http:// 2013-05-20T23:38:00Z 2013-05-20T23:38:00Z avg-technologies-launches-its-latest-range-of-performance-applications-for-android

AVG Technologies Launches its Latest Range of Performance Applications for Android™Mobile users to save on time, space and data with AVG Image Shrinker and AVG Cleaner SYDNEY – 21 May, 2013 – AVG Technologies N.V. (NYSE: AVG), the provider of Internet and mobile security, privacy and optimization to 150 million active users, has today announced two brand new applications in its mobile portfolio. AVG Cleaner and AVG Image Shrinker are now available for free for Android™ smartphones and tablets. AVG Cleaner Designed to enhance Android™ smartphone and tablet performance, AVG Cleaner allows users to monitor storage availability on their device and clean cache and unnecessary browser history files to free up memory and make more space. The application includes tools to automatically monitor device memory and storage, remove files, and schedule regular clean ups to keep the device running smoothly. AVG Image ShrinkerDeveloped to help users save on data use and share their images more easily, AVG Image Shrinker is a free application which reduces image sizes and enables direct uploads to photo sharing sites, MMS or email directly from the application. Images can be uploaded straight to Facebook®, Pinterest™, Instagram™, Picasa™ and many other popular social network sites. By reducing the size of photos and images, users not only save on mobile data usage and the resulting costs, but also the time it takes to send or upload their photos. “Nowadays we rely upon smartphones and tablets more than ever before, cramming our devices full to the brim with everything we need to maintain our busy digital lives. What people might not realise however is that all of the files related to apps, pictures, calls, texts, and Internet usage can take up excess space and consume large amounts of mobile data,” said Michael McKinnon, Security Advisor at AVG Technologies AU. “Just as you would clear out your wardrobe to make space for new clothes or clean your PC disk from junk files, freeing up valuable memory on your smartphone by deleting redundant files is important to keep your device running smoothly and give you the freedom to use it as you wish – whether that means adding the apps you really want or taking and sharing a barrage of holiday snaps. Hassle-free performance products such as AVG Cleaner and AVG Image Shrinker enable users to easily and efficiently get the most out of the devices they rely upon every day.” Today’s announcement follows the company’s recent release of AVG TuneUp ™, which was made available for free for Android smartphones and tablets in April 2013. Built to help users get improved performance from their devices, the application combines several performance tools including a task killer, battery saver and storage space manager, and also allows users to monitor their data usage.For more information about either AVG Cleaner or AVG Image Shrinker and to download both applications directly please visit: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.avg.cleaner# # # About AVG — www.avg.com.auAVG Technologies’ mission is to simplify, optimise and secure the Internet experience, providing peace of mind to a connected world. AVG’s powerful yet easy-to-use software and online services put users in control of their Internet experience. By choosing AVG’s software and services, users become part of a trusted global community that benefits from inherent network effects, mutual protection and support. AVG has grown its user base to 146 million active users as of 30 December 2012 and offers a product portfolio that targets the consumer and small business markets and includes Internet security, PC performance optimisation, online backup, mobile security and identity protection. AVG Media Contacts:Michael McKinnon AVG 03 9581 0845 mmckinnon@avg.com.au Cathryn van der Walt BoydPR 02 9418 8100 shuna@boydpr.com.au Keep in touch with AVG For breaking news, follow AVG on Twitter at twitter.com/avgaunz Join our Facebook community at www.facebook.com/avgaunz For security trends, analysis, follow the AVG blog at resources.avg.com.au Media resources, including logos, box shots, screen shots etc., are available online at: http://www.avg.com.au/media/ Join the AVG Technologies’ Community for information, video content and pictures: http://www.flickr.com/photos/officialavg/sets/

2013-05-20T01:06:25Z with-music-education-at-risk-musicians-and-teachers-take-action

Perth, WA, May 20, 2013 - Peter Luff, the conductor of the Queensland Symphony Orchestra, doesn’t believe that the children are being exposed enough to music in elementary school. Furthermore, he feels that music should be a right and that adults, educational and music professionals most notably, have the obligation to impart some kind of musical knowledge and appreciation to them.The Queensland Symphony Orchestra has been performing during an annual concert series to elementary schools specifically in an effort to fight against the decline in well-supported music and arts programs.From the Queensland Conservatory of Music, Dr Ralph Hultgren makes the claim that musical education is much more creative than math and other subjects, and that it is music that enhances a person, separating them from everyone else. Music education also correlates with increased performances in math and other academic subjects, making it the perfect supporter of those other fields. It can also lead to increased social skills, including the greater capacity for teamwork.In fact, a good number of music and non-music academics agree that music education is very important to a well-rounded, holistic education, and is much more than just learning how to play an instrument, although that is a facet of it. That is not to say that math and other tested subjects are not as important, or even less, but that musical instruction is just as important as instruction and development in those areas.This being said however, Hultgren also makes mention of the point that music teachers should be trained professional in a way, thus making the quality of the education that much better. An average music fan could not effectively teach a music class without proper training and a specialist of sorts is required for the best possible music instruction.Other school principals and administrators are nervous about increased cuts to music program, especially in light of the new government NAPLAN teaching reform. Teachers and principals agree that music and instrument playing tuition is very important to a better education and development as a person overall. The QSO and other musical organisations continue to push for better music programs in primary schools nationwide.Monster Music, an online network of music teachers in Australia, and its owner, musician and teacher Danny Achurch, fully support the growth of music programs in primary schools and are against the cuts made to schools for any reason.“Music programs are so vitally important for our children,” Achurch, a personally major proponent of musical education states. “If a school cuts its music program, I feel that it’s letting down its children and students and short-changing them from what could be the best possible education for them.” Being a teacher himself, Achurch knows the value that teaching children of any age about music holds. “It doesn’t just make them a better student, but it makes them a better overall person to be able to appreciate music and express themselves creatively.” He claims on the subject. “Monster Music’s mission is to spread music education to those who need it and we do it because that’s what’s best for our young people.” Monster Music provides piano, violin, singing, and guitar lessons in Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth, Sydney, and many other cities across the whole country. For more information about them, please visit http://www.monstermusic.com.au/ or call 08 9335 8881 now.

