Telstra Art Award Exhibition Opens this Friday

The highlight of the national Indigenous art calendar is almost upon us with the 27th Telstra National Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Art Award opening celebration set to take place at the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory (MAGNT) in Darwin this Friday,13 August 2010.

The opening celebration not only announces the much anticipated winner of the $40,000 Telstra Art Award and five category winners, it also offers the public the first opportunity to view this year's final selection of 96 Indigenous art works and features a great line up of entertainment.

Telstra Art Award Curator Kate Podger said this year is particularly exciting with the addition of another prize category, the inaugural Telstra New Media Award, aimed at the recognition and celebration of the increasing number of Indigenous artists using new media as part of their art practice.

'Also for the first time, this year the overall $40,000 Telstra Art Award winner will be selected from the five category winners, the Telstra General Painting Award, the Telstra Bark Painting Award, the Telstra Work on Paper Award, the Wandjuk Marika Memorial 3D Award (also sponsored by Telstra) and the Telstra New Media Award,' Ms Podger said.

'The opening night of the Telstra National Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Art Award is always a highlight of Australia's art events calendar and attracts visitors and artists from all over the country.

'Entertainment highlights of the evening include Lou Bennett, a multi-talented Yorta Yorta woman and co-founder of the internationally successful folk group Tiddas; Duganda Street Sounds, a group from Ramingining whose performances feature a combination of traditional and contemporary dance and music; and Wildflower, a young band fronted by five women from the remote Arnhem Land station of Mamadawerre.

'This year the galleries will be open from 4pm where visitors are invited to view the exhibition which includes paintings, three-dimensional works, barks, works on paper and new media works.

'The entertainment and announcement of the winners will then take place from 5.30pm on the lawns outside the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory.

'The Telstra Art Award has come to be regarded as the premier national event in the Indigenous art community; it not only provides the opportunity for Indigenous artists to receive recognition for their work but also provides the general public access to an amazing exhibition of contemporary Indigenous art.

'For the first time since 2007, artists from all states and territories across the nation are amongst the finalists.'

Artworks in this year's exhibition will be featured on an interactive website www.nt.gov.au/natsiaa, which offers users from around the world the opportunity to view moving images of this year's artworks and listen to recordings of the story behind the works through a virtual online gallery from 4pm Friday, 13 August 2010.

The 27th Telstra National Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Art Award exhibition will be on display at the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory until Sunday, 7 November 2010.

To follow the Telstra Art Award on Twitter go to www.twitter.com/natsiaa

The 27th Telstra National Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Art Award is supported by the Visual Arts and Craft Strategy, an initiative of the Australian, State and Territory Governments

— WebWireID121214 —

www.powersupportusa.com Launches New E-Commerce Platform

CONTACT: Stephanie Jenkins
Bollare, 310.246.0983

Enhanced customer interaction, sophisticated site navigation and unparalleled customization options enhance customer experience and usability on Power Support USA's NEW e-commerce platform.

LOS ANGELES, Calif. - www.powersupportusa.com is launching a new e-commerce platform with increased customer interaction, searchability and usability that will overall enhance the customer shopping experience.

Power Support gained acclaim in the technology accessories space with its revolutionary protective screen films that use a patented static-cling adhesive technology; this exclusive Japanese-made film has become a customer go-to in protecting the most fragile of items; from iPhone to MacBook to iPad screens. As customers have come to expect and rely on Power Support to protect their most-used electronics, the brand has branched to include a variety of products with an emphasis on usability and all-over protection. iPhone carrying cases, iPad cases and iPod cases are included in Power Support's comprehensive collection. As Power Support is known for their incredible case options; unique artist and brand collaborations have evolved. Teaming up with Sanrio showcasing Hello Kitty, Exclusive partnerships with Apple showcasing major world city iPhone cases and a variety of top-notch artists and fashion designers, customers have come to expect a personalized and creative touch with the most utilitarian of products- giving Power Support a unique competitive customer advantage.

As the brand has become a comprehensive go-to, offering the latest in technology accessories, www.powersupportusa.com has evolved to launch a 2.0 version to their e-commerce platform destination. New features customers can come to expect include:

Customization: Upload your own imagery or personal photo, rotate, crop and manipulate your personalized graphic to create a case that is 100% your own. Additionally, customers can save their created case artwork in a personal database and come back to further edit and create at a later time!

Enhanced Site Navigation: Swift navigation, clear and clean shop options, ease in search and use.

Optimized Customer Interaction: Videos sharing behind-the-scenes information on favorite brand collaborations, detailed product descriptions, and complete customer service at the click of a mouse allows for optimal customer care and support.

Pre-Orders for iPhone4: Customers can pre-order Power Support's Anit-Glare Screens for the iPhone4. Look to the new www.powersupportusa.com for the latest and greatest in technology accessories.

