non-existent faults in their computers and offering deals on anti-virus and security software plus malware removal services.

Users receive emails with a warning their computer is compromised and offers of anti-virus protection. By clicking on web links or attachments they open their PC to malware attack.

The scammers have also begun to exploit the latest booming support technology – remote access software. They instruct the victim to purchase and download the remote access software the scammer recommends so as to allow their ‘expert’ in to solve a problem with the victim’s computer.

These “trust scams” attempt to con people into a service and extract their financial details. The local AVG (AU/NZ) support desk alone is getting several calls a day from people saying they’ve been contacted by supposed call centres regarding issues with their computer and recommending they download software to fix the problem.

The cyber criminals are very adept and sound legitimate. Callers pose as technical experts from organisations with names very similar to high profile IT companies. Some of the names being used include: Tech Optimizers, Techisonline, Support on Click, The Repair Zone, Online PC Doctors, Microsoft Certified Engineers, Windows, Bigpond and AVG Security.

Scammers notify the user of viruses on their computers or that their security software has expired and then recommend the user downloads remote access software, including the popular LogMeIn and TeamView, so that they can help to user to fix the problem. They also ask users to pay upwards of $400 for their services by directing users to a Web site to pay, or by taking their credit card details over the phone.

As an example, John reported to AVG (AU/NZ) that he was called by someone from ‘Microsoft Support,’ who took him through the Windows event viewer and used unrelated errors to make John believe he had a virus. He eventually called their bluff and rang the AVG (AU/NZ) support technicians in Melbourne, Australia to ensure his computer was protected.

But sadly, there are also stories such as Mark’s. He received a call, claiming to be AVG, advising that his PC needed checking as several computers in the area were crashing. The scammers who called told him that there were multiple viruses on his computer and that it was about to crash.

Mark was convinced to work through a process that resulted in him ‘purchasing’ a three-year security service. When he eventually contacted the AVG (AU/NZ) customer service centre, they checked the AVG licence number used during the scam. It was a legitimate licence for the AVG Anti-Virus product, to protect 10 PCs, and was purchased from AVG in India in rupees. Mark has subsequently managed to get a refund from his bank. Many others have not been as fortunate.

AVG (AU/NZ) advises to always be wary about any contact which you have not specifically requested. AVG (AU/NZ) will never cold-call a customer and request access to their computer system. Nor will it direct its resellers or third-party companies to do so. Indeed, it’s highly unlikely any legitimate IT company would ever do this.

Be very cautious about what you give people permission to do on your computer and to whom you give your credit card number. And only install software directly from a trusted vendor’s site, never from unsolicited email or telephone instructions.

No one knows how the scammers obtain your phone contact details, but this latest scam highlights the importance of establishing a relationship with a trusted IT vendor. It’s better to stop and check than click through and be sorry.

Preventing Cyber Blackmail

AVG (AU/NZ) offers this advice to help prevent your exposure to Cyber Blackmail:

Never click on links in emails when you do not know the sender.

Always have active Internet Security software protection against viruses and spyware, particularly software that can scan Web links such as the free AVG LinkScanner® safe search and surf product.

Always have your firewall turned on.

Use spam filtering software to help limit both the amount of unwanted email and the associated risk.

Call a computer professional if you are experiencing a decline in your system performance, before you lose important information or your system crashes.

If you get a mysterious call offering to remove software, or a pop-up message offering to sell you software to remove spyware, it is likely you are already infected so call a local computer professional or your security software vendor.

When dealing with a computer professional, make sure that you know their background and brand reputation. Beware of cash deals and cheap software.

Government Help Available

Home and small business operators can also add to their browser’s favourites list the Australian government SCAMwatch and Stay Smart Online Web sites, and visit them regularly to view or report the latest scams and online attacks.

SCAMwatch — www.scamwatch.gov.au

SCAMwatch is a resource to help you recognise, report and protect yourself from scams. Explore SCAMwatch to find out more about the scams that target you or your small business. It is provided by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission and is also the campaign portal for the Australasian Consumer Fraud Taskforce.

Stay Smart Online — staysmartonline.gov.au

This site is hosted by the Department of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy with advice for home and small business users for staying safe online. The Stay Smart Online Alert Service is a free subscription-based service that provides information on the latest computer network threats and vulnerabilities in simple, non-technical, easy to understand language. It also provides solutions to help manage these risks.

Anyone wishing to report a fraud matter or provide information to police is asked to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

AVG (AU/NZ) has a comprehensive range of security tips for home and business users on its Web site at www.avg.com.au/resources/security-tips/.

### ENDS ###

About AVG Technologies – www.avg.com

AVG is a global security software maker protecting nearly 100 million users in 170 countries from the ever-growing incidence of web threats, viruses, spam, cyber-scams and hackers on the Internet. AVG has nearly two decades of experience in combating cyber crime and one of the most advanced laboratories for detecting, pre-empting and combating Web-borne threats from around the world. Its free, downloadable software allows novice users to have basic anti-virus protection and then easily upgrade to greater levels of safety and defense when they are ready. AVG has nearly 6,000 resellers, partners and distributors globally including Amazon.com, CNET, Cisco, Ingram Micro, Play.com, Wal-Mart, and Yahoo!.