2013-04-29T23:49:00Z dgm-grows-into-melbourne-as-retail-client-base-expands

dgm grows into Melbourne as retail client base expands SYDNEY, 29 APRIL 2013: Australia’s largest affiliate network, dgm counts more than 20 retailers who have established affiliate marketing programs in the past six months, leading to the appointment of 3 senior staff and a new Melbourne office.John Matthews, dgm general manager, said the network was now delivering more than $10 million in ecommerce sales each month for its clients, and this figure is continuing to climb.“Large retailers such as Big W, specialist online merchants including Kogan and THE ICONIC, and global giants Microsoft, Sony and Marks & Spencer are among more than 20 new clients to the dgm affiliate network,” Matthews said. “We are seeing the momentum build for affiliate marketing in Australia as local online retailers learn about the unique benefits of the channel while international retailers are looking to grow their incremental sales through our specialist retail publisher base.”dgm, which is celebrating its 10th anniversary this month, has grown its talent in the channel, with three senior appointments. Peter Hammond joins from Shopping.com where he was head of operations and account management, to become dgm’s business development manager.Alexandra Lochhead is joining from the client side, at a leading UK fashion retailer and Kertu Liina-Lehismae joins from Rakuten-Linkshare in the UK.Lehismae will be the company’s first Melbourne employee and has been tasked with supporting the growth in new retailers to the affiliate channel in that market. Despite the strong recent growth, “Australian retailers have some catching up to do compared to their US and European counterparts,” according to Matthews.“In the US and UK, 100% of the country’s top 20 multi-channel retailers are operating an affiliate marketing program. Here in Australia only a handful of those businesses are using the channel at the moment. We are expecting much more growth in the next 12 months as more retailers and merchants embrace the cost per acquisition model that operates in the affiliate space.”Matthews added that the Australian affiliate market, historically dominated by the big finance brands, is experiencing a structural shift. “Growth in online retail spend coupled with greater focus from big brands on how they are using the internet as a sales mechanism means we are seeing big retailers embrace the affiliate channel and we expect to see this growth continue for years to come.” FOR MORE INFORMATION: Samantha Tannous, Relativity Communications, 0416 104 033 EDITOR’S NOTES About dgmdgm works with Australia’s leading advertisers, web site publishers and agencies to devise and deliver online marketing campaigns across the key areas of search engine marketing, affiliate marketing and display advertising. dgm’s clients have access to sophisticated proprietary technology and are guided by experienced account management and consultancy teams, to achieve high-performing online marketing campaigns that fulfil their business objectives such as more leads, more sales and greater brand awareness.Web: www.dgmmarketing.com.auFollow: http://twitter.com/dgmAustralia

2013-04-29T01:13:30Z victorian-economy-receives-more-than-1-billion-every-year-from-live-music

Perth, WA, April 23, 2013 - Music Victoria, the state’s music body, recently conducted the Victorian Live Music Census, in partnership with NMIT and the City of Melbourne. In addition, over 100 student volunteers participated in gathering data for the census. The census was the largest of its kind ever conducted in Victoria, and Music Victoria’s CEO called it, “the most accurate snapshot of what our world-renowned industry looks like.” In the face of countless obstacles facing the Australian live music scene, such as encroaching residential development, noise complaints, and an uneven economy, the numbers from the census indicate that live music has nearly twice as many patrons now as it did during the previous generation. This is welcome news for an industry that has had a pessimistic outlook the last few years. According to the census, the average Saturday night sees 97,000 people attending live music shows and gigs, and spending an average of $745,000 to get in the door. Those people are then spending $3.7 million on merchandise, food, drinks, and transport. On any given Saturday night, an average of 900 musicians, 2,730 venue staff, 237 production crew, and 740 DJ’s are getting paid for their work. Projected over a year, it works out to over 62,000 gigs, with 14.4 million patrons spending $1.04 billion. This includes major concerts, Melbourne-based festivals, and small venues. Over a year’s time, 18,200 musicians, 77,391 venue staff, 6437 production staff, and 14,150 DJ’s are being paid for providing music. Dobe Newton, who managed the project, feels that these numbers prove that Melbourne is one of “the world’s greatest music cities.” Newton compares the music scene in Melbourne to cities such as New York, Tokyo, and Paris.  Patrick Donovan, CEO of Music Victoria, feels that numbers uncovered by the census are extremely important as a verification of the relevance of the live music scene in Melbourne. Donovan noted that nearly three times as many people watch live music in Melbourne as those who watch the AFL. Donovan encourages those in the area to become members of Music Victoria during their “Jump on the Bandwagon” membership drive. Danny Achurch, teacher, musician, and owner of Monster Music, feels that the study vindicates the dedication of many fellow musicians in their efforts to provide a vibrant live music scene, not only in Melbourne, but all across Australia. According to Achurch, “I am very happy to see these numbers, but I’m not surprised. Even though it seems like there have been less opportunities for live musicians this decade, in reality, the opportunities are there; you just have to look for them. At this point in time, musicians have to work hard to create their own opportunities, but it is worth it.” Achurch continued, “Look at all of the great things that have happened to Australian music in the last few months. We are seeing millions of dollars being spent on developing musicians and enabling them to play in live venues, and a lot of time and effort is being spent in growing Australian music. Now, finally, we get a great study like this one, justifying that time and effort.” Achurch concluded, “The future of Australian music has never looked better.” Monster Music provides many music lessons in most cities across Australia - violin, singing, guitar and keyboard lessons in Brisbane, Sydney, Adelaide, Melbourne, Perth and more. They specialise in getting great results while always remembering that music is supposed to be fun. To get started today, call 08 9335 8881 or visit their website: http://www.monstermusic.com.au/

