http:// 2013-06-18T06:24:19Z 2013-06-18T06:24:19Z local-business-marketplace-startup-oneflare-raises-500-000

Sydney, Australia, 18 June 2013 - Australian startup Oneflare.com.au, which connects consumers to local service businesses, has raised $500,000 in funding from local investors. Oneflare has raised the funding following explosive growth:1300% increase in total traffic in the last 12 months. Now a top 2000 visited website in Australia130,000 unique visitors per month$16 millions in jobs requestedOver 30,000 businesses registered in over 250 service categoriesOneflare is a marketplace that helps connect individuals with local service businesses that best suit their needs. Top categories on the site are cleaners, electricians, plumbers, removalists, pest control, painters, accountants, bathroom and kitchen renovators, landscapers, and gardeners. For individuals and families, Oneflare saves time searching for the right local business, helps find someone trustworthy and reliable, and ensures a fair price. For businesses, Oneflare provides timely, pre-qualified leads so operators can focus on the job at hand, while helping to grow reputation. Les Szekely from Grand Prix Capital, Garry Visontay, Partner Sydney Seed Fund and Dr. Jeffrey Tobias, Director The Strategy Group are the investors. Les, Garry and Jeffrey have formed a small investment syndicate, and have previously jointly invested in DesignCrowd. Capital will be used for scaling online user acquisition growth, continued marketplace innovation, and driving revenue growth. Marcus Lim, Co-Founder and CEO, Oneflare: “Launching Oneflare to the Australian public has been an incredible ride. My co-founder Adam Dong and I left our corporate jobs to pursue this entrepreneurial path, and haven’t looked back. “The feedback from the Australian public who have used Oneflare to find great local businesses has been tremendous. They love the easy to use website. “Similarly, service businesses around the country have started earning more than ever before. “We’re now cash flow positive so this funding is really about scaling and becoming the number one marketplace for consumers and service businesses to find each other.  “The experience that our investors bring to Oneflare is equally as important as their funding. We look forward to tapping into their experience, and capital, to fire a rocket under our already rapid growth.” Les Szekely, Grand Prix Capital: “We’re always on the hunt for exciting, innovative businesses that have proven revenue streams and a team that we’re confident can go the distance. “We were incredibly impressed by Oneflare from the moment the business was brought to our attention. “Oneflare is an easy-to-use service and we believe it will quickly become one of the most visited websites in Australia.”

2013-06-18T05:36:49Z art-amp-technology-solve-problems

SYDNEY, NSW, June 18, 2013 (eReleases) – Art & Technology announce on going commitment to solve customer’s problems with some recent examples. Website SEO is an ongoing challenge for any small business.  Having the best chance involves knowing the internal page requirements before getting a web designer on board. Search engines do not see Flash, and give extra value to specific HTML code. Talk of guaranteed external links is not legitimate. Having a reliable web host can also be an issue. Having real experience is valuable. Did you know you have to have your Wi-Fi “SSID Broadcast On” or else your Kindle will not remember the password?  There are just so many technical issues that come up that need solutions.With places live Freelancer.com, 99designs.com and fiverr.com, is it too good to be true? Generally yes, when it comes to ownership of copyright and IP. Issues that we can help with. From very high technology music production system design to funny cartoons and graphic design, from Australia to Japan and back, Sydney owner of Art & Technology, Adrian Bruce and has covered some ground. After years of consulting in electronics, software and design, 15 years in Japan at the Roland Corporation, and originally involved with the world changing Sydney based sound sampling musical instrument, the Fairlight Instruments CMI Series III at the start of the 80s, and more recently devices for Cochlear and ResMed, he now does freelance artwork, websites and development. About Art & Technology Art and Technology is a multi-disciplinary consultancy providing custom development in art, technology and the combination of the two.    

2013-06-18T05:06:21Z amd-s-seamicro-sm15000-powers-rubicon-project-s-advertising-trading-platform

SYDNEY, Australia. ─ 18 June, 2013 ─ AMD today announced that its SeaMicro SM15000™ server is the foundation for Rubicon Project’s REVV, the world’s largest, fastest and easiest-to-use independent real-time trading platform for buying and selling digital ads. The REVV platform currently reaches 97 percent of all U.S. Internet users, as measured by comScore’s reach measurement, and processes transactions between more than 500 of the world’s premium publishers and over 140,000 advertisers across a massive marketplace. AMD and Rubicon Project worked closely to create the RubiCube, a standardised, tightly integrated micro-POP-in-a-box solution, which will provide Rubicon Project with an operational competitive edge in all its key markets.“The scale at which we must operate is hard to fathom. We have the challenge of inventing technologies that can handle hundreds of billions of transactions, and we needed a partner that was willing to help us break out of the constraints of the traditional data center,” said Jan Gelin, vice president, Real Time Cloud, Rubicon Project. “AMD has been an amazing partner, and we could not have created the RubiCube without the unique innovations of the SeaMicro SM15000.”The scale and reach of REVV requires a commitment to engineering excellence from the hardware to the network to the software. This need for innovative engineering led Rubicon Project and AMD to create the RubiCube, a single SeaMicro SM15000-based hardware platform which replaces two racks of equipment and slashed provisioning times from six months to five days.“Rubicon Project has some one of the most demanding applications with very high performance requirements, and AMD was up to the challenge of supporting its growth and expansion,” said Dhiraj Mallick, corporate vice president and general manager, Data Center Server Solutions, AMD. “The SeaMicro SM15000 system provides computing efficiency and allows our customers to achieve best-in-class operational efficiencies as well.”The SeaMicro SM15000 system is the highest-density, most energy-efficient server on the market. In 10-rack units, it links 512 compute cores, 160 gigabits of I/O networking and more than five petabytes of storage with a 1.28 terabit high-performance supercomputer fabric called Freedom™ Fabric. The SM15000 server eliminates top-of-rack switches, terminal servers, hundreds of cables and thousands of unnecessary components for a more efficient and streamlined operational environment. AMD’s SeaMicro server product family currently supports the next-generation AMD Opteron™ (“Piledriver” core) processor, as well as Intel’s ® Xeon® E3-1260L (“Sandy Bridge”), E3-1265Lv2 (“Ivy Bridge”) and Atom™ N570 processors. The SeaMicro SM15000 also supports the Freedom Fabric Storage products, enabling a single system to connect with more than five petabytes of storage capacity in two racks. This approach delivers the benefits of expensive and complex solutions, such as network attached storage (NAS) and storage area networking (SAN), with the simplicity and low cost of direct attached storage.Read more about how Rubicon Project uses the SM15000 to enable global micro-POP standardisation. About AMDAMD (NYSE: AMD) is a semiconductor design innovator leading the next era of vivid digital experiences with its ground-breaking AMD Accelerated Processing Units (APUs) that power a wide range of computing devices. AMD's server computing products are focused on driving industry-leading cloud computing and virtualisation environments. AMD's superior graphics technologies are found in a variety of solutions ranging from game consoles, PCs to supercomputers. For more information, visit http://www.amd.com.AMD, the AMD Arrow logo, SeaMicro SM15000, Freedom, AMD Opteron, and combinations thereof are trademarks of Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. Other names are for informational purposes only and may be trademarks of their respective owners. 