Look for the launch of Power Support's new e-commerce platform June 15, 2010. For press previews of key site slides and product selections, please contact: Stephanie Jenkins at Bollare: Stephanie@bollare.com.

Power Support USA was established in 2004 and provides intelligently designed products and impeccable service—traditions that Power Support Japan, founded in 1994, has built its reputation on.

Both female and minority owned, Power Support has provided jobs in the USA during these economically challenging times and is involved in programs that enhance the local community. Power Support also places special emphasis on being environmentally conscious.

— WebWireID118406 —

Telstra Art Award Announces Australia’s finest

Finalists for this year's 27th Telstra National Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Art Award have been announced today by the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory (MAGNT) and principal sponsor Telstra.

Telstra Art Award curator Kate Podger congratulated the 96 artists selected for this year's Telstra Art Award.

'We had a total of 321 entries this year, with traditional entries including works on paper, paintings, barks and three dimensional artworks and for the first time entries in the Telstra New Media Award,' Ms Podger said.

'With the introduction of the inaugural Telstra New Media Award, it's really exciting to have received 17 new media works, with seven of the entries selected as finalists.

'While many of the new media entries were from urban areas of Australia it is great to see an entry come from Arnhem Land. This particular work really responds to the theme 'Connections' in a very personal manner.

'Some of the other entries in the Telstra New Media Award include an online virtual entry featuring an artist's work on www.secondlife.com, the Internet's largest user-created, 3D virtual world community, as well as a range of digital images.'

For the first time since 2007, artists from all states and territories across the nation are amongst the finalists. Arnhem Land and the central desert region artists, which include Northern Territory, South Australia and Western Australia, have again dominated this year's Award finalist numbers.

'Queensland, Torres Strait Islands, Tasmania, ACT, NSW, Victoria, WA and the more remote areas such as Tiwi Islands and the Kimberley/Pilbara regions are also represented in this year's Award, which is wonderful,' Ms Podger said.

Telstra Chief Marketing Officer, Kate McKenzie congratulated all of the artists who entered the Telstra Art Award in 2010.

'We are thrilled to see strong support for the Awards from artists around the country reflected in the 321 entries this year, and the way artists have enthusiastically embraced the new media category.

'We're pleased that Indigenous artists have a national showcase for this new form of artistic expression to celebrate their culture, beliefs and society.' she said.

The Telstra Art Award comprises the $40,000 Telstra Award and $4,000 to other categories including; the Telstra General Painting Award, the Telstra Bark Painting Award, the Telstra Work on Paper Award and the Wandjuk Marika Memorial 3D Award (also sponsored by Telstra) in addition to the Telstra New Media Award ($3,000).

The 27th Telstra National Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Art Award exhibition opens, and award presentations will be made, on Friday, 13 August 2010.

The 27th Telstra National Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Art Award is supported by the Visual Arts and Craft Strategy, an initiative of the Australian, State and Territory Governments

— WebWireID117797 —

Epson Technology Supports Printing Applications for iPhone and Android Phones

Open-source library allows for simple development of universal driver for Epson printers

TOKYO, Japan - Seiko Epson Corporation ("Epson", TSE: 6724) today announced global support for its open-source development kit, the ESC/P-R library, which assists product designers wishing to develop printing applications for electronic devices. With the kit, developers only need to create one driver in order to connect and communicate with any Epson inkjet printer that supports ESC/P-R.

ESC/P-R is a common language for selected Epson inkjet printers worldwide that supports every media type, paper size and associated printing mode available on those products. ESC/P-R allows many kinds of devices to connect and communicate with Epson printers, expanding possibilities for use with medical equipment, measuring equipment, electronic whiteboards, and at home with home electronics and game machines. It is especially suited for consumer electronics devices and embedded equipment.

The ESC/P-R development kit has already been utilized to develop printing applications for the iPhone, iPod Touch, and for phones using the Android operating system, enabling people with these devices to enjoy the outstanding image quality that Epson printers are known for. "ePrint" by Microtech Corp. and Epson's own "Epson iPrint" can be found in Apple's App Store, while CyCom Technology Corp.'s "CyPria" application is available for download from the Android Market. All of Epson's Wi-Fi capable all-in-one printers launched this year will support these applications.

The ESC/P-R language is designed to be easy to develop and maintain, as it removes the necessity to create and update separate drivers for each printer. It enables speedy printing of high quality images even from devices with a slow CPU, and does not require dedicated image processing memory. Development support will be provided by Epson Imaging Technology Center in San Jose and Seattle.