2013-04-23T05:02:00Z imperva-sets-a-new-standard-for-data-center-security-with-the-release-of-securesphere-10-0-1

Imperva Sets a New Standard for Data Center Security with the Release of SecureSphere 10.0 Customers gain unmatched protection against modern threats with industry-leading threat intelligence Sydney, Aust., April 23, 2013 - Imperva, Inc. (NYSE: IMPV), a pioneer and leader of a new category of business security solutions for critical applications and high-value business data in the data center, today announced the release of SecureSphere 10.0. With today’s announcement, Imperva raises the bar for Web application firewall (WAF) effectiveness by unveiling ThreatRadar Community Defense, the first crowd-sourced threat intelligence service that aggregates and validates attack data from WAFs to protect against hackers, automated clients, and zero-day attacks. Imperva is also extending its unmatched security coverage for data center assets by introducing SecureSphere Directory Services Monitoring plus support for NFS, IMS, and PostgreSQL. “As vendors deploy more shared-intelligence features in their products, make use of them; they can make you more effective and more versatile in responding more quickly to today's threats,” said Anton Chuvakin, research director at Gartner, and Ramon Krikken, research VP at Gartner, in a May 2012 report titled Security Information and Event Management Futures. Imperva ThreatRadar Community Defense delivers crowd-sourced threat intelligence to Imperva SecureSphere Web Application Firewalls (WAF). Gathering live attack data from WAFs deployed around the world and distributing this data in near-real time, Community Defense fortifies the entire community against emerging threats. Community Defense translates the attack feeds it gathers into attack patterns, reputation data, and policies to safeguard Imperva-protected Websites from similar attacks and attack sources. “Together, Imperva ThreatRadar Reputation Services and Community Defense pull crowd-sourced data from around the world to provide heightened insight into the identity of these attackers,” said Stree Naidu, Vice President Asia Pacific of Imperva. “As the first company to deliver crowd-sourced threat intelligence for Web application firewalls, we continue to innovate to deliver what we believe are the best, most advanced Web application security solutions available to meet the evolving needs of our customers.” Additionally, a Hacker Intelligence Initiative report, released today by Imperva, found that threat-blocking efficiency increased with crowd-sourced threat intelligence for the Web applications tracked in the report. The three-month long study of 60 Web applications demonstrates that cross-site information sharing (i.e., crowd sourcing) results in threat intelligence that enables protection against large-scale campaigns. For more information, or to download the report, click here. Along with ThreatRadar Community Defense which is part of the SecureSphere WAF family, today’s release highlights two additional areas of the SecureSphere platform: SecureSphere File Security: SecureSphere Directory Services Monitoring (DSM) enriches Imperva’s File and Database Security products by providing the ability to audit, alert and report on changes made in Active Directory. DSM allows organizations to continuously monitor critical activity and meet compliance requirements, making it a comprehensive platform for protecting critical applications and data across various systems in the data center. Additionally, added support for NFS extends Imperva’s unstructured data coverage into additional environments including Unix and Linux. SecureSphere Database Security: SecureSphere 10.0 offers agent technology enhancements and extended support for IBM’s Information Management System (IMS) and PostgreSQL, to provide enterprise-class database audit and protection solutions to organizations, large and small. SecureSphere 10.0 is available immediately. For more information please visit http://www.imperva.com. About ImpervaImperva is a pioneer and leader of a new category of business security solutions for critical applications and high-value data in the data center. Imperva's award-winning solutions protect against data theft, insider abuse, and fraud while streamlining regulatory compliance by monitoring and controlling data usage and business transactions across the data center, from storage in a database or on a file server to consumption through applications. With over 2,200 end-user customers in more than 60 countries and thousands of organizations protected through cloud-based deployments, securing your business with Imperva puts you in the company of the world's leading organizations. For more information, visit www.imperva.com, follow us on Twitter or visit our blog. Forward Looking StatementsThis press release contains forward-looking statements, including without limitation those regarding our belief that we have the best, most advanced Web application security available. These forward-looking statements are subject to material risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ substantially from expectations. Investors should consider important risk factors, which include: the risk that our products are not adopted at levels that we anticipate; the risk that competitors may be perceived by customers to be better positioned to help handle Web application security threats; and other risks detailed under the caption “Risk Factors” in the company’s Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, or the SEC, on March 15, 2013 and the company’s other SEC filings. You can obtain copies of the company’s SEC filings on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. ### © 2013 Imperva, Inc. All rights reserved. Imperva, the Imperva logo and SecureSphere are trademarks of Imperva, Inc. All other brand, service or product names are trademarks of their respective companies or owners.

2013-04-23T05:00:00Z imperva-report-demonstrates-importance-of-crowd-sourced-threat-intellige