2013-06-18T02:28:55Z noventus-celebrates-its-4th-year

Noventus Pty Ltd is celebrating its 4th year in the Professional Services sector. As one of the fastest growing project management, engineering, ICT and logistics companies in Australia, Noventus now operates in all states and territories of Australia with a balanced portfolio spanning the Defence, Aerospace (Air Traffic Management), Government, Telecommunications, Rail and Resources sectors. With a client base which includes a number of blue-chip local and international prime systems integrators, State and Federal Government clients, Noventus has emerged as the next generation of professional services companies with a refreshing approach. The Noventus owner and Managing Director - Keith Armstrong - says that "... our core belief in business ethics and treating our staff and clients respectfully is one of the reasons for our modest success - it's not just about us. So we are now achieving superior levels of client and employee satisfaction that result in client and employee referrals becoming a significant source of new business and staff. Our Australia wide footprint is also a testimony to our capability and capacity to deploy anywhere with small to large teams."As a former Defence Systems Engineer and Systems Integrator, Keith Armstrong has also established an in-house Research & Development (R&D) capability currently focussed on Test Automation which was a spin off from their Air Traffic Management line of business. "... as Test Automation is a service which is transferable across multiple sectors (and it assists our clients to become better, faster and cheaper), we see this is a key differentiator in the market place." Noventus is set to remain a forceful contender in the future with multi-million dollar forward orders as well as tier one membership in several Government panels which include:SEA 1000 Future Submarines Victorian State Government eServices Rapid Prototyping Development and Evaluation (RPDE) Defence Materiel Organisation Support Services (DMOSS) Defence Support Group (DSG) Electro Mechanical CAD Design Services For more information on Noventus services connect via LinkedIn at au.linkedin.com/in/noventus/.About Noventus Noventus is a Project Management, ICT, Logistics and Engineering advisory services company that has established itself as a leading provider of capability improvement to Government, Defence, Telecommunications, Resources and Rail clients. These services are also supported by allied capabilities such as Business Analysis, Architecture Development, Integration and Test, Change Management, Process Improvement, Commercial Management / Procurement Management Project Controls / Earned Value Management, and Managed Services

2013-06-18T01:41:00Z untitled-release-92

Acronis® today announces it has appointed Simon Howe to head the company’s expansion into the mobility market across the whole APAC region. In the newly created role as Sales Director, Mobility Solutions, APAC, Simon is to develop and grow the mobility market for Acronis, recruiting new partners and customers. Simon Howe is a highly regarded sales professional with a proven track record in leading backup and software management vendors such as Acronis, Symantec and CommVault. His experience includes sales management, channel management and enterprise account development. From 2007 to 2011, Simon worked at Acronis to establish its presence in Australia and New Zealand. He returns to Acronis on the back of its acquisition of GroupLogic. On his appointment to the new role Simon Howe said: “It is a tremendous opportunity to be able to work again with the high calibre people and solutions at Acronis. It’s even more exciting to be responsible for the push into the limitless potential of the mobility sector in the strongest marketplace in the world.” Bill Taylor-Mountford, President of Acronis APAC said: “We are delighted to welcome Simon back to Acronis in this new role. He has the high performance credentials to lead our mobility strategy in APAC. “Expanding into the mobility market is a strategic move for Acronis. It is where the opportunities are in today’s world. We have the top quality products and now with the right people, I am confident that Simon and the team will grow the market significantly for us in APAC.” About Acronis Acronis is leading the next wave of data availability, accessibility and protection solutions to simplify today’s complex IT environments. Acronis technology enables organisations of all sizes to manage the always-on anywhere data access demands of users, reducing risk against the loss of valuable corporate data and controlling management and storage costs. With proven technology for data migration and disaster recovery for physical, virtual and cloud environments, and secure enterprise file-sharing and synchronization regardless of type or platform, Acronis is enabling organisations to embrace new IT strategies and options such as BYOD and Mac in the enterprise. For additional information, please visit www.acronis.com.au, follow Acronis on Twitter: http://twitter.com/acronis and visit Acronis on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/Acronis.APAC For further information please contact: Shuna Boyd BoydPR 02 9418 8100 Lis Walters Acronis 02 8458 0845 Acronis® is a registered trademark of Acronis International GmbH. in the United States and/or other countries.

