CeBIT Australia 2009: Agenda Setter for Progress and Prosperity

SYDNEY, Australia – 21 April 2009: Five Global Conference tackling topics from the implications of the National Broadband Network (NBN) to how the Web and Enterprise technology can beat the financial crisis, a dazzling array of new generation technologies from the world’s fastest mobile data networks to the world’s smallest portable office equipment, and a vibrant multimedia tour of the power and potential of the Web will make this year’s CeBIT Australia 2009 show in Sydney next month more topical and vital than ever.

Media registration for CeBIT Australia 2009 has now opened, offering print and electronic media journalists, bloggers and analysts access to the latest insider information and demonstrations on technology trends and techniques.

With an eye to providing the vital information needed by all organisations to survive and prosper through tough economic times, CeBIT’s organisers Hannover Fairs Australia have devised a show experience this year packed with items of interest for businesses and organisations of all types.

Now well-established as the Asia-Pacific region’s largest annual event for the information and communication technology industry, CeBIT Australia 2009, from May 12-14 in Sydney, will display and highlight a dazzling array of innovations and technology products at the forefront of today’s state-of-the-art.

These displays will be complemented by a packed conference program designed to fill in the details and consider the implications behind today’s media headlines and electronic news bulletins.

The implications of the Federal Government’s $43 billion NBN, for example, will be a major focus of Access, a new conference devoted to the policy, strategic and practical aspects of telecommunications in today’s working environment.

With speakers representing all of the NBN bidding consortia and major carriers, Access is destined to be one of the most closely followed technology conferences of recent years.

CeBIT’s opening day will also feature an opening address by the Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy, Senator Stephen Conroy, to

AusInnovate, Australia’s peak research and development and commercialisation conference.

Senator Conroy’s appearance at CeBIT will be his last public appearance scheduled before flying back to Canberra later that day to attend the Budget Session of Parliament. His comments, thus, are sure to be timely and closely scrutinised in light of the Government’s commitment to funding technology infrastructure to position Australia for the digital future.

Organised by CeBIT in partnership with NICTA, CSIRO and DSTO, AusInnovate will also put the spotlight on real world examples of best-of-breed innovation, as well as devising strategies for the further growth, implementation and integration of Australian research within the Global Digital Economy.

The Australian Government had also significant increased its engagement and sponsorship of the e-Government Forum, the country’s top public sector technology conference, on Wednesday May 13.

The e-Government Forum organised in partnership with the Department of Finance, has never been more topical against the back drop of the Gershon Review of government ICT procurement and management and the increased interest in citizen-centric Web 2.0-style policy interaction.

Two business-oriented conferences, Enterprise and WebForward will put a microscope on the processes, trends and techniques that are driving the adoption and exploitation of technology by business to operate more efficiently in tough times, with presentations by senior figures from such companies as Google, IBM, Microsoft and Citrix.

Topics to be discussed include such emerging and hot-button trends as Cloud computing, virtualisation, CRM, SaaS, social networking, the Twitter revolution, search engine marketing and optimisation, and mobile devices and apps for platforms like the iPhone.

“We have added significant value to our conference program every year since launch – and the delegate numbers have continued to swell. This year, as business owners in particular look for smart new technology, we’re expecting our biggest turn-out ever,” the Managing Director of CeBIT’s organisers, Hannover Fairs Australia, Ms Jackie Taranto said.

The full conference programs, and speaker lists, can be viewed at http://www.cebit.com.au/conference-program.html

On the show floor, a particular highlight of the show will be the Sydney debut of “Webciety”, a visual-oriented, hands-on multimedia display area highlighting the potential and power of the Web in today’s business and social environments.

Webciety was one of the popular hits this year of the giant CeBIT Hannover show in March, and its enthusiastic reception there prompted Hannover Fairs Australia to recreate the display at CeBIT in Sydney.

“Webciety at CeBIT Hannover was a simply amazing and impressive display by all the major players in the web industry worldwide of just how fundamental the internet is to all areas of society today,” Ms Taranto said.

“From social blogging to cloud computing to e-marketing to digital content, the web’s potential has never been shown so vividly and starkly, and we aim to bring that same flavour to our event in Sydney.”

More information on Webciety at CeBIT Australia 2009 can be found at www.webciety.com.au

CeBIT’s show halls, meanwhile, will feature a dazzling array of new technologies, products and services, from demonstrations of the world’s fastest mobile data networks, world changing techniques and technologies for e-Health systems, and the newest products for the business executive from smartphones to Netbook computers.

Of particular interest will be such cutting edge products as:

• Telstra’s 21Mbps wireless mobile data network – Announced at the recent GSM Mobile World Conference in Barcelona, Telstra’s latest enhancement to its Next G mobile data network, developed in conjunction with Ericsson, Qualcomm and Sierra Wireless, offers the world’s fastest data speeds of 21Mbps over HSPA+ networks, and the potential to achieve a blistering 42Mbps by the end of the year.

• SnoRocket e-Health System – Developed by the Australian e-Health Research Centre in conjunction with the country’s peak research organisation, CSIRO, SnoRocket is a barrier-breaking e-Health methodology that enables speedy and accurate translations of medical records and terminology between different countries, areas and even within hospitals. It is already being adopted by medical facilities in the US, UK and Denmark.

• The world’s smallest and most portable digital projector – Sydney company Exstream Vision will be lifting the wraps of a new pocket-sized digital projector for data and video that sets new standards for the miniaturisation of business equipment. The company will also showcase the latest, and speediest, Netbook personal computer.

Significant global exhibitors at CeBIT 2009 will include such internationally recognised brands as Toshiba, Verbatim, Nokia, Google, Bearing Point and Lexmark, and the global stature of the event will see displays from 20 countries including dedicated pavilions from Germany and Korea on behalf of their combined exhibitors.

Media are encouraged to register for the show as soon as possible at: http://www.cebit.com.au/press/media-registration.html

Media access includes free entry to the exhibition, access by accredited representatives of media organisations to the full Global Conference Series, and use of the Media Centre facilities, including a blogging zone and interview area, on the show floor.

Press contacts:

CeBIT Australia is the largest business technology exhibition and conference event in the region. CeBIT Australia 2009 will be held from May 12-14 2009 at the Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre at Darling Harbour. For more information on CeBIT Australia, please visit www.cebit.com.au.

CeBIT Australia is organised by Hannover Fairs Australia, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the global trade group company Deutsche Messe AG. Hannover Fairs Australia also assists Australian companies in attending other international events organised by Deutsche Messe AG across the world. For information about other please visit www.hannoverfairs.com.au.