Toshiba technology helps drive biofuel awareness

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Toshiba technology helps drive biofuel awareness

Exciting initiative takes to the seas next month

Auckland, 19 October 2005: Toshiba (Australia) Pty Ltd has thrown it support behind the Earthrace project (www.earthrace.net) with the provision of sophisticated mobile computing technology.

Earthrace is a New Zealand conceived bid to break the world record for circumnavigating the globe in a powerboat using only renewable fuels. The initiative includes an 18-month tour calling at 60 of the world’s great cities, promoting fuels like biodiesel, and raising awareness of sustainable use of resources.

The brainchild of Pete Bethune, a former oil exploration engineer who worked in the Middle East and the North Sea, the Earthrace boat is a 10 ton, 24 metre tri-hull wavepiercer design by leading New Zealand naval architect, Craig Loomes.

It will represent leading edge technology in all facets including engines, composites, hull design and motors as it seeks to carve 10 days off the 75 day world record set in 1998 by a British powered craft using fossil fuels (diesel).

The boat currently nearing completion will be launched in Auckland in November 2005 and undergo a series of water based trials before doing a port tour around New Zealand and then heading to the West Coast of the United States.

When the boat gets under way, the Toshiba Qosmio G20 (the world’s first AV-Notebook) will play a key role in communicating with the world. The notebook will transmit data every minute providing a visual dashboard of key boat statistics such as GPS, boat speed, engine parameters and wind speed.

Additionally it will be used to do video editing and transmit a two to three minute broadcast quality clip of daily highlights. The Toshiba Qosmio is a unique four in one mobile platform with superior audio-visual, stereo and DVD functionality including editing and recording capabilities and a TV tuner, as well as being an advanced notebook.
“We are thrilled with the Toshiba Qosmio. With its four in one functionality, high-quality screen, audio visual capabilities, and large storage capacity it’s a dream machine for this type of work,” said Pete.

“The Qosmio has already proven itself to be a real asset to this project,” added Pete. “It currently has all of our boat plans, budgets, accounts, contacts, all of our sponsorship proposals and most of our multimedia files on it. Plus it syncs with my Toshiba e830 Pocket PC to manage all my contacts and appointments.

“It’s encouraging to have the support of a technology leader such as Toshiba, who can play a great role in this project, and also in driving technology change to minimise environmental impact.

New Zealand Country Manager for Toshiba ISD, Callum Eade, said Toshiba was proud to be supporting Earthrace in its quest. “At Toshiba we take environmental responsibility seriously. We are committed to contributing to the sustainable development of the earth through our business processes and products. We applaud this initiative and hope their quest is a success on multiple levels.”

Following the completion of the race, Earthrace will continue its promotion tour for renewable fuels, sailing up the east coast of America, across to Europe, down through Asia in the first quarter of 2007, arriving in Sydney around the middle of 2007 before returning home finally to New Zealand.

ENDS

About Toshiba

The New Zealand office of Toshiba’s Information Systems Division (ISD) is a division of Toshiba (Australia) Pty Limited, which is a wholly owned subsidiary of Toshiba Corporation, the seventh largest integrated manufacturer of electric and electronic equipment, with around 165,000 employees worldwide, and annual sales of over US$47billion on a consolidated basis.

Australian mobile computing market leader, Toshiba ISD is unique among vendors, specialising exclusively in mobile solutions and services. A global reputation for quality has been achieved through an R&D budget roughly equal to Australia’s total expenditure as a country in this area.

Since it pioneered the notebook market in 1985, Toshiba ISD has sold more than 1.25 million notebooks in Australia and New Zealand and is this year celebrating its 20th anniversary of providing market leading mobile computing solutions.

Committed to People, Committed to the Future. Toshiba. wwww.toshiba.co.nz

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