2013-06-18T01:00:05Z reactive-announces-perspectives-a-digital-outlook-for-2013

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - Digital agency Reactive has developed Perspectives 2013, a compilation of articles on what to watch in the digital world this year and in the year to come. With input from each of Reactive’s five global offices, the articles within Perspectives will guide marketers around the world on the best investments for their budgets.  The twelve articles within this second annual edition cover a variety of digital trends. Topics range from the ownership of content to the rise of eCommerce in Asia to the future of design. Each one however ultimately touches upon what every marketer is looking for: how best to spend their time and their money to connect to the people they are trying to reach.   “With so much information, much of it clutter, constantly being put in front of us, it can be daunting to sift through it all and determine which digital trends make the most sense,” said Tim O’Neill, Reactive’s Co-founder and Joint Managing Director. “Our teams know this and want to provide a bit of guidance on how best a company can communicate with their audience.”  While the abundance of digital trends may seem a bit overwhelming, O’Neill feels this is actually a great thing. “There’s so much going on but thankfully that means there is something that will work for every company’s digital needs. Our teams have researched and studied what’s next in digital and enjoy being able to share this knowledge. Hopefully we can clear up some of the clutter.”     The Report can be accessed for free here: http://www.reactive.com/news/whats-new/perspectives-2013-launches.html  ABOUT REACTIVEReactive is an award-winning independent digital agency that provides digital strategy, design, development and online marketing for some of the world’s leading brands. Reactive has over 140 staff with offices in Melbourne, Sydney, Auckland, London and New York. More information available at www.reactive.com.

2013-06-18T00:19:55Z dimension-data-and-oakton-announce-strategic-partnership

Dimension Data, an ICT solutions and services provider, today announced it has entered into a strategic partnership with technology and business consulting company, Oakton [ASX:OKN] to provide  ICT infrastructure integration, cloud and traditional outsourcing services bundled with Oakton solutions. Together, the companies will develop go-to-market propositions that utilise the capabilities of both organisations to provide an integrated solution for clients. Dimension Data and Oakton will work closely together to build a repeatable catalogue of services that can be provided through the partnership and will enable both companies to respond quickly and accurately to new opportunities.“This is an important strategic alliance that will provide considerable benefit to both Dimension Data’s and Oakton’s large enterprise and public sector clients,” said Rodd Cunico, CEO for Dimension Data Australia. “Our value proposition and footprint is complementary and collectively, we can address our client’s requirements and execute on their business drivers completely.”“Dimension Data is a great fit for Oakton in helping to drive our service integration strategy, which is all about providing integrated business solutions that straddle traditional on-premise and cloud deployment models,” said Neil Wilson, CEO for Oakton. “By using Dimension Data’s public cloud, private cloud and hosting models we are now able to offer our clients a range of alternatives to the on-premise model. This allows us to integrate the right services to deliver the best solution to align with a range of cost, risk and commercial considerations. This is a natural progression for Oakton, building on our track record in data management and application integration solutions and extending this beyond the corporate firewall. “For Oakton it expands our value proposition in that we can now provide a more complete solution from strategy through to implementation and ongoing managed services, right across the solution stack. We are already providing these services to a number of existing clients and the Dimension Data partnership will help to accelerate growth in this area,” added Mr Wilson. -ENDS-About Dimension DataFounded in 1983, Dimension Data plc is an ICT services and solutions provider that uses its technology expertise, global service delivery capability, and entrepreneurial spirit to accelerate the business ambitions of its clients. Dimension Data is a member of the NTT Group. www.dimensiondata.comAbout OaktonOakton is one of Australia’s leading technology and business consulting services companies and is listed on the Australian Stock Exchange [ASX: OKN]. Oakton helps some of Australia’s largest organisations across a range of industry sectors meet their technology and business needs through its flexible, cost-effective and results-driven approach to service delivery. With over 1,100 employees, Oakton has offices in Melbourne, Sydney, Canberra, Brisbane, Perth and Hyderabad (India). To learn more about Oakton please visit www.oakton.com.au.     