Imperva Report Demonstrates Importance of Crowd-Sourced Threat Intelligence New Hacker Intelligence Initiative report shows businesses can reduce risk by identifying and blocking attackers targeting multiple sources. Sydney, Aust., April 23, 2013 - Imperva, Inc. (NYSE: IMPV), a pioneer and leader of a new category of business security solutions for critical applications and high-value business data in the data center, today released its April Hacker Intelligence Initiative report, “Get What You Give: The Value of Shared Threat Intelligence,” which analyzed real-world attack traffic against 60 web applications between January and March 2013 to identify common attack patterns. According to the report, businesses can reduce the risk of successful attacks against their organizations by identifying and blocking attack sources, payloads and tools that are found to target multiple websites or organizations. These attack sources made up a disproportionate amount of the overall traffic against enterprise organizations in the report, and can be identified only by analyzing crowd-sourced attack data from a broader community. “Our report shows that businesses can greatly reduce the number of successful attacks against their organizations by identifying and blocking attack sources that are known to target multiple sites or applications. We’ve found that these attack sources are responsible for a disproportionate amount – up to six times – of the attack traffic affecting businesses. The only way to identify these types of attack sources, though, is by sharing attack data among the community,” said Stree Naidu, Vice President Asia Pacific, Imperva. “This report highlights the need for early identification of these types of attack sources and payloads across a community of web applications, so that organizations can leverage shared intelligence to better protect themselves and reduce risk.” As part of the report, Imperva researchers analyzed the behavior of the most common web application attacks (SQL injection, remote and local file inclusion, and comment spam attacks) over time and across targets, cross-referencing the three most prevalent attack characteristics (attack source, payload, and tool), against known attack signatures. Highlights from this report include: Multiple targets are responsible for a disproportionate amount of attack traffic. SQL attackers targeting multiple sources generated nearly six times their share of the population in the report and accounted for 17% of all attacks, while spam attackers generated four times their share of the population in the report and multiple target RFI attackers generated nearly two times their share of the population, amounting to 56% and 73% of total attacks respectively. Crowd-sourcing increases community protection against large-scale attacks. Multiple attacking sources and payloads gradually cover more and more targets, thus affecting larger parts of the community. Identifying a “noisy” attack source - an attacker, payload or tool that repeatedly attacks – is important. Security cooperation between organizations that suffer from Web attacks can create a “network effect” in which all members of the cooperating community can benefit by exchanging security and threat information. “Sharing security information is desirable from an industry perspective in order to enhance collective intelligence via collaboration on defense matters,” said Dan Blum, vice president and distinguished analyst at Gartner in a July 2012 reported titled Decision Point for Anti-malware. To download the full Imperva report, please click here. Get up-to-date security insights on the Imperva Data Security blog. About ImpervaImperva is a pioneer and leader of a new category of business security solutions for critical applications and high-value data in the data center. Imperva's award-winning solutions protect against data theft, insider abuse, and fraud while streamlining regulatory compliance by monitoring and controlling data usage and business transactions across the data center, from storage in a database or on a file server to consumption through applications. With over 2,200 end-user customers in more than 60 countries and thousands of organizations protected through cloud-based deployments, securing your business with Imperva puts you in the company of the world's leading organizations. For more information, visit www.imperva.com, follow us on Twitter or visit our blog. ### © 2013 Imperva, Inc. All rights reserved. Imperva and the Imperva logo are trademarks of Imperva, Inc.

2013-04-23T04:25:00Z westcon-group-designated-value-added-distributor-for-cisco-business-video-solutions-in-australia

Australia (SYDNEY, NSW) – April 23, 2013 – Westcon Group, a value-added distributor of category-leading unified communications, network infrastructure, data centre and security solutions with a global network of specialty resellers, today announced the company has launched a new range of services in Australia to help resellers demonstrate, position and deliver Cisco business video collaboration technologies. The announcement follows Westcon’s designation as a value-added distributor (VAD) for these solutions in the region – opening the door for partners to deliver cutting-edge Cisco collaboration offerings to a broader market segment, particularly to small- and medium-sized businesses. A long-standing Cisco partner, Weston Group was selected to participate in a pilot program with the objective of providing end-to-end service, support and training for business video solutions to engineering, sales and support staff. Coupled with national service and training programs, Westcon is able to reach a larger audience while improving levels of training and support to end-user and corporate customers through its channel. In addition, Cisco partners yet to complete the Authorised Technology Partner (ATP) for TelePresence program now have select access to Cisco endpoints, infrastructure solutions and post-sales services support exclusively through Westcon Group. Products include the Cisco EX and TelePresence Profile series, as well as conferencing solutions such as the Cisco TelePresence MCU series. Partners will also have access to Westcon’s dedicated video demonstration centre, receive support from certified solutions architects – from solution design to demonstration and closing of the sale – and leverage Westcon’s installation services. “This important milestone enables our partners to deliver cutting-edge Cisco video solutions to a broader market segment, particularly in the Australian SMB space,” said Wendy O’Keeffe, Executive Vice President, Westcon Group APAC. “As a value-added distributor for Cisco Business Video Solutions in Australia, we will offer our partners full access to our dedicated video demonstration facilities, without the need for any upfront investment or certification. Additionally, we’ll also provide post-sales services to ensure the video solutions are implemented and maintained correctly.” “Often the biggest barriers-to-entry for small- to medium-sized channel partners when it comes to video is justifying the spend on learning new technology and training for implementation,” said Tiffany Wright, Regional Manager for Commercial and Distribution for Cisco Australia. “We are excited by Westcon’s participation in the pilot and applaud its investment in time and resources to achieve the VAD designation for Cisco Business Video Solutions. Now, Westcon is well-poised to greatly simplify the entry of many of its channel partners into the significant revenue-generating opportunities in video without having to worry about the upfront investment.” For more information on Westcon, please “Like” our Facebook page or track our LinkedIn page. About Westcon Group Westcon Group, Inc. is a value-added distributor of category-leading unified communications, network infrastructure, data centre and security solutions with a global network of specialty resellers. Westcon’s teams create unique programs and provide exceptional support to accelerate the business of its global partners. Strong relationships at every level of the Westcon Group organisation enable partners to receive support tailored to their needs. From global logistics and flexible customised financing solutions to pre-sales, technical and engineering assistance, the company works with partners to respond with agility and speed to changing market conditions so they can achieve the fastest time to revenue. Westcon Group’s portfolio of market-leading vendors includes: Aruba, Avaya, CA Technologies, Check Point, Cisco, Emerson, EMC, F5, Juniper, McAfee, Palo Alto Networks, Polycom, Radware, VCE and VMware. For more information, please visit: www.westcongroup.com.