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

Based in Melbourne, AVG (AU/NZ) Pty Ltd distributes the AVG range of Anti-Virus and Internet Security products in Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific. AVG software solutions provide complete real-time protection against the malware, viruses, spam, spyware, adware, worms, Trojans, phishing and exploits used by cyber-criminals, hackers, scammers and identity thieves. AVG protects everything important and personal inside computers — documents, account details and passwords, music, photos and more — all while allowing users to work, bank, shop and play games online in safety.

AVG provides outstanding technical solutions and exceptional value for consumers, small to medium business and enterprise clients. AVG delivers always-on, always up-to-date protection across desktop, and notebook PCs, plus file and e-mail servers in the home and at work in SMBs, corporations, government agencies and educational institutions.

Create. Inspire. Celebrate – ATOM Awards

MELBOURNE – Monday 6 September, 2010 – The finalists in the Best Interactive Video Game category of this year’s ATOM Awards program have indicated the increasing move into ‘games with feeling’ by creating games that ponder environmental and emotional issues as part of the game play.

“It’s great to see entries into the interactive / video games category in many ways tackling the same depth of issues that some of our documentary and educational resource submissions also highlight,” commented Simon Wilmot, ATOM Awards Executive Officer.

“The convergence of games with the wider area of media is helping to enrich existing media platforms and as a stand alone platform is also proving a viable and appealing way in which to educate, challenge, entertain and influence,” he added.

Layton Hawkes of Victoria University is a finalist in the Best Interactive / Video Game category with his production ‘Gemma and the Living World’. The game is an exploration of how video games can be used to convey a moral message – to expand human awareness and personal responsibility. ‘Gemma and the Living World’ focuses on humanity’s dwindling regard for its world, Earth and the environmental implications.

The protagonist, Gemma Welsh, is a young girl who lives within the bounds of a polluted, consumerist society. Gemma feels an emptiness inside that she cannot understand and so sets out to find a glimmer of hope. When she is thrown into the Living World, she finds that the Creature – the world – is afflicted by a wasting sickness. Her drive to answer the emptiness she feels inside means that she must find a way to eradicate the source of the sickness and restore the world to its natural state.

By exploring how humanity’s connection with Earth has been lost – and why – the game shows the ‘damage’ that can be resolved in part by the decisions that each person makes and the actions they take.

‘Fragile Soul’, a game created by Ben Marinan, Tobias Stack, Terry Williams and Aprille Mazitelli of the Southbank Institute of Technology is another finalist in the 2010 ATOM Awards Best Interactive / Video Game category.

A puzzle adventure game, ‘Fragile Soul’ also features a female protagonist whose soul is sucked into a balloon. In order to restore her soul, she is forced to go on a quest to find her necromancer father who is the only one who can restore her soul. Along the way, she has to cleverly control and manipulate objects and people to assist her in her quest.

Joel Gatt of Caroline Springs College, Victoria is another finalist in the 2010 ATOM Awards Best Interactive / Video Game category with his game, ‘The White Room’. A cryptic, mind bending game, ‘The White Room’ puts the player in a situation where they’ve woken up in a white, nondescript room only to find that they need all their powers of logic and problem solving in order to not only escape, but to survive.

The 2010 ATOM Awards will be presented at a gala ceremony, held in the Plaza Ballroom, Regent Theatre, Melbourne on Friday 22 October, 2010.

The 2010 ATOM Awards program is presented by ATOM.

The 2010 ATOM Awards is sponsored and supported by Sustainability Victoria, Aurora Community Channel, EnhanceTV, Roadshow Films, Madman, Encore Magazine, Griffith University, Holmesglen, SAE Institute, Qantm, Deakin University, Scotch College, AFTRS, Federation Square Melbourne, ScreenHub, Nikoda, Quest Collins Street Central, Wide Angle, Qpix, iZDOT, Metro Magazine, Screen Education Magazine, Open Channel, Northbridge Piazza – City of Perth, Screen West, I.D.E.A and Big Mouth Marketing Communications.

The 2010 ATOM Awards is funded by Screen Australia, Arts NSW, Film Victoria and the Department of Innovation, Industry and Regional Development, Victorian Government and the South Australian Film Corporation.

For more information about the 2010 ATOM Awards please visit www.atomawards.org

Kingston Technology Ranked No. 6 in Revenue on Inc. Magazine’s Top 5000 Fastest Growing Private Companies
Rankings for U.S. Companies Based on Three-Year Comparison

Sydney, Australia: September 6, 2010 — Kingston Technology Company, Inc., the independent world leader in memory products, was ranked No. 6 in total revenue on Inc. magazine’s 2010 listing of America’s fastest-growing private companies. Kingston’s 2009 revenues finished at $4.1 billion (U.S.), the second-highest in company history. Inc.’s top 10 listing by revenue is a subset of the Inc. 5000 listing that ranks the top 5,000 private U.S. companies by three-year revenue growth from 2006 to 2009.