2013-06-18T00:19:00Z gartner-says-worldwide-government-it-spending-flat-in-2013

Worldwide IT spending by government organisations is projected to total US$449.5 billion in 2013, a slight decrease of 0.1 percent from 2012, according to the latest forecast by Gartner, Inc. The forecast includes spending by government sector organisations on hardware, software, IT services and telecommunications. Analysts revised the growth rate downward from the previous forecast of 0.2 percent growth, as government agencies continue to struggle against weak economic development. Spending on IT product and services by federal, state and local governments in Australia is expected to grow 2.2 percent to reach more than AU$9.5 billion in 2013, with software spending the main driver of that growth. Public sector IT spending will reach almost AU$10.7 billion by 2017. This forecast includes spending on software, IT services, telecommunications, devices, data centres and internal IT services (staff costs). A separate education sector forecast is available. Despite decreased spending worldwide in some areas, a recent government IT spending priorities survey by Gartner indicated that mobile technologies, IT modernisation and cloud computing are the top three focus areas for 2013. Strong interest continues to grow in professional services and big data. “Cloud computing, in particular, continues to increase compared with prior years, driven by economic conditions and a shift from capital expenditure to operational expenditure, as well as potentially more important factors such as faster deployment and reduced risk,” said Christine Arcaris, research director at Gartner. “Other areas, such as data centre consolidation, are lower on the list than in previous years, perhaps demonstrating that they may have met resistance in a more strategic roll-out. Vendors should be ready to reposition offerings according to these changing market dynamics.” Survey respondents reported that they are adopting public and private cloud-based services at an increasing rate, with 30-50 percent of organisations planning for, or having an active IT services contract within the next 12 months. While the focus initially was on software-as-a-service (SaaS) implementation, future rollouts will include infrastructure-as-a-service (IaaS) and platform-as-a-service (PaaS). As the top priority, mobility is increasing in importance among government agencies worldwide. Demand is strongest in government agencies with more decentralised staff and those that have a large field workforce or specialised needs (such as border patrol agents, inspectors and social workers) and that benefit from mobile investments. This next wave of technology adoption will develop over time, as agencies replace existing hardware with new mobile infrastructure and devices. The survey showed that momentum is building for bring-your-own-device (BYOD) programs, but questions continue. Of the organisations surveyed, 52 percent said employees are allowed to bring their own smartphones to work, and 50 percent can use their own laptop, followed by tablets at 38 percent. Vendors must also understand how growing interest in BYOD policies and strategies may impact opportunities in the government sector. Security and governance may limit the pace and adoption. The survey also indicated that while big data is not yet a high priority among survey respondents, it is gaining momentum. The focus on government efficiency and effectiveness means opportunity for big data/analytics, as it represents an emerging focal point for specific government modernisation. “Government organisations have increased big data spending for improper payment systems, indicating the desire to tackle fraud, waste and abuse within agencies, as well as target upfront errors in revenue collection,” said Ms. Arcaris. “While agencies are assessing how to manage, leverage and store big data, not many have addressed the challenges associated with the utilisation of content and the issues associated with merging large amounts of data onto a single platform.” Vendors must acknowledge the challenges here, and tie big data solutions back to specific agency workflows. Gartner conducted an expansive enterprise IT spending study from June through September 2012, encompassing respondents in 13 countries (Australia, Brazil, China, Colombia, Germany, India, Indonesia, Mexico, Russia, Singapore, South Korea, the U.K. and the U.S.) to help Gartner understand enterprises' general IT spending plans for 2012 and 2013. Respondents were questioned on their general IT budget and spending plans, as well as on an expanded range of specific IT initiatives identified by Gartner. More detailed analysis is available in the report “User Survey Analysis: IT Spending Priorities in Government, Worldwide, 2013." The report is available on Gartner's website at http://www.gartner.com/resId=2317416About GartnerGartner, Inc. (NYSE: IT) is the world’s leading information technology research and advisory company. Gartner delivers the technology-related insight necessary for its clients to make the right decisions, every day. From CIOs and senior IT leaders in corporations and government agencies, to business leaders in high-tech and telecom enterprises and professional services firms, to technology investors, Gartner is a valuable partner in more than 13,000 distinct organisations. Through the resources of Gartner Research, Gartner Executive Programs, Gartner Consulting and Gartner Events, Gartner works with every client to research, analyse and interpret the business of IT within the context of their individual role. Founded in 1979, Gartner is headquartered in Stamford, Connecticut, USA, and has 5,500 associates, including 1,400 research analysts and consultants, and clients in 85 countries. For more information, visit www.gartner.com.

2013-06-18T00:00:52Z samantha-brennan-launches-new-free-online-food-and-lifestyle-magazine

New media start-up TheFamilyKitchen.com.au, an online food and lifestyle blog-style magazine,is fast finding its feet in an exciting digital landscape. Launched in February 2013 and the brainchild of magazine journalist Samantha Brennan, TheFamilyKitchen.com.au now has more than1,400 Facebook followers, and monthly visitors to the website has grown from 1,400 at launch to close to 6,000 (+328%), less than four months later. Founder and editor Samantha Brennan, with 10 years’ experience as a writer and editor for some of the best-known Australian magazines including Australian Good Food, Australian House & Garden andCLEO, dedicates her time to curating food and lifestyle content for families across Australia, delivering glossy-quality recipes and features designed to educate and entertain busy mums. “TheFamilyKitchen.com.au exists for many reasons, not least of which is I simply love what I do.But essentially, I saw that while there are lots of big players in the online food media market, and many digital communities for Australian mums, there was perhaps space for a more intimate, premium blog-style editorial product built purely around food and lifestyle content. TheFamilyKitchen.com.au encourages dialogue between our readers and editorial team, and offersan attractive professional platform for advertisers to make a quality connection with that lucrative target market – the household grocery buyer.” TheFamilyKitchen.com.au has experienced rapid growth among women aged 25-541, who areincreasingly going online for information, support and entertainment. With 98.9% of mums using Facebook2 and 73% reading blogs3, the internet is fast becoming their leading source of “me-time”.Women are finding online content that they enjoy, and it’s replacing the need to buy traditional glossies. The move from magazines to online is evident, with many popular national titles experiencing decline in the six months to December 20124. Renowned ex-ACP Magazines editor Mia Freedman hascommented5, “The magazines, which I loved madly as a reader, and then as a writer and editor, areproduced monthly or weekly… We live our lives in increments of half-hours, sometimes minutes – and if you’re the mother of a child under two, best make that seconds. We don’t wait for magazines anymore. We have information coming to us from the internet and social media much faster than we can consume it. For free.” And it’s this shift that underlies the business model for TheFamilyKitchen.com.au. “The idea is toinvert the traditional interpretation of a print-and-digital media relationship. We’re building our brand online; that’s our primary product. Moving forward, we’ll support our online content with special print editions and one-shot cookbooks, but we’ll lead with our digital offering.” Future plans for this promising start-up see more big-name celebrity interviews, exciting contributors continuing to come on board and a special celebration print edition before the year is out. “We have big plans for TheFamilyKitchen.com.au, and it’s very exciting to see it all come together. I’m lookingforward to the next six months and watching our community grow.” ENDS Contact: Mary-Anne Amies, Wise Up Marketing Solutionsmaryanne@wiseupmarketing.com.au 0402 248 930 ### 1Facebook Page Insights. 2MumsNow “Mums in 2012” Survey. 3MumsNow “Mums in 2012” Survey.4http://www.bandt.com.au/news/media/abcs-beauty-and-lifestyle-dives-health-and-home-hi5http://www.bandt.com.au/news/media/mia-freedman-flipping-through-a-women-s-magazine-i