2013-04-22T21:30:00Z untitled-release-274

AVG Technologies Brings Family Safety to Windows Phone 8 Devices SYDNEY – 23 April 2013 – AVG Technologies AU has today announced that the free AVG Family Safety mobile application is now available for Microsoft Windows® Phone 8 devices. Aimed at protecting children while they surf the web on mobile devices, AVG Family Safety is a free, secure, mobile web browser, previously only available for Apple devices and Windows Phone 7.5. Adding to the existing built-in mobile security already provided by Microsoft, the application uses data from AVG’s Linkscanner® technology to block websites that are known to be malicious, and its own filters will also prevent visits to any sites that are deemed to contain mature and inappropriate content such as anything relating to violence, drugs or pornography. The latest version of AVG Family Safety is ideally suited for use in the Windows Phone 8 Kid’s Corner. This newly introduced feature allows parents to set up an area on their smartphones where children can play with pre-added games, apps, music and videos, but can’t access the content or applications on the rest of the device. Adding AVG Family Safety as the default browser on this section is an easy and great way for parents to open up the Internet to their children but within a safe environment. Michael McKinnon, Security Advisor at AVG Technologies AU, said: “Parents today know only too well the fascination that smartphones hold for children. I am sure that we’ve all been guilty in the past of handing over our device, with our only concern being about its safety rather than the safety of our children using it. But are we stopping to consider the type of content we could be exposing our children to? As our previous research has shown, the digital literacy of children nowadays is astounding so while it is absolutely important to nurture this, and allow our children to experience the online world, it has to be in a controlled way. AVG Family Safety gives parents that peace of mind.” As part of its Digital Diaries research series, AVG discovered that more than twice the number of children aged 2-5 years could play with a smartphone application (26 per cent) versus tying their shoelaces (11 per cent). The research, entitled Digital Skills, also showed that more children can open a web browser (29 per cent) than swim unaided (17 per cent). For further family protection, users who already have an AVG Family Safety account for their home computer can combine this with their Windows Phone 8 application to access even more security features. These include easily customisable lists of allowed and blocked sites, as well as the ability to block social networking sites per mobile device. To download the AVG Family Safety for Windows Phone 8 application directly please visit here. # # # About AVG — www.avg.com.au AVG Technologies’ mission is to simplify, optimise and secure the Internet experience, providing peace of mind to a connected world. AVG’s powerful yet easy-to-use software and online services put users in control of their Internet experience. By choosing AVG’s software and services, users become part of a trusted global community that benefits from inherent network effects, mutual protection and support. AVG has grown its user base to 146 million active users as of 30 December 2012 and offers a product portfolio that targets the consumer and small business markets and includes Internet security, PC performance optimisation, online backup, mobile security and identity protection. AVG Media Contacts: Michael McKinnon AVG 03 9581 0845 mmckinnon@avg.com.au Shuna Boyd BoydPR 02 9418 8100 shuna@boydpr.com.au Keep in touch with AVG · For breaking news, follow AVG on Twitter at twitter.com/avgaunz · Join our Facebook community at www.facebook.com/avgaunz · For security trends, analysis, follow the AVG blog at resources.avg.com.au Media resources, including logos, box shots, screen shots etc., are available online at: http://www.avg.com.au/media/ Join the AVG Technologies’ Community for information, video content and pictures: http://www.flickr.com/photos/officialavg/sets/

2013-04-18T01:10:25Z federal-government-finally-releases-national-cultural-policy-to-mixed-response

Perth, WA, April 18, 2013 - The Federal Government recently released the new National Cultural Policy, called Creative Australia. Under the new policy, the creative arts will receive a total of $235 million over the next 10 years. The largest expenditure will be $75 million to help overhaul the Australian Council for the Arts, which currently oversees music grants.Simon Crean, Minister for the Arts, describes the program has a “policy that sees the artist at the centre of creativity,” and one that is “crucial to the nation’s future.” Crean further describes Creative Australia as “a vision that says we have to invest in the artist.” Crean sees competitiveness and economic development as crucial to furthering the arts.Aside from the $75 million allocated for the overhaul of the Australian Council for the Arts, another $20.8 million will go to not-for-profit training organisations, such as the National Academy of Music, the Australian Youth Orchestra, and an $8.1 million project called Creative Young Stars. Creative Young Stars will allow MP’s to hold local talent contests, with grants being awarded to the winners.Contemporary music will receive funds as well. Sounds Australia will receive $1.75 million to “to help grow domestic and export markets,” and another $1.25 million for “career pathways for musicians.” Over the next four years,$2.4 million will go to the Australian Music Radio Airplay Project (AMRAP), an initiative to ensure that more Australian music is played on the radio.Despite Crean’s optimism, and the amount of money pledged to the arts over the next 10 years as part of Creative Australia, some in the music business are concerned that the money may not go where it is truly needed. According to John Wardle, a well-known live music activist, “I can understand the relentless cynicism from musicians, because they’ve been left out of the process for so long.”Wardle feels that the program will help provide a good infrastructure for advancement of the arts, particularly Australian music, but acknowledges that there won’t be a lot of money going directly into the hands of current artists.Dr. Ianto Ware, the National Live Music Coordinator, is very happy with the initiative, especially its mission “to cut the red tape” and make it easier to produce and perform live music in Australia. Dr. Ware feels that current regulations such as “planning and regulatory rules” are detrimental and create barriers to the live music scene in Australia.Danny Achurch, musician, teacher, and owner of Monster Music, sees Creative Australia as a great development, especially for future musicians: “As a musician and teacher, many of my friends and former students are also in the music business. While I would prefer to see a little more of the money go toward helping those who are playing music right now, there is still a lot being done for current musicians, and this new policy could virtually ensure the future of Australian music.”Achurch concluded, “Today’s children, taking their guitar, drum, piano, and singing lessons, are going to have a lot better chance at success than many in my generation did. If you love music, there has never been a better time in Australian history to take music lessons.”Monster Music is a network of music teachers based in Perth, also serving Adelaide, Melbourne, Brisbane, Sydney, and most cities across Australia. They specialise in making music fun to learn. For more information, their website can be found here:http://www.monstermusic.com.au/ or you may also call them at 08 9335 8881.