For further information on Epson's universal printing and supported printers, please visit this site:
http://global.epson.com/technology/driver.htm

Details about the ESC/P-R library can be found at this site:
http://global.epson.com/technology/driver_library.htm

For application development enquiries, please use the form on the following site:
http://www.epsondevelopers.com/home/contact

About Epson
Epson is a global imaging and innovation leader that is dedicated to exceeding the vision of customers worldwide through its compact, energy-saving, high-precision technologies, with a product lineup ranging from printers and 3LCD projectors for business and the home, to electronic and crystal devices.

Led by the Japan-based Seiko Epson Corporation, the Epson Group comprises over 70,000 employees in 106 companies around the world, and is proud of its ongoing contributions to the global environment and the communities in which it operates. http://global.epson.com/

— WebWireID111372 —

Nokia’s global “Calling All Innovators” challenges developers to make a difference

Announces collaboration with Sesame Street

White Plains, NY, USA -Save the environment, lift spirits, improve productivity, educate and contribute to a healthy lifestyle: Nokia wants 2010 to be a year of good ideas that make a difference in peoples' lives. Forum Nokia today announced Calling All Innovators 2010, an international application development contest designed to inspire creativity and change.

Calling All Innovators 2010 features four categories for submissions that enhance the use of Nokia mobile devices in real-world scenarios:

- Eco/Being Green: apps that help to save the planet with innovative, eco-friendly uses.

- Productivity: apps that make your life easier, and help you to be more efficient, such as utilities, business, or personal finance applications.

- Life Improvement: apps that positively affect the daily lives of people living in developing countries by using the prevalence of mobile devices to teach children and illiterate adults critical skills, and agriculture health.

- Entertainment: apps that bring out your inner rock star, and show off the coolest multimedia features, including music, multimedia and games - because mobile also has to be about having fun!

Additionally, Forum Nokia has teamed up with Sesame Workshop, the producers behind Sesame Street, for the education subcategory of the life improvement category to encourage developers to create and offer applications to teach early literacy on Nokia devices to communities around the world. Sesame Workshop will offer guidance during the judging process and work with select developers to further enhance relevant projects.

"Today's announcement is brought to you by the letter S," said Purnima Kochikar, vice president Forum Nokia. "Teaming up with Sesame Street allows us to inspire the imagination of developers to help educate children worldwide through advances in mobile technology with quality, branded content."

The collaboration will encourage developers to create educational applications, and possibly utilize the Sesame Street characters, for consumers around the world. As Sesame Street celebrates its 40th anniversary, this partnership helps to extend its "longest street in the world" into the digital one. With an expertise in using media to reach children, the nonprofit is looking to mobile as the newest distribution channel of literacy-based content through accessible mass media.

"With Forum Nokia's community - over four and a half million developers strong - we're challenging those particularly in emerging markets to create educational tools that make a positive impact," said Jeffrey Fleishman, assistant vice president for Media Distribution Business Development, Sesame Workshop. "We're looking for creators who can bring a fresh perspective and local knowledge to the growing field of educational mobile applications. Our goal is to find some partners with which we can work to extend the power of Sesame Street to new platforms and places."

One example is the regional Calling All Innovators contest taking place in Latin America at this time, where developers have been encouraged to publish their apps to Ovi Store. Finalists in this regional competition will automatically be entered into the global Calling All Innovators contest.

More details about all the categories for Calling All Innovators, special prizes and judges can be found on the contest web site at: www.callingallinnovators.com.

Submissions from developers for the 2010 Calling All Innovators contest will be accepted starting on 1 February 2010. The submission deadline will be 18 May 2010.

About Sesame Workshop

Sesame Workshop is the nonprofit educational organization that revolutionized children's television programming with the landmark Sesame Street. The Workshop produces local Sesame Street programs, seen in over 140 countries, and other acclaimed shows to help bridge the literacy gap including The Electric Company and Pinky Dinky Doo. Beyond television, the Workshop produces content for multiple media platforms on a wide range of issues including literacy, health and military deployment. Initiatives meet specific needs to help young children and families develop critical skills, acquire healthy habits and build emotional strength to prepare them for lifelong learning. Learn more at www.sesameworkshop.org.

About Forum Nokia

Nokia's global developer program, Forum Nokia connects developers to tools, technical information, support, and distribution channels they can use to build and market applications around the globe. From offices in the U.S., Europe, India, Japan, China, and Singapore, Forum Nokia provides technical and business development support to developers and operators to assist them in achieving their goal of successfully launching applications and services to consumers and enterprises. More information is available at www.forum.nokia.com.

About Nokia

Nokia is a pioneer in mobile telecommunications and the world's leading maker of mobile devices. Today, we are connecting people in new and different ways - fusing advanced mobile technology with personalized services to enable people to stay close to what matters to them. We also provide comprehensive digital map information through NAVTEQ; and equipment, solutions and services for communications networks through Nokia Siemens Networks.

— WebWireID110393 —