2013-06-17T23:57:00Z sophos-launches-complete-msp-security

Sydney, Australia – June 18, 2013 – Sophos today announced Complete MSP Security, the company’s new partner program designed to drive market success for MSPs by aligning with their business and technical needs to bring complete security services to market. Sophos Complete MSP Security is the first MSP-focused solution to offer complete protection for networks, endpoints, and mobile devices from a single vendor. Sophos Complete MSP Security makes offering IT security as a service easier and more profitable. MSPs can offer a full range of IT security services that provide instant credibility and proven protection, including centralised management that allows them to easily manage all of their customers’ locations at no extra charge. With Sophos’s new self-provisioning MSP licensing, this program offers compelling usage-based pricing and pay-as-you-go monthly billing, and it requires no up-front commitments – a business model demanded by today’s MSPs that had gone unmet – until now. “What Sophos is doing with their new MSP program is cutting edge and will be a major game changer for the entire industry,” said Shane Swanson, COO, CharTec. “Having the ability to have a true pay-as-you-go offering for our UTM offering is exactly what we as MSPs have been asking for from the industry. And it’s extremely rewarding to know that Sophos is not only listening to their partners, but taking action on our feedback.” “Simply put, our customers want total outsourced IT security that works, which is what any pragmatic business wants,” said Dan Ingling, IT/engineering manager, Line Systems, Inc. “Previously, we were challenged with delivering custom-tailored services from multiple vendors. With Sophos’s Complete MSP Security, we have a vendor partner with a solution and a business model that effectively addresses this challenge, allowing us to exceed our customers’ expectations and grow our business.” “PowerNET first partnered with Sophos four years ago, providing our first truly managed service to our clients a few weeks later, and from day one, we knew it was the right decision. Our clients love Sophos’s pay-as-you-go approach, which sees their monthly fee increase or decrease depending on the amount of endpoints covered – as opposed to the old method of guessing how many machines they need covered over time,” said Cameron Price, business development manager, PowerNET. “Our consultants love the Sophos MSP offering as they no longer have to monitor and manage multiple consoles across our client sites; that, coupled with the support offered by Sophos, is second to none.” “We developed Sophos Complete MSP Security in close collaboration with our MSPs, which wanted a solution that met their customers’ security needs, optimised cash flow and increased revenue potential – a value proposition previously unavailable in the market,” said Mike Valentine, senior vice president, worldwide sales and channel, Sophos. “As a channel-first company, the goal of this program – from its inception – has been to make it easy for MSPs to manage and grow their businesses with us, and we believe our new program will result in tremendous growth for them.” About Sophos More than 100 million users in 150 countries rely on Sophos’s complete security solutions as the best protection against complex threats and data loss. Simple to deploy, manage, and use, Sophos’s award-winning encryption, endpoint security, web, email, mobile and network security solutions are backed by SophosLabs - a global network of threat intelligence centres. Sophos is headquartered in Boston, US and Oxford, UK. More information is available at www.sophos.com. Media Contacts: Luisa RegattieriEspresso Communications +61 2 8016 2200 luisa@espressocomms.com.au Corrie McLeod Espresso Communications +61 2 8016 2200 corrie@espressocomms.com.au

2013-06-17T23:54:15Z more-australian-mums-going-online-for-me-time

Since its launch in February 2013, TheFamilyKitchen.com.au has experienced rapid growth amongwomen aged 25-541, who are increasingly going online for information, support and entertainment.With 98.9% of mums using Facebook2 and 73% reading blogs3, the internet is fast becoming theirleading source of “me-time”. And now Australian mums are discovering TheFamilyKitchen.com.au, an exciting new free onlinefood and lifestyle blog-style magazine, featuring everything mums need to create happier, healthier family kitchens: simple recipes, practical nutrition advice, style inspiration, celebrity interviews and great competitions, which are all delivered daily in delicious bite-size morsels. TheFamilyKitchen.com.au founder and editor Samantha Brennan, with 10 years’ experience as awriter and editor for some of the best-known Australian magazines including Australian Good Food,Australian House & Garden and CLEO, now dedicates her time to curating food and lifestyle contentfor families across Australia, delivering glossy-quality recipes and features designed to educate and entertain busy mums. Although there are plenty of online recipe databases, Samantha noticed a space was missing where women could come together to share and learn about family food and nutrition, as well as fun things like new kitchenware and tableware, and famous foodies’ kitchens. “I saw that while there are lots of big players in the online food media market, there was perhaps space for a more intimate and friendlier blog-style magazine that offers connection with the editorial team and among our readers,” she said. The response from women has been overwhelming. TheFamilyKitchen.com.au now has more than1,400 Facebook followers, and monthly visitors to the website has grown from 1,400 at launch to close to 6,000 (+328%), just four months later. TheFamilyKitchen.com.au is a free Australian online food and lifestyle magazine. All recipes fromthe editorial team are developed and tested especially for TheFamilyKitchen.com.au. With simplerecipes, easy ideas and everyday inspiration for happy, healthy family kitchens, women who love cooking and family food should log on to TheFamilyKitchen.com.au.ENDS Contact: Mary-Anne Amies, Wise Up Marketing Solutionsmaryanne@wiseupmarketing.com.au 0402 248 930 ### 1Facebook Page Insights2MumsNow “Mums in 2012” Survey3MumsNow “Mums in 2012” Survey

2013-06-17T23:49:09Z major-global-construction-company-brookfield-multiplex-to-implement-ifs-applications