2013-04-16T23:15:00Z untitled-release-267

AVG Technologies AU has today announced that AVG TuneUp for Android™ is now available free for Android smartphones and tablets. Built to help users get improved performance from their Android smartphones and tablets, AVG TuneUp for Android combines several tools to increase device performance, including a task killer, battery saver and storage space manager, and also allows users to monitor their data usage. The application enables users to fine-tune their device’s performance to keep it running as smoothly as possible. “Smartphones and tablets are increasingly integral to our business and social lives. Being able to reply to email, edit documents, search the web and connect with our friends while on the move is something that many of us take for granted,” said Yuval Ben-Itzhak, Chief Technology Officer at AVG Technologies. “Given this, it can be incredibly frustrating when your device runs out of battery suddenly or when multiple applications are leading to a sluggish user experience. AVG TuneUp for Android offers a range of easy-to-use smart tools that work together to ensure that your Android device can keep up with your busy schedule.” AVG TuneUp for Android builds on an existing mobile presence from AVG Technologies, which provides award-winning AVG mobile security to millions of users worldwide. AVG’s suite of mobile products frees users to do the things that they really want to do, without having to worry about malware, virus or performance issues. For more information about AVG TuneUp for Android and to download the application directly please visit: AVG TuneUp. # # # About AVG — www.avg.com.au AVG Technologies’ mission is to simplify, optimise and secure the Internet experience, providing peace of mind to a connected world. AVG’s powerful yet easy-to-use software and online services put users in control of their Internet experience. By choosing AVG’s software and services, users become part of a trusted global community that benefits from inherent network effects, mutual protection and support. AVG has grown its user base to 146 million active users as of 30 December 2012 and offers a product portfolio that targets the consumer and small business markets and includes Internet security, PC performance optimisation, online backup, mobile security and identity protection. AVG Media Contacts: Michael McKinnon AVG 03 9581 0845 mmckinnon@avg.com.au Shuna Boyd BoydPR 02 9418 8100 shuna@boydpr.com.au Keep in touch with AVG · For breaking news, follow AVG on Twitter at twitter.com/avgaunz · Join our Facebook community at www.facebook.com/avgaunz · For security trends, analysis, follow the AVG blog at resources.avg.com.au Media resources, including logos, box shots, screen shots etc., are available online at: http://www.avg.com.au/media/ Join the AVG Technologies’ Community for information, video content and pictures: http://www.flickr.com/photos/officialavg/sets/

2013-04-15T01:18:15Z controversial-study-claims-that-piracy-does-not-hurt-music-industry

Perth, April 15, 2013 - Recently, the European Commission Joint Research Centre released a study which analysed the purchasing and downloading statistics of approximately 16,000 European online music consumers. The study analysed an assortment of metrics, and most of its conclusions were of no surprise to those in the music industry. However, the Commission dropped a huge bombshell on the music industry when it claimed that its findings prove that illegal downloads have no negative effect on the sale of online music. The report went even further, and concluded that illegal online downloads actually stimulate the sales of online digital music. Numerically, the study found that whenever the amount of clicks on illegal download sites increases by 10%, the clicks on legal downloading sites increase 0.2%. The study’s authors, Bertin Martins and Luis Aguiar, offered a series of possible reasons for this behaviour. In the past, the most common argument supporting illegal online downloads has been that many consumers like to use illegal downloads as “try before you buy” copies.  Another possible reason given by Martins and Aguiar is that those who participate in illegal downloading were not going to buy any product in the first place, and thus represent no loss of revenue because they weren’t going to buy any product.Another finding that disagrees with the music industry’s collective opinion is that when clicks on legal streaming websites increased 10%, clicks on legal digital retail websites had a corresponding increase of 0.7%.  The study also concluded that those who download music illegally consume more than twice as much music products as those who do not participate in illegal downloading. Many of those in the study tended to click through more to sites such as iTunes, Soundcloud, Vimeo, and YouTube, using multiple portals to access both free and paid music. The music industry, which has long contended that piracy is partially responsible for a decrease in profits over the last decade, was swift in its rebuttal. According to the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI), both the research and its message are not only invalid, but could cause more damage to the industry. Recently, international statistics have indicated that global music sales are headed in an upward direction, but the IFPI is adamant that illegal downloading and piracy still damage the music business by providing free product, thus removing the necessity for consumers to buy those products. Danny Achurch, musician, music teacher, and owner of Monster Music, offers a unique perspective on the current debate over the validity of the report. According to Achurch, “The report has some good points, but appears to jump to an unreasonable conclusion. As a musician, I believe that musicians should be well paid for their product. Recorded music is one of those products, and is one of the few products that can give the performer market leverage by providing passive income.” Achurch continued, “I have heard all of the arguments contending that piracy and illegal downloads don’t affect sales, and I can see how someone could come to that conclusion. However, it is my contention that, if the market is flooded with free product, it devalues the product that people are charging money for.” Achurch concluded, “I do not ever want to see music become devalued.” Monster Music is a network of music teachers in Australia.They provide violin, guitar, singing, and piano lessons in Sydney, Perth, Brisbane, Melbourne, Adelaide, and most Australian cities. For more information, please call 08 9335 8881 or visit their website: http://www.monstermusic.com.au/