“Kingston is grateful to have made the Inc. 5000 list again. David (Sun) and I are happy that Inc. continues to publish this list as it demonstrates their support of private companies and the strong commitment to the entrepreneurial spirit which is necessary in today’s difficult and competitive environment,” said John Tu, co-founder, Kingston.

“We are fortunate to have come out strong after the downturn in the memory industry and the general state of the economy of the past few years. For us to continue growing during this weak economy, we will need to keep a very strong focus on process improvement. It is the only way,” said David Sun, co-founder, Kingston.

Kingston was also ranked 20th in gross-revenue growth for the three years from 2006 to 2009. During that period, Kingston’s revenue grew 12 percent as revenues increased from $3.7 billion in 2006 to $4.1 billion in 2009.

“The leaders of the companies on this year’s Inc. 5000 have figured out how to grow their businesses during the longest recession since the Great Depression,” said Inc. president Bob LaPointe. “The 2010 Inc. 5000 showcases a particularly hardy group of entrepreneurs.”

In 1992, Kingston was crowned No. 1, as the fastest growing private company by Inc. magazine for previous-year revenue of over $140 million and a workforce of 130 employees. In 2007, Inc. magazine honored Tu and Sun with the inaugural Distinguished Alumni Goldhirsh Award, for leadership, guidance and the embodiment of the American entrepreneurial spirit which were the core values of Inc. founder Bernie Goldhirsh.

       
For the complete Inc. 5000 list visit www.inc.com/inc5000/2010/index.html, or visit www.kingston.com/anz for more information.

To discuss this product on Kingston Blog, please go to www.kingston-blog.com. To try the game “Challenge Your Memory”, please go to
www.kingston-blog.com/challenge_your_memory/en/. To get the freshest information on Kingston, please go to http://twitter.com/KingstonFEPR. To know more about Kingston inside stories, please go to http://www.facebook.com/KingstonAPAC.

To find out if your Kingston product is genuine, Kingston also provides an online verification site: www.kingston.com/anz/verify. To try the game “Search for Genuine Kingston”, please go to http://anti-counterfeit.kingston-blog.com/.

About Kingston Technology Company, Inc.
Kingston Technology Company, Inc. is the world’s largest independent manufacturer of memory products. Kingston designs, manufactures and distributes memory products for desktops, laptops, servers, printers, and Flash memory products for PDAs, mobile phones, digital cameras, and MP3 players. Through its global network of subsidiaries and affiliates, Kingston has manufacturing facilities in California, Taiwan, China, Malaysia and sales representatives in the United States, Taiwan, China, India, Australia, New Zealand, Vietnam, Europe, Russia, Turkey, and Latin America. For more information, please visit www.kingston.com/asia.

Carlton Draught unveils the Magnatron – offering Australians a chance to win a share of $100k worth of prizes

Throughout August and September Australia’s best draught beer, Carlton Draught, is giving Aussies a once-in-a-lifetime chance to get hands-on with the Carlton Draught Magnatron, and win a share of up to $100k in prizes.

The Carlton Draught Magnatron is a 10 storey tall super-sized Skill-Tester, set to tower above the Melbourne skyline this September. It features a 30 metre crane with an 18 metre base enclosure, which will be filled with $100,000 in prizes, including a Toyota HiLux, a 10 year AFL Grand Final hospitality package and $5,000 cash from a one-of-a kind Carlton Draught ATM.

Erected in parkland alongside the MCG, the Carlton Draught Magnatron will be brought to life during the AFL Finals series in September and culminate on Toyota AFL Grand Final day, Saturday 25th September, as the competition winners step up and attempt to extract prizes from the giant contraption.

“The Carlton Draught Magnatron will blow you away,” said Vincent Ruiu, Carlton group marketing manager. “The Magnatron magnet alone weighs nearly ¾ of a tonne and is nearly a metre wide. We can’t wait to set it up, see it standing tall next to the MCG and watch as the winners take their turn at grabbing hold of the prizes.”

Fourteen lucky winners will have the chance to test their skills, using the Magnatron to swivel, slide and drop down to collect their share of the $100,000 prize pool by placing the crane arm and the magnet into position, before sending it downwards to clasp on their prize and remove it from the enclosure.

Australians can enter in two ways: on-pack and on-air. The contestants will be made up of prize winners selected from the Carlton Draught on-pack promotion and via an on-air radio contest with Austereo Melbourne.

The Magnatron promotion follows in the footsteps of great Carlton Draught initiatives of previous years, including The $200k Mystery Prize, Drop the Bomb and The Plastic Cup.