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA, JUNE 18, 2013 – IFS, the global enterprise applications company, announces that international construction, development, engineering and infrastructure firm Brookfield Multiplex has selected IFS Applications for project ERP (enterprise resource planning). The contract is initially for 1,750 users of a broad spectrum of IFS Applications functionality. The contract includes licenses and services valued at AUD $4 million.Brookfield Multiplex is headquartered in Australia and operates in eight countries, employing 3,368 people. The company has won more than 500 awards and has completed 793 projects valued at $54 billion. Significant projects include the Trump International Hotel and Tower in Toronto, the Fiona Stanley Hospital in Australia, Strata SE1 in London and the Dubai Marina. IFS Applications will be used to address, initially, several areas of the business including contract and product portfolio management, project profitability, financials and reporting. As these and other parts of the business work to pursue major projects on an international basis, IFS Applications will enable Brookfield Multiplex to leverage its global knowledge and resource base to win and successfully deliver projects. Other components to be implemented include IFS Touch Apps, e invoice, CRM, IFS Talk, HSE and Rostering. The implementation will be driven and managed by IFS Australia and will commence in July 2013.“IFS is uniquely positioned to help a global construction company of this calibre profitably manage project deliverables, collaborate with vendors and enhance customer satisfaction,” IFS Australia Managing Director Rob Stummer said. “We are also uniquely positioned to ensure a successful implementation, having proven our capabilities through our work for Brookfield Multiplex’s parent and sister companies in the UK and North and South America.”The construction, contracting and infrastructure industry is an IFS targeted vertical market. IFS offers a complete and integrated business solution that manages the entire contract lifecycle – design, procure, manufacture, build, construct and install, commission, maintain and service, spares and supply chain, repair, refurbish, and disposal.IFS Applications includes functionality for contract and project management, risk management, project budgeting and forecasting, finance and project accounting, resource planning, scheduling and optimisation, asset and service management, spares management, mobile solutions for site work, call and case management including SLA, all fully integrated with human resources and document management. IFS customers in the Construction, Contracting and Infrastructure industry include Alliance Contracting, Brierty, Contiga, Graham, Technip, Hertel, Debut Services, Fabcon, Babcock Group, Agility Group, Heerema Fabrication Group, Clancy Docwra, Damen Shipyards, Seadrill, Eltel Networks and Infratek.About Brookfield MultiplexBrookfield Multiplex is a leading global contractor responsible for creating landmark buildings and infrastructure projects in Australia, the Middle East, Europe, India and Canada.Established in 1962, it has delivered almost 800 projects with a combined value of more than US$52 billion (AU$54 billion). It has expertise across the residential, health, retail, commercial, education and engineering infrastructure sectors.With over 500 industry awards, Brookfield Multiplex is known for delivering on time and on budget. By thinking like an owner and understanding clients’ unique requirements, it enables long-term, cost-effective outcomes that add real value to projects.About IFS IFS is a public company (XSTO: IFS) founded in 1983 that develops, supplies, and implements IFS Applications™, a component-based extended ERP suite. IFS focuses on industries where management of any of the following four core processes is strategic: service & asset, manufacturing, supply chain, and projects. The company has 2,100 customers and is present in approximately 60 countries with 2,800 employees in total. More information on IFS is available at www.IFSWORLD.com  Follow us on Twitter: @ifsworldVisit the IFS Blogs on technology, innovation and creativity: http://blogs.ifsworld.com/

2013-06-17T22:00:00Z -53

AccessData Introduces Forensic Toolkit® (FTK®) 5 FTK® 5 Introduces Faster, More Comprehensive Processing and Now Includes Data Visualization and Explicit Image Detection (EID) Out of the Box LINDON, UTAH—June 18, 2013—AccessData announced the release of Forensic Toolkit (FTK) 5. With this major release, AccessData brings an even faster and more comprehensive FTK capable of exposing more data in less time. FTK 5 includes data visualization and explicit image detection (EID) out of the box. These two critical investigative capabilities give FTK users a great advantage, compared to tackling these tasks with other products. Data Visualization features automated graphical timeline construction and analysis of social relationships, and investigators can include visualization images in their case reports. Explicit Image Detection (EID) detects not only flesh tones but conducts a thorough analysis of shapes and orientation. Furthermore, FTK 5 integrates with Microsoft PhotoDNA® which creates a unique signature for a digital image, like a fingerprint, that can be compared with the signatures of other images to find copies and variations of images of interest. “The release of FTK 5 significantly raises the bar for forensic analysis tools”, commented Brian Karney, President and COO of AccessData. “FTK 5 allows users to access and identify that important data so much faster than other tools, streamlining time consuming tasks and helping minimize case backlog.” FTK 5 also delivers enhanced Internet analysis with a new dedicated Internet/Chat tab that allows users easier access to these artifacts that are more and more often integral to a case. The enhanced analysis capabilities include new Internet artifact carvers for more than 30 additional web applications/services, social media sites and games. Google Chrome analysis enhancements feature easier navigation through artifacts, web page reconstruction and the creation of individual records from Chrome artifact tables for bookmarks, cookies, credit card data, data profile, downloads, history, keywords, login data, top sites and web auto-fill data. In addition, AccessData has enhanced the integration of its industry-leading decryption technology, PRTK®. Now, FTK users can send files directly to PRTK for on-the-fly password recovery during evidence review. The Forensic Toolkit platform also delivers its own enhanced file decryption with FTK 5 now able to decrypt almost as many file formats as PRTK. In addition, users can import password lists to automatically decrypt files during the initial processing phase. New and with every copy of FTK 5, users will receive a Mobile Phone Examiner Plus (MPE+) Essential license. MPE+ Essential operates as a full MPE+ license for 30 days after the purchase or upgrade is activated, offering access to all features and devices. After this time, users will be given the option to purchase the full license of MPE+ or continue with the MPE+ Essential license. MPE+ Essential allows users to perform full iOS® and Android™ device examinations. MPE+ is the only mobile device analysis solution on the market to integrate seamlessly with FTK, allowing investigators to correlate evidence from multiple mobile devices with multiple computers within a single interface. AccessData is also offering, for a limited time, special pricing on a Forensic Toolkit/Mobile Phone Examiner Plus subscription bundle. As these two solutions both provide unparalleled analysis and work together to allow easy correlation of data from multiple mobile devices and computers, many practitioners are opting to add both products to their digital forensics arsenal. This subscription offer is intended to make that transition easier for budget-constrained organizations. Finally, the FTK 5 release is poised to change the way organizations and law firms handle their legal review process. FTK can now be used collaboratively with AccessData’s market-leading legal review platform, Summation. Forensic examiners and litigation support personnel can access the same case data on the same database to perform legal review and forensic examination simultaneously, which significantly streamlines the investigation to litigation lifecycle. Some additional enhancements include the following:Includes the most recent National Software Reference Library list for the Known File FilterLog2timeline CSV supportAutomated language identificationCreate, import and export reusable processing profiles Generate timeline reports in CSV format for bookmarked items About Forensic Toolkit® (FTK®)Given 5 stars several years running and a recommended designation from SC Magazine, AccessData's flagship product, Forensic Toolkit has forged a category all its own, by delivering a radically different architecture than other forensic tools, more advanced capabilities and a different approach to processing and analysis. The database-driven solution introduced distributed processing, integrated volatile data and memory analysis, the most comprehensive Apple OS analysis of any other Windows-based forensics product and built-in decryption capabilities. FTK is truly an enterprise-class investigative platform, allowing examiners to remotely preview and acquire computers and handle massive volumes of data with unmatched speed and accuracy. About AccessDataAccessData Group has pioneered digital investigations and litigation support for more than 25 years and is the maker of FTK, SilentRunner, Summation and the CIRT security framework. Over that time, the company has grown to provide a family of stand-alone and enterprise-class solutions that enable digital investigations of any kind, including computer forensics, incident response, e-discovery, legal review and information assurance. 130,000 users in law enforcement, government agencies, corporations and law firms around the world rely on AccessData software solutions and its premier digital investigations and hosted review services. AccessData Group is also a leading provider of digital forensics and litigation support training and certification. http://accessdata.com ###