2013-04-14T20:57:00Z untitled-release-265

Sydney, 15 April 2013. If you’ve ever been tempted to download a ‘hack’ for your favourite game to accelerate your progress, or to download a pirated copy of the latest title through a torrent or file-sharing site, watch out: the second edition of AVG’s new monthly newsletter, AVG Insight, reveals that over 90% of such files contained malware. World of Warcraft, League of Legends, Runescape, World of Tanks and Minecraft: five of the planet’s most popular computer games, played by an aggregate of more than 330 million people worldwide and part of a multi-billion-dollar industry. But that popularity also makes these games and those who play them prime targets for cybercriminals, as the AVG Viruslab Research Group discovered this month. It takes enormous time, effort and skill to do well in today’s leading Massively Multiplayer Online games (MMOs), and when you consider the cost of buying a game – anywhere from US$5 to US$50 plus desirable add-ons such as extra powers or resources - the cost soon mounts up. In the US, for example, research suggests gamers now spend an average of US$127 on gaming software every year. Unsurprisingly, not everyone either wants to spend such cash or can afford to, which has led to pirated ‘cracked’ games, license key generators (keygens) and thousands of other game hacks such as patches, cheats and trainers appearing online, usually on unregulated torrent or file-sharing sites. These may at first glance appear to be an easy option for a gamer seeking to improve their character’s standing or simply to get something for free, but the bad guys are constantly producing hacks and cracks for the latest and biggest titles, and most contain small chunks of executable code designed to pry, steal and disrupt. AVG’s researchers analysed scores of such hacks and cracks found through metasearch services such as FilesTube and FileCrop, and discovered that more than 90% of them contained some form of malware or malicious code. Even if we assume that just 0.1% of the gamers playing the top five titles go looking for a hack – a highly conservative estimate – that means 330,000 people are potentially at risk of falling victim to game hack malware, which could lead to the loss of any legitimate, paid-for gaming assets, as well as sensitive personal data such as bank details and email or social media passwords. See it in action In a quick test, AVG’s researchers searched FileCrop for a Diablo 3 hack, one of the most popular ‘swords and sorcery’ games on the market. The FileCrop search result listed more than 40 hacks, all temptingly titled to encourage users looking for the greatest in-game rewards and benefits. For the biggest titles, such as World of Warcraft or Minecraft, a similar FileCrop search reveals hundreds of hacks. At random, the team selected and downloaded a file called ‘Diablo 3 Item generator and gold hack.zip’. After downloading and unpacking the file, the team’s installed AVG Internet Security software immediately detected malicious code in the hack itself. What damage can they do? Left to do its dirty work, this malicious code would attempt to decrypt the saved website passwords stored in the machine’s web browser keypass. Any sensitive information it found would then be sent back to the attacker via email. However, it could also mean you lose your game account altogether: attackers can profit from the theft by trading the accounts online in exchange for cash. A registered user account could cost hundreds of dollars and hours of gameplay to replace, while in-game purchases (power-ups, weapons, equipment, etc.) may be lost or sold before the user has a chance to contact the game developer and reclaim their hacked account. This would be in addition to the more common objective of malware – stealing bank account details, hacking email accounts or accessing social networks. How to game safer As this rough and ready experiment shows, gamers downloading a hack from a file sharing website should exercise extreme caution, and at least ensure they have the latest security products installed on their computer. However, to be even safer the AVG Viruslab Research Group recommends you: · DO NOT download cracks, hacks, trainers or unofficial patches. · ONLY download patches from the official game provider’s website. · DO vary your login details. Use different usernames and passwords for every game account, even for game forums. How can I fix my computer if it gets infected? If you think you might already have malware on your machine from an infected game hack, you should immediately: · Change your passwords across all your online services that use the same or similar password. · Contact the game provider to recover access to your account. · Run a scan of your PC using up-to-date security software · If the scan reveals a threat, follow the on-screen prompts (also described here) and the software will often be able to remove the malware. If it does not, we suggest you contact the AVG Techbuddy Experts for further advice. The AVG Viruslab Research Group <<ends>>

2013-04-10T23:49:00Z aapt-connected-cities-provides-gateway-to-the-world-of-broadcast-media

MEDIA RELEASE AAPT CONNECTED CITIES PROVIDES GATEWAY TO THE WORLD OF BROADCAST MEDIA Sydney April 10 2013 – Telecommunications infrastructure company, AAPT, has just made it easier for production houses, advertising agencies and broadcasters operating globally to share, distribute and receive content with Australia. From Melbourne or Sydney to LA, London and New York, AAPT’s Connected Cities program allows broadcasters, content owners and media agencies from all of the key media hubs to connect, transfer and store content. Built on a strong domestic presence, platform agnostic infrastructure and international connectivity using AAPT’s extreme performance network, AAPT’s Connected Cities program is delivered in partnership with BT Media and Broadcast. AAPT CEO David Yuile said the media industry in Australia was still evolving as technology was driving new consumer behavior and global content became increasingly accessible. “Strong partnerships are essential to complement AAPT’s Media Connect service and to satisfy the requirements of the global industry. BT Media and Broadcast, with its long standing reputation, capabilities and reach provided the ideal partner for us,” he said. VP of Global Sales and Marketing for BT Media and Broadcast, Mark Wilson-Dunn, said he was very excited by the new partnership with AAPT for the provision of media and broadcast network services to the fast-growing Australian market. “Our ground breaking MPLS-based IP media network, purpose designed for the broadcast of live television and large media files, is growing at some pace around the world, particularly in the Asian and U.S markets. “Joining this ecosystem will literally open up a world of opportunities for Australasian media businesses,” Mr Wilson-Dunn said. AAPT’S CONNECTED CITIES PROGRAM: The business of media has undergone massive transformation in the past few years with events now being broadcast in real time, globally, delivered across multiple platforms. Pre-recorded content is distributed and screened simultaneously across continents … there are no broadcast boundaries. Recognising the opportunities to utilise AAPT’s Extreme Performance network as the platform for world-leading connect, transfer and store services into and out of Australia, the company with its alliance partners is providing media organisations with the tools they need to collaborate domestically and internationally. FURTHER INFORMATION:Louise Di FrancescoP: (0418) 617 869E: louise.difrancesco@appt.com.au

2013-04-03T22:50:20Z three-in-five-smes-now-have-teleworkers-within-their-business