2013-06-17T21:54:40Z 5-great-marine-apps-for-panasonic-s-toughpad

Choosing an Android-powered Panasonic Toughpad FZ-A1 means getting a ‘Built Kiwi Tough’ tablet that’s ready to handle all that nature can throw at it. Boaties, day sailors, racers and serious cruisers all appreciate that nature doesn’t come much harsher than the ocean. Where ‘consumer’ electronic devices might not last the day, Darryn Smith, brand and channel manager at sole New Zealand Panasonic Toughpad distributor Comworth, says the FZ-A1 is built for extremes. “Whether fishing, diving or simply exploring New Zealand’s extensive coastline, the Toughpad is an ideal companion. Install all your ‘usual’ apps and add a range of communications, navigation and weather apps specifically designed for the mariner. As a result, the go-anywhere Toughpad will soon become an indispensable companion on the sea,” he says. Comworth’s top picks for marine apps for the Toughpad FZ-A1 include: ·        Navionics ($18.87, Australia and New Zealand version, other versions available)The world’s top selling marine and lakes app is designed for serious sailors, boaties and fishermen. It’s particularly suited for cruising sailors or adventurous day skippers, Navionics offers full offline marine charts (no need for an internet connection). Using your Toughpad, create and edit routes based on cruising speed and fuel consumption. Record and view tracks and capture pictures (geo-tagged) along the way for a virtual adventure log of your trip. Access up-to-date tide, current, and wind speed/direction. Save ‘spot-X’ for the best fishing, and consult wind forecasts and tide and current predictions for trip planning.   ·        Predict Wind (Free; registration required. Advanced features require subscription of $19/year)Along with swell and current, wind is one of the fundamental determinants of conditions on the waterways. This free app turns your Toughpad into a ‘wind expert’. This app delivers the most accurate wind forecast available, with the highest resolution and a level of detail that includes tables, graphs and maps. Enter your city and country, select a position from the map and instantly get a complete analysis of land/sea conditions. Advanced tools include: zoom in on high resolution forecast maps; plan in accordance with wind, swell and current conditions for the fastest route and the best day for departure; receive Forecast Alerts of the conditions that matter to you; GPS Tracking to let others view your position and track. ·                  MX Mariner ($8.49)For those who don’t need comprehensive features, but instead want a simple-to-use set of charts to safely navigate the waterways, look no further than MX Mariner. This app offers a basic mobile marine navigator/chart plotter featuring quilted offline marine charts. Even when your Toughpad is out of coverage, the charts are stored locally; with the on-device GPS, you’re safe to navigate. MX Mariner features a simple heads up display showing speed and course. You have the ability to drop waypoints, record tracks and create routes. Routes can be activated and the heads up display will also show bearing and range to next waypoint, along with speed and course.   ·        NavRules Quiz ($7.99)Whether a seasoned sailor or a beginner, knowing the Rules of Road is an essential aspect of good seamanship. This app provides comprehensive testing of your knowledge, delivering quizzes of official NAVRULES test questions from a massive test bank. The app is complete with questions from every part of the U.S. Coast Guard's Navigation Rules publication. With your Toughpad, use your spare time on the water or off to track your progress, focus on problem areas and get ready to ace your Master's License or Deck Watch Officer exams.   ·        Google Sky Map (Free)Looking for a tall ship and a star to steer her by? Your Toughpad will take all the guesswork out of stargazing with the addition of Google’s Sky Map. This incredible app uses the hardware in your Toughpad to help you identify celestial objects; simply point the camera at the sky, align the stars with those on-screen, and zoom in to learn more. Navigation by the stars was once standard practice and is still considered an essential fall-back; while your Toughpad is designed never to let you down, allow it to help you know more about the heavens above.   Smith says these apps and hundreds more suitable for marine use are ideal companions for the Panasonic Toughpad FZ-A1. “By adding a tablet designed for the outdoors and quite happy to go to sea, mariners have a further instrument to add to their inventory – one which is capable of replicating the functions of other more costly devices. As a primary tool or as a backup solution, a Toughpad is an ideal tool for water enthusiasts,” he concludes.

2013-06-17T21:43:54Z family-planning-more-effective-with-activboard

Nationwide not-for-profit organisation Family Planning has chosen a Promethean interactive whiteboard system supplied by ActivBoard New Zealand. The device replaces a previous projector and screen setup in Family Planning’s adult education and training classes. The system provides for learner interaction, annotation of presentations, and printing and sharing of notes. The result is an improvement in knowledge sharing, with class attendees consistently complimenting Family Planning’s use of technology. Family Planning Organisation Operating for over 75 years, Family Planning is a not-for-profit charitable organisation that promotes a positive view of sexuality to enable people to make informed choices about their sexual and reproductive health. Family Planning provides a range of services including sexual and reproductive health information, clinical services, education and training, and research. It works with people of all genders, ages, nationalities and  sexual orientations. In addition to the 30 clinics and 32 school-linked clinics that it operates around New Zealand, Family Planning has a Clinical Training and Development (CTD) division. This provides doctors and nurses with the opportunity to learn new skills and continue their professional development, explains division head Amy Curry. “Prior to the introduction of the ActivBoard system, training was supported by a standard projector and screen. The major limitation with that, of course, is that it just wasn’t very interactive at all,” she says. Furthermore, Curry says lighting was a problem with the projector, with images and information not sufficiently bright for learners to see clearly. Interactive Whiteboard Solution With the introduction of the Promethean interactive whiteboard system, Curry says a step change to the classroom situation is made. “Firstly, the interactive board is bright enough to ensure clarity, regardless of the ambient lighting of the room,” she notes. That’s a minor problem instantly addressed; but since the purpose of a whiteboard is to aid knowledge transfer and support effective learning, Curry says the real difference lies in the ability to engage and interest the learners. “For example, the ability to physically draw on the board through the ActivInspire system makes it easy to point out specific elements of coursework, draw attention to details, and include notes and explanations where necessary.” ActivInspire software works seamlessly with Promethean’s ActivBoards and Learner Response Systems, creating a fully integrated, interactive environment. With an embedded web browser, it provides the ability to instantly stream content and data directly from websites. This adds a further dimension to interactive learning, as internet resources can be accessed and shared with a class with no delay or hassle.  ActivInspire’s ActivPen capability that Curry and Family Planning have found so invaluable, is accompanied by touch capability. The result is the ability to interact with real-world tools -  move, scale and rotate images with finger touch, and annotate with the pen.  Leaner Response Systems -  A step further Curry says the recent introduction of ActivExpression goes a step further. ActivExpression equips each learner with a handheld device (resembling a smartphone) which provides learners with the ability to directly interact with their instructor. The system is designed to promote full-class participation and engagement throughout lessons while encouraging ongoing, real-time assessment of student progress.  “We’ve just received ActivExpression and intend to use it for ongoing quizzes to monitor the learning level of course attendees,” says Curry. “Our assessment of the system shows that it will give us the ability throughout the course to understand where more attention might have to be focused, or where comprehension is sufficient to move on.” As Family Planning’s classes are comprised of adults, she says the anonymity which comes with ActivExpression is invaluable. “Adults often will feel insecure or ashamed to speak up if they don’t understand or have missed something. ActivExpression directly solves that problem, letting class members directly indicate how well they understand any particular coursework.” Increased efficiency and learning outcomes Over the course of two years, Family Planning has had ample time to assess the efficacy of the ActivBoard system. Curry puts it plainly: “Once you’ve used an interactive whiteboard, there is no way you could go back to the old projector and screen.” While she says actual measurements of improvements are difficult to ascertain – since there isn’t a ready metric for ‘learning efficiency’ – Curry says there is an intuitive sense of the improvement. More than that, learners love the system. “Our course attendees, especially those who haven’t seen an interactive whiteboard in action, are very complementary about our use of the technology. We have feedback forms that follow each class, with specific questions on perceptions of the value of the ActivBoard system. The responses indicate practically universal appreciation of the system.” From a presenter’s perspective, she says the ActivBoard system is easily understood and used by anyone with a reasonable level of computer literacy. “It is a long way away from a flip chart or a chalkboard, which does make it a little intimidating for the older generation. However, with adequate training provided as part of the system, it doesn’t take long to start using it effectively – and see the benefits in for the learners.” She notes that one of the few things the ActivBoard has in common with the chalkboards of old is their resilience. “You can’t break them, which makes ActivBoard ideal for any learning environment, even  a primary school.” Curry says recent advances in personal technology, including laptops, show that touchscreens and interactivity are the way forward. “Technology and the world are moving forward. If we don’t use technology such as the ActivBoard system to teach the class, we will get left behind.”For more information Visit www.activboardnz.com               About ACTIVboardNZ ACTIVboardNZ is a well-established technology vendor and the exclusive distributor for several leading international manufacturers of interactive and audiovisual display technology. Based in Auckland and with representatives around New Zealand, ACTIVboardNZ supplies and supports a range of ICT and audio visual solutions for educational, corporate and government establishments. They have been working with Architects, Engineers, Project Managers and School Leaders for over fifteen years and their experienced team is able to provide advice and guidance on all aspects of interactive and collaborative technology solutions.