New research by Australia’s largest accounting software provider, MYOB, reveals almost three in five small and medium businesses now have employees who telework to some extent.MYOB commissioned independent market research firm Colmar Brunton to conduct a nationally representative survey of 1,005 SMEs. One in four (25%) said their employees worked ‘mainly away from the office’, one in three (32%) said they worked ‘partly from home and from the office’ and the remainder did not have remote workers. One key finding was that SMEs whose employees worked mostly from a location other than business premises were 24% more likely to see a revenue rise in the past year. They were 32% less likely to see a revenue fall. CEO Tim Reed says, “The link between teleworking and improved business results is clear in MYOB’s research. SMEs whose employees worked remotely most or all of the time were 24% more likely to experience a revenue rise in the past year. 21% experienced a rise, compared to 17% whose staff only worked from the office.“The link became even clearer when we investigated revenue falls in the past year. 44% of the SMEs without teleworkers saw a fall, versus 30% of those whose staff teleworked most of the time. This speaks volumes as to why empowering employees to work outside the traditional confines of an office is becoming increasingly prevalent. Businesses are realising the bottom line benefits and rewards from more engaged employees.”Business advantagesKey benefits experienced by the 57% of SMEs whose staff teleworkinclude improved employee satisfaction, travel savings, reduced overheads and increased productivity.  Business benefits of teleworking technologies Employees are happier 31% Travel costs have been reduced 28% Employees are more productive 27% I can hire employees living in any location/s 17% IT costs have been reduced 16% Overall IT performance has been improved 15% Business manager(s) is/are happier 13% My business’s carbon footprint has been reduced 12% Premises rental costs have been reduced 11% The number of employee sick days has dropped 10% I can attract higher quality staff 10% IT issues have been reduced 9% Other 12%                         Mr Reed says, “Technology is a key enabler of teleworking and nowadays you don’t need to spend much money upfront to get started. There are plenty of simple free online technologies and applications available such as Skype, Dropbox and Gmail. And the cloud-enabling of new versions of more fully featured applications such as Microsoft Office 365 and MYOB AccountRight Live makes for an easy transition for working remotely.“The initiatives emerging from the Federal Government’s National Digital Economy Strategy should also make the move an easier process. The government is running a range of programs that support its efforts to reach a target of one in eight Australian employees having a regular telework arrangement by 2020.”Teleworking technologiesRespondents whose employees worked away from the office to some extent were asked what technologies they used for teleworking. Two in three used email, nearly three in five used laptops/computers and more than one in two used smartphones. Interestingly, fewer than one in 10 respondents used VPN and video conferencing. Technologies used to assist teleworking Email 66% Laptop/computer 58% Smartphone 55% Instant messaging 25% Telephone conferencing 19% Security software / firewall 18% Cloud computing services 11% VOIP 9% VPN (virtual private network) 7% Router at the teleworker’s premises 6% Video conferencing 6% Other 6%                      Those most likely to teleworkDelving further into the research, SME operators most likely to use teleworking include those in:·         Medium sized businesses (78% versus 53% in micro businesses, which were the least likely)·        Business, professional and property services (70% versus 35% in agribusiness, forestry and fishing)·         Gen Y (69% versus 50% of Baby Boomers)·         Start-up businesses (68% versus 47% of established businesses)·         Metropolitan based businesses (67% versus 45% of their rural counterparts)·         Western Australia (60% versus 54% in Queensland). For MYOB product information, research results, business tips, discussions, customer service and more visit the MYOB Business Monitor webpage, The Pulse blog, MYOB LinkedIn, MYOB Facebook or MYOB YouTube.

2013-03-28T02:16:54Z big-four-music-promoter-michael-coppel-advises-future-generations-don-t-be-a-promoter

Perth, March 28, 2013 - Michael Coppel is a giant in the Australian music industry. He is one of Australia’s top four music promoters, and is currently President and CEO of Live Nation Australasia. Generally, when Michael Coppel talks, everyone in the music industry listens. Coppel was recently interviewed by Billboard about the current state of the live music business in Australia. Coppel’s answers were definitely an eye-opener for everyone who cares about the music business in Australia. Live Nation Australasia is currently promoting Pink’s 42-date tour of Australia, which is producing staggering numbers. The tour, which kicks off 25th June of this year, has already sold 450,000 tickets. This includes 16 dates in Melbourne at the Rod Laver arena.  The 450,000 tickets would be a great number anywhere, but are mind-boggling when you consider that Australia’s population is roughly 22,000,000, and even when you add in New Zealand, a population is still less than 30,000,000. Doing the math, this means that one out of every 60 people in Australia and New Zealand combined have bought a ticket to see Pink.  While Coppel is very happy with these numbers, he says that tour in Australia can be problematic for artists who are not “triple-A” acts like Pink. According to Coppel, Australians are becoming more selective in who they see, and sales for second and third level acts have declined sharply from 1 to 2 years ago. According to Coppel, the fact that Australia’s dollar is high, compared to most of the world, has turned Australia into a high demand tour for international artists. However, those artists are demanding more money, and Coppel fears that Australian promoters will get into a bidding war to procure the artists that they want. Coppel also said that promoters are currently being pushed to buy 12 shows by many international acts, but only 6 to 8 of the shows are producing profits for the promoters. Coppel also lamented what he sees as a very saturated festival market, and the mergers between promoters to try and keep festivals alive. Danny Achurch, owner of Monster Music, a network of music and piano teachers in Adelaide, Perth, Melbourne, and most cities across Australia, agrees with Coppel, but would like to see Australian artists share a larger slice of the pie: “It is great that these international artists are coming in and making so much money, but we would like to see more Australian artists getting paid well, too. While we understand that we don’t have very many Australian artists who could sell out 16 consecutive dates in Sydney, there are plenty of Australian bands that would provide a great product for promoters like Coppel.” Achurch continued, “Ironically, while music festivals with international acts are failing at an unprecedented rate, smaller festivals, with well-defined themes and mostly Australian artists, with one or two international headliners, are very successful and are making money for promoters. I am a music teacher and not a math teacher, but mathematics like this are quite easy to understand.” Achurch concluded, “Promoters like Coppel should promote more Australian artists and bands; it certainly can’t hurt.” Monster Music is a network of music teachers in Melbourne, Perth, and across Australia. They provide guitar, piano, voice, and other music lessons in Melbourne, Perth, and most cities across Australia. For music lessons or more information, please call 08 9335 8881 or visit their website: http://www.monstermusic.com